The Black Dahlia
(USA/Germany, 2005, 120 minutes)
In 1947 Los Angeles, the lives of two LAPD detectives are irredeemably changed when they stumble across the horribly mutilated body of a would-be actress. Stylish but unsatisfying noir mystery adapted from an acclaimed novel based on a real-life murder case that was never solved; too much style cramping a convoluted plot and an uneven second-tier cast that tries its best but is not entirely adequate undo a great period recreation, excellent production values and attentive handling.
Millennium Films presents a Signature Pictures production for Equity Pictures Medienfonds and Nu Image Entertainment. Starring Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart; and Hilary Swank; with Mia Kirshner, Mike Starr, Fiona Shaw, Patrick Fischler, James Otis. Directed by Brian de Palma; produced by Art Linson, Rudy Cohen, Moshe Diamant and Avi Lerner; screenplay by Josh Friedman, based upon the novel The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy; music by Mark Isham; director of photography, Vilmos Zsigmond; production designer, Dante Ferretti; costume designer, Jenny Beavan; film editor, Bill Pankow.
In 1947 Los Angeles, the lives of two LAPD detectives are irredeemably changed when they stumble across the horribly mutilated body of a would-be actress. Stylish but unsatisfying noir mystery adapted from an acclaimed novel based on a real-life murder case that was never solved; too much style cramping a convoluted plot and an uneven second-tier cast that tries its best but is not entirely adequate undo a great period recreation, excellent production values and attentive handling.
Millennium Films presents a Signature Pictures production for Equity Pictures Medienfonds and Nu Image Entertainment. Starring Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart; and Hilary Swank; with Mia Kirshner, Mike Starr, Fiona Shaw, Patrick Fischler, James Otis. Directed by Brian de Palma; produced by Art Linson, Rudy Cohen, Moshe Diamant and Avi Lerner; screenplay by Josh Friedman, based upon the novel The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy; music by Mark Isham; director of photography, Vilmos Zsigmond; production designer, Dante Ferretti; costume designer, Jenny Beavan; film editor, Bill Pankow.
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