joshuatree0103 Review of The Black Dahlia Haunting

The Black Dahlia Haunting (2012)

Brilliant twist to an infamous tale with an amazing cast! Best indie movie in years!

[10/10 · 1 November 2012]

This profoundly gripping film written and directed by Brandon Slagle was nothing short of brilliant. Slagle took the infamous story of Elizabeth Short, otherwise known as The Black Dahlia, and gave it a uniquely haunting twist that is guaranteed to thrill viewers of multiple genres. His creative writing took this film to a whole new level of intensity and suspense with its supernatural spin and horror combination. Lending to this well told story is the incredible performances by a well chosen cast. Devanny Pinn captivates the audience with her stunning portrayal as the beautiful sister to an institutionalized boy, played by Noah Dahl. Pinn's performance is both persuasive and increasingly disturbing as the main target of brooding evil by both the spiritual realm and the deranged vengeance of Dr. Brian Owen. Britt Griffith gave an amazingly disturbing performance as the dark and calculated psychiatrist (Owen). His superb ability to show the inner struggle between good and evil was absolutely astonishing. Griffith has been compared to Jack Nicolson in "The Shining" and there is no question why. Just like Nicholson, Griffith doesn't even need to speak to evoke a sense of unsettling fear and uncertainty. It's as if his eyes are the window to his soul, and his menacing glare says it all. Let's just say that Griffith is the epitome of creepy and downright unnerving at times. Also noteworthy is the sadistic tension between Griffith and Pinn's characters that, through their synergistic performances, is made palpable. To lend to the creep factor in this film is the performances by Brandon Slagle and Cleve Hall. Slagle left me feeling his characters anguish and despair, while at the same time intriguing me with his crazy and erratic behavior, never sure what his next move might be. Hall portrays a perverse evil that is so sinister that it provokes an immediate sense of anxiety and terror. Alexis Iacono's eerie performance as the spirit of Elizabeth Short was marvelous. A true highlight for Iacono was an edgy shower scene that was well played and convincingly haunting. Jessica Cameron as the lovely Marilyn Monroe was impressive and delightfully entertaining, as was Noah Dahl in his role as a young man who is institutionalized for the murder of his parents. Both Cameron and Dahl were fantastic in their supporting roles adding clout to Slagle's choice in casting. This was one of the most entertaining and intriguing Independent films that I've seen in years. I found myself putting the pieces of the story together while watching intently for additional clues in an attempt to predict the next twist. Slagle kept me guessing, making this a thrilling tale that kept me glued to my seat.