... Then the reviews started coming in, and I don't think I read a single positive one, which put me off for a while. Curiosity eventually got the better of me though, and in any case, I often find I enjoy films that others have slated. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with this film.
Josh ... Read review
The Black Dahlia weaves a fictionalized tale of obsession, love, corruption, greed and ... more
depravity around the true story of the brutal murder of a fledgling Hollywood starlet that shocked and fascinated the nation in 1947 and remains unsolved today. Two ...
The Black Dahlia weaves a fictionalized tale of obsession love corruption greed and ... more
depravity around the true story of the brutal murder of a fledgling Hollywood starlet that shocked and fascinated the nation in 1947 and remains unsolved today. Two ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Based on the novel by James Ellroy, Brian De Palma's THE BLACK DAHLIA stars Josh Hartnett ... more
and Aaron Eckhart as a pair of LAPD detectives assigned to the most notorious murder in Hollywood history. Director Brian De Palma (THE UNTOUCHABLES, SCARFACE) es...
Create an eye-catching look in your home with the fantastic Dahlia black textured vinyl. A ... more
light and dark brown foam leaf effect is complemented with an eye-catching bold black floral design on a natural background. Perfect for everyday use, the Dahlia is available in available in a 21 inch x 11 yard roll (covers 57,75 sq ft), pattern number 544626.
Horror master Ulli Lommel is back with a terrifying tale of a copycat killer on the loose ... more
in Los Angeles. A young rookie cop and his team discover dismembered female bodies in L.A. similar to the famous Black Dahlia cold case from 1947. A serial killer seems to be copying the brutal massacre of 1940's aspiring Hollywood Betty Short - The Black Dahlia. Ultimately his investigation leads him to a frightening lair of death and torture, all part of a terrifying fantasy that the killer is trying to bring to life...
Original UK Quad; Rolled Poster; Poster Condition: New; Size: 40 x 30 inches approx. All ... more
our items are despatched from the United Kingdom. Starring - Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, Mia Kirshner, Manufacturer: MoviePostersDirect
Postage & Packaging:free Super Saver Delivery Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
On January 15 1947 the torture-ravished body of a beautiful young woman is found in a ... more
vacant lot. The victim makes headlines as the Black Dahlia-and so begins the greatest manhunt in California history. Caught up in the investigation are Bucky Bleichert and Lee Blanchard. Both are obsessed with the Dahlia-driven by dark needs to know everything about her past to capture her killer to possess the woman even in death. Their quest will take them on a hellish journey through the underbelly of postwar Hollywood to the core of the dead girl's twisted life past the extremes of their own psyches-into a region of total madness.
Postage & Packaging:£0.00 Availability:3-5 working days
Los Angeles, 1th January 1947: a beautiful young woman walked into the night and met her ... more
horrific destiny. Five days later, her tortured body was found drained of blood and cut in helf. The newspapers called her 'The Black Dahlia'. Two cops are caught up in the investigation and embark on a hellish journey that takes them to the core of the dead girl's twisted life
Postage & Packaging:refer to website Availability:in stock
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: Bharat Nalluri, Rob Bailey, Andy Wilson - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Matthew MacFadyen, Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, Peter Firth, Jenny Agutter, Lisa Faulkner
Thriller - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Timothy West, Neil Morrissey, Tara Fitzgerald, Annette Crosbie, Pauline Quirke, Rob Brydon, Denise Van Outen, John Thomson, Kevin Whately, David Suchet
Advantages: Not awful, some good performances Disadvantages: Didn't grab me, visually too busy
...Lee Blanchard become involved in the investigation into the murder of Elizabeth Short, a wannabe actress who was found badly mutilated. Bucky and Lee are friends, but their friendship takes a complicated turn when the investigation begins to involve them on a personal level - and the fact that Bucky is in love with Lee's girlfriend Kay does not help matters. To try and forget about Kay, Bucky turns to Madeleine Linscott, but soon finds that she is ... ...
