Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Black Dahlia

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 09-17-2006, 03:04 PM:

What a mess...what a terrible mess.

This is a bad movie. The script is awful, most of the acting is bad, direction is poor, and the last 20 minutes are so absurd that I just can't believe anyone ever let this script out.

Scarlett Johannson is a beautiful young woman, but somehow, they make her look very unattractive in this film. The only bright spot is Hillary Swank, who seems to enjoy playing against type here. She gives the others a real acting lesson here.

The trailers lead you to believe that this is a murder mystery. Well, its that and a lot of stuff that just doesn't make sense.

Ranks with ANT BULLY as the worst film of the last few months for me.

I must rant about the ending. It is one of the most absurd I've ever seen. Our local newspaper critic seriously questioned whether the ending was serious or some weird DePalma joke. It is a very strange, almost Agatha Christie ending.

As for Hilary Swank, I suspect she caught on to this film,much like Gina Gershon figured out the absurdity of SHOWGIRLS, and just played it for all its worth and to have a good time. I guarantee this one WON'T win her another Academy Award.

Still ranting, there was also some strange sound synch issues. Some of the time, the lip synch seemed just a tiny bit off. Even my wife noticed this, so it wasn't just my pickiness. Don't know if it was local or on the print, suspect it was on the print that way. Nothing extreme, but annoying.

Grade F, see HOLLYWOODLAND instead. It at least makes some sense!!!

[ 09-17-2006, 09:27 PM: Message edited by: Mark Lensenmayer ]

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 09-17-2006, 05:31 PM:

*removes from "movies to see" list and adds to "books to re-read" list*

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 09-18-2006, 03:08 AM:

The real mystery of the Black Dahlia is a better read than any of the books or movies on the subject. In the last few years evidence has been re-looked at, as it frequently is, and a possible killer may have been found, however if so than the killer is actually dead, and died about a year after the killing.

Regardless, the actual history of the black dahlia is a great mystery to research and it would be hard pressed to capture the feel of what you unravel in any movie that could ever be made on the subject.

Ciao

Posted by Don Anderson (Member # 397) on 09-18-2006, 08:29 PM:

I dunno, the film wasn't that bad. 3rd or 4th reel had a nice emulsion scratch running along the left edge. Hey lab techs, check the squeeges now and then! I found the movie to be a little slow, and I kept looking at my watch. I liked the way it was shot, great audio (no out of sync on our print), and the sets looked great. Now ya know why the studio didn't release it last December 2005. It won't win any awards, but, there's a lot of shitier movies out there!

Posted by Justin Gorka (Member # 3727) on 09-21-2006, 06:00 PM:

Not too bad but lacks conviction and guts - come Hollywood you used to be able to turn a fim like this into an Oscar winner.....erm hang on...no gay Cowboys......sorry!

Posted by Jared Thornton (Member # 3580) on 09-28-2006, 03:45 PM:

This is a film that is all style and very little substance once you dig past the surface. It kept my interest for the first 2/3rds or so, but once the final act begins to play out the movie falls apart very, very quickly with the ending being one of the most absurd I've seen in a long time. It looked like a DePalma film with good cinematography and costuming, to bad it wasn't written or acted like a DePalma film.

Yes there is a sound sync problem with certain prints, the theatre I saw it at the first 2 1/2 reels were out of sync. One of the prints at my building has the syncing problem as well while the other does not. Its not that bad, just enough to notice something is not right.