The Black Dahlia (Widescreen Edition)
by Brian De Palma
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, John Kavanagh, Josh Hartnett, Scarlett JohanssonDirector: Brian De Palma
Brand: NBC Universal
Cinematographer: Vilmos Zsigmond
Composer: Mark Isham
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; German (Original Language); French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 121 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-12-26
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of The Black Dahlia (Widescreen Edition)
Movie Review: De Palma's Film Noir Descent Into Hell...
Summary: 5 Stars
I cannot believe all of the negative reviews on this film. And I have no idea why people would rather see the generic "Hollywoodland" and give it such praise, liken to throwing roses at it, but they are heaving meat cleavers at this ingenious intellectual intelligent psychological mystery thriller. And, both films are fictional stories set in the 40's and 50's about factual accounts.
People want to complain about how bad the dialogue is in "The Black Dhalia", not realizing how REALISTIC it is for the time period, but they hail "Hollywoodland" as a masterpiece of cinema, when its dialogue IS atrocious, and so fake for the period it's supposed to be representing. Such a generic film! But, that's, unfortunately, what people want in this day and age of fast food, video game living. They don't wanna have to think, my God, that would just be too hard on them, especially when they can laugh at "Dumb and Dumber" wasting every brain cell they have, but not having to question what they are seeing. To me, that's very scary, for I believe people should question EVERYTHING they see, be it a film, a tv show, or (especially) the news.
Brian De Palma doesn't make films for critics or idiots, so that's why so many people are attacking him, because they're IDIOTS!! Don't get me wrong, I believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but some of the reasons I've read for not liking this film are just retarded (no offense)! Saying that it hardly deals with the Dahlia, saying the acting and/or dialogue is atrocious, and calling De Palma a hack?!? This is NOT supposed to be a true account of the black dahlia, but a FICTIONAL one! And, it's not 40, but only 20 minutes into the film that the body of the Dahlia is discovered. And, as for the reason of doing it the way it was done, showing it as a back drop, was showing that there was ALWAYS something corrupt and/or evil lurking in the background, and/or underneath the surface. (That last part is for a reviewer that complained that there was even an 'earthquake' sequence. Hello! There are earthquakes in L.A. everyday!) Plus, the earthquake was used to distract from Blanchard seeing Madeline Linscott's name inside the matchbook Bucky had tossed him, a scene that proves crucial in a later flash back. And, as for the dialogue, well, this is how people talked in the 40's; especially in the movies.
Every frame of this film is dripped in such beautiful film noir, that it makes the viewer feel as if they are in the 40's, or at least watching a film from that era. And, the reason for the 'over-the-top' acting, as it's been written, is for the same reason, to capture what is was REALLY like in L.A. in the 1940's. And, of coarse, there's the complaint about Aaron Eckhart overacting...well, didn't ANYONE hear that he was hyped up on benzadrine (the character, not the actor), which would have that effect? And, it's ALL about the Dahlia once her body is discovered, unlike some idiotic reviews would have you believe, just not in the way that falls under 'conventional'. It's about how the 2 cops become obsessed with the Dahlia and solving the case, putting other cases aside, like Raymond "Junior" Nash, a child molester and murderer, and Bobby Dewitt (whose initials are cut into Kay's back, B.D. -maybe a visual reference to Brian De Palma?) a lowlife bank robber and pimp that Blanchard had put away, but will soon be getting released, and Blanchard can't risk Dewitt being on the loose. In the meantime, Bucky becomes obsessed with Madeline Linscott, a Dahlia-type wanna be, femme fatale. (One of the many great lines in the movie come from her: "Oh, what's your name?" she asks Bucky. "Bucky," he replies. "Bucky? I'll try to remember," she responds in a terrific salute to Hepburn and Bacall. It's all in the facial expression as she speaks, full of sarcasm.) And, that goes for the rest of the cast. Everyone in this film is dynamite, whether it be in some of the lead roles by Josh Hartnett, Aaron Eckhart, Scarlett Johansson, Hillary Swank, or Mia Kirschner; or some of the minor roles played by Kevin Dunn, Gregg Henry, and (last but NOT least) the always great William Finley. And as for the criticism of Fiona Shaw, well, shame on you all, for she brings down the house with her BRILLIANT performance of Ramona Linscott!! Her performance is equal to that of Bette Davis in "Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?" and Gloria Swanson in "Sunset Boulevard". Kudos to you Fiona for that awesome homage! Then there's the brilliant way the 'screen test' films are shot and incorporated into the film to serve as both character and plot development is reason enough to praise this film AND De Palma! And, it was TOO cool that Brian dubbed his own voice as the director of the 'screen test' films! (Where is a Pauline Kael in this day and age, because we really need one?!) This is a solid homerun for De Palma, and an obvious 'postcard' to all of his fans. This is an explosive descent into Hell, as described by the director, not some 'lightweight' "L.A. Confidential". And, the gore is very minimal (surprising since it's such a sinister story), unlike an idiotic grossout episode of "CSI", or "Saw" or "Hostel", which is probably what a lot of reviewers on here were expecting. And, as for the mystery within a mystery within a mystery, kudos to you Brian for pulling off such a difficult, exciting project. This is the kind of movie that only true fans of GOOD, psychological, suspense, mystery thrillers can enjoy; people who like to think as they're watching the film, enjoy being challenged by all the twists and turns, and NOT have to have everything spelled out for them, like some lowrate episode of "Murder, She Wrote". (You know, dumbed down and spelled out in a simplistic A,B,C's kind of way.) If you want to see a film that is mesmerising in every scene, and something that you'll want to view multiple times, then "The Black Dahlia" is for you.
A great, stylish, sinister movie that will haunt you for some time after each viewing. De Palma employs such great techniques as dual/split optics, split screen, split diamater, as well as other great techniques that most filmmakers today either don't know how to use, or are just flat out too lazy to use. It's really scary to me that people enjoy some video game looking CGI stuffed piece of crap over ANY film by De Palma and/or Kubrick and/or any other director that knows how to make stunning visual art, relying on just good ole fashioned acting and a good story to tell the tale, coupled with knowing how to make great use of the lost art of visual storytelling, which this film has plenty of in abundance.
For all you other people who need a "popcorn" candy style film that simplifies and/or dumbs down everything in the plot just to please the masses, then pass on this one, but leave the reviews up to people who enjoy the art of filmmaking, and appreciate a great film with a great story when they see one. And quit picking on De Palma for giving us such films to treasure! Thank you.
Summary of The Black Dahlia (Widescreen Edition)
Inspired by the Most Notorious Unsolved Murder in California History. From the acclaimed director of Scarface and the author of LA Confidential comes the spellbinding thriller The Black Dahlia. Two ambitious cops, Lee Blanchard (Aaron Eckhart) and Bucky Bleichert (Josh Hartnett), investigate the shocking murder of an aspiring young starlet. With a corpse so mutilated that photos are kept from the public, the case becomes an obsession for the men, and their lives begin to unravel. Blanchard's relationship with his girlfriend Kay (Scarlett Johansson) deteriorates, while Bleichert finds himself drawn to the enigmatic Madeleine (Hilary Swank), a wealthy woman with a dark and twisted connection to the victim. Starring: Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Hilary Swank, Aaron Eckhart, Mia Kirshner, Mike Starr, Fiona Shaw, Patrick Fischler, James Otis, John Kavanagh, Troy Evans, Anthony Russell, Pepe Serna, Angus MacInnis, Rose McGowan Directed by: Brian De PalmaSimilar DVD Movies
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