L.A. Confidential

Amazon.com

In a time when it seems that every other movie makes some claim to being a film noir, L.A. Confidential is the real thing--a gritty, sordid tale of sex, scandal, betrayal, and corruption of all sorts (police, political, press--and, of course, very personal) in 1940s Hollywood. The Oscar-winning screenplay is actually based on several titles in James Ellroy's series of chronological thriller novels (including the title volume, The Big Nowhere, and White Jazz)--a compelling blend of L.A. history and pulp fiction that has earned it comparisons to the greatest of all Technicolor noir films, Chinatown. Kim Basinger richly deserved her Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of a conflicted femme fatale; unfortunately, her male costars are so uniformly fine that they may have canceled each other out with the Academy voters: Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey, and James Cromwell play LAPD officers of varying stripes. Pearce's character is a particularly intriguing study in Hollywood amorality and ambition, a strait-laced "hero" (and son of a departmental legend) whose career goals outweigh all other moral, ethical, and legal considerations. If he's a good guy, it's only because he sees it as the quickest route to a promotion. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

In the End.......2007-08-27

This movie all comes together in the end. Great addition to your DVD collection.

Corey Cotta, Author of All Of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

Crime and corruption amid 1950s Hollywood..........2007-08-01

One of the most hard-hitting, compulsively watchable movies of the '90s is this complex story of crime and police corruption amid lavish life-styles in and around the Hollywood of the 1950s. Never read the James Ellroy novel but I understand it's even more complex and contains even more sub-plots than the film--so you have to admire the screenplay that manages to dovetail all the main details together in a way that leads to a smashing climax.

Russell Crowe and Kevin Spacey do standout jobs in the leads--and Guy Pearce is riveting as the intensely ambitious man who eventually joins forces with Crowe to solve the crime. James Cromwell is chilling as the Chief of Detectives, as is Danny DeVito as a tabloid journalist.

Kim Basinger is good as the Veronica Lake look-alike--but did she really deserve an Oscar for this? This kind of hard-hitting shoot-em-up melodrama is a throwback to the Cagney and Robinson crime epics of the '30s--but the gore is more graphic and the sadism more intense. Not one for the kiddies--but mature audiences should find this a knockout.

And yes, nice use of old pop hits--but "Accentuate the Positive" belongs to the early 1940s, as does Veronica Lake's peek-a-boo hairdo. The story is set in the early '50s, but by 1952 that Johnny Mercer hit was ancient history and Lake was no longer using that style.

And one more minor quibble: the Lana Turner look-alike did not in any way resemble the real LT. I'm sure all of Lana's fans would agree on that one! Lana had a much classier look and finer features.

Bloody good.......2007-07-15

I hate violence and usually stay away from movies that have as much bloodshed at this one does. I just picked it up in a hurry from the local library and stuck it in the DVD played for entertainment while I did a sink full of dishes. At a few points I thought of stopping it but for some reason kept it running. By the time I got to the pots and pans (I had a Lot of dishes) I was actually enjoying it. Then, I sat down on the couch and started paying attention to it. To my surprise, by the time the movie was finished I was wishing I had watched it more carefully from the top.

Others here have written some great reviews, eg. that of Tom Benton, so I'm not going to bother to duplicate their efforts. This is just to give encouragement to others who are not violence fans that they might actually like this, too. What saves it, besides the exciting twists and turns in the plot, are the very well written characters. The actors are superb in bringing these guys to life. I disagree with those who complained about Kim Basinger's performance; I thought she was perfect for the role.

For what it is, this is a very well made movie. I certainly agree that it deserved an Oscar more than Titantic did. I guess I'm with-holding one star, though, just on principle---it really did have an awful lot of blood and I have to wonder if it's a good thing to put these images into our minds. (spare me nasty comments, please! :-) )

L.A. Confidential.......2007-07-13

Atmospheric, twisty thriller benefits from brisk pacing and lots of suspense, but it also manages to tell a rich, character-driven story. Crowe's smoldering Bud is a tightly wound spring, Pearce's Exley the quintessential straight arrow. Spacey almost steals it as Vincennes, a slick celebrity cop in the mold of Dragnet's Jack Webb. Basinger won the Supporting Actress Oscar as the bewitching Lynn, and Danny DeVito has a ball playing the editor of a sleazy tabloid. Top-notch noir, in living color.

