James Ellroy's Feast of Death

This documentary gave a very interesting look at a novelist obsessed with murder, namely unsolved murder. From his own mother's mysterious death to the Famous murder mystery of the Black Dhalia, this film explores different theories on these deaths and others, while giving the viewer an inside look at James Ellroy as a man and a writer. Overall, it was informative and I would recommend it for fans of his novels and adapted films such as L.A. Confidential.

A documentary about James Ellroy and his fascination with unsolved murder cases, especially those of his mother, and the similar, infamous, Black Dahlia murder.

I did not James Ellroy outside of his writing before watching this, and now I think the man comes off as a jerk and very full of himself. I suppose he would have some right to be arrogant, as he is very successful and highly intelligent. But it did not make me want to meet him or give him one cent for his future works.

An exploration of the Black Dahlia murder in this film is mostly just some guys sitting around a table BSing. The same goes for Ellroy's mother (which is not that similar of a crime, really). For me, the highlight was the segment filmed in Wisconsin. I have been to Tomah, so it was not a foreign land being shown and the people certainly looked like Wisconsinites.

Perhaps this movie details one man's search for the meaning of death, exploring both his mother's death, as well as few other close-to-home murders, but his likability goes down the drain within 20 minutes of listening to his ego-stroking. On many occasions, James Ellroy comes off sounding like a sex-offender as well as mentally unstable.

Dispute his 'profane' and 'politically incorrect' language, which i excuse as artistic expression, the man really does not have anything worth saying. I found myself scrounging for any kind of meