Hollywood Confidential

Starring:Edward James Olmos, Rick Aiello, Angela Alvarado, Christine Harnos, A. Day Henden, Richard T. Jones, Brendan Kelly, Charlize Theron, Thomas Jane, Evelina FernÃ¡ndez, Valarie Rae Miller, Marissa Ribisi, J. Downing, Sarah Lassez, Brent Huff, Kristen Dalton, Amanda Pays, William James Jones, Patrick Dollaghan, Billy Marti
Director: Reynaldo Villalobos
Studio: Paramount Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

An unnostalgic, modern noir spectacle
dvd purchase
Brilliantly Casted Film
A thriller for people who normally don't like thrillers
Unhistorical Murder Mystery

L.A. Confidential
Starring: Kevin Spacey , Russell Crowe , Guy Pearce , James Cromwell , and David Strathairn
Director: Curtis Hanson
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Murder & Mayhem | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Detectives | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Neo-Noir | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

The Usual Suspects (Special Edition)
Chinatown
Fargo (Special Edition)
American Beauty (Widescreen Edition)
GoodFellas (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: 0790734850
Release Date: 1998-04-21

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:

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.

dvd purchase.......2007-03-22

the dvd came in a timely manner, packaged well and I have had no problems with the item. It seems to be in great condition.

Brilliantly Casted Film.......2007-03-09

Kevin Spacey proves that he is a great actor in this one, and he's not even the main character. Guy Pearce's come-out movie showed that he could stand up at the top with the best. Russell Crowe's part is great for him. Really the first movie I say him in, and you can see why he eventually one best actor in Gladiator. James Cromwell and Danny DeVito are perfectly cast in this film. If you like movies set in the 40s, 50s but with an edge with real life drama this is a great movie for you! Jerry Goldsmith's score is breathtakingly brilliant - he should have one the Oscar!

A thriller for people who normally don't like thrillers.......2007-03-09

Devotees of noir & period pieces probably will not be as pleased with this as will the rest of this, but Curtis Hanson apparently decided that putting together a coherent & well-crafted film was more important than remaining faithful to one particular genre or another. Aside from specific historical references (Bloody Christmas, for example), it is quite easy to forget that this is set in 1950's Los Angeles. One could regard this as a shortcoming (it is, nominally at least, supposed to be a period thriller) or as an asset (a really well-told story will trump all other details), depending on one's perspective.

In any case, Hanson and a top-notch cast works with a pretty complex plot and manages to keep all of the balls in the air. I always enjoy a movie where the audience figures out most of the twists before the characters do, because then we get to enjoy watching the unfolding of consequences of decisions made or avoided. Spacey, Crowe & Pearce manage to give us wonderfully ambivalent & complex characters, all of whom are far from being beyond reproach and continue to have some dubious motives right up to the film's conclusion. Personally, I always like a film that deliberately avoids a tidy ending and leaves the viewer knowing that, after the credits finish rolling, the other shoe will eventually have to drop.

I agree with others that Kim Basinger's breathy whispery performances is simply annoying & that she is woefully miscast in this role. Why she got an Oscar for this is almost as big a mystery as any portayed in this film. However, it is not a glaring flaw and is obscured by the stellar performances of the rest of the cast. Top notch from start to finish!

Unhistorical Murder Mystery.......2007-02-21

The film opens in 1950s Los Angeles and introduces the people in this story. There is a pot bust of two minor movie stars, well planned to provide headlines. Some men are arrested for assaulting two policemen, and many officers beat them as summary punishment. Photographs of this create a scandal. The meeting tells how the deal is done: some win, some lose, and justice is done. Standards will be upheld for the future. There are two gunmen who are bumping off Mickey Cohen's gang members. Then there is a slaughter of people at a late-night restaurant. A senseless killing or a planned rub-out?

The police investigate those connected to the people killed at the restaurant. Suspects are arrested, they have to get them to talk about what they did. Various methods are used. They get a lead and find another suspect. Detective White stops another criminal. Then the three suspects escape somehow. They are tracked down and a shoot-out finishes them off. "Shotgun Ed" wins an award for heroism. We see how a reformer politician can change his mind about a highway project. There is a plot to embarrass the D.A. by getting a young actor to meet him. When Detective Vincennes shows up he finds the young actor dead! Detective White follows up on Susan Lefferts and finds something in her Mom's basement. Exley and Vincennes investigate another case. Exley visits White's girlfriend and learns more about her. Vincennes makes an error in judgment, his last. Then pictures are given to White to enrage him. Exley does research on the murdered former cop Meeks who was found in the basement. Exley and White talk to the D.A. and get him to cooperate. Dudley Smith and Patchett may be in cahoots.

Someone calls Exley and White to arrange them to meet at a motel; this is a trap. [All those shots and no one to hear them?] The two detectives hold off their attackers. There is a final resolution to the conflicts at the ending. Exley tells the facts about the crimes, there will be another cover-up, and another award for Lt. Exley. A happy ending? Sensational action masks a weak story.

Scenes take place at night since outdoor scenes would show present-day LA. The film did not create the LA of 50 years earlier. It is loosely based on some real events from that era. One book about the "Black Dahlia Avenger" said newspapers and reporters cooperated in the 1940s, there would be no embarrassing pictures then. The ruling powers wanted new highways, no blackmail was needed. One anachronism was the powered garage door of Patchett. A real history book will give the facts about LA in that time, it would be better than fiction. Is the film better than the novel?

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 $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

Waking Up in Reno
Reindeer Games (Director's Cut)
2 Days in the Valley
Head in the Clouds
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers

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.

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:

Hollywood's Golden Age
Hollywood (A&E DVD Archives)
Biography - Louis B. Mayer (A&E DVD Archives)
20th Century Fox - The First 50 Years
Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul

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.

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:

Waking Up in Reno
Reindeer Games (Director's Cut)
2 Days in the Valley
Head in the Clouds
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers

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

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Detectives | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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

DVD:

DVD List

DVD

DVD

Dora the Explorer - Dora's Egg Hunt

Free Enterprise

Two Friends (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: As You Like It

Arabische Nächte/Der kleine Trommler