After all, Hollywood murders women.

CONTROVERSY! (and it's produced by a woman: Amanda Abed)

To convey a different point of view and create meaningful art was once the point of world cinema, and to some still is, however in the case of the sudden burst of Black Dahlia themed movies, one would not think this was true.

To many it may seem a message from the nether void, but in reality it's a unique piece of news from the makers of the original film that was first made and also first went into production relating to the pandora's box that is the unsolved murder of Elizabeth Short, better known as the "Black Dahlia". In early 2002, the initial casting process began on what would become a whirlwind adventure in moviemaking and also a test of patience and human stamina. Ramzi Abed's BLACK DAHLIA as it was initially known, and remained that way in the media until now, was creating a buzz that was larger than it should have perhaps. With an interesting cast and a much more interesting premise than anyone else could spin on the story, the film began popping up in magazines and sites as varied as The Hollywood Reporter, Filmthreat, and Post Magazine. Abed's film is now finished with post-production, and being prepped for its September 2006 cast and crew screening, and a larger Hollywood premiere in October 2006...

It caused enough of an uproar, that in January of 2005, shortly after the scene in Ramzi Abed's BLACK DAHLIA was filmed at the actual location of Ms. Short's body discovery (at 39th and Norton, which many publications seem to get wrong continually)... The producers of Abed's film were contacted by the makers of a much larger film that shared an extremely similar title, one known as The Black Dahlia. No agreement was met or made at that time, as it remained stalemate since both parties wanted to keep their titles. Oddly enough, the point of control over titles only exists with MPAA Members, and if you're not an MPAA member, you are not under said control. Furthermore, both parties learned that there is no real way to protect a title. Since Abed's film had press and information circulating including legal and business proof (including the inception of BLACK DAHLIA LP, which was created to make Abed's film under his own financing, along with equity financiers), there was no way to prove anything else but the fact that Abed's film had already started, was already covered legally, and would possibly done earlier than it's very big brother.

Cut to a year and a half later, the big brother has now graduated onto a world premiere at the esteemed Venice Film Festival, while Abed's film gains a massive word-of-mouth and generation next push, but remains largely invisible to the general public. In defense of Abed's film, and also to further explain the intricacies of what can be deemed copycat or ripoff filmmaking to people who have no idea about the history of these productions... This press release was generated.

Now, another film completely out of left field came into the horizon, a no budget film by Ulli Lommell known as Black Dahlia, and is being release by Lions Gate in October, while the big movie known as The Black Dahlia comes out in theatres on September 15th, leaving the first real narrative film made about the subject, BLACK DAHLIA (Now retitled BLACK DAHLIA MOVIE), is left in the cold. The strange part of this is that both the trailer campaign for the big budget film and the actual plotline for the Lions Gate release borrow directly from the narrative, style, and scenes in Abed's film.

Abed's BLACK DAHLIA (Now BLACK DAHLIA MOVIE, as aforementioned), had its trailer and teasers online for well over a year. The trailer/teaser campaigns for Abed's film have changed over time, and developed further by Motor Entertainment (who is handling the campaign). The problem is that because these trailers were available online for so long, the ideas and story were in the public eye to borror or steal from.

The true surprise will be when Abed's film is released, as it is slated to do so next year (2007), in time for the 60th anniversary of the discovery of Elizabeth Short's mutilated corpse. Unlike the other films (and there are more films about the case in the pipeline at other studios, mind you!), Abed's film is not only truer in emotion to the storyline, but it is a satire on the exploitation of this murder case by Hollywood. It may appear to be a provocative or erotically charged horror film, but it is far from that. BLACK DAHLIA MOVIE is an exploration of Hollywood's objectification of women, its entrapment of actresses, and a surreal detective story that blends a present day copycat murder case with the real life events of 1947... All the while, BLACK DAHLIA MOVIE will blow this Pandora's box wide open, as it showcases the cult of Hollywood, while entertaining viewers with an unusual and subjective rollercoaster ride for the brain and the heart.

After all, Hollywood murders women.

Press for Ramzi Abed's "BLACK DAHLIA MOVIE" (formerly "Black Dahlia"):

Ramzi Abed interview in Moviemaker Magazine (January 2006)

Kristen Kerr (lead actress) interview in V Magazine (2006)

David J (composer) interview in Premonition Magazine (French magazine, Nov. 2003!)

"BLACK DAHLIA" (as it was known) in Post Magazine (May 2004)

The following is the title, tagline, summary, and other related info to the movie.

Title:

BLACK DAHLIA MOVIE

("BLACK DAHLIA" in foreign markets, "BLACK DAHLIA MOVIE" in the US)

Tagline:

"Hollywood murders women."

Summary:

"BLACK DAHLIA MOVIE" is a sexy and thrilling journey into the darkness and mystery of Hollywood's most famous unsolved murder case. When the beautiful Lisa Small (Kristen Kerr) gets the chance to play the tragic victim of the crime, Elizabeth Short, an entire dreamworld awakens all around her. All the while, a killer is on the loose collecting women and killing them in time for the 60th anniversary of the original murder. A spider's web grows around Lisa, as her nightmares and desires intersect. As Lisa delves deeper into her script, she propels herself into living out the last days of the Black Dahlia.

An unforgettable and haunting experience, "BLACK DAHLIA MOVIE" is a truly original thriller that examines the legacy of Elizabeth Short's murder, while satirizing Hollywood's exploitation of women. Created to be released in 2007, in time for the 60th anniversary of the discovery of Elizabeth Short's body, "BLACK DAHLIA MOVIE" is a cult classic that will inspire many interpretations and late-night obsessions.

*Filmed before any of the other Black Dahlia-related films (including Brian DePalma's "The Black Dahlia", and Ulli Lommel's "Black Dahlia").

Website: www.theblackdahliamovie.com

MySpace: www.myspace.com/blackdahliamovie