An unnostalgic, modern noir spectacle.......2007-05-27

Curtis Hanson's "L.A. Confidential," based on the third book in a series by James Ellroy, works so well because, unlike most neo-noir films, it's not a homage to the noir films of old. In fact, it was probably the first true film noir to forget about its predecessors since the 1950s, the time period around which the film is set. And it was just what a film noir should be: gritty, tough, unflinching, intricrate, and confounding. Each of the film's leading actors, Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, and Kevin Spacey, as well as its lead actress, Kim Basinger, felt like they could've appeared in a film noir straight out of the 1940s. It's this unnostalgic, straightforward approach that made "L.A. Confidential" so great.

The storyline had a classic vibe to it: in 1950s L.A., three cops ferret out the corruption beginning to eat away at the police force. How each of them does this differs. You've got your good cop, played by Guy Pearce, a strictly by-the-book wannabe detective and the son of a legendary officer who died in the line of duty. You got your bad cop, Russell Crowe, a violent star on the force, always on the edge and with a particularly nasty dislike for women abusers. Then you have a cop who doesn't quite know where he stands, played by Kevin Spacey, except on the set of TV's number-one hit police drama "Badge of Honor," which he supervises. One of the film's best scenes is when Pearce's character tells Spacey why he became a cop in an effort to convince Spacey to work with him. Afterwards he asks, "Why did you become a cop?" Spacey smiles sadly and sighs, "I don't remember." Picking a favorite of this police trio is hard, because each is perfectly cast: Pearce as an inherently contemptable and ultimately honorable goody-goody, Crowe as an apparent maniac who is smarter than he looks and just trying to do what's right, and Spacey as the pitiful once-cop who's lost his way.

But it seems like when most people remember "L.A. Confidential," they remember Kim Basinger, who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. She deserved it. Basinger played a prostitute in high demand because she bears a strong resemblance to Veronica Lake (so does Basinger) - but there's much more to her than just a divine appearance. Similarly, there's more to Basinger than just a fine body, and she proved it here with a surprisingly deep performance, particularly for a supporting role.

With all that said, it's apparent that the film garnered much of its power from its sharp-cut characters. There's no one who is clearly "good" the whole way through, but never once is a character in the grey: they're either good, or they're bad. They are also some of the most realistic and human people ever to appear in a film noir. The movie's script, by director Hanson and Brian Helgeland, finds a seamless balance between its characters and its story, and surprisingly holds very little of the snap, crackle n' pop dialog one expects in a film noir.
Jerry Goldsmith's score was the one homage the film allowed, with the same sort of morose brass you might expect in an old Bogey pic (and which distinctly recalls the same woeful trumpeting of Goldsmith's theme from Roman Polanski's own neo-noir, "Chinatown"). It was one of those elusive scores that adds life to each scene but also expands the film as a whole.

There's something about the look of the film that hangs in my mind. It may be the color scheme, which consists mostly of black but with the occasional surprise vibrance thrown in through a red or yellow. Or perhaps it's the lighting, a bright light that makes what's in front of us perfectly clear and a surrounding black mist that begs the question: what does it hide within its shadows? There is a scene in which Pearce's character pulls up in front of the Nite Owl bar. That scene brings to mind the painting "Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper (which inspired the look of Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner"). Hanson took a very stylistic approach in his directing of the film, and much of that showed through its dark visuals.

It wasn't all darkness, though. One of the film's most memorable scenes involved an attempted interrogation by Pearce and Spacey at a popular club late at night. They corner a mobster dating a girl they believe is a prostitute belonging to a popular company which advertises prostitutes who resemble celebrities, in this case Lana Turner. As Pearce begins throwing out insults at the mobster and especially at his date, we notice Kevin Spacey holding back laughter in the background. "A w---e who looks like Lana Turner is still a w---e," Pearce says. The "prostitute" tosses her drink in his face and he stands there, soaked and incredulous, as Spacey says, "That IS Lana Turner."

It came as little surprise that "L.A. Confidential" wasn't awarded the Oscar for Best Picture, but fortunately critics recognized it as one of the best films of 1997 and, more importantly, of the decade. It wasn't only one of the best films of the decade, but one of the best films ever made, a stylish, gritty, cynical yet realistic noir drama that didn't look back at the classics which inspired it. It didn't need to, because ten years later, we're still looking back at it.

