The Alienist

[MonnoM]

"The Alienist is an upcoming American television drama event series based on the novel of the same name by Caleb Carr. The psychological thriller drama is set in 1896, when a series of gruesome murders of boy prostitutes has gripped New York City. Newly appointed top cop Teddy Roosevelt calls upon Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a criminal psychologist – aka alienist – and newspaper illustrator John Moore to conduct the investigation in secret. Joining them in the probe is Sara Howard, a headstrong secretary at Police Headquarters." - Wikipedia

https://twitter.com/TheRealLukevans/status/902548259419418625

[Saunch]

Sure, this’ll do for a stylish procedural fix.

https://youtu.be/hgeknkliUJc

[Dani8]

OMG the beginning of the trailer scared the sht out f me. Got me right in my witching hour!

[dadgumblah]

I can't wait for this. The book was great. I hope it does it justice. There was also a follow-up book, Angel of Darkness, with the narration coming from someone else on the crime team. It was a nice switch, especially since it kept the core team together regardless. I kept hoping for Caleb Carr to do a third book but it hasn't happened so far. I hope they cover the two books with two seasons if it hits, and if Carr never writes a third one, they'll write their own third season.

[doubledenim]

This does look good. Nice and creepy.

[MovieGal]

It started last night!!! Watching the first episode.. so far so good..

Please don't cancel this series... they take all the good historical ones off..

I miss Ripper Street :(

[Saunch]

Alas, I can’t watch this right now. Here’s hoping it turns up on Hulu or something soon.

[Dani8]

How funny. I dont recall watching that trailer. Looks good!

[MovieGal]

Alas, I can’t watch this right now. Here’s hoping it turns up on Hulu or something soon.

Im not sure if its on Hulu.. for some reason mine wont connect...

I got it of Terrarium TV.

[MovieGal]

How funny. I dont recall watching that trailer. Looks good!

Daniel Bruhl and Luke Evans.. it better be good!

[Saunch]

It’s got Cary Fukunaga behind it so expectations are high.

[MovieGal]

I just miss my historical tv shows... ended up watching Jamestown on terrarium.

[Dani8]

Daniel Bruhl and Luke Evans.. it better be good!

Bruhl is in the next Cloverfield.

[MovieGal]

Bruhl is in the next Cloverfield.

Im seeing it anyway..

[Saunch]

Kind of surprised he hasn’t broken out, Brühl, I mean. Even after his fellow Basterds, Waltz and Fassbender, found success or after playing the best villain Marvel movies have had who isn’t Loki.

[MovieGal]

Kind of surprised he hasn’t broken out, Brühl, I mean. Even after his fellow Basterds, Waltz and Fassbender, found success or after playing the best villain Marvel movies have had who isn’t Loki.

I think he kind of did with "Rush"... have you seen that?

[Saunch]

Oh, yeah. He was good in that. Thor too. I didn’t think that one made a big splash, though.

[MovieGal]

Oh, yeah. He was good in that. Thor too. I didn’t think that one made a big splash, though.

Saunch,

There are actors.. that if something has them in it.. you better bet your tush I will be watching it.. Bruhl and Evans in this case...

[Dani8]

It’s got Cary Fukunaga behind it so expectations are high.

Has he done anything since TD?

Gee the scandinavian genes were strong there. I'd probably not pick him as japanese american.

[Saunch]

There are actors.. that if something has them in it.. you better bet your tush I will be watching it.. Bruhl and Evans in this case...

Hey, I like Brühl too and Evans was awesome in High-Rise. I’ll watch this show as soon as I can.

Has he done anything since TD?

Beasts of No Nation on Netflix. It’s a powerful movie with two fantastic lead performances (Abraham Attah and Idris Elba). It’s heavy stuff so be cautious. I’d also recommend his Jane Eyre if you haven’t seen that yet. One of the more atmospheric films I’ve seen this decade. It turns positively phantasmagoric towards the end.

Oh, and he’s doing a show called Maniac next about an institutionalized man who delves into a deep fantasy world and features Emma Stone and Julia Garner as Elves.

https://s14.postimg.org/9a3z2fn0x/76_EB8119-3896-4_F1_A-_A42_E-2_D7_C43_DC1462.jpg

It’ll be out later this year.

[dadgumblah]

I watched it and I was very glad to see it followed the book almost to the letter. It was very gritty and didn't hold back on any of the gruesomeness or harshness of mental illness. And all the supporting characters are there! I was so glad to especially see the Isaacson brothers, who help Dr. Kreizler with autopsies and who sometimes finish each other's sentences. The acting, especially among the starring trio, is excellent. I'm jazzed for Monday nights now!

