"Starstruck" (2013), "The Black Dahlia", Josh Hartnett's evolution

Who Is The Black Dahlia (1975): Dramatization of Elizabeth Short's story. Starring Brooke Adams & Lucie Arnaz. In 1947 Los Angeles, a police detective tries to solve the shocking and grisly murder of 22-year-old aspiring actress Elizabeth Short, whose nude body was dumped in a lot after being bisected with surgical precision. The detective interviews people who knew Short, who was called "The Black Dahlia" because of the black outfits she wore. "She's a ghost and a blank page to record our fears and desires," says James Ellroy. "A post-war Mona Lisa, an L.A. quintessential." It's a real-life mystery that's inspired countless moviemakers and writers from "Double Indemnity," "Chinatown" and "L.A. Confidential."


Elizabeth Short was herself starstruck with her childhood idol actress/singer Deanna Durbin who passed away ten days ago. "Dottie [Elizabeth's sister], Bette and I were going to be movie stars. We were all entranced with movie stars, star struck. Spent hours talking about movie stars, about going to Hollywood. We performed using the Short's front porch as a stage. Every Friday as soon as the song sheets came out, we'd pool our money, get the latest sheets, and spend hours singing."


"Bette imitated Deanna Durbin. Walked like her, talked like her, and in my eyes sang like her." -Eleanor Kurz, Elizabeth Short's Medford neighbor and friend.


She was Elizabeth Short from Medford, Mass. Friends called her Betty. But in the headlines of the day, and ever after, she would be the Black Dahlia, inspired, it would be said, by the way she wore her hair.


She became a tabloid sensation, hot copy in a five-newspaper town. Now she has been incarnated on screen in "The Black Dahlia," a ferociously imagined fictional take on the brief life and cruel death of Elizabeth Short.


"The Black Dahlia" (2006) stars Josh Harnett and Aaron Eckhart as cops on the case, Scarlett Johanssen as the siren they both love, and as the Black Dahlia herself, Mia Kirshner.


"The myth of Elizabeth Short is this is what happens to star-struck girls from... little towns back East... who come out to big bad Hollywood with ideas of getting into movies," Harnisch said. "Terrible things happen." "Don't, don't, don't come to L.A. to become a movie-star," Ellroy said. "Fatuous dreams die hard." Source: abcnews.go.com


Josh Hartnett plays detective Bucky Bleichert in "The Black Dahlia" (2006) directed by Brian De Palma

"She needed to be here. She needed to be where it had all begun. It was late, still the store was unusually empty for a Friday night. All the Hollywood hangers-on who made Schwab's their headquarters, the has-beens and never-weres and still-to-bes who set the air abuzz with their jabber and complaints , their gossip and gloats, were nowhere to be seen. Margo made her way down the quiet main aisle and sat down at the horseshoe-shaped lunch counter in the back, which was empty apart from a man in a trenchcoat reading the late edition of the newspaper over coffee and apple pie. He had on one of those soft felt hats that were worn only by undercover detectives or men who played them in the movies, and for once in her life Margo wasn't interested in guessing which one he was." -"Starstruck" (2013) by Rachel Shukert


"The Golden Age of Hollywood –and its gritty underside– is captured with real flair in this novel... this novel evokes late-1930s Hollywood with panache. Characters are well drawn, representing common archetypes but with a twist." -School Library Journal, May 2013.


In Starstruck, novelist Rachel Shukert paints an alluring portrait of Hollywood in the 1930s: Glamorous muses in designer gowns swan around on the arms of handsome men in tuxedos. It’s all very nice until you look a little closer to notice that no one is smiling. While the view might look beautiful from afar -- much like an Impressionist painting -- up close it’s just a big, incoherent mess. In no time at all, Margaret Frobisher becomes Margo Sterling, a promising, young ingénue who is destined for stardom. But, like clockwork, unsavory rumors begin to swirl, connecting her to the missing starlet, Diana Chesterfield. There's no denying that Margo bears an uncanny resemblance to Diana -- she was even cast as Diana's replacement in the upcoming film. Some begin to speculate that Margo is looking to replace Diana altogether.


