We love Brian De Palma. He is an expert. Nice has signed the classics. But he must admit that he has already dropped from the diameter. We may have liked Snake Eyes or Femme Fatale, but these are the movies that the majority of the world have sniffed. Mission Impossible is enjoyable, but only in the grid. It is discouraging that 20 years have passed since the Untouchables and the only major film the director has produced in this process is Carlito’s Way.
So it was an exciting development that De Palma directed a James Ellroy adaptation. Following the great success of the L.A. Confidential, it was everyone’s expectation to present a new classic to the film noir type. But it didn’t happen.
The Black Dahlia is based on a novel by Ellroy, about a real and unsolved murder committed in Hollywood in 1947. The film, which tells about the two detectives investigating this incident, both about the case and among themselves, follows literally the classic noir patterns. The role of ‘Killing Woman’ falls on Hilary Swank, an Oscar.
I don’t want to comment on the leading Josh Hartnett with automatic biases. Yes, it may seem like he can’t carry the movie, but at the source of this and all other problems, there is actually only the script. The road, set out with a weak scenario, not only lacking, it is impossible to understand why the two detectives, played by Aaron Eckhart, are neither self-contradictory nor able to make their personal contradictions understandable, not even bringing function to Scarlett Johansson.
It cannot be said that Brian De Palma can put a lot on the weak material he has. There are, of course, two scenes that reflect their unique style; The long ‘crane’ plan with Elizabeth Short’s body and, of course, a stunning staircase sequence fulfills our expectations from De Palma, but beyond that, it actually travels to the limits of ruining a certain material with its strange preferences. I am talking about preferences that are not known / justified and that will only alienate the audience, such as the subjective camera that opens the night that Hartank has dinner with Swank’s family.
Infernal Flower manages to make an impact only in the parts of Elizabeth Short, portrayed by Mia Kirshner, in which we watch trial footage. Kirshner, who provides the sadness, depth and cinematic striking that the film needs and targets, is the performance. Anyway, what could the film’s dark look on Hollywoodland be telling better than a girl who was just exploited in the city where she dreams of becoming an actress, going to be brutally murdered without realizing it while enduring all sorts of humiliation to reach her dreams.
Long story short, De Palma disappointed us again. Of course, Mia Kirshner can be watched for her heartbreaking performance, Hilary Swank making her look so feminine for the first time, and Vilmos Zsigmond’s first-class image management nominated for Oscar.
All about The Black Dahlia movie.
The Black Dahlia (2006)
Directed by: Brian De Palma
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart, Mia Kirshner, Hilary Swank, Fiona Shaw, Mike Starr, Patrick Fischler, John Kavanagh, Anthony Russell, Rachel Miner
Screenplay by: Josh Friedman
Production Design by: Dante Ferretti
Cinematography by: Vilmos Zsigmond
Film Editing by: Bill Pankow
Costume Design by: Jenny Beavan
Set Decoration by: Elli Griff
Art Direction by: Christopher Tandon
Music by: Mark Isham
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence, some grisly images, sexual content and language.
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Release Date: September 15, 2006
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