If you have never read anything about the actual Black Dahlia case of 1947 you might find a way to enjoy this film, although even then you're likely to find the film's version of events preposterous. I have never seen such a pedigreed Hollywood film with such strange character motivations and absurd coincidences. The script has characters spouting howlingly awful lines. There's nothing funny about the hideous way Elizabeth Short (the so-called Black Dahlia) was murdered, but the audience in the screening I saw were chuckling at much of the dialogue.
The film has a disclaimer that the case was never officially solved and that the movie is based on the fictional novel by James Ellroy. I have not read the book and, assuming the movie closely followed it, I have no desire to.
This film is like other movies "based on" actual murders that go off on bizarre tangents rather than following what is actually known about the real-life cases. The saying goes, "truth is stranger is fiction." Sometimes that may be true, but the events in this movie are about as strange as it gets.
Personally, I recommend reading the fact-based book "Black Dahlia Avenger" by Steve Hodel. I found his work to be far more interesting, compelling and scary than Brian De Palma's "The Black Dahlia". I shudder to think of all the people who are going to believe the film's version of events and go around passing them off as reality.
Yes, it's true the case was never officially solved, but Hodel, a former L.A. police detective, presents solid, comprehensive evidence whether or not you accept who he suggests is the culprit -- who he said had an accomplice. Hodel believes two men were serial killers in L.A. in that era and provides a look at similarities between all the unsolved cases. However, the Black Dahlia case was by far the most gruesome.
I mention in passing that there's a lurid and not very believable book on the Black Dahlia case called "Severed" by John Gilmore that is of note because it includes more photos of the victim, including the morgue photos. This is not for the faint of heart!
The film "Black Dahlia" does score points for successfully recreating the L.A. of the 1940s. The costumes and settings are convincing, even if the acting by some of the stars is not.
I think Elizabeth Short -- the Black Dahlia -- deserves a better "obituary" than this film. I'm sure I would have seen the film in any case, but, in retrospect, I'm sorry I took the afternoon off to see it on its debut date.
The film has a disclaimer that the case was never officially solved and that the movie is based on the fictional novel by James Ellroy. I have not read the book and, assuming the movie closely followed it, I have no desire to.
This film is like other movies "based on" actual murders that go off on bizarre tangents rather than following what is actually known about the real-life cases. The saying goes, "truth is stranger is fiction." Sometimes that may be true, but the events in this movie are about as strange as it gets.
Personally, I recommend reading the fact-based book "Black Dahlia Avenger" by Steve Hodel. I found his work to be far more interesting, compelling and scary than Brian De Palma's "The Black Dahlia". I shudder to think of all the people who are going to believe the film's version of events and go around passing them off as reality.
Yes, it's true the case was never officially solved, but Hodel, a former L.A. police detective, presents solid, comprehensive evidence whether or not you accept who he suggests is the culprit -- who he said had an accomplice. Hodel believes two men were serial killers in L.A. in that era and provides a look at similarities between all the unsolved cases. However, the Black Dahlia case was by far the most gruesome.
I mention in passing that there's a lurid and not very believable book on the Black Dahlia case called "Severed" by John Gilmore that is of note because it includes more photos of the victim, including the morgue photos. This is not for the faint of heart!
The film "Black Dahlia" does score points for successfully recreating the L.A. of the 1940s. The costumes and settings are convincing, even if the acting by some of the stars is not.
I think Elizabeth Short -- the Black Dahlia -- deserves a better "obituary" than this film. I'm sure I would have seen the film in any case, but, in retrospect, I'm sorry I took the afternoon off to see it on its debut date.
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