Starstruck is a clear nod in homage to Jacqueline Susann’s pulp novel, Valley of the Dolls, a seminal work that depicts the horrors of Hollywood and drug abuse. But while Dolls ultimately ends in tragedy, Starstruck has Margo rising straight to the top. The only question remains: At what cost did she get there? Shukert’s Starstruck reads like a cross between a film noir mystery novel and celebrity tabloid fodder. The ambiguity of characters’ intentions, along with the mystery behind a starlet's disappearance, will keep audiences captivated until the very end. Source: www.everydayebook.com


Josh Hartnett: "I'm not going to say that I'm a saint, that I've never done anything wrong in my life, but if you're going to find something out about me personally, at least find something that's remotely true." Hollywood actor Josh Hartnett has won 20,000 pounds ($30,000) in libel damages from a British newspaper that claimed he engaged in "steamy shenanigans" in a public area of a London hotel. The tabloid Daily Mirror claimed in a September article that Hartnett and an unknown woman had a steamy encounter in the library of the Soho Hotel that was caught on CCTV. Hartnett's lawyer says the actor plans to donate the damages money to charity. Source: seattletimes.com


Josh Hartnett's Evolution (Forever Young) video from Kendra.
Josh Hartnett's Evolution (A Look at All of His Filmography).
Soundtrack: "Forever Young" by Bob Dylan, "Someday Soon" by Wilco, "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" by Elvis Presley, "Lady" by Eugene Kelly, "Ooh Wee Baby" by Darlene Love, "Just Like Honey" by The Jesus & Mary Chain, "Lady Midnight" by Leonard Cohen, "Breathless" by Jerry Lee Lewis and "Baby, Baby" by The Vibrators.

Jake Gyllenhaal attends 'Words Of War' Benefit by The Headstrong Project

Jake Gyllenhaal attending 'Words Of War' Benefit Hosted By The Headstrong Project on May 8, 2013 in New York City




Jake Gyllenhaal attended The Headstrong Project's first Words of War event in NYC last night. Along with his support, he lent his voice to the cause by reading the poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen. The Headstrong Project aims to improve mental health care for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, and Jake also made a monetary donation by bidding $5,000 in the auction. He was joined by pregnant Veep star Anna Chlumsky, as well as the chairman of the Headstrong Project, Zach Iscol, for the charitable night. Source: www.popsugar.com


The actor who star in 2005 war drama Jarhead, which is based on the real life experiences of US Marine Anthony Swofford, read the poem Dulce et Decorum Est by British soldier and leading World War I poet Wilfred Owen at the inaugural Words of War event for the Headstrong Project.


Gyllenhaal also presented the foundation, which provides mental healthcare and support for war veterans, with a donation of $5,000 for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing training, a psychotherapy to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. Source: www.starpulse.com

Punk Beauties in Met Gala 2013: Punk Chaos to Couture

Amber Heard in a red dress by Emilio Gucci attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit celebrating "PUNK: Chaos to Couture" in Manhattan.


Anne Hathaway made good after opting out of wearing her go-to designer at the Oscars. "It's vintage Valentino from 1992," she said of her edgy gown.


Kerry Washington wore Vera Wang. "I have purple (highlights) going in to match the dress," she said. "I've had lots of misguided (fashion) moments. Who hasn't? I had a big hip-hop phase, jerseys and that kind of stuff."


Kate Beckinsale, in Alberta Ferretti, said her most rebellious moment was getting her ears double- and triple-pierced as a teen without telling her mom. "I hope my daughter doesn't read this!" says the mom of Lily.


