I'm here to tell you: "The Black Dahlia" sucks

[Richardo]

Geez. A "Chinatown" wannabee, except the twists serve no purpose except to be twists. What a waste of two hours. :eyes:

I had high hopes for it - I like the L.A. period pieces from the 40s and 50s when they're done right: LA Confidential, Chinatown, Devil in a Blue Dress, etc. But this one... x(

Is "Hollywoodland" any better?

[Starbucks Anarchist]

1. Have you read the book?

I'm a big James Ellroy fan, but that's one I haven't touched yet.

[Richardo]

3. I like him too, but no, I haven't read it...

I'm sure it's better than the Brian DePalma 'reimagining' :eyes:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

4. DePalma's a hack, anyway.

:puke:

[bridgit]

5. there it is...

:thumbsup:

[GalleryGod]

16. Great Author, Great Book, the movie was "OK"

Anything done as a derivative of an Ellroy work would never "suck".
IMHO

:evilgrin:

[bridgit]

2. completely dude, great opportunity to do something with an unsolved...

case but noooooooooooooo x(

[Richardo]

12. I *know*!!!

I guess I have to read the book to see if James Ellroy has any liability for this...nut I'm inclined to blame DePalma.

[bridgit]

14. that ending was one of the all time cheesy-est i've ever seen on film...

the chick that played the crazy mom? she is actually a very studied actress; i can't believe she'd sign on to such a project but oh well, what's done has been done wrong x(

the book premise keyed on the LA coroner at the time, high times in the hollywood hills splashed with a bit of twisted childhood genius gone awry...that would have made a story unless of course names are still being covered = a truer who-done-it

[fishwax]

6. I agree

i saw it the other day :puke:

[Kerrytravelers]

7. We saw it opening weekend in the theater.

That's 2 hours of my life and $20 from our wallets we can't ever get back. :mad:

[Minnesota_Lib]

8. It was a total disappointment. I had to force myself to sit thru to the end.

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: out of 4

[Bullwinkle925]

9. I did enjoy "Hollywoodland". I'd be interested in getting your perspective

on the film. I was looking forward to viewing "The Black Dahlia". I've read books regarding that case and, like you, I enjoy the Hollywood 40's-50's crime genre.

[Xipe Totec]

10. A little late

I watched that... thing last Sunday.

Nothing like getting to the end of the movie, not knowing what the hell is going on, then having a bunch of talking heads "explain" what happened, and "solve" the case.

Worse yet, the explanations are disconnected from the movie you just watched; they're served up like cheap fortune cookies after a bad chinese dinner.

:eyes:

[Richardo]

11. This is the best review ever

At first, I thought that I must be some kind of feeb 'cause I couldn't keep up with the characters, motivations, etc.

Then I realized DePalma was just jacking with me.

[crim son]

13. I am the only person I've ever known who liked the movie.

There must be something wrong with me.

[GalleryGod]

17. I liked it too, Crim

I'm a huge Ellroy fan..I have 8 of his works in hardcover. I liked it. I don't think it "sucked" though..:blush: sheesh! "Grab some decaf, folks":blush:

[Richardo]

19. Had you read the book before seeing the movie?

Did the screenplay follow the book?

If 'yes' and 'yes', then perhaps it was easier to follow. I can tell you I had a hell of a time keeping things straight.

[GalleryGod]

26. As a former Los Angelino

I have been fascinated by the BD case for years.
It was better than the old Made for TV movie back in the late 1970's.

But..I enjoyed it as an adjunct to the book I've read nd REread for years

[crim son]

28. Wow. I am comforted

to know there are two of us :7

[Skittles]

15. I agree

I was very disappointed too - Hollywoodland is a bit better although in all honesty it got a bit too boring for my taste

[LynneSin]

18. I'll tell you what a waste of two hours was: "Guess Who"

That remake of Guess Who's coming to Dinner" except the family is African-American and the boyfriend is White. I appreciate the social issues this movie was trying to point but it seemed they were trying too hard to cover every single stereotype including making the boyfriend (Ashton Kutcher) come from a broken home raised by a single mom to making the Dad (Bernie Mac) a Nascar fan.

The movie had it's moments but it had to stop trying so hard to the point the movie got predictable and I had to shut it off.

That's two hours of my life that is gone forever

[underpants]

20. BTW- the Black Dahlia house is also in the Ellen Visa commercials

the one that starts "Clear your mind"

and the house was used in the first "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip"

This is the house that the Doctor (who most likely did the murder lived in) it has a hidden room that the kids were very strongly told never to go into :scared:

[Phillycat]

21. Yep.

I posted about this when I saw it in the theater. I had such high hopes for that movie too - I love noir and I thought the cast was great - plus I love the director.

You do have to admit the cinematography was brilliant. That crane shot that begins in back of the house with the corpse, travels around the side, following the bicycle, and makes a 180 to turn around and face the cops facing the house...WOW.

I did not see Hollywoodland. The Departed is fucking great, though.

[Strawman]

22. I can't imagine it was any worse than the turd I rented last night

Lady in the Water. The only thing that redeemed the experience was reading the hilarious reviews afterward on Rotten Tomatoes.

[Richardo]

23. That one was indeed "une morceau de merde"

Pardon my French.

I knew as soon as I saw the animated prologue that I would not care what happened in that movie. And I was right. :boring:

[Strawman]

24. One review I read said that those "kokopellis wearing trapezoids"

at the beginning pretty much told you what you were in for.

[Midlodemocrat]

29. Can you tell me what the hook is for that movie?

I figured out Sixth Sense and the Village almost right away, but I haven't seen this one.

Can you PM me with the 'hook'?

Thanks. :hi:

[bikebloke]

25. Disappointing

It had potential, but came across as muddled. I don't think the director knew where he was going with it. Hillary Swank was good, but Scarlett Johansen was embarrassing.

I did like the music in the trailer, and might use it for one of my own videos.

[Yavin4]

27. Good Cast, Absolutely Horrible, Horrible, Horrible Film

I went to see this monstrosity IN THE THEATERS. It's a James Elroy book. It had a good cast, so I thought, what the hay? BZZZZZZZT.

Horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible film.

[flamingyouth]

30. I've heard this over and over again.

Sadly, I had high hopes too. Alas.:(