American Notes THE BRONX

As actor Tom Hanks, director Brian De Palma and their crew began filming The Bonfire of the Vanities, the Tom Wolfe novel that portrays the Bronx as a crime-ridden community, some residents complained that the movie would give the place a bad image. But not far from the movie action, a more terrifying, true-life drama was taking place: for the sixth time in seven weeks, a cabdriver was found dead on the streets.

Police suspect that at least three of the murders were committed by the same man, who called for the cabs during the early-morning hours, shot the drivers in the head and took their cash. As far as local cabdrivers are concerned, the bad image of the Bronx will remain long after the Bonfire crew has gone.