The last to arrive: Madonna. Her top rebellious fashion moment? "It depends on the week!" she retorted. Source: www.usatoday.com


Diane Kruger in a black dress by Chanel (Haute Couture) & Joshua Jackson


Sienna Miller wore gown and jacket by Burberry Prorsum


Kristen Stewart wore a burdeos outfit by Stella Mccartney


Kirsten Dunst in a green dress by Louis Vuitton


Jessica Biel in a black outfit by Giambattista Valli

Mosh pits and punk rock don't usually mix with Upper East Side galas, but Beyoncé, Rooney Mara, Anna Wintour, Tiger Woods, Alec Baldwin and Anne Hathaway all tried to rock it like the Sex Pistols (or some fashionable facsimile) at Monday night's Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Gala.


Peter Sarsgaard and Maggie Gyllenhaal (she wore a red dress by Calvin Klein and and Bulgari jewels)


Nora Zehetner in a printed Marchesa dress accessorized with Edmundo Castillo heels


"I don't think I'm very punk," Mara admitted, wearing a white lace Givenchy gown that, in truth, seemed more "Little House on the Prairie" -- although it did have some heavy-duty zippers. The gala celebrates the Costume Institute's new exhibit, "Punk: Chaos to Couture," which opens Thursday, tracing punk rock's influence on high fashion, from its birth in the 1970s onward. Source: www.newsday.com

Josh Hartnett stops to smell the flowers in Soho with Tamsin Egerton

As Josh Harnett and his girlfriend Tamsin Egerton stepped out in New York's Soho neighbourhood on Saturday, their love wasn't the only thing in bloom. Marvelling at the white and yellow petals in the city's landscaping, the 34-year-old Wicker Park actor stopped to savour their beautiful surroundings.


Diane Kruger and Josh Hartnett in "Wicker Park" (2004) directed by Paul McGuigan


His 24-year-old girlfriend smiled in awe as she watched him pull one of the blossoming branches towards his face, breathing in the fresh floral scent. Appearing to be in sync with one another, the couple coordinated their ensembles for their afternoon outing.


Tamsin donned a striped tee beneath a red plaid shirt and grey collared jacket. She teamed the tops with a pair of skinny denim trousers that she cuffed above her black ballet flats.


The blonde beauty's eyes were concealed with plastic-rimmed sunglasses as her wavy locks were neatly tied back into a bun. But throughout their day date, the British actress decided to loosen up a bit, releasing her strands from the sleek style and letting them flow freely past her shoulders.


On her left, Josh sported a heather grey tee that he teamed with a lightweight navy jacket, fitted denim trousers and laced brown shoes. He kept his eye concealed as well, sporting jet black plastic-rimmed sunglasses. The two stars have been dating since August 2012, but the Hollywood actor hasn't appeared in a film since 2011. Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

“Walk in the rain, smell flowers, stop along the way, build sandcastles, go on field trips, find out how things work, tell stories, say the magic words, trust the universe.” ― Bruce Williamson

Jake Gyllenhaal attends the 28th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards

Scan of Jake Gyllenhaqal in Die Zeit Magazine (Germany), May 2013


Jake Gyllenhaal attending the 28th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards on May 5, 2013 in New York City

NOIR CITY - SPRING 2013 (magazine excerpts)

 Claire Trevor and Dick Powell in a promotional portrait for Edward Dmytryk's film "Murder, My Sweet" (1944) based on Raymond Chandler's novel "Farewell, My Lovely" (1940)

Raymond Chandler would be the prime beneficiary of the noir renaissance of the 1970s, as two previously filmed Marlowe novels returned to the big screen. Chinatown’s success permitted director Dick Richards to mount a handsome period production of Farewell, My Lovely (1975) that even got to use Chandler’s original title. (The 1944 adaptation was called Murder, My Sweet so that audiences would not expect a musical, given that the star was song-and-dance man Dick Powell beginning his transition into harder-edged roles).


