The Black Dahlia

[Brian in Mesa]

Eckhart Boards De Palma's Black Dahlia
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
March 14, 2005

Aaron Eckhart will star in Brian De Palma's The Black Dahlia, which Millennium Films and Signature Pictures are producing, says The Hollywood Reporter.

The movie is an adaptation of James Ellroy's 1940s-set novel about two LAPD cops who investigate the real-life case of the murder of fledgling actress Elizabeth Short.

Eckhart will play one of the officers. Josh Hartnett portrays the other cop. Hilary Swank and Scarlett Johansson also have been cast.

Shooting takes place next month in Bulgaria. Josh Friedman wrote the film's script.

---------------------------------------------------------

L.A. Confidential was another Ellroy novel, so I can't wait to see this one, especially with DePalma involved.

 

[Pariah]

The book was great, and based on true events.

 

[Chaplin]

It's too bad, Brian De Palma is a hack and a has-been. This project was originally going to be directed by David Fincher...

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Universal Acquires The Black Dahlia
Source: Variety
May 15, 2005

Universal Pictures has picked up North American rights to director Brian DePalma's The Black Dahlia, an adaptation of the James Elroy ("L.A. Confidential") book of the same name, reports Variety. The studio paid more than $10 million for rights to the movie, which is shooting in Los Angeles and Bulgaria.

The film, to be released in 2006, stars Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank.

"Dahlia" follows a pair of boxers-turned-cops investigating the brutal murder of fledgling actress Elizabeth Short. The crime rocked Los Angeles in the 1940s and remains unsolved to this day.

Eric Bergren and Josh Freidman adapted the film for the big screen. Filming is expected to be complete in three weeks.

 

[mdamien13]

Eckhart will play one of the officers. Josh Hartnett portrays the other cop. Hilary Swank and Scarlett Johansson also have been cast.

That's a hell of a cast. I've always felt that Aaron Eckhart was one of the most underrated actors out there.

I agree with Chap about De Palma, though.

 

[Bada0Bing]

You must be registered for see images

Update

A tale of obsession, love, corruption, greed and depravity that revolves around a true story of the brutal murder of a fledgling Hollywood starlet that shocked and fascinated the nation in 1947 and remains unsolved today. Two ex-pugilist cops, Lee Blanchard and Bucky Bleichert, are called to investigate the homicide of ambitious silver-screen B-lister Betty Ann Short--A.K.A. "The Black Dahlia"--an attack so grisly that images of the killing were kept from the public. While Blanchard's growing preoccupation with the sensational murder threatens his marriage to Kay, his partner, Bleichert, finds himself attracted to the enigmatic Madeleine Linscott, the daughter of one of the city's most prominent families--who just happens to have an unsavory connection to the murder victim.

Production Status: In Production/Awaiting Release

Logline: A fictional account of the notorious 1947 Los Angeles murder of actress Elizabeth Short and the obsession that develops for her between two cops investigating the case which destroys their lives.

Genres: Drama, Thriller and Adaptation

Release Date: September 15th, 2006 (wide)

MPAA Rating: R for strong violence, some grisly images, sexual content and language.

Distributors: Universal Pictures Distribution

Production Co.: Signature Pictures

Financiers: Co-Financier: Signature Pictures , Nu Image/Millennium Films

Filming Locations: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Bulgaria
Los Angeles, California, USA

Produced in: United States


Cast and Credits

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Hilary Swank, Aaron Eckhart, Mia Kirshner
Directed by: Brian De Palma
Produced by: Danny Dimbort, Trevor Short, James B. Harris

 

[jenna2891]

i don't know why, but i love this poster.

 

[Pariah]

The book was great, and based on true events.

It's funny, but when I saw this thread on the first page I thought "I'm going to write a post about how great the book was that that it's based on true events."

Great minds think alike, I guess.

 

[Pariah]

I suppose you could make an argument for my mind being extremely feeble since I forgot I posted that originally, too.

 

[Ryanwb]

Wasn't this a book first?

 

[se7en]

I read somewhere that this is supposed to be based on a book... Can someone confirm that?

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Wow, never been so frustrated with a movie that was obviously well done and well acted, but so hard to follow.

At least for about half of the 7 people I was with today, most of us could not follow the story at the end and really needed a lot of discussion to help iron out what actually happened.

Nicely shot though, good performances...but utterly confusing

 

[Chaplin]

Wow, never been so frustrated with a movie that was obviously well done and well acted, but so hard to follow.

At least for about half of the 7 people I was with today, most of us could not follow the story at the end and really needed a lot of discussion to help iron out what actually happened.

Nicely shot though, good performances...but utterly confusing

Never seen such a unanimous opinion about a single movie, but everything I've read so far about it is pretty much spot on with what you wrote. Another thing was that most thought the movie was good until the end, then it totally and completely was ruined by the ending. Some reviews I read based their whole overall rating at how bad the ending was...

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Never seen such a unanimous opinion about a single movie, but everything I've read so far about it is pretty much spot on with what you wrote. Another thing was that most thought the movie was good until the end, then it totally and completely was ruined by the ending. Some reviews I read based their whole overall rating at how bad the ending was...

There was just too much that needed to be explained...too many people involved, too many plot lines to tie up...was overwhelming.

 

[SunsTzu]

Never seen such a unanimous opinion about a single movie, but everything I've read so far about it is pretty much spot on with what you wrote. Another thing was that most thought the movie was good until the end, then it totally and completely was ruined by the ending. Some reviews I read based their whole overall rating at how bad the ending was...

I actually liked it better towards the end. For the most part I really liked the story but found the movie itself kind of boring at parts. It did seem there could have been too much crammed in at the end, but atleast it was intresting.

 

[Pariah]

Great book, though.

 

[Swingdance]

Anyone Seen The Black Dahlia?

Just wanted to know how good or bad a movie it is.

 

[Renz]

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=49629&highlight=Black+Dahlia

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Please run searches on the movie/tv forums for these things...we usually have almost every movie posted.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Btw, it sucked

 

[Louis]

Btw, it sucked

I'd second that.

Waste of 2 hours of my time. Wouldn't even be worth the rental.

Though the Hartnett casting wasn't bad IMO.

Scarlett and Hillary should've had their roles reversed.

 

[Swingdance]

Kind of guessing that since the two detectives in the story are fictional.

 

[D-Dogg]

Great book, though.

Pray tell, was it based on real events?

 

[Bada0Bing]

Wow, never been so frustrated with a movie that was obviously well done and well acted, but so hard to follow.

At least for about half of the 7 people I was with today, most of us could not follow the story at the end and really needed a lot of discussion to help iron out what actually happened.

Nicely shot though, good performances...but utterly confusing

I just watched it. I agree with the post above. What a major disappointment this was for me, I was really looking forward to it. However, I’ve heard that it’s based on a book, so I might check that out.

 

[Pariah]

Reports that this is based on a book are false. It's based on real-life events, and subsequently a book was written from that.

You should all read the book, but not try to reinact the real life events.