I am not a squeamish girl, but researching this story nearly made me heave. Catherine Keener and Ellen Page have been cast in the movie version of crime book The Basement. The Basement recounts the courtroom proceedings following the death of 16 year old Sylvia Marie Likens at the hands of Gertrude Baniszewski and a crew of her children and neighborhood children. The books is based on a true story.
In Indiana in 1965, Sylvia Likens (Page) and her sister Jenny were left in the care of Ms. Baniszewski (Keener), a 37 year old woman with 6 or 7 kids of her own. She was obviously not qualified to care for anyone. Indeed, when she took possession of the girls, Ms. Baniszewski had exactly 3 spoons in the house that everyone had to share when eating their meals. Ms. Baniszewski's abuse of Sylvia began rather quickly and devolved into brandings, humiliations, mauling of genitalia and being locked in a dank basement. Sylvia ultimately died because of her woulds. I dug around at Crime Library and read the whole sordid story. When I wasn't taking notes on how to treat Marlin on his next visit to my dungeon, I was pretty horrified.
I am glad the movie will be dealing with the courtroom proceedings following the roughshod treatment of poor Sylvia Likens. Frankly, to film what really happened to the girl with any detail would make Ichi the Killer look like a Hallmark Holiday Special. The Basement will lense soon for Ella Enchanted director Tommy O'Haver. Read all about it at Dark Horizons.
