By Andrew Benjamin

The mysterious can captivate us, sometimes to the point of obsession. We are drawn to those gruesome news stories that offer minimal explanation, but many questions or theories. A recent example is the case of Jon Benet Ramsey. A beautiful young girl found murdered and sexually abused. No leads, no suspects, yet the mystery still captivates us 10 years later. One of the most famous cases of unsolved murder is the case of the Black Dahlia, so it’s appropriate that the film treatment of the case is an exercise in this kind of obsession. The body of Elizabeth Short (Mia Kirshner), a young woman hoping to make it in Hollywood, is found cut in half and mutilated. Two L.A. cops (Josh Hartnett and Aaron Eckhart) are assigned to the case. But all is not so simple as a love triangle forms between Eckhart’s girlfriend (Scarlett Johansson) and Hartnett. A mysterious wealthy Scottish woman (Hilary Swank), who may hold the key to the mystery, also appears.Brian De Palma is a director whom the mainstream often doesn’t accept. His style is criticized as distracting, but such criticism must be taken with a grain of salt, because style is important in film, especially in a film like this. Through De Palma’s unique style, he creates more than a character out of Elizabeth Short. There are no flashback scenes; the only real footage we see of Short alive is of her on film. In this way she becomes a sort of near-mythic figure, tempting the viewer with obsession, the film’s main motif. His use of the first-person point of view brings us closer to the world of the film, breaking the fourth-wall and immersing the viewer into the obsession that the characters are facing. Veteran cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond helps by creating a dark, dreary atmosphere reminiscent of ’40s film-noir. Colors and light are heavily subdued, with cigarette smoke rising up into the nearest light. The acting, while not the centerpiece of the film, is nonetheless great because of the unique ways the actors perform their parts. Josh Hartnett is very stoic and naive in his role as a young cop. His performance is a character of mere innocence who ends up the victim of his own personal quest. Aaron Eckhart is great as a tough cop, who’d rather shoot than ask questions. He is able to convey an inner pain and fascination with this murder so much that it consumes every part of him. Scarlett Johansson as the blonde romantic key in this story is the only character that seems to have any grip on her senses. She brings a charm and sexual energy to the role without becoming a distraction. Hilary Swank outperforms everyone. She brings not only a strong female character, but also one of intense sexual force. While not for the overly optimistic, The Black Dahlia is certainly a fantastic film, one that will tap into your mind and play it like an instrument.