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The Black Dahlia Details

2006 Certificate 15
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  • from 30,434 members

Based on the novel by James Ellroy, Brian De Palma's 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 (THE UNTOUCHABLES, SCARFACE) establishes the relationship between Buddy Bleichert and Lee Blanchard, and .. Read more

Starring Scarlett Johansson, Hilary Swank, Josh Hartnett, Aaron Eckhart
Director Brian De Palma
Genres Drama, Thriller

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The Black Dahlia

Based on the novel by James Ellroy, Brian De Palma's 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 (THE UNTOUCHABLES, SCARFACE) establishes the relationship between Buddy Bleichert and Lee Blanchard, and their mutual love, Kay (Scarlett Johanssen - LOST IN TRANSLATION, MATCH POINT), 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 - BOY'S DON'T CRY, MILLION DOLAR BABY), 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.

Starring Scarlett Johansson, Hilary Swank, Josh Hartnett, Aaron Eckhart, Mia Kirshner, Rose McGowan
Director Brian De Palma
Studio ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO
Run time DVD: 2 hrs 1 min
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Drama, Thriller
Language DVD: English
Released Production year: 2006

To Rent:
DVD: 22 Jan 2007

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30,434 Member ratings
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  • 90
503
  • 80
2,178
  • 70
3,176
  • 60
7,178
  • 50
5,224
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5,528
  • 30
2,541
  • 20
2,607
  • 10
1,095

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    • The Black Dahlia

    • The Black Dahlia
      Based on the novel by James Ellroy, Brian De Palma's 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 (THE UNTOUCHABLES, SCARFACE) establishes the relationship between Buddy ...

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