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Trailer Blazer: 'The Black Dahlia,' 'The Departed'

Jul 31, 2006, 12:08 PM | by Michael Slezak

Categories: Film, Movie Trailers

95848__blackdahlia_l The Black Dahlia (Sept. 15) Maybe it's because I'm a huge fan of James Ellroy's novel, but I just circled this film's release date on my calendar with a giant red heart. (It's dripping with gore, natch.) But seriously, director Brian De Palma appears to have set the mood nicely, especially with the way this trailer lingers on a naïve, desperate, and enchanting Mia Kirshner as the titular victim. I can't say I wouldn't have liked to see a few words from the always terrific Aaron Eckhart, and I won't argue with blogfather's gripe that Josh Hartnett is a, um, controversial choice as Bucky Bleichert (maybe if we saw him do more than stoically drive a car in the rain...), but it's nonetheless refreshing to come across a trailer that doesn't act as a mega-spoiler. And again, the source material rocks. Count me in.

The Departed (Oct. 6) Here's a case, for me anyway, of the whole not really looking equal to the sum of its parts. You've got Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, and Alec Baldwin in a Martin Scorsese film. The preview should have me as excited as a Pointer Sister circa 1983. And yet, the way this trailer is edited, and especially with the dialogue that's chosen -- ''There's a leak from the inside, it's real.'' ''We are an elite unit.'' The whole business of the blurred lines between cops and criminals -- the whole thing looks awfully familiar, or, more bluntly, played out. Is it just me?

otvf nshkbrx Fri, Feb 1, 2008 at 04:27 AM EST

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MJ Tue, Feb 13, 2007 at 07:29 PM EST

Anyone know that song in the movie when Hillary Swank steps into the club with that cigarette briefly, and all those dancers on the staircase?

eddieV Fri, Sep 29, 2006 at 01:07 AM EST

Song in the Black Dahlia trailer is "Dirge" by Death In Vegas, just found that out myself

Turquoise Sat, Sep 2, 2006 at 08:46 PM EST

Black Dahlia will be great and trust me josh hartnet will do fine. did you see him in Lucky Number Slevin. The boy can act especially the moody or serious roles so it should a masterpiece.

Binky Sat, Aug 12, 2006 at 12:13 PM EST

I'm very excited by both trailers - my only concern is the presence of Mark Wahlberg in The Departed. Asoide from Boogie Nights and maybe I Heart Huckabees, I've never seen him be any good. I actually prefer Donnie Wahlberg.

Now there's a sentence I didn't think I'd ever type.

As for the Black Dahlia music, it's "Dirge" by Death In Vegas. It's on the album "The Contino Sessions" (alongside the brilliant Iggy Pop colaboration "Aisha").

David Semple Thu, Aug 10, 2006 at 12:58 PM EST

The song in the trailer is "Dirge" by "Death in Vegas."

Shady Wed, Aug 9, 2006 at 11:15 PM EST

Does anyone know the title/artist for the song used in The Black Dahlia trailer? Please feel free to e-mail it to me I am very curious to find the name of the song it goes "la la la" over and over again with synths etc. I REALLY WANT TO KNOW!! thank you!

Ed2vii Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 08:56 PM EST

Slezak, I won't be seeing The Departed because it's too testosterone filled. It's like me advising a bunch of butch guys to go see "Another Gay Movie" (which is in fact a halarious turn on the straight teen movie franchise). I would feel as uncomfortable watching this movie as straight men would watching "The Sound of Music".

Now Hillary Swank in a pose such as that with a cigerette in her hands is well worth waiting in line.

bootsycolumbia Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 08:14 PM EST

Of course I'll go see The Departed. Martin Scorsese is my favorite director, so how can I not? As for The Black Dahlia, well...Josh Hartnett? Mia Kirschner? Iffy. At least Hilary Swank is in it. She's probably the best actress of her generation, so I'll probably see it too.

Vera Vogue Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 07:38 PM EST

That picture proves, once and for all, that Hilary Swank looks like Matt Damon in drag.

