The Black Dahlia?!
Question:
The Black Dahlia?
What's the story with the "Black Dahlia." I haven't seen the movie or read the book. Can I get a little help? What's the story? How did she die? I already know how she got the "Black Dahlia" as her nickname. What does Dahlia mean? Help! I'm really confused. If I get good enough info, I'll see the movie, but please don't say "see the movie, it will explain all or say read the book."
Answers:
The book was written by James Ellroy (who also wrote LA CONFIDENTIAL) and the film directed by Brian De Palma (SCARFACE, THE UNTOUCHABLES, CARRIE) are both fictionalized accounts of the grisly, unsolved murder of a young (22 years old) aspiring actress, named Elzabeth Short, in in 1940s Hollywood. Short's mutilated body (she was cut in half, her sexual organs cut out {she WAS NOT a hermaphrodite nor did she have "infantile gentalia"}, and her mouth sliced open from cheek to cheek) was found in a vacant lot after a week long dissappearnce. The book/movie follows two detectives as the investigate the case just after it happened. They become obsessed with the case and it gradually and dramatically unravels their life and friendship. Their are several differences between the book and movie but the main plotline stays fairly similar. The film is meant to be a film noir, which means a dark, low key film often associated with crime drama with recurring themes and elements such as femme fatales, sexual, twists, suspense, mysterious characters, etc.
A dahlia is a colorful, rounded, full flower that blooms in the summer. It is the national flower of Mexico.
I really enjoyed the novel, but the film was rather a dissappointment. It was too overdramatic, the continuity didnt flow too well which made it slightly confusing, and the acting was fairly weak even from the big stars. The film was nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar, which really was the highlight of the film.
So all in all, the true story really is interesting and intriguing and the book represents well and suspenseful, but the weak was weak but not bad to watch if you've got nothing else to do.