I really liked the sound of this film when it first came out; I love film noir and hard-boiled detective stories a la Dashiell Hammett, and this looked very much of that ilk. Plus it is based around a true story - Elizabeth Short really was murdered, although her murderer was never discovered. Then the reviews started coming in, and I don't think I read a single positive one, which put me off for a while. Curiosity eventually got the better ... more
Two policemen, Dwight Bleichert (known as Bucky) and Lee Blanchard become involved in the investigation into the murder of Elizabeth Short, a wannabe actress who was found badly mutilated. Bucky and Lee are friends, but their friendship takes a complicated turn when the investigation begins to involve them on a personal level - and the fact that Bucky is in love with Lee's girlfriend Kay does not help matters. To try and forget about Kay, Bucky turns to Madeleine Linscott, but soon finds that she is somehow linked to Elizabeth Short. Unable to trust Lee, Madeleine or Kay, can Bucky piece together what happened to Elizabeth Short?
I really liked the sound of this film when it first came out; I love film noir and hard-boiled detective stories a la Dashiell Hammett, and this looked very much of that ilk. Plus it is based around a true story - Elizabeth Short really was murdered, although her murderer was never discovered. Then the reviews started coming in, and I don't think I read a single positive one, which put me off for a while. Curiosity eventually got the better of me though, and in any case, I often find I enjoy films that others have slated. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with this film.
Josh Hartnett plays Bucky Bleichert, and I think gives a really good performance here. Of the two policemen, Bucky is the better developed character - he has to be really because he tells the story. Hartnett is completely convincing as the straight cop who just wants to do his job. Unfortunately, Bucky's life is complicated by an ailing father, who appears to be suffering from dementia, and his love for first Kay and then Madeleine. However, this gives Hartnett a real chance to get his teeth into the role, and he really does have to run the whole gamut of emotions. I have two minor issues with his performance though. One is his hairstyle, parted down the middle, as presumably was the fashion in the 1940s when the film is set - unfortunately, it really doesn't suit him and he looks a bit daft. Secondly, he has a quiet voice and a habit of running his words together, so when he is doing his voice-overs to explain the story, it was sometimes hard to catch what he was saying. Most of the time, it didn't really matter, but occasionally, I missed something and had to rewind the DVD.
I really enjoyed Aaron Eckhart in The Dark Knight, no mean feat as I didn't particularly enjoy the film as a whole. As Lee Blanchard, he is a little bit under-whelming. He didn't give a bad performance; he just didn't really grab my attention - which is perhaps surprising when he has some really over-the-top temper tantrums. I think too, his character just isn't that developed, so it is hard to really feel anything much for him. The same can be said for Scarlett Johansson as Kay and Hilary Swank as Madeleine, although their roles are even less well developed. I couldn't help but feel that they were slightly wasted in this film - the roles could have been managed by more or less any attractive actress.
As a Brit, a couple of British/Irish actors caught my attention. Ian McNiece, who is all over British TV in programmes such as Inspector Morse, Lewis and Doc Martin, plays the coroner. It's only a brief role, but he looks completely natural in the role. More importantly, there is Fiona Shaw (Aunt Petunia in the Harry Potter movies) who plays Madeleine Linscott's mother Ramona. This is, as it turns out, quite a pivotal role, and by no means an easy one, because Ramona is mentally ill, but Shaw gives it her all and is great, as always.
The story is a reasonable one - it is based on a true story after all. Unfortunately, it just isn't told very well. Obviously, it is told mainly from the point of view of the two policemen investigating the case, so this muddies the water quite a lot - the emphasis is initially very much on their relationship and Kay's part in all that, which takes the concentration away from Elizabeth Short. And I found Bucky's voice-overs quite annoying because they weren't always that clear. Basically, it feels as if there is so much going on that the main story, Short's murder and how she came to be murdered, becomes diluted, and as a result, the film rather loses its way.
Directed by Brian De Palma, there is no doubt that this is visually a very well-made film. Unfortunately, I think a little bit too much effort has gone into the cinematography - it is just way too busy for me. In each scene, there always seems to be about ten people, all talking over each other and moving around, which I found highly distracting. When it comes to film-making, I prefer simplicity, strong colours and as few characters as possible; with all that De Palma throws into the mix, I almost ended up with a migraine. The 1940s clothes that the women wear are, for me, the only real highlight of the visuals.
