The Black Dahlia [DVD]

Black DahliaThis is the fictionalised story by James Elroy is of the real Black Dahlia murder of 1947,a crime which is officially unsolved, inspite of several good books that suggest who did it.This film is interesting on many levels, the sets, the locations and the vehicles along with the clothing is just like you were back in 1947. Details such as a faded peeling painted sign on a pet store looks perfect.The screenplay has many twists and turns, I feel it should have had more of a direction from a Detective's eye view of the crime they were trying to solve, but that is only a small point and those who have not done that type of job will not really consider that perspective. James Ellroy has never been a Police Officer, but he writes good Police inspired works. He has and shows great knowledge of the job without actually having done it!(James Ellroy's mother's murder from around the same era has driven him to investigate that for himself for many years, indeed that has been his 'Bette Noir' so to speak, his own driving force to find the truth, as with Betty Short's murder, others have had the same obsessive journey to find the truth. Indeed, some think that Ellroy's mother, Betty Short and a number of other unsolved cases are linked.)Brian DePalma again scores with a great film, the main 4 charachters are well chosen and Hilary Swank plays a great manipulative seducer who 'walks both sides of the same street' - watch the film to see what I mean.Scarlett Johansen plays a fragile beauty with a past that has been damaged, hidden and abusive . Josh Hartnett and Aaron Eckhart play the tough 'Fire and Ice' Police Detectives to the hilt. A pre- Dirty Harry era duo in some cases.You certainly don't want to take your eye off the ball for long in this film as there are lots of undercurrents and interplays between the charachters going on here, you really do have to watch the film to ensure you don't miss them.I watched all the special features items on the DVD first which was a help in seeing what the team was trying to achieve often before a camera had rolled.To return to the central charachter, Elizabeth Ann Short, 'Betty Short' - the Real Black Dahlia, the back story of Short with other aspiring actresses in the film is a theme that weaves through the screenplay.One point I did feel was not through and only from a professional point of view is that when Bucky Bleichert is searching a woman's room, he only seemed to do it a cursory way - the handbag he looked through should have been tipped right out and the letters in it taken as evidence and actually read by someone as they may have contained useful information, rather than what I would call a cursory rummage, or maybe that was supposed to be the way it was intended or written.Even with these minor discrepancies, no doubt I would watch the film again as it is well acted and the sets and visual feast of the 1940's era is so well done. This film does deserve its place in the Film Noir category for those reasons.

The quality of the DVD was fine but the story is little confused to follow! I think if you had read the book it would be fine and it did come together well at the end I will re-watch it and it is enjoyable so giving four stars!

Condition of the "used" disc was perfect. This dealer obviously operates within a margin of caution and I appreciate that. The Ellroy novel is of secondary magnitude in his early fifties/late forties set stories. The Hollywood industry bludgeoned the movie undeservedly. Probably because it was shot in Bulgaria. This dealer is to be commended for determining inventory on quality on merits (both physical disc and critical reception) and not social subjectivity. This is an operatic film, probably one of the most beautiful in the auteur's oeuvre.. I salute this dealer for seeing this and carrying it.

Incredibly beautiful considering the brutal core of the story - certainly not for the squeamish. This film kept us glued to the screen, I lost track of time watching it and even though the crime the story centres around was horrifc and violent the film is beautifully shot.It is however a victim of trying to fit too much story into too little time and the buddy movie bit between the two male leads did make me cringe (Fire and Ice...! Oh dear...)On the whole, well worth a watch - but be prepared to sit down and be involved. I can see that I will watch this film more than once and enjoy it again.

hassle free transaction.no spoilersIt seemed like a long movie to me. Yes establish characters and plot lines but keep the story moving. also the story is now so hackneyed if you're going to tell it tell it well. tis was only told adequately.A strong cast but no stand out performances.bit of violence and bit of nudity.It tried to evoke a style and sort of pulls it off but with the same money and talent I can't help feeling it could have been done so much better.I'm guessing it was done around the same time as Mullholand Falls - but for me it's just not in the same league.Its ok to pass some time but not greatACID TEST: would I buy again/recommend? no

I'm reading anything I can find at the moment on the deeply disturbing murder of Elizabeth Short AKA "The Black Dahlia".It is a deeply troubling homicide from 1947, so I thought that I might give this film a go. Big mistake.Basically, the only connection that this film has to the real case, is that the girl found cut in half with a hideous grin cut into her face is named as Elizabeth Short. And, there the references to reality end.I feel that the use of Elizabeth Short's gruesome murder for a fictional story line is tasteless in the extreme.Why is the Scarlet Johansson so prominent? Who is she meant to be? Or did they need a big name to pad out the shortcomings in this silly film? What sort of accent does the character played by Hilary Swank have!? Bizarre! Also Josh Hartnett seems to be incapable of articulating his words properly, he mumbles like a miserable teenager all the way through this very poor film.If you are interested in the actual real case of Elizabeth Short's murder, avoid this nonsense.

Pleased with purchase

Brian DePalma proves himself once again to be a director par excellence with this intriguing adaptation of James Ellroy's fictionalized retelling of the most infamous unsolved murder in Californian history.The whole movie has a 1940s film noir feel to it, and credit must be given to the cinematographers who have convincingly rendered 1940s Hollywood for the modern eye.Josh Hartnett is every bit the part as a 1940s LAPD Detective, coupled with an intriguing performance by Aaron Eckhardt as his partner, and Scarlett Johansson simply sizzles in her part as Eckhardt's wife, looking every bit the part in 1940s Hollywood. One could be forgiven for thinking Jean Harlow had been reborn.