How ‘Woman of the Hour’ Production Designers Remade ‘The Dating Game’ Set to Telegraph the Presence of a Serial Killer
variety.comEmiliana Betancourt Approximately one-third of the Netflix true crime thriller “Woman of the Hour” takes place on set of “The Dating Game,” where real-life serial killer Rodney Alcala was a contestant in the 1970s.
So, production designers for the Anna Kendrick-directed film had two missions: to accurately recreate the well-known set and to make that colorful, cheery space highlight the irony of a murderer’s participation on a romantic game show. “Woman of the Hour,” written by Ian McDonald, is structured to jump back and forth in time to dates where Alcala committed his heinous killings, while “The Dating Game” show anchors the action.
Kendrick also stars in the film, portraying Cheryl Bradshaw (Sheryl for the movie), the unwitting bachelorette on the 1978 episode.
One of the first questions production designer Brent Thomas asked himself was, “How do we help the audience experience what Sheryl is going through on the set?” The answer was in the orange-hued, heart-shaped details.
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