There is a lot of violence in the film and some fairly graphic shots of dead bodies and fighting. At the beginning of the film, Bucky and Lee fight each other in a boxing match, and we are treated to slow motion shots of blood and teeth flying around the boxing ring. I watch a lot of horror films and am rarely disturbed by violence, but there is something about boxing and the fact that it is supposed to be a 'sport' that I find disturbing. Then there are the dead bodies. Elizabeth Short's is particularly harrowing, because of the strangulation mark around her neck, then there are a couple of other deaths that are less than wholesome. In short, if this is likely to offend, or you are thinking about letting children see it, then you may want to think again. In my opinion, the rating of 15 is probably about right.
There are no extras on the DVD that I have. It is possible to select scenes and to add subtitles as necessary (perhaps that's what I should have done for Josh Hartnett!), but that is all.
I didn't dislike this film, I didn't ever consider turning it off, and I would like to read the book by James Ellroy on which the film is based. However, nor did it really grab me. I think that the story should have been simplified and I think there should have been less going on in each scene. This is definitely not a film to watch when you want something light-hearted, because it requires that little bit too much concentration. Unfortunately, concentration is not something that I felt was worthwhile to use on this film. If you like any of the main actors, or you really like film noir, then it might be worth a watch, but I wouldn't recommend going out of your way - no doubt it will be shown on television soon. Three stars out of five.
Advantages: Looks Good Disadvantages: Practically Everything Else
The Black Dahlia is set in 1940s Los Angeles. Two cops, Bucky Bleichert (Josh Hartnett) and his partner, Lee Blanchard, investigate the death of Elizabeth Short, a young woman found brutally murdered. Bucky soon realizes that his girlfriend had ties to the deceased, and soon after that, he begins uncovering corruption and conspiracy within the police department. - This is taken from imdb.com because I really can't think of a better or less concise ... ...wants to be and lacks the heart, character development or intrigue to make you care. Dripping with pretentiousness, drowned in stupidity and suffocated by the most non-sensical script in recent memory The Black Dahlia offers no answers, offers no emotional satisfaction and only succeeds in being extremely frustrating.
Essentially The Black Dahlia isn't a bad piece of film making; infact it's absolutely beautiful to look at and consistently entertains, ...
JayHall1991 04.04.2007
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Black Dahlia (DVD)
Advantages: It looks great Disadvantages: The direction is lurid, the writing sub-standard and the performances wear a thick coat of ham
...most gruesome unsolved crimes is the murder of failed starlet Elizabeth Short. Based on James Ellroy's novel of the same name, "The Black Dahlia" follows two detectives as they investigate the horrific killing. Former boxers Bucky Bleichert and Lee Blanchard are a chalk and cheese pairing. Bucky is young and idealistic, while Blanchard's experiences have made him jaded. They make a great team, sharing everything, including Blanchard's beautiful girlfriend ... ...to devour them.
From the outset you can tell what "Scarface" director Brian De Palma is trying to do; create a slick, very grown-up modern film noir in the vein of "LA Confidential". Well, it certainly looks the part. Though the majority of the movie is shot in colour, it has a film noir sensibility to it. Everything takes on a sepia tone and creamy visual quality that fits the mould. He matches the genre in slightly off-kilter camera angles, the ...
afy9mab 12.10.2006
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Black Dahlia (DVD)
Advantages: Hilary Swank has a buff bottom. Disadvantages: Her bottom is buffer than Harnetts...
"I've seen better films on the Lifetime Network"...
~ Quote from a little old lady in the ladies room after exiting the Saturday matinee of The Black Dahlia ~ Look, there are just some people out there that will watch anything simply because it is 'the thing to see'. The reason I saw this film was because it was the ONLY feature film listed that I had not already seen at the theater. I was just coming out of the gym, didn't want to go home yet, ... ...I'm going to give you the "Why nots".
The film is directed by Brian De Palma. First off, I am not a Brian De Palma fan. I don't even want to waste time talking about him. In summary, he is just one of those directors you either love, or hate, his films. No middle ground. Quick Examples:
LOVED: Scarface, The Untouchables, & Bruce Springsteen: The Complete Video Anthology 1978-2000
HATE: Every single thing else, yes, that would include, Mission ...
Coyote98 28.10.2006
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Black Dahlia (DVD)
Advantages: Captures the era well and i like the way the secrets are unveiled. Disadvantages: Not 100% true to the book, it cut alot of parts out.
