Countdown to the Black Dahlia

Countdown to the Black Dahlia

The highly anticipated thriller, “The Black Dahlia”, is set to hit theaters on September 15^th. Boasting an all star cast, what are some ins and outs to the movie that you might want to know before seeing it?

Who is the Black Dahlia?

The real name of the Black Dahlia was Elizabeth Short. Born in July 1924 in a small town in Massachusetts, Short, by the age of 19, made her way to California. Short, whose ambition was to become an actress, was known for her black hair and dress and for the Dahlia flower she wore in her hair.

Why is the Black Dahlia infamous?

Elizabeth Short was the victim of one of Los Angeles’ most grisly/brutal/heinous murders. Short was last seen alive at Hollywood’s Biltmore Hotel. On the morning of January 15^th, 1947, Elizabeth Short’s mutilated body was found, purposely posed, in an empty lot in Los Angeles. Short’s face had been slashed and body cut in half. A media frenzy followed in which, according to some reports, resulted in Short being dubbed The Black Dahlia. The case, while still open, has never been solved.

Is “The Black Dahlia” story true?

The murder mystery of Elizabeth Short is true. However, the movie itself is based on the fictionalized novel by James Ellroy who also wrote “L.A. Confidential”. Look for a bit of realism and fiction.

Is there another storyline to the movie?

The Black Dahlia story (seen mostly in flashbacks) will be a backdrop to what is happening with the characters of Officer Bucky Bleichert and Sergeant Lee Blanchard, two investigators working on the murder case. The duo, who are used to investigating the seedier, corrupt parts of Los Angeles, also find themselves in somewhat of a love triangle with Kay Lake, who possesses secrets of her own. When Blanchard becomes focused not only on the Dahlia murder, but the impending prison release of a man he helped convict, it’s Bleichert who comes to the forefront of the investigation. A new world is opened up to Bleichert when his obsession with the case leads him to a femme fatale, Madeleine Linscott, who has an unusual connection to the victim.

Who is in the cast?

Elizabeth Short a.k.a. The Black Dahlia will be portrayed by Mia Kirshner in the movie. Kirshner may be best known for her appearances in the hit TV shows “24” and “The ‘L’ Word”. She has also appeared in 2001’s “Not Another Teen Movie”.

Bucky Bleichert will be played by Josh Hartnett. Hartnett has starred in such hits as Pearl Harbor and Sin City. He will be appearing in “Resurrecting the Champ” with Samuel L. Jackson and Teri Hatcher and the horror movie “30 Days of Night”, both set for release in 2007.

Lee Blanchard will be portrayed by Aaron Eckhart. Eckhart has appeared in such movies as Any Given Sunday and “Erin Brockovich” (2000). He also starred in the recent films “Thank You For Smoking” and the remake of “The Wicker Man”.

Kay Lake will be played by Scarlett Johansson. Johansson has starred in “The Island” (2005), “Girl with the Pearl Earring” (2003) and the critically acclaimed “Lost in Translation” (2003). She next appears in “The Prestige” opposite Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman and in “The Nanny Diaries” with Alicia Keys, set for release in 2007.

Madeleine Linscott will be portrayed by Hilary Swank. Swank has won two best actress Oscars for her work in “Boys Don’t Cry” (1999) and Million Dollar Baby. She next stars in the upcoming movie, “The Reaping” (2007).

Ramona Linscott, Madeleine’s mother, will be played by Fiona Shaw. Shaw may be best known to Harry Potter fans as Aunt Petunia in the movies. She has also appeared in 1998’s “The Avengers”. Shaw can be seen in the upcoming “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” in 2007.

Rose McGowan makes a quick appearance in the movie as Sheryl Saddon, an acquaintance of Elizabeth Short’s. McGowan starred in the TV series “Charmed” and has also appeared in “Monkeybone” (2001), “Jawbreaker” (1999) and Scream.

The movie is directed by Brian De Palma who was also at the helm of Mission: Impossible and “The Untouchables” (1987). His voice makes an appearance as a director who questions Elizabeth Short during a screen test.

“The Black Dahlia” runs 121 minutes and is rated R due to strong language, grisly images, sexual content and language.

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