Saturday, November 08, 2014

Author James Ellroy Talks About The "Laura" Remake

We know that "L.A. Confidential" and "The Black Dahlia" author James Ellroy is scripting a remake of the 1944 film noir thriller "Laura" for Fox.

Otto Preminger directed the original classic which centered on a detective who falls for the woman whose murder he is investigating.

Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb and Vincent Price starred in the film, which was nominated for five Oscars, including Webb for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and  Preminger for best director. Joseph Lashelle winning the Oscar for Best Cinematography.

Ellroy confirms to Empire Online that the remake will change the film's setting from New York City to London:

 "I'm going to set it in London. I'm staying here in London for a while, and I want to do a Scotland Yard movie. I'm going to set it today."

Ellroy has great affection for the original, saying: "I've seen the film, I love the construction. the lonely hearted police detective, the dead woman with her face blown off, shotgunned in the front room of her apartment, the portrait of the dead woman, the policeman falls in love with the portrait – and that's all I need. There you go. That's a movie."


The project doesn't have a director attached at this time.

Ellroy has also written the screenplays for Street Kings and Rampart. He is also working with helmer David Fincher on a TV project set in 1950s Los Angeles called "Shakedown". Ellroy says he's already written the script that Fincher will direct.

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