Abhiroop Das
Helmed by Richard Switzer, Lifetime’s ‘The Paradise Murders‘ is centered around Emma’s return to her favorite hotel, Crescendo, after more than a decade. Though she last came here as a child, the memories of the golden beachfront, the lofty, perfectly designed hotel, and the people who work there are still fresh in Emma’s mind. This time, she is here with her partner, Jake, and unsurprisingly, Crescendo soon begins working its charm on him as well. However, when one of their new friends here, Sarah, is found dead under mysterious circumstances, Emma’s rose-tinted image of this place begins to shift. As the mystery thriller movie continues and the plot thickens, it becomes apparent that a serial killer might be at play, and he might not be done with his spree.
Crescendo is Conceptualized as the Primary Setting of The Paradise Murders
Crescendo Hotel and Spa is a fictional hotel created by writers Amy Irons, Jesse Mittelstadt, and Richard Switzer specifically for the world of ‘The Paradise Murders.’ Given how important the setting is to a story like this, it makes sense for the creative team to create a hotel from the ground up instead of using a real-life place as a reference. With this, they not only gained greater creative freedom to play with the environment but also avoided the legal constraints that might come with using a real resort as a base. That said, the Crescendo’s fictionality doesn’t stop it from having a realistic design and aesthetic, all of which come together to create an immersive effect.
While the exact filming location for the Crescendo hasn’t been confirmed as of writing, it appears that multiple real-life resorts and similar settings double up as the fictional hotel on screen. Some of the sequences reportedly feature the iconic city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as their backdrop. However, other scenes from the film suggest that Crescendo is surrounded by the ocean on one side and hills on the other. Notably, Fort Lauderdale does not house any similar hills in real-life, which indicates that another location may have been utilized to complete the hotel’s look.
Miranda’s is an Invented Restaurant That Connects to the Heart of the Story
Much like Crescendo Hotel and Spa, Miranda’s is a fictional restaurant invented by the writing team from scratch. While it may be the second most highlighted setting of the film, Miranda’s also happens to have a backstory penned specifically for the film. Through Emma’s recounting of the fond memories she’s made in the restaurant over the years, we get to feel as if Miranda’s is a real place with its own history and cuisine specialties. Its real purpose, however, is to serve the character arc of one of the most important characters, Lee, who goes from being an attendant at the restaurant to one of Emma’s closest confidantes.
When designing Crescendo and Miranda’s, the crew likely relied on clever stylistic tricks to complete the look of bustling locations, including their aesthetics and people. Along with customized logos, costumes, banners, and other fittings, the writing team also greatly relied on how intricately the two settings tie into the story. Both the hotel and the restaurant next to it are essential to Emma’s journey, especially in how her past connects to, informs, and perhaps even rewrites her present. While Crescendo and Miranda’s may be fictional constructs, the care put into them is what makes the movie come to life.
Read More: The Paradise Murders Ending Explained: Who is the Killer?
You must be logged in to post a comment.