2008 Woodie Awards
'Black Dahlia' wilts on screen
Critic's Corner
Ashley L. Hopkins
Issue date: 9/21/06 Section: Culture
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By Ashley L. Hopkins
editor-in-chief
You would think that going into a movie with a cast like Josh Hartnett ("Pearl Harbor"), Scarlett Johannson ("Lost in Translation") and Hilary Swank ("Million Dollar Baby"), all of whom have made well-known films and been nominated for prestigious awards, that the movie couldn't possibly be bad.
But you'd be wrong.
Although I have a weak stomach and was a little apprehensive about its R rating for "some grisly images," I was very optimistic about "The Black Dahlia" and called a friend and made plans to see it on opening night a week in advance.
I've always been a fan of true crime, and because the story of the Black Dahlia remains one of the most notorious unsolved murders in American history, I thought perhaps the movie version would put forth some shocking theory about what really happened on the night of Jan. 15, 1947.
And I was partially right. It did, in fact, put forth a theory of what happened that night, but not at all what I expected it to be.
I haven't seen anything on television about the Black Dahlia in a while, so I did some research on the Internet before going to the movie and saw that there are several theories about what might have happened to her, two of which were much more plausible than the others. Both of these involved doctors, because when the Dahlia was found she was cut in half and her organs removed with such precision that all involved in the case doubted that anyone without a medical background could possibly have done it.
But tainting the story in a way that only Hollywood can, the theory put forth in the movie revolved around a very rich film-maker (who had made lesbian porn featuring the Dahlia), his cheating alcoholic wife and his daughter (Swank), who looked a great deal like the Black Dahlia.
The story is so complicated, twisted and bizarre I'm not sure I could give it away even if I wanted to, but I won't say anymore because I don't want to ruin it for anyone who might still be interested (although I think Hollywood ruined the movie all by its lonesome and doesn't need my help).
editor-in-chief
You would think that going into a movie with a cast like Josh Hartnett ("Pearl Harbor"), Scarlett Johannson ("Lost in Translation") and Hilary Swank ("Million Dollar Baby"), all of whom have made well-known films and been nominated for prestigious awards, that the movie couldn't possibly be bad.
But you'd be wrong.
Although I have a weak stomach and was a little apprehensive about its R rating for "some grisly images," I was very optimistic about "The Black Dahlia" and called a friend and made plans to see it on opening night a week in advance.
I've always been a fan of true crime, and because the story of the Black Dahlia remains one of the most notorious unsolved murders in American history, I thought perhaps the movie version would put forth some shocking theory about what really happened on the night of Jan. 15, 1947.
And I was partially right. It did, in fact, put forth a theory of what happened that night, but not at all what I expected it to be.
I haven't seen anything on television about the Black Dahlia in a while, so I did some research on the Internet before going to the movie and saw that there are several theories about what might have happened to her, two of which were much more plausible than the others. Both of these involved doctors, because when the Dahlia was found she was cut in half and her organs removed with such precision that all involved in the case doubted that anyone without a medical background could possibly have done it.
But tainting the story in a way that only Hollywood can, the theory put forth in the movie revolved around a very rich film-maker (who had made lesbian porn featuring the Dahlia), his cheating alcoholic wife and his daughter (Swank), who looked a great deal like the Black Dahlia.
The story is so complicated, twisted and bizarre I'm not sure I could give it away even if I wanted to, but I won't say anymore because I don't want to ruin it for anyone who might still be interested (although I think Hollywood ruined the movie all by its lonesome and doesn't need my help).