Richards’ Marlowe was Robert Mitchum, who had already delivered a piercing, valedictory performance as the low-level Boston hood working both sides of the law in 1973’s The Friends of Eddie Coyle. Once again, Marlowe is asked by newly-sprung pug Moose Malloy (ex-boxer Jack O’Halloran, taking the role played by Mike Mazurki in the first film) to find his “cute as lace pants” girlfriend Velma. Aside from changing “psychic consultant” Jules Amthor into a madam, screenwriter David Zelag Goodman largely sticks to Chandler’s novel. This fidelity isn’t a bonus as it saddles the film with Chandler’s plot, as easy to track as mercury on a tabletop. The production design smartly conveys the 1940s setting while the script overemphasizes it, with Marlowe offering commentary on Joe DiMaggio’s ongoing hitting streak and a newsie asking him at one point, “Whaddaya think of this guy Hitler?” Farewell offers its share of incidental pleasures.


Charlotte Rampling was born to play an icy femme fatale, and novelist Jim Thompson amusingly cameos as her power broker husband. In the film’s best scene, Mitchum duets with Sylvia Miles’ dipsomaniacal faded actress Jessie Florian and she bursts into tears over her lost youth. (Miles received an Oscar nomination largely for this scene alone). As good-looking and sincere as Farewell is, it leaves no lasting impression.


Robert Mitchum on the set of the movie 'Farewell, My Lovely', 1974.

It is infinitely better than Mitchum’s second turn as Marlowe. 1978’s The Big Sleep is set in then present-day England. The locale is addressed with a throwaway line about Marlowe coming to the U.K. during World War II and never going back. The time period seems to have been purely a financial decision, meant to save money on wardrobe and cars. In The Long Goodbye, Robert Altman restlessly probes the Marlowe-as-man-out-of-time conceit. Here, writer/director Michael Winner doubles down on the issue by moving the detective across the pond and never addresses the complications.


Mitchum was several decades too old for the role the first go-round. He played tired in Farewell. In Sleep he actually is tired. Understandably so, given how much of the film’s running time consists of shots of the actor striding across empty rooms. Marlowe is hired by fellow ex-pat General Sternwood to bail his hellion daughters out of trouble. The Sternwood clan is played by James Stewart, Candy Clark and Sarah Miles.


In 1950, Fleischer was continuing his upward trajectory with his fourth RKO noir, 'Armored Car Robbery.'


The film stars Charles McGraw, a man whom William Friedkin calls “the quintessential B picture film noir actor.” Friedkin sums up McGraw’s on-screen persona when he describes him as “the most hard boiled of the tough guys.” McGraw, who was a contract player for RKO and appeared in many “B” noirs during the late 1940s and early 1950s, had a face cut from granite, the leftover pieces of which were dumped down his throat and left to chafe against his vocal cords.


He was the perfect fit for the type of character he played in Armored Car Robbery: a hard-nosed cop out for blood after a gang of thugs botches—you guessed it—an armored car robbery, offing his partner in the process. The film boasts great performances, excellent nighttime cinematography, a stripped-down, fastmoving plot, and a fantastic final scene that preceded a similar ending in Stanley Kubrick’s noir classic The Killing (1956). But it wasn’t Armored Car Robbery that was destined to put Fleischer on the map. He reteamed with McGraw in 1950, and once he completed directing The Narrow Margin in just thirteen days, he knew he had something special.


The Narrow Margin (1952) publicity still of Peter Virgo, Jacqueline White, & Charles McGraw


As he put it, “everyone who saw it at the studio was convinced it was my breakthrough film.” And it would be. But not in 1950, and not in 1951. As Fleischer put it, in 1950, the film “came to the attention of Howard Hughes, who promptly put it in his projection booth, where it sat for more than a year.” His improbable run of autonomy had finally come to an end. He’d run up against the one-man wrecking crew who was unintentionally, but systematically, destroying RKO.

Check out lots of riveting articles you can find in the NOIR CITY magazine - Contribute to Film Noir Foundation ordering the Spring issue of NOIR CITY online.