[MovieGal]

I watched it and I was very glad to see it followed the book almost to the letter. It was very gritty and didn't hold back on any of the gruesomeness or harshness of mental illness. And all the supporting characters are there! I was so glad to especially see the Isaacson brothers, who help Dr. Kreizler with autopsies and who sometimes finish each other's sentences. The acting, especially among the starring trio, is excellent. I'm jazzed for Monday nights now!

so the book is worth reading? I like historical fiction as much as historical film and tv.

[dadgumblah]

Oh yes, the book is excellent. As I recall, the book is very detailed where the series can illustrate what the book describes. There is also a follow-up book featuring the characters (good guys) from The Alienist that I spoke about above. Both are excellent books. I still wish for a third. I saw that Caleb Carr, the author, was the creative consultant on this. Plus, I read on IMDB that he wrote two episodes of the series. So if he's got his feet back in this particular world, maybe he'll get to work on a third book.

[I. Rex]

Ive only watched a couple episodes so far but I like the darkness of it and it definitely feels like 19th century New York. Interesting that it was all filmed in Budapest. Was the original story supposed to be a kind of variation on the Jack the Ripper theme or is this based on a true story? Theres definitely a grimy seedy unholy vibe to it. Reminds me a bit of a better more adult version of The Raven.

Brul does a solid job with his character being both stand offish and admirable at the same time. He's got a touch of Spock in him. Theres a machine like detachment and a matter of fact air of genius in the way he views the world and exactly how things should be done. Im not at all familiar with how alienists were seen in late 19th century society but theres almost a semi untouchable aspect to his character that Im still working on understanding. It seems these kinds of professionals were looked on with respect but theres also an air of uneasiness around him at all times as if his choice of profession has some aspect of contamination to it. Or maybe its just him in particular. Not sure yet.

Not sure Fanning works for this role though. I like Fanning a lot but she doesnt feel hard enough for the character somehow. I would think a slightly older more seasoned looking actress would feel more natural for this kind of role. But more power to her. I'll be thoroughly delighted if she proves me wrong by the end of the season.

[dadgumblah]

The showrunners have taken a lot of liberties with the characters as opposed to the book. In the book, the whole investigative team were very cordial to each other. Lazlo was not this standoffish jerk like the series portrays him. BUT, I do appreciate Brühl's performance. Even being antagonistic toward's his cohorts in the series, he pulls it off, and his character seems to be thawing out, particularly with Mary, his housekeeper, as seen Monday night. I'm just a bit put off by the need to make him cold to almost everyone and continually picking at them. His character in the book was nothing like this. They all worked as a team to solve the crimes, with each member supplying his or her own skills to help out.

The show has gone overboard to show Sarah as a bold woman against almost everyone. Another change, seemingly caused by the current times. We get it. I'm not bothered by the subject of a woman fighting against male antagonism but the writers are pounding us over the head with it every single episode. Oh look! She smokes, she drinks, she says she can ride and shoot with the best of them, having been raised by a single father. We...get...it.

John Moore---in the book, as I recall, he did like his drink and to be found in bars. But he was not a whore monger as shown in the series.

There was some push-back from the police in the book, but not to the degree the show hammers us with. I don't remember a bigoted police sergeant who killed a suspect after being fired by Roosevelt. Some of these wholesale changes seem to indicate that the series writers think they can write the story better than Caleb Carr, yet I then find out that Carr wrote seven of the episodes! Why on earth did he allow such change? I don't get it. I know, I know, a series or a movie is different media than the book. But why base it on a book if you're going to change the thing? There have been series or movies that pale compared to the source material even when the original writer is heavily involved. A recent example was The Chronicles of Shannara, with author Terry Brooks heavily involved. That was a big failure and it was cancelled in its second season which I didn't bother to watch, the first was so bad. I'm also reminded of one of my favorite books, Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. He did the screenplay for the movie and although decent, it had quite a few unnecessary changes that veered the tone of the whole movie away from what it could have been. So, having the original author closely involved isn't always a good thing, I guess.

All in all, I've been disappointed because of the changes, yet have enjoyed the look and feel of the sets, costumes, and the performances, changes notwithstanding. And it seems like the show is going to come to the same conclusion as the book, so I'll be glad to see it go that way. I'll stick with it as I've already invested so much time so far.

I agree with you, I. Rex, in that Dakota Fanning's is a bit flat for the role. I think she's thinking that by being stiff and unmoving in scenes that it makes her appear tough. I fault the director/director's for this, as I've seen Fanning pull off other emotional roles easily. The Sarah of the book was a warm, charming person who worked well with men without having to constantly prove herself. Fanning somewhat comes off as a bit of an automaton in this---the only real feeling I saw from her unfortunately had to come from her reaction to being slapped by Lazlo---which is something he also would never do in the book.

I could list a dozen or so other changes but I guess I'll stop complaining. In for a dime, in for a dollar, I guess.