Director David O. Russell Bites Hbo's Temple Grandin Project

"Three Kings" director David O. Russell is helping to develop an HBO movie about the unusual life of Temple Grandin, an autistic university professor known for devising humane ways to handle and slaughter livestock. Russell may also direct the project, which is being shepherded by "ER's" Anthony Edwards, who first became aware of Grandin through his work with autism research.

The picture will focus on the young-adult years of Grandin, who has been the subject of writings by Oliver Sacks and a documentary by Errol Morris. She herself has written that as an autistic woman, she finds other people's behavior alien and that she studies people as if she were "an anthropologist from Mars." The script will be based on Grandin's books "Emergence" and " Thinking in Pictures."

"This project is a window into an unexplored world, which affects millions of people," Edwards said. "We are excited to be working with someone like David (O. Russell), whose unique visual style and storytelling skills will be such an asset in making this a successful film."

Edwards will serve as an executive producer, along with his partner in Aviator Films, Dante Di Loreto, who added the picture will be more about the individual than the illness.

"Regardless of the autism, it is quite profound what she does in a male-dominated world of slaughterhouses," Di Loreto said. "This is the story of a woman who accomplishes extraordinary things because she believes she can. ... She is a woman with an extraordinary power of imagination. She can visualize anything."

In addition to directing "Three Kings," Russell also filmed "Flirting With Disaster" and "Spanking the Monkey."

About Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin's personal account of living with autism extraordinary gift of animal empathy has transformed her world and ours.

Temple Grandin is renowned throughout the world as a designer of livestock holding equipment. Her unique empathy for animals has her to create systems which are humane and cruel free, setting the highest standards for the industry the treatment and handling of animals. She also happens to be autistic. Here, in Temple Grandin's own words, is the story what it is like to live with autism.

Temple is among the few people who have broken through many the neurological impairments associated with autism. Throughout her life, she has developed unique coping strategies, including her famous "squeeze machine," modeled after seeing the calming effect squeeze chutes on cattle.

She describes her pain isolation growing up "different" and her discovery visual symbols to interpret the "ways of the natives" Thinking In Pictures also gives information from the frontlines of autism, including treat me medication, and diagnosis, as well as Temple's insight into genius, savants, sensory phenomena, etc. Ultimately, it is Temple's unique ability describe the way her visual mind works and how she first made the connection between her impairment and animal temperament that is the basis of extraordinary gift and phenomenal success.

Unique insight into the world of someone with autism., October 8, 2001

Reviewer: Karen Sadler (see more about me) from Freedom, Pa. USA

There are not enough words or good enough words to describe this book, or the person who wrote this book. I have been aware of the presence of Temple Grandin for some years now. I have read about her in Oliver Sack's books. I have seen journalistic shows concerning her on television. I have known that she is considered autistic (been diagnosed as that)and that she had a Ph.D. and works with animals, primarily livestock. All of this information predisposed me to be interested in her life, and ready to admire her for everything that she has accomplished.

However, it was not until my own nephew was diagnosed as having a developmental delay problem of his own, Asperger's, that I actually sought out more information about Temple Grandin and autism. In studying neuroscience, we just barely scratched the surface of this disability, and I remember thinking that this was an area of great dissent and of great need. Above all, there is an obvious need to hear from those who have autism. There are many books out there by parents, by physicians and scientists, by educators and psychiatrists. But there are few books by those who live the life of someone with autism. As a deaf person I know that those who would understand what it is like to be deaf in a hearing world cannot possibly imagine the problems, the obstacles, and even the joys which come with my differences. So I am also aware that I cannot understand other disabilities and differences unless they are told to me by someone who has actually been through it themselves.

Grandin does a great service to those with autism and those who have loved ones with autism or developmental delay disabilities. By allowing us access into her world, and explaining why she 'behaved' certain ways in certain circumstances, it allows others to comprehend the absolutely mind-boggling over-stimulation that these persons are exposed to. Not only does it aid in understanding and allow us to reserve judgement (rather than condemning these children as uncontrollable), it may help those who are exploring the neuroscience accounting for autism as well as lead to the development of educational and behavioral methodologies which can assist these children to meet their potentials and fulfill their lives. It also helps all of us to realize that differences do not necessarily have to be negative.

Temple Grandin and her mother are examples of what can be accomplished through love and education. Grandin was helped on her path by her mother and good teachers, but she also helped herself by educating herself on all possible fronts as to why she reacted and behaved (and how to control those reactions and behaviors). I can only begin to imagine the difficulties that both she and her mother faced in overcoming her problems, and making the most of her abilities. This book is necessary reading for all parents of children with these disabilities, for those who work with them in education and in psychiatry. I have now added Ms. Grandin to my list of people I admire, up there with Lincoln, Helen Keller, and Albert Schweitzer. She is an inspiration to us all of what can be done with hard work and perseverance. As she stated "Children, including the autistics, are not static"...all children and all people can always be taught and can achieve more. It is only the prejudices of others that are allowed to dictate what any child can or cannot accomplish.
Karen Sadler,
Science Education,
University of Pittsburgh