Fekete Dália

James Ellroy is a classic, and the substance he delivers can't possibly disappoint, especially when Brian DePalma is directing. I admit that at times I had the feeling that this reference-laden and, to many, surrendering noir plaything would have been better under the direction of Martin Scorsese. On the other hand, DePalma's distinctive direction (fetish, violence, steady-cam) gives it a slightly different edge. It is perhaps less polished, but again more playful and fun, unafraid to go to the core of all the genre clichés in order to milk them for powerful moments like the scene on the stairs or the final absolution. I’m no connoisseur of the noir school, but I really like the few films I've seen. That's why I was very pleased with DePalma's tribute. He may not be the old provocateur anymore, but he is still a conscious filmmaker with a distinctly legible style. (2009.01.25)

The genre of gangster and noir films has a long tradition in the United States, and Brian De Palma is an experienced matador of film studios and has a wealth of experience with this genre. In his old age, he wanted to prove that he was not yet past his prime, and he made an ambitious film that may not be able to compete with his famous works such as The Untouchables, Scarface, or Carlito's Way, but it is still a watchable film that will please genre fans. De Palma definitely did not experiment, he played it safe, and the conventionality of the film is evidenced by the fact that out of the two femme fatales, the provocatively dressed one who looks like she just stepped out of a brothel is a real bitch, while the angelic-looking one is truly innocent. This film is not surprising, but there are still a few scenes where De Palma's talent shines through. In terms of acting, it is decent, and the male part of the audience will undoubtedly be pleased with the casting of Scarlett Johansson and Hilary Swank. Overall impression: 55%. (2009.03.13)

As an adaptation of the book by Ellroy, this deserves a full on left and right hook, but as a solid genre piece it isn’t all that bad. First we get a thorough introduction of characters and only then, around half way through, we happen to stumble upon the main storyline. It would be a mistake to confuse long-windedness with boredom. Here, the long inaugural exposition is just right, thanks to how the tension in the story builds up and climaxes. (2007.01.13)

The atmosphere and the production design are flawless (I simply love films with this retro mood), unfortunately the story seemed too skeletal and it was even missing De Palma's visual tricks like in Snake Eyes or The Untouchables. Hartnett's sonorous, deep voice was beautifully suited to the role of the narrative guide, and at times it even seemed that De Palma had turned him into something called an "actor", but then the ghost of Gittes from the similarly tuned Chinatown appeared before my eyes and I immediately dismissed the idea. Hartnett tries, but he can't play the dark strings, he's such a "sunny boy", every moment I expected him to rip off his jacket and hat and jump on a skateboard, and that leaves the characters of actors a class better than him – Eckhart and Johansson – without much room to be more engaging. All in all, it comes out to a – forgettable – three points. (2007.01.09)

If Black Dahlia is supposed to be a modern tribute to film-noir, then thank you very much, but it didn't turn out very well. This boring tangled mess wouldn't stand a chance as a standalone detective story, let alone as a creation that is supposed to represent some sort of art. It's star-studded in terms of cast, but greatly underutilized. Josh Hartnett is a solid narrator, but he is considerably worse an actor, and the character he plays doesn't suit him. There are a few quality shootouts, though, the typical extravagant camera tricks and lighting by De Palma, but even that is not enough. The impotence of the screenwriters is significant and after a few shots you are already drowning in a sea of names, with no chance of grasping them even if your life depended on it. I had the strange feeling that a film of this type doesn't really fit into today's world anymore. Despite the excellent production design, I still somewhat expected black man driving by the characters in a Mustang with loud music blasting. (2007.04.08)