Andrew Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 04:06 PM EST

I'm very excited for The Black Dahlia. Granted, I am a bit thrown by the casting of Josh Hartnett (as are most people I'm sure), but with Swank, Scarlett, and Eckhart all looking great, I can't wait to see the flick.

Lorenzo Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 03:59 PM EST

I loved "Infernal Affairs" when I saw it late night TV a year ago. Now, they have Martin Scorcese doing the remake and I couldn't be happier. Trust me, old Marty won't mess it up, no matter what the trailer looks like. Can't Wait!

char Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 03:47 PM EST

glad to see hilary dressed like a girl.

mothermayi Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 03:03 PM EST

Agree. Was very disappointed in THE DEPARTED trailer this weekend. Made this film look like an episode of one of those CBS dramas - CSI Cold Unit whatever. Martie with Leo, Jack and Matt?! How was this trailer not a STUNNER!?!? Don't know how the studio messed it up, but it did. My advice to them? Start again. Trailer rating = D.

BLACK DAHILA. Just cannot get over Hartnett. I like him in other things, but this? Nah. Doesn't fit. Scarlett, Hilary, Aaron looked great and all are excellent. But Joshie threw me way off. Trailer rating = C.

Me Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 03:01 PM EST

Does anyone know the title/artist for the song used in The Black Dahlia trailer?

Jarett Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 01:21 PM EST

I will be seeing The Departed regardless of what they show in the trailer, often times i find myself actively avoiding watching trailers because they give so much away today. But i couldn't agree more that the trailer was, underwhelming. It also completely missed the mark of today's hottest trailer trend: repurposing old music for a current release. A great example of this is "In the air of the night" in the Miami Vice trailer--but using Van Morrisons "Comfortably Numb" is so bizarre it was almost distracting. The music is WAY too slow and doesn't imply how action packed this movie is going to be. I understand what they were trying for, but why not update Comfortably Numb as a heavy rock track or anything that would feel more in line with what the film is about.

Ceballos Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 12:52 PM EST

Hate to correct people, but the source film for "The Departed" is actually called "Infernal Affairs", not "Internal Affairs".

I'm not so sure the Richard Gere/Andy Garcia flick called for a big budget, Scorcese-directed remake.

Crystal Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 12:07 PM EST

why does mia kirshner always get cast as these damaged baby-doll-eyed girls? is she incapable of acting like she is happy? sanity, mia. sanity.

EP Sato Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:54 AM EST

Scorsese is an expert at doing something that's been done to death and already perfected, and finding something else to make it better. For real, how played out was the boxing biopic by the time "Raging Bull" came out? Goodfellas came out after a long string of awful mobster movies had made that genre feel flooded and done. THEN, after Goodfellas pretty much closed the books on mob movies, this crazy man goes and makes Casino, which took the mob movie in a whole new direction. Yes, the Departed seems a bit late to the scene (LA Confidential WAS 10 years ago), but if Spike Lee's the Inside Man could show us a new level of heist movie, maybe, just maybe, Scorcese can do for cops what he did for gangsters. Anyone else like the word "Gangster" as much as I do? It's a cool word. "Gangster". Aww yeah!

newbie Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:42 AM EST

I have to be honest, both seem like movies I'll see whether I have hesitations or not. All I know is that your Pointer Sisters comment made me guffaw!

chow Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:30 AM EST

The problem with The Departed is that it isn't going to be nearly as good as the original. Who would've thought that actors like Leo Dicaprio, Matt Damon, Alec Baldwin and Jack Nicholson would be inferior to Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Anthony Wong and Eric Tsang?!

drob Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:25 AM EST

This flick is a remake of an asian film called Internal Affairs. Check out the original...great movie. Hopefully this one will be just as good.

Gretchen Weiners Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:22 AM EST

Can't wait for The Black Dahlia. LA Confidential is one of my all-time favorites. I think it looks great. The Departed looks decent - maybe it'll be cursed by too many big names though. And the fake Boston accents are enough to make me wait for DVD. It's bad enough I have to listen to the legit ones on a daily basis.

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