This item is currently not available. If you have this item,
Join and post it to share with others.
In a time when it seems that every other movie makes some claim to being afilm noir,LA Confidentialis 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 NowhereandWhite Jazz)--a compelling blend of LA history and pulp fiction that has earned it comparisons to the greatest of all Technicolournoirfilms,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
BEST FAST PACED CRIME THRILLER OF THE 1990s Curtis Hanson proved he's both a great director and auteur by turning James Ellroy's terrifying novel about corruption and crime among members of the LAPD in the 1950s into one of the best movies of the 1990s. Perhaps the most fascinating detective film since Orson Welles' "Touch of Evil," the casting is brilliant. Corruption runs amok in the L.A. police department only to be exposed by an eager, politically sophisticated, smart young cop Ed Exley (well played by Guy Pearce).
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL was produced with an exceptionally strong cast. Kim Basinger plays a wordly prostitute (Lynn Bracken) with a heart of gold and mind of steel. Strong in her character's every nuance, the viewer forgets Basinger is acting. She earned her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Kevin Spacey plays a sleazy detective who improbably solves an important part of a complex murder mystery. Russell Crowe was this film's wild card showing how a relatively unknown American actor at the time, got the leading part in such an important and expensive films such as "The Insider" and "Gladiator." Crowe plays the violent detective driven by his compulsion to protect abused women. The excellent supporting cast includes Danny DeVito (Sid), David Strathairn (Pierce Patchett), Ron Rifkin (D.A. Ellis Loew) and Matt McCoy (Brett Chase).
Quite a few reviewers flatteringly compared L.A. CONFIDENTIAL with Humphrey Bogart's Film Noir "The Maltese Falcon." It is a murder mystery with surprises, many twists and turns, and satisfactorily becomes resolved with a little bit of optimism for justice triumphing over corruption; barely. Very many 1997 film goers felt cheated that the movie "Titanic" took away Academy Awards that rightfully belonged to L.A. CONFIDENTIAL. That is easy to understand because 'CONFIDENTIAL is really THAT good!
****** UNMISSABLE ****** A must-see for any person that claims to be a film fan. Set in Los Angeles in the early 1950's, L.A. Confidential is a violent but gripping thriller which examines the dark underbelly and corruption of the city of LA, at a time when it still held a beautiful movie star image. Principally, this is the story of 3 very different cops, Bud White (Russell Crowe), Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) and Edmund Exley (Guy Pearce), who have totally different ways of getting the job done. Each with their own agenda, each with their own character and each corrupt to a differing degree, their paths cross in this intricate but brilliantly plotted movie as they seek to find "the coffee shop killers" and solve the mystery of high class prostitutes "cut" to look like movie stars. Brilliantly directed by Curtis Hanson and based on a James Ellroy novel, LA Confidential also boasts an outstanding supporting cast including, James Cromwell, David Strathairn, Danny Devito and the Oscar winning Kim Basinger. The best film of 1998 and perhaps even the best film of the nineties, LA Confidential should have walked off with a barrowload of Oscars. Better than a thousand Titanic's (if you disagree you're wrong) , LA Confidential never fails to hit it's mark and is simply unmissable.Superb L. A.Confidential is tough, gorgeous and vastly entertaining DVD. It is a genuine masterpiece that will knock your socks off.It won 1997 Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress (Kim Basinger) and Best Adapted Screenplay. Director Curtis Hanson and a terrific cast serve up a ravishing, thrilling tale of police corruption and Hollywood glamour.
In this film version of James Ellroy’s novel. Three Cops (Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce), a call girl (Kim Basinger), a mysterious millionaire (David Strathairn), a tabloid journalist (Danny De Vito), and the Chief of Detectives (James Cromwell) fuel a labyrinthine plot rife with mystery, ambition, romance and humour.
A Superb DVD. There are 3 Behind-the-Scenes Documentary Features : Off The Record, Including Cast Creator Interviews; Director Curtis Hanson's Photo Pitch and The LA of LA Confidential Interactive Map Tour. On the DVD, there is also the common Theatrical Trailer, and 3 TV Spots.
