tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825351661748594023.post5683247917674784425..comments2024-03-06T11:11:48.095-08:00Comments on Too Much Horror Fiction: The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy (1987): If You Want Blood You've Got ItWill Erricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16285306262078600804noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825351661748594023.post-80808760666986160912017-12-17T10:21:58.564-08:002017-12-17T10:21:58.564-08:00I've never read any Ellroy, but I have enterta...I've never read any Ellroy, but I have entertained the notion. I guess it's because I like y horror fictional-although I have read quite a bit of true crime "novels"-for some reason I see Ellroy's fiction as a bit beyond the pale.It's the "wallow" you mentioned that I can't take. highwaykneeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00458606266831050852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825351661748594023.post-83830293205529021022011-06-14T10:54:55.076-07:002011-06-14T10:54:55.076-07:00Sarah, yeah, I get your discomfort. Honestly I thi...Sarah, yeah, I get your discomfort. Honestly I think Ellroy wants to force us to wallow in the filth. He's got his demons, and maybe likes us along for the ride...Will Erricksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16285306262078600804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825351661748594023.post-30552993353088817532011-06-14T08:33:35.171-07:002011-06-14T08:33:35.171-07:00I just read this book, and while I admired it, I a...I just read this book, and while I admired it, I also felt that there was a weird sort of enjoyment, in the book, of the torture aspects; as if there was something appealing about that kind of pain being inflicted on someone (especially a woman?) I don't know if I'm just having a stereotypically, PC, sort of reaction, but it made me quite uncomfortable!Sarah Normanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05145876806604726875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825351661748594023.post-66368428714113795102011-01-23T09:48:14.995-08:002011-01-23T09:48:14.995-08:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RUPKbDebSA&fea...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RUPKbDebSA&feature=related<br /><br />The docu is called JAMES ELLROY'S FEAST OF DEATH & I believe this link is the bulk of it petaining to the DAHLIA case.<br /><br /> JimAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825351661748594023.post-12080216202075351112011-01-23T08:15:48.137-08:002011-01-23T08:15:48.137-08:00Kevin, you're exactly right about "twiste...Kevin, you're exactly right about "twisted psychology and grand guignol violence of splatterpunk fiction of the time" in Ellroy's books. I think I just read a couple chapters of SILENT TERROR back in the day but it didn't captivate the way this one did.<br /><br />I really need to see that Ellroy documentary! The TV show the other night was pretty cool, indeed. He is just Will Erricksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16285306262078600804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825351661748594023.post-44095731062419587042011-01-21T10:06:51.786-08:002011-01-21T10:06:51.786-08:00"The centerfold from hell..."
I like tha..."The centerfold from hell..."<br />I like that. Indeed it was. Indeed it was...<br /><br />Speaking of which, did you ever see Ellroy's special on HBO about his own obsession with the crime & how he related it to his own mother's murder?<br />If not, I highly recommend tracking it down & watching it. It's probably available online somewhere.<br />It's pretty Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825351661748594023.post-7796279886518447332011-01-21T08:58:42.853-08:002011-01-21T08:58:42.853-08:00Now that I think about it, yes, I had the exact sa...Now that I think about it, yes, I had the exact same experience with Anger's HOLLYWOOD BABYLON! Damn, you're right. The centerfold from hell...<br /><br />DePalma's movie is indeed a travesty.Will Erricksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16285306262078600804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825351661748594023.post-77820108839731557192011-01-21T08:42:38.257-08:002011-01-21T08:42:38.257-08:00Another great choice Will.
THE BLACK DAHLIA is amo...Another great choice Will.<br />THE BLACK DAHLIA is among my top ten favorite novels. And the case has intrigued me ever since I was in my local Walden Books as a young teen & decided to page through a book on the shelves called HOLLYWOOD BABYLON in the hopes of seeing some photos of famous acresses in stages of undress.<br />Well, I got nudity all right, but definitely NOT the kind that I&#Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825351661748594023.post-65380299038831164882011-01-20T16:41:52.320-08:002011-01-20T16:41:52.320-08:00One of the major strengths of the L.A. Quartet for...One of the major strengths of the L.A. Quartet for me is that there's all the twisted psychology and grand guignol violence of splatterpunk fiction of the time, but it's played against the counterpoint of the extremely detailed 1950s America that was idealized during the Reagan era, and it's that tension for me between the two that hunted me for days after I read each one. <br /><br /Kevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409029273541301144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825351661748594023.post-59872070115213203042011-01-20T11:28:31.645-08:002011-01-20T11:28:31.645-08:00Great piece, Will. I've been intrigued by Ellr...Great piece, Will. I've been intrigued by Ellroy's fiction ever since you mentioned it in the interview. God knows I love my noir, and this (and the other L.A. books) seems like it's right up my shadowy, trash-filled, corpse-strewn alley. Again, fantastic write-up. Your words have inspired me to want to scribble something myself now!Jose Cruzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18152405075039057304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-825351661748594023.post-83523707362781885272011-01-20T10:09:49.608-08:002011-01-20T10:09:49.608-08:00I'm embarrassed to say that I own a copy of Th...I'm embarrassed to say that I own a copy of The Black Dahlia but haven't read it since it has been on my to-read pile for a long time. I am biased towards the horror genre over crime novels but your review has convinced me that there's plenty here to satisfy any horror reader.Luishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07631388281199815121noreply@blogger.com