The Black Dahlia (9-Aug-2006)
Director: Brian De Palma Writer: Josh Friedman From novel: The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy Music by: Mark Isham Producers: Art Linson; Rudy Cohen; Moshe Diamant; Avi Lerner Keywords: Crime Two Los Angeles police officers struggle with their lives amidst the unsolved Black Dahlia murder case.
ABSTRACT The unsolved murder of struggling actress Elizabeth Short, better known as the Black Dahlia, roiled Los Angeles' landscape in 1947, igniting a nationwide media circus fixated on the brutality of her killing and local authorities' inability to bring the culprit to justice. Created at a time of renewed public interest in the infamous story, The Black Dahlia presents viewers with a fictionalized account of the ordeal, following two Los Angeles cops as their lives are torn apart by an all-consuming obsession with the case and their trouble with bringing it to a satisfactory close.
CAST Josh Hartnett | ... Bucky Bleichert | Scarlett Johansson | ... Kay Lake | Aaron Eckhart | ... Lee Blanchard | | and | Hilary Swank | ... Madeleine Linscott | | Mia Kirshner | ... Elizabeth Short | Mike Starr | ... Russ Millard | Fiona Shaw | ... Ramona Linscott | Patrick Fischler | ... Ellis Loew | James Otis | ... Dolph Bleichert | | John Kavanagh | ... Emmett Linscott | Troy Evans | ... Chief T. Green | Anthony Russell | ... Morrie Friedman | Pepe Serna | ... Dos Santos | Angus MacInnis | ... Capt. John Tierney | | Rachel Miner | ... Martha Linscott | Victor McGuire | ... Bill Koenig | Gregg Henry | ... Pete Lukins | Jemima Rooper | ... Lorna Mertz | Rose McGowan | ... Sheryl Saddon | Dan Ponce | ... Mp | Graham Norris | ... Cop | Mike O'Connell | ... Shore Patrol | Michael Flannigan | ... Desk Officer | John Solari | ... Baxter Fitch | Stephanie L. Moore | ... Baxter Fitch's Girlfriend | Noel Arthur | ... Gunman #1 | Todd Thomas | ... Gunman #2 | Steve Eastin | ... Detective | Ian McNeice | ... Coroner | Claudia Katz | ... Frolic Bartender | Mia Frye | ... Laverne Bartender | Richard Brake | ... Bobby Dewitt | Bill Finley | ... George Tilden | Joost Scholte | ... Madeleine's GI | Fatso Fasano | ... Dealer | Teo | ... Friedman's Tough Guy #1 | Kiril Eframov | ... Friedman's Tough Guy #2 | Petar Milchev | ... Perp |
REVIEWS Review by Elliott Bernshaw (posted on 28-Oct-2007) Rather incomprehensible. Star talent couldn't keep my interest (boxing and boxer-mentality strongly turn me off). I couldn't follow the twists in the plot, and after half way into the movie, frankly I didn't care what was happening.
This film I found similar to Chinatown. But 'Chinatown' kept my interest glued, and I eagerly went back repeated times to view it again and again, and was thrilled to finally figure it all out. Obviously, 'Chinatown's' Jack Nicholson was far more riviting than Josh Harnett will ever be. Same for Faye Dunaway being far over the ladies in 'Black Dahlia.' Of course, 'Chinatown' had what some claim to be one the best scripts ever written (?!). And 'Black Dahlia's' director De Palma has always made disappointing movies for me ('Red Planet', etc.).
The only thing attractive about 'Black Dahlia' was watching Johansson and Swank disrobing or getting their clothes torn off (I never realized that both these ladies have 'full' figures, especially boyish-typed Swank!). Too bad, however, that more nudity wasn't clearly shown.
Conclusion, I will never watch this film again. (Realize that I am a Bogart fan, I liked Costner's 'Untouchables,' 'Chinatown,' 'The Sting,' Harrison Ford-Brad Pitt's Irish terrorist movie, etc.)
P.S. to editors: we submitters could use a spell crecker!
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