The Black Dahlia

While most of you seem to be counting down the days until Borat comes out, I find myself much more eager for Black Dahlia. It’s one of those rare cases where one of my most trusted directors is tackling my absolute favorite genre—I mean, it's just perfect. I did read some reviews on IMDb suggesting the critics aren't feeling it, and I have to admit, the casting doesn't quite hit the mark for me... but still, I really hope De Palma managed to make an incredible film 🙂
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Anyway—any predictions?

Josh Hartnett? 🙂
Ha, I mean, it could actually be pretty good—we’ll just have to wait and see.

P.S. Borat, Borat, Borat... you know how it goes.

😬

Zachary Thompson9 said:Josh Hartnett—I guess maybe he’s actually quite talented—though people seem to forget that... I don't know... his performances have always been rather earnest. 🙂

Yeah—honestly, what a mess. 😲 😵

P.S. — I guess I should add—ae.🙏

wearygardener13 said:Unlike you lot—all eagerly anticipating Borat—I’m actually waiting for Black Dahlia. One of my most consistent directors is tackling my favorite genre. I read on some film site that the reviews are trashed, and frankly, the casting looks off to me. Still, I'm hoping De Palma managed to pull off a damn good movie.🙂

So, predictions?

When James Ellroy's work is this brilliant, any attempt at trimming or condensing it does more harm than good. Specifically, Black Dahlia's plot features about six or seven perfect anti-climaxes and spans an absurdly long timeline with way too many subplots—which, knowing how formulaic Hollywood screenwriting gets, will likely all fall apart. A friend of mine saw it and was completely let down; she said the acting was terrible.

L.A. Confidential turned out to be an okay film, but certainly not the masterpiece the source material suggests—simply because you can't fit it all in. This stuff really belongs in a series format.

I'm not at all surprised by the acting—honestly—but then again, De Palma is just De Palma 🙂 🙏

wearygardener13 said:I can't say I'm surprised by the acting—but then again, De Palma is De Palma. 🙂 🙏

Sure, De Palma is a master—but we all know his style—he picks three or four scenes to direct brilliantly and just lets the rest happen. Personally, I'd much rather have had David Fincher handle the finish.

northerncrane4 said:Everything should probably be turned into series.

But—has anything actually been made into a series—aside from maybe Karen Sisco?😍

wearygardener13 said:Unlike those of you eagerly anticipating Borat, I am holding out hope for Black Dahlia. One of my most reliable directors is tackling my favorite genre. I’ve been reading the film forums, and apparently, the reviews are abysmal. Plus, the casting just doesn't sit right with me. Still, there is a slim chance De Palma managed to pull off a damn good movie. 🙂

So, any predictions?

Personally, the film was a letdown... and judging by how many people walked out of the theater before the credits rolled, I wasn't alone in that sentiment. The hype machine here in the US was working overtime; the trailer looked promising, and while I consider De Palma an excellent director—and I have a soft spot for mystery thrillers and film noir—the poor reviews seem deserved in this instance. I certainly hope you enjoy it more than I did.

northerncrane4 said:I think I would much prefer if David Fincher was the one to bring this to a close.

Why him specifically? I mean—not that he wouldn't do a decent job—but why him, of all people?

wearygardener13 said:Why him? I mean—not that he’d do a bad job—but why specifically him?

Well, because he was involved before De Palma. Word is he left because he wanted to make a four-and-a-half-hour cut—and they wouldn't let him.

Yeah, I'm definitely looking forward to it... I actually managed to squeeze the book in while I was on vacation down in Florida (just total relaxation, nothing too crazy). You really can't beat this genre, and let's be honest, De Palma is just De Palma. :shocked: But honestly, everything about this feels like it's going to be a total knockout movie. That's just my gut feeling.

And seriously, all you guys hating on Trier—I bet none of you have even finished one of his movies. By the way, don't get me wrong, I thought Breaking the Waves was just okay, nothing special...

Also (twice!), I'm waiting on Borat too 😬

Anthony Davis6, maybe try not to post on the forums after 3 AM—it's probably not your best look :gremlin:

Lars and everyone backing him really ought to be taken out :nazi: 😁

I caught it last night and honestly? I liked it. It’s probably not the absolute peak of De Palma’s career, but let's just say it's a solid "B+" De Palma flick. I felt like some of the acting leaned a bit too hard into being over-the-top—not because the actors were bad, but more like they were playing up the intensity of the procedural elements a bit much. There was one specific person who went totally overboard, but hey, I'm not about to drop spoilers here... The cinematography, though? Absolutely stunning. Everything has this dreamy, noir-ish quality, almost like a black-and-white movie brought to life in color, with those soft edges and deep shadows... They packed in as much story as they could without it feeling cluttered; if they had added any more, it probably would have fallen apart. All in all, it won't blow your mind or anything, but it’s a really solid watch. Definitely worth your time.

wearygardener13 said:Honestly, someone needs to just take Lars and his entire fan club out back and end it. Seriously. 🙄 😁

Oh man, hey!! 😈

Thanks, Alexander Moore73! 👍

Alexander Moore73 said:The cinematography is just incredible—it almost feels like watching a black-and-white movie rendered in color, given those soft edges and the way the shadows fall...

😍

It might be something 😍

The casting was just subpar...
Besides, the book itself is far too layered to be condensed into a two-hour movie

I thought a movie version of Black Dahlia had already been made? 😕 😕 I finished that book last week, and honestly, I wasn't particularly impressed... I don't think I'll even pick up L.A. Confidential... Instead, I'm working my way through Red Dragon (Hannibal Lecter 😍 )...

crimsonmoose3 said:I thought the Black Dahlia movie had already been filmed? 😕 😕 Finished that book last week—wasn't exactly blowing me away. Honestly, I don't think I'll even touch L.A. Confidential... instead, I'm diving into Red Dragon (Hannibal Lecter). 😍 )

So, you're still that same level?

northerncrane4 said:When you're dealing with a writer as brilliant as James Ellroy, any attempt to trim or condense his work just does it a disservice. Take "Black Dahlia"—the plot has like six or seven perfect anticlimaxes and spans such a massive timeframe with way too many subplots. Knowing how formulaic Hollywood screenwriters can be, I bet they just cut all the good stuff. A friend of mine saw it and was pretty bummed—said the acting was terrible.

L.A. Confidential turned out to be an okay movie instead of the masterpiece the book is, mostly because there's just no way to fit everything in. Honestly? They should've just made them TV series.

I actually disagree about L.A. Confidential not being a masterpiece. I mean, taking a book like that, being crazy enough to even try, and pulling off a film that good...

It's like what Ellroy would say: It's a damn good movie, but the book is even better. (Which doesn't mean the movie isn't a masterpiece, right?)

What I'm trying to say is that the movie version of L.A. Confidential could only ever be worse than the book, never better.

As for Black Dahlia, I honestly doubt they can pull off that kind of success again. Especially since you've got such a heavy-hitting crew involved and De Palma is directing. Just too many big stars at once.

Just walked out of the theater and honestly? It was nothing special. First off, everything is overproduced—too polished, too clean, totally artificial. Second, the acting is just wildly over-the-top; everyone is constantly hamming it up. Third, the entire plot feels like a disorganized mess. To wrap it up: if I didn't know Brian De Palma directed this, I’d swear it was something by Hrvoj Hribar.