...is an good adaptation of the novel (of the same name) written by the brilliant crime writer, James Ellroy. It was relesed in September 2006 and hosts a number of stars taking big roles including; Josh Hartnett (of 40 Days and 40 Nights), Scarlett Johansson (of Lost in Translation), Aaron Eckhart (of Erin Brockovich) and Hilary Swank (of Million Dollar Baby). I had read the novel and decided to see watch the film to see if it was all that i had imagined. ... ...and smokiness of the 1940's crime scene. Hartnett plays the role of Dwight "Bucky" Bleichart, an ex boxer who becomes a warrants officer for the LAPD after the war. He partners up with Eckharts character, Lee Blanchard, also an ex boxer, and they become a crime fighting duo named Fire & Ice. As they are busy chasing a rapist, the horrifically tortured body of an aspiring young actress gets found, and they get assigned to homicide to help catch the ...
shelley1986 01.06.2007
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Black Dahlia (DVD)
...to start?? i should say the beginning but i found this film so boring i could barely watch which made it really hard to keep track of. some fils grab you at the start and pull you in this had me wanting to find something else to do. the only good thing about this film was the gory bits which were very few and far between but they were very gory! excellant. i love josh harnett and was amazed so many people put there names to this film. the end however ... ...to tell you about as the polt is confusing, it seems to be set in the 1950's and very well with even mentions of film stars in the 50's era, the film starts off with 2 boxers who are actually cops who turn out to be best buddies one with a partner one without (harnett) but its so obvious who scarlett wants to be with and it happens but then it seems women in the 50's are very promiscuous!! its a murder mystery with a twist which comes out right at ...
gettiton 22.12.2006 (04.01.2007)
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of The Black Dahlia (DVD)
Contains strong bloody violence, sex and one use of very strong language
Video Category
Feature Film
Country Of Origin
United States of America
Plot
Brian De Palma (SCARFACE) brings James Ellroy's novel to the screen, with Josh Hartnett (BLACK HAWK DOWN) and Aaron Eckhart (IN THE COMPANY OF MEN) starring as the two cops investigating the murder and mutilation of an aspiring actress.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO; CINRAM LOGISTICS
Release date
22/01/2007
No of Discs
1
Catalogue No
EDV 9448
Barcode
5017239194481
Author
James Ellroy
Writer
James Ellroy
Languages
Main Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
Featurettes
Aspect Ratio
16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1
Professional reviews
Review
DAHLIA has an air of nostalgia for epic, bygone-era movie-making....THE BLACK DAHLIA is a pleasure for the all-over dazzle of its star turns (Total Film, 19/09/2006)
DVD Description
Based on the novel by James Ellroy (L.A. CONFIDENTIAL), THE BLACK DAHLIA stars Josh Hartnett and Aaron Eckhart as a pair of LAPD detectives assigned to the most notorious murder in Hollywood history. Director Brian De Palma (SCARFACE, THE UNTOUCHABLES) takes time to establish the relationship between Buddy Bleichert, Lee Blanchard, and their mutual love Kay (Scarlett Johanssen), before introducing the 1947 murder after which the film is named. In the haunting screen-tests left behind after her mysterious death, aspiring actress Elizabeth Short appears to want fame so badly, she’ll do anything to get it. Her pornographic film appearances, and a rumoured affair with narcissist heiress Madeleine Linscott (Hillary Swank), provide just two clues in a sea of confusion. THE BLACK DAHLIA crams every subplot from Ellroy’s novel into two hours, but only connects them towards the end of the movie. The screen-tests featuring a sadly desperate Elizabeth Short (Mia Kirshner) are captivatingly filmed in gritty black-and-white. These scenes succeed in showing the industry ugliness most likely behind Elizabeth's death, while the rest of the film self-consciously strives to be noir through elaborate set design, dramatic camera angles, and narration taken straight from the book. If De Palma’s goal was to make us examine our own voyeuristic fascination with murder, particularly the gruesome murder of a beautiful young woman, then he succeeds, because throughout a film invested in so many different storylines, Short’s remains the most interesting one.
Compare The Black Dahlia (DVD) to other similar Thriller & Mystery »
![The Black Dahlia [DVD] [2006]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78189382.jpg)
