Posted on 08/14/2006 7:03:03 AM PDT by Houmatt
With the film version of James Ellroy's novel, "The Black Dahlia" soon to be released, it is necessary to let people know the Elizabeth Short portrayed in the novel and on the screen is not the real Elizabeth Short at all. Here is a website created and maintained by Mary Pacios, who actually knew her, and author of the book, "Childhood Shadows."
Also, read the book Severed. Really interesting. My buddies grandmother grew up next to her in Somerville MA.
Said she was very beautiful but very odd.
His pals were all "artistic" Hollywood types...Man Ray,John Huston,etc.The guy's daughter said that her father offered her,sexually,to his friends.She says that she was raped by,among others,John Huston.
His "investigation" into proving his father killed Bette began with two photos, side by side. Although the photos are obviously not of the same person, Hodel nevertheless claims they are both Bette Short.
His book also makes an assertion the case has never been solved due to a massive coverup on part of the Los Angeles Police Department.
Author Gary Indiana, reporter Larry Harnisch and even CBS News have absolutely shredded Hodel's ludicrous claims. And yet, like Michael Moore, he refuses to face reality.
What motive could he and his sister have in badmouthing their father like they have?
His book also makes an assertion the case has never been solved due to a massive coverup on part of the Los Angeles Police Department.
In the piece that I saw,an official of today's LAPD acknowledged that the department was,in fact,very corrupt during the period in question.Also,they showed other evidence (I think newspaper headlines were involved) demonstrating corruption,including payments of cash in exchange for dropping investigations.
Author Gary Indiana, reporter Larry Harnisch and even CBS News have absolutely shredded Hodel's ludicrous claims. And yet, like Michael Moore, he refuses to face reality.
The father was,in fact,on a list of several suspects that the LAPD had at the time.Evidence was presented that strongly suggested that Hoddell paid off one or more investigators and,after having done so,his name was mysteriously placed on the "back burner".
From LA Weekly, July 10, 2003:
Hodel’s half sister, Diane Hodel, agrees that the photos are not of Elizabeth Short. She also says she remembers her father as a kind, loving, sophisticated man, not a serial murderer. Hodel’s other half sister, Tamar, doesn’t remember her father so kindly, having accused him of incest, a scandalous charge of which Hodel père was eventually acquitted. Tamar Hodel is thankful to her brother for sticking up for her claims against her father in Black Dahlia Avenger, but even she won’t vouch for the photos. Of the two pics, which appear side by side in the book, she says the photo on the left “looks really different from the one on the right.”
From CBS News:
Shocked and angered by the LAPD's response, Steve also dismisses the findings of two handwriting experts hired by 48 Hours and the LAPD -- who both said they were not convinced that the handwriting in the killer's letters matched Dr. George Hodel.
"It's my father's handwriting," says Steve. "I don't have to be convinced. I don't need an expert to tell me. I know it as a fact."
Why is he so determined to prove that his father was the Black Dahlia killer? "Because it's the truth," says Steve.
Seems like the only truth here is Steve Hodel is full of crap.
Has anyone seen the film yet? Talk is it's terrible.
Too bad becauase the book is quite good.
I call it libel.
Ellroy's book is fiction. I'm partial to John Douglas' explanation--the crime had all the markings of a disorganized serial killer being the perp.
I don't what what really happened any more than you or any one else does, but quoting CBS News isn't likely to win converts to your point of view.
And? That gives carte blanche for people to tell lies about others? Just say, "Hey, it's fiction?"
Tell that to Sylvia Plath.
If you are not an Ellroy fan, try Gillmore's "Severed: The True Story of the Black Dahlia Murder"
Read it and own it. It's trash. Read the best book out there on Bette instead: Childhood Shadows.
see post #12
Why don't you read his book so you can understand why he cannot hold up to scrutiny?
I suggest reading John Douglas' The Cases that Haunt Us; the Black Dahlia case is just one of the cases he looks at, and he draws some fascinating conclusions on all of them.
Why are you so exorcised by this? I'm not giving anyone any credibility and I am not that interested as to read his book. Anything and everything now is just going to be speculation and everyone involves is likely dead for a long time so what's the point of fretting over it?
My only point to you is that CBS is not a source that I would use HERE to make a case for anything (except that they cannot be trusted).
Black Dahlia BTTT
But that's not why I mentioned her. This is:
The Bell Jar is Sylvia Plath's only novel, which was originally published under the pseudonym "Victoria Lucas" in 1963. The novel is semi-autobiographical, with the names of places and people changed to avoid causing offense. After Plath's suicide, the novel was published under her real name, and the novel did cause great offense. This resulted in a successful lawsuit by one individual (who is portrayed as "Joan" in the book), where the court ruled that the novel unfairly branded her as homosexual.
The point being just because you call it fiction and even go so far as using different names, it does not mean you can represent people in a way you know to be false.
What people do not seem to understand is Elizabeth Short is NOT a fictional character. She was a real person. Horrible things happened to her. But in the decades since her death people have portrayed her as a prostitute and worse. People like myself, Mary Pacios, and Larry Harnisch have been fighting to remove the stigmata from her name. It does not help matters when this movie hits screens and when you hear New Line has purchased the film rights to the crapstain Steve Hodel's book Black Dahlia Avenger.
I have had a strong interest in this case going over two decades and people need to know the truth about who Bette was.
"I have had a strong interest in this case going over two decades and people need to know the truth about who Bette was."
You assume way too much. Most people have never heard of her by name, won't remember her by name if they even see the movie, and won't care. She has been dead for 60 years. Not everyone has an interest as you do. I don't know and I don't care why she was killed only because the killer, who ever that may be, has already met his maker and is answering for his misdeeds.
What is your interest in her? Was she family? If so, I am sorry for your loss even if you never met her yourself. Are you writing your own book? Is this just a fascination with an unsolved crime? I've seen a few tv shows on her murder and it is interesting, but I've never run across anyone who was as adamant about their point of view as you are.
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