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dan073062
Reviews
Case Reopened: The Black Dahlia (1999)
Should be on DVD
This episode was paired w/Lawrence Block's "Zodiac" episode which were aired back to back in 1999 ,highly recommended ,both episodes should be intensely interesting to either "Zodiac" or "Dahlia" afficianados .Many reanactments & consulting w/experts in both of these cases including interviews w/ Zodiac experts Tom Voigt & Mike Butterfield .Also opens up some new insights into the Dahlia case including some intriguing new revelations involving this case .Joined w/ Block's sometimes enigmatic behaviour makes for an interesting view .Some interesting revelations here including Butterfield's "MT. Diablo" expose - I'll say no more .Amazed this has not been put on DVD .
The Black Dahlia (2006)
Very Disappointing Depalma flick
After reading plenty of negative comments I fully believed this movie couldn't be as convoluted or poor as many of the posts were suggesting ,but alas after renting it Dec.27 ,(official release date), I was mighty disappointed. First off this movie is based on a fictionalized novel by James Ellroy ,which makes one wonder wasn't this tale unsavory & sensational enough without changing the real story ? I guess not. Now with the Black Dahlia as subject matter & Brian Depalma directing it should have been in the good to excellent range. Wrong again. Could be way off base here but I think they were going for a David Lynch feel ,& if that's the case it also failed miserably. Would have rated movie 1(awful), only for the look of the film which was it's only saving grace. Also I can't honestly remember Brian Depalma making a bad film (that I've seen) ,oh well ,first time for everything ! Proceed with caution.
The Zodiac (2005)
Best Zodiac yet - but Fincher's is just around corner !
There have been quite a few Zodiac & Zodiac related movies ,the original only released (I believe in San Francisco) ,in the early 70's - pretty cheesy- that was actually monitored by police hoping to catch Zodiac @ the theater red handed ,I believe the ruse went something like this ; anyone who went to see the movie filled out a card under the pretense of winning a contest , they would actually have a policeman checking the cards against the Zodiac's unique printing style. No tall order considering it only played in a handful of theaters at best. Next came Dirty Harry - no introduction necessary ,where Harry squares off against a rifle wielding psychopath calling himself Scorpio ,played by Andy Robinson - Eddy G's son. Excellent movie but the Zodiac ties were tenuous ,the letters & the threat to murder school children being the prime similarities ,certainly an inspiration by the writers because Zodiac was still sending letters to the press @ the time & the movie WAS filmed in SF. Next you have The Limbic Region starring Edward James Olmos ,who plays the burned out obsessed cop perfectly who is playing cat & mouse w/the killer equally well played by John Dzunzda. A lot of the scenes were very Zodiac like(except the killer called himself "The Scorekeeper") ,certainly makes one appreciate a low budget movie. Really liked this one almost as much as newest Zodiac. Also this years "attempt" by Uli Lommel ,I could easily see people getting the two movies confused ,avoid the Lommel Zodiac @ all costs,it is unwatchable & looks like a porno movie w/no sex scenes. Which brings us to the present ,this movie also confusingly called The Zodiac ,so far has done the best job , I understand filmed mainly on actual locations ,they stick real close to the original storyline ,& the movie IS correct in stating he was never caught ,the prime suspect Arthur Leigh Allen's DNA or fingerprints or for that matter palm prints didn't match. This movie easily deserves an 8/10 ,but wait there's the big budget by David Fincher coming late this year ,so we'll see !
The Limbic Region (1996)
Very good "Zodiac" rendering
This movie is obviously low-budget & filmed in British Columbia,Canada. The obstacles that had to be overcome to make this movie convincing(set in California & late 60's-80's)were well conceived.I believe this is the best & most accurate version of the Zodiac killings that plagued the town of Vallejo & the Bay area from 1968-19? (he was never caught).Edward James Olmos(Det. Dave Toschi) & George Dzundza(Zodiac-at the time believed to be Arthur Leigh Allen, since cleared by DNA & fingerprints)play a game of cat & mouse re-visiting crime scenes together, each one trying to trigger the other into an emotional revelation.Olmos dying from some type of terminal disease & knowing Dzundza did it,still totally obsessed to the point of losing his family & becoming a full blown alcoholic along the way.Dzundza totally oblivious & self absorbed(like all serial killers) to the carnage left in his wake.The only disappointment was the"over the top" ending otherwise pretty accurate.If you tire of the typical Hollywood fluff or have an interest in the Zodiac case,check it out.