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Reviews (3)
Sep 27, 2009
Captures the essence of Ellroy's masterpiece novel!
1 of 3 found this helpful If you have ever sat down with any of James Ellroy's novels, then you are well aware of the perverse and complex style with which he weaves his stories of corruption, murder and seduction. Whether it's on the street of Los Angeles (as in his LA Quartet series), or along the shores of Cuba or behind the doors of 'Camelot' (as in his recently completed American Tabloid trilogy), you are pulled into a labyrinth plot into which many characters become entangled and very few leave unscathed (or living, for that matter). Ellroy's style is not for everyone, but his entertainment value is unmatched.
Over the years, several of Ellroy's novels have been adapted into film, but very few have been pulled off successfully (even the masterful De Palma tried to adapt "The Black Dahlia" and came away with a sloppy mess). The only 'diamond in the rough' that has had relative success is Curtis Hanson's adaptation of "LA Confidential".
Set in early 1950's Los Angeles, we get a glimpse of a nationally recognized police force with a reputation stained by years of blackmail, corruption and personal greed. With the local bureaucrats and police commissioners eager to develop a more positive spin on things, help comes in two forms. The first is the arrest of local mobster Mickey Cohen (on tax evasion charges). Putting him behind bars for about a decade, along with a revamped vice squad cracking down on local drug rings, could make L.A. 'clean and sober' within a few years. The other saving grace comes in a horrific multiple homicide investigation. If the member of the LAPD can come together and bring swift justice upon the murderers of several innocent patrons at a local coffee shop (called the Night Owl), their investigative work will demonstrate to the nay-sayers just how committed the LAPD is in keeping the citizens of Los Angeles safe and protected. Key members of this investigation included Jack Vincennes (a 'Hollywood' vice squad detective who makes his living blackmailing local celebrities with the help of a local tell-all tabloid writer named Sig Hudgens), Bud White (a hardened and fairly corrupt strong-arm detective who's violent exterior hides a wounded past), and Ed Exley (a fresh faced and newly appointed detective who treads the honest path and wants to achieve success by the book). As these three men delve deeper into the circumstances surrounding the shooting itself, they find themselves embroiled in a conspiracy that will test their bonds of loyalty to the force and make them reconsider what the shield that rests upon their chest truly symbolizes.
Comparing the book-to-movie transfer, Director Curtis Hanson and screenwriter Brian Helgeland only cover about a fifth of the events that occurred in the novel (covering all the aspects of the book may require a running time more suited for a lengthy miniseries), but over the course of a little over two hours, we get a highly intelligent and incredibly entertaining film that captures all the elements that make Ellroy's novel so entertaining. Helgeland creates fully-fleshed characters, even those who may seem secondary to the plot, and gives them the proper backgrounds that allow us to really connect to them and care about what may happen to them. If the plot seems confusing at first, it's only because this is a film that really requires you to "watch it" and not gleam over it's surface. Give this movie a chance, and you will not be disappointed!
Sep 27, 2009
A well-executed, thinking-man's sci-fi film!
2 of 2 found this helpful This was a film I stumbled upon by accident one night while 'surfing' through my cable channels, but as it turned out, this was a good accident! My initial viewing had me filled with excitement, curiousness, and anxiety as I followed the main character's journey to discover not only his missing identity, but to also solve the mystery of the city always shrouded in darkness. "Dark City" preceded "The Matrix" by about a year or two, and I feel this movie was more successful at creating suspenseful and action-packed sequences while staying true to the psychological and philosophical fundamentals that the main plot of the film was built on. If you choose to purchase this film, go with the 'director's cut': studio executives felt that general audiences would find the plot too complex, and so a 'prologue' was added in which one of the main characters basically explains the whole plot before the story begins (the director's cut eliminates this part of the film)! It's a fantastic film that never looses it's appeal, even when the general mystery of the film is revealed after that first viewing. Highly Recommended!
Aug 10, 2009
A pretty good player for a pretty good price
1 of 1 found this helpful After hearing a slew of negative reviews about this particular player, I was a little hesitant about purchasing it. I've been using it for about two weeks now and I really have no complaints to speak of. I was able to upgrade the firmware with no difficulties whatsoever, and it has been able to play every Blu-Ray/DVD disc we've purchased or rented, including notorious discs such as "The Dark Knight". With blu-ray discs, it takes less than a minute to load and start playing. There is some hesitancy when you try to stop a disc, but this is a very minor complaint. My only wish was that this player had 7.1 analog audio outputs with a built-in audio decoder so that my older receiver could play Dolby TruSound or HD-DTS audio-tracks (I believe the BDHP21U has this feature). In addition, there is no Ethernet connection, which means I cannot access BD-Live features (a minor issue, since I am more interested in the feature films, and no so much for all the extras).
In conclusion, I feel this is a great player, despite what others may say. It may not have all the advance features of later generation players, but it holds up great as a standalone player and should be a great "starter" for those interested in investing in a blu-ray player for their home theater system.