| | | Inspired by the Most Notorious Unsolved Murder in California History.
Features: DVD, Widescreen, Dolby, Dolby Digital (5.1), English, Spanish, French
BLACK DAHLIA, THE - WIDESCREEN (DVD MOVIE)
"...projects a spectral world..." J. Hoberman, The Village Voice
"De Palma's direction shines..." Michael Sragow, Baltimore Sun
"...the pairing of Ellroy and De Palma proves a marriage made in hardboiled heaven." Nathan Rabin, The Onion A.V. Club
Editor's Note
IN THEATERS SEPTEMBER 15, 2006Brian De Palma (SCARFACE) brings James Ellroy's novel to the screen, with Josh Hartnett (BLACK HAWK DOWN) and Aaron Eckhart (IN THE COMPANY OF MEN) starring as the two cops investigating the murder and mutilation of an aspiring actress.
| Features | Audio: English, French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound | | Audio: Spanish Dolby Digital Stereo | | Dubbed: French, Spanish | | Featurettes: Reality & Fiction - The Story Of The Black Dahlia, The Case File & The De Palma Touch Presented By Volkswagen | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Selection | | Subtitles: English, French, Spanish |
| Entertainment Reviews
 | The Black Dahlia By: Chris Barsanti - filmcritic.com DVD Reviews Published on: 12/15/2006 8:42 PM | |
Sure, the man's had a bad run of things. When Brian de Palma directed Snake Eyes, a corker of a plot that went nowhere, it seemed like a fluke. When he did Femme Fatale, that ludicrous sapphic French diamond heist flick, it could be written off as just an idiosyncratic minor joke by a former Hollywood heavyweight in self-imposed Euro-exile -- something to keep him occupied until he went back to the big leagues. Well, that moment of return finally arrived in the form of the long-gestating adaptation of James Ellroy's 1987 novel The Black Dahlia, a mystery about the infamous 1947 Elizabeth Short murder which seemed purpose-built for de Palma's needs....read the full review |
| The Black Dahlia By: Edward Perkis - Cinema Blend DVD Reviews Published on: 12/28/2006 10:21 PM | | I think it is time for Brian De Palma to give up on directing and just become a cameraman. His recent slate of films ending with the just released on DVD The Black Dahlia have two shared characteristics, wonderful cinematography and confusing hole-filled plots. For whatever reason De Palma seems unable to combine some beautifully composed shots with a coherent story and good performances. ...read the full review |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Universal |
| Release Date: 9/1/2009 |
| Running Time: 122 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2006 | | Catalog ID: 61029180 | | UPC: 00025192918025 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English, French Dubbed, Spanish Dubbed | | Available Subtitles: English, French, Spanish | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1 |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Nominee (2006) | | | Venice Film Festival, Brian De Palma, Golden Lion Award |
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| | Professional Reviews | Total Film
3 stars out of 5 -- "DAHLIA has an air of nostalgia for epic, bygone-era movie-making....THE BLACK DAHLIA is a pleasure for the all-over dazzle of its star turns." 10/01/2006 34Entertainment Weekly
"[Johansson] takes to the pulpy period atmosphere as if it were oxygen..." 09/22/2006 p.69 Ultimate DVD
3 stars out of 5 -- "[A] slick, glossy adaptation....Undeniably aesthetically pleasing..." 03/01/2007 p.92 Reel.com 7 of 10
To do The Black Dahlia up proper would take several weeks of an HBO miniseries. James Ellroy's sprawling novel of murder and sexual obsession is too epic in scope to contain in a single feature film. But director Brian De Palma and screenwriter Josh Friedman aim for the fences in their new big-screen adaptation...The Black Dahlia does not offer a satisfying whole. What it has are moments, and some of those - any scene with Kirshner, nearly all with Eckhart - are what make the whole endeavor worthwhile. It's not the most captivating James Ellroy adaptation ever made, but it's worth a look. - Pam Grady
Variety 8 of 10
A literally ripping good yarn is undercut by some lackluster performances and late-inning overripe melodrama in "The Black Dahlia." Based on James Ellroy's estimable fictional account of what was, for 47 years, Los Angeles' most notorious unsolved murder, this lushly rendered noir finds director Brian De Palma in fine visual fettle as he pulls off at least three characteristically eye-popping set pieces while trying, with mixed success, to keep some pretty cockeyed plotlines under control...Mark Isham's moody, old-fashioned score is one of his best, pumping up the dread and suspense and often providing emotional substance where the actors can't manage it. - Todd McCarthy
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