Genre: Mystery/Drama.
Studio:
Warner Brothers.
Production Company:
Confidential, Inc.
Project Phase: In the Can.
Who's In It:
Kevin Spacey (Detective 'Trashcan' Jack Vincennes); Kim Basinger;
Danny DeVito (Sid Hudgens); James Cromwell (Detective Dudley Smith); Russell Crowe (Detective Bud White);
Guy Pearce (Detective
Ed Exley).
Who's Making It:
Curtis Hanson (Director); Brian Helgeland (Screenwriter); Arnon Milchan, Curtis
Hanson (Producers); Michael Nathanson, David L. Wolper, Dan Kolsrud (Executive
Producers); Dante Spinotti (Director of Photography); Peter Honess (Editor);
based upon the James Ellroy novel L.A. Confidential.
Premise: Set in 1950's Los Angeles, a mystery woman is pursued by two seperate investigation teams. Together, three detectives try to solve a horrific mass murder that becomes a personal obsession.
Release Date: September 19, 1997.
Comments: None.
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
April 25, 1996... [Project information sent by 'wsj'; originally appeared in Reuters.]
May 30, 1996... [Additional project information sent by Mike Rivas.]
September 22, 1996... "On an Entertainment Tonight article in July, a short scene from the film is shown. This involves DeVito tied to a chair. Cromwell is asking him questions and when DeVito says 'No', Crowe walks up and hits him across the face. An observation: I have no knowledge of the book, but if the book is about two American teams after the woman, why are so many Australian actors (Crowe and Pearce) in it. Think about that." [Scoop supplied by 'Gazza'.]
October 15, 1996... "The film is based on an epic novel by James Ellroy that involves numerous intertwined plotlines. The central focus is on a team of L.A. cops trying to solve a mass murder at an all-nite coffee joint called the Night Owl. Elements include drugs, wayward starlets, police corruption, and pornography. As the case progresses, implications stretch to the highest realms of power in 1950s Los Angeles, including a Walt Disney-like entertainment mogul." [Plot information provided by 'godozilla'.]
May 24, 1997... The film was screened at Cannes. [Scoop by anonymous.]
July 1, 1997... The Cannes screening was exceptionally well received. [Overheard by 'awatson'.]
July 6, 1997... [Character names and additional storyline material sent in by Tom Hiley.]
July 27, 1997... "I saw the movie last week at a private screening at WB's. It was great nd the publicity is already in place for an Oscar campaign. It was a great movie mostly because it's a true ensemble piece. And Kim Basinger makes an ideal femme fatale for James Ellroy's work." [Review submitted by 'sprat'.]
September 9, 1997... "I just saw L.A. Confidential at a screening, and it is truly a good movie.
"It was a 'surprise screening', where lots of the attendees expected balls to the wall action, which LAC does NOT deliver, so there were people leaving the theatre throughout the movie. But those who stayed loved it.
"Kind of like Heat, the way the movie flows with the crime story's plot and story steadily evolving, and a kind of melancolic tone to all of it - no happy moments, no happy characters.
"The characters are incredible. The parts are incredibly well written, with a dozen flesh and blood human beings on screen, not bullshit Hollywood characters we don't care about.
"Kevin Spacey is, as every one else, VERY good, but not a boring stiff ass type cast prick, as he was in A Time To Kill, after having delivered excellent prick performances in The Usual Suspects and Seven. He has evolved.
"Kim Basinger is a bit of a cliche, but a good one at that. Every time her character is in frame, the movie slows down, the ugliness of the world's crimes is forgotten, an imaginary saxophone is playing in the background, we think of 9 1/2 Weeks, and how we, thinking on behalf of the male character on screen, would like to hump her. Steamy...
"The plot is more an old-fashioned crime story/mystery than Heat, and it has clever twists. Some accused it for being dull at moments - I strongly disagree. I rate it 4 out of 5." [Review sent in by 'Duck'.]