James Ellroy's 'The Black Dahlia'

Tagline: Inspired by the most notorious unsolved murder in California history.

Plot Outline: An adaptation of James Ellroy's novel about two 1940s L.A. cops who head up the hunt for the killer of starlet Elizabeth Short.

Plot Summary for The Black Dahlia (2006)
Based on a true unsolved murder. In the 1940s, young and beautiful Elizabeth Short came to Hollywood, intending to become a famous actress. However, it would not be her career but her her brutal murder in 1947 that would bring her fame, as "The Black Dahlia". The investigation of her death became an obsession to millions and revealed a vast conspiracy throughout the police department.
And with that being said, me and the family went, with high expectations to go see the movie based on the horrific murder of Elizabeth Short. Up until the hoopla for this movie started, I had no idea who this woman was….but had seen the trailer for this movie months ago. Then a few weeks back, there had been a segment on 48 Hours about how a man believes his (sicko) father had been the man who murdered Elizabeth Short. It was all very interesting.

But the movie was not as interesting or as riveting as I had expected, or as any of us anticipated it to be. The whole Elizabeth Short murder played second fiddle to the two main characters Of Josh Hartnett and Aaron Eckart. The movie focused more on the corruption of the LAPD back then, and the politics…than of the murder. It focused on the relationship between the police partners and a woman. There were more plot twists, and angles than substance and excitement.

My friend Claire’s boyfriend had read the book and enjoyed it, so perhaps the novel is the better way to go. I will give it a shot when I have time. But the movie version of ‘The Black Dahlia’ was more than disappointing in my opinion. I sure hope ‘Hollywoodland’ is much better.