City Confidential - Old Hollywood: Silent Stars, Deadly Secrets

Average customer rating:

Hollywood Murder Mystery

City Confidential - Old Hollywood: Silent Stars, Deadly Secrets

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000F6ZC0W
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Customer Reviews:

Hollywood Murder Mystery.......2006-06-02

A and E has released the exceptional documentary-DVD "City Confidential Old Hollywood: Silent Stars, Deadly Secrets", a detailed 100-minute review of three events: including the 1921 Fatty Arbuckle scandal, and the murder of William Desmond Taylor the following year. Using archival footage, old news-reels, and valuable interviews, "City Confidential" is a fascinating silent-movie exploration. "City Confidential" was first broadcast on A and E cable on March 19, 2000, and includes interviews with Charles Highham, mayor Johnny Grant, and actress Gloria Stuart. The DVD begins with Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, a No. 1 movie comedian, who celebrated 1921's Labor Day at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. Things didn't work out, and later, a young girl, Virginia Rappe, died of injuries from the party. Arbuckle was charged with murder, and two trials dragged-on for a year. The next section involves William Desmond Taylor(born William Cunningham Dean-Tanner). He was born in Ireland, but married in New York City in 1901. His daughter, Ethel Daisy, was born in 1903. William was well-liked and popular, but, in 1908, he went to lunch and never returned. He abandoned his family, and was seen mining in Colorado under the name William Desmond Taylor. In 1912, Taylor appeared at Inceville, the wild city of motion picture "sets" Thomas Ince built along the ocean near Santa Monica, California. Taylor acted in films in 1913. Eventually, he would direct movies for Paramount Studios. Sudden wealth brought him new-found fame and female interest. Actresses Mabel Normand and Mary Miles Minter were seen in his company. Among others, Taylor would direct Mary Pickford. But, on February 1, 1922, Paramount film director Taylor was shot to death in his bungalow, with a single bullet. Despite many suspects, his unsolved murder was a major Hollywood scandal. Taylor's funeral was a major event. A final DVD sequence looks at silent film stars who failed to transition to the "talkies" in 1929, with reference to actor John Gilbert. There are some errors In A and E's "City Confidential", such as the failure to mention Taylor's wife and daughter. The DVD says that Taylor's murder ruined the careers of Mabel Normand and Mary Miles Minter, but that's not true. Normand made films for five more years, and Minter made four more. The most valuable portion of "City Confidential" is the rare film clips, including one of Taylor's early acting history. The DVD has scenes from his 1914 film, "The Kiss". Only six films survive from the career of young Mary Miles Minter, and "City Confidential" includes rare clips from her 1920 "Nurse Marjorie". Major movie star John Gilbert's career declined with the coming of sound cinema. This DVD offers rare scenes from 1929's "His Glorious Night", directed by Lionel Barrymore. Gilbert's voice-tones were considered "too high", and his career faltered. Relying on alcohol, Gilbert declined, dying suddenly in 1936, at age 37.

Average customer rating:

Great film!!!
Another movie looking at Hollywood.

Hollywood Confidential
Starring: Edward James Olmos , Rick Aiello , Angela Alvarado , Christine Harnos , and A. Day Henden
Director: Reynaldo Villalobos
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00004REDG
Release Date: 2000-04-11

Customer Reviews:

Great film!!!.......2006-07-11

First of all Hollywood Confidential is NOT a tv movie. It is a great action filled suspense drama. Check this one out!!!

Another movie looking at Hollywood........2002-01-31

"Hollywood Confidential" is a TV movie and it certainly looks like it. It actually resembles a version of "VIP" with some men working alongside the women. The only difference is that the main purpose of the agency in the film is to spy on people (although they also provide protection when the situation calls for it). The actors are never really given any chance to express emotion. They are all just there for the purpose of speaking lines to present the extremely dull plot. The plot mostly centers around a big time Hollywood director who is trying to cut off his relationship with a teenage girl. The usual plot developments occur and nothing truly interesting ever really happens. Charlize Theron and Amanda Pays (who is criminally underused here) try to provide some spark but it is hopeless in this case.

Average customer rating:

Great film!!!
Another movie looking at Hollywood.

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Detectives | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00004REDH
Release Date: 2000-04-11

Customer Reviews:

Great film!!!.......2006-07-11

First of all Hollywood Confidential is NOT a tv movie. It is a great action filled suspense drama. Check this one out!!!

Another movie looking at Hollywood........2002-01-31

Average customer rating:

Hollywood Confidential
Starring: Edward James Olmos , and Charlize Theron
Director: Reynaldo Villalobos
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00004REDI
Release Date: 2000-04-11

DVD:

DVD

DVD