David Fincher's unhinged and inspired adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's mind-bending novel Fight Club thrust the transgressive author onto the world's main stage. Since then, he's continued churning out books that center on outsiders and offer troubling insights into modern America as well as some passages so grisly they've caused people to pass out at public readings. With this kind of gritty cool impact, Palahniuk's other works have often been rumored to be on their way to movie adaptations of their own, yet only Choke, adapted and directed by The Avenger's Clark Gregg, has made it to production.
But now, Variety reports an adaptation of Palahniuk's porn-centric novel Snuff has found financing. Jeane Pierre Magro and Dean O'Toole of Immortal Transmedia, who've produced Matthew Vaughn's Kick-Ass and Harmony Korine's Mister Lonely, will back the film which will center on three men in a line of 600 who are waiting to have sex with a porn icon on camera for her farewell porn performance. Adam Goldworm of the upcoming production company Aperture Entertainment will co-produce the picture, which was co-written by Golan Ramras (Mating Rituals and Fabien Martorell (Tromatized: Meet Lloyd Kaufman. Martorell will also direct Snuff, making his narrative feature debut.
Now, after being transfixed by Fincher's Fight Club, I sought out the book—which then had a promotional cover of a bleeding Ed Norton and a smirking Brad Pitt—ripped through it ravenously, and have diligently devoured every book Palahniuk has put out since. And frankly if you'd ask me which Palahniuk would never get a movie adaptation, Snuff would be my answer.
Like all of his works, Snuff has a winding and demented story that not only makes it tough to translate to a narrative film construct, but also makes it a tough sell to audiences. But what really makes Snuff so outlandish as a movie is its hardcore sex, themes of incest, mutilation, self-destruction and a finale so sick I truly wish I could shake it from my brain. Of course, as Martorell is an apparent fan of the Troma films, his interest in this scandalous story is easy to peg.
