What studio executive looked at the talent and material
coming together on the 1997 adaptation of James Ellroy’s pulp detective novel L.A. Confidential and thought it was a
good idea? On paper, it just doesn’t look like it should work. But I guess that’s
proof then that studios can’t predict everything based on filmmakers’ resumes,
popularity of talent and story material. In L.A.
Confidential they had on their hands a 1950s period detective story with an
unbelievably complex plot, one that rivals Raymond Chandler for its twists and
turns and reversals. It’s true that pulp stories were steaming along in
popularity in the late 90s and neo-noir was perhaps starting to make another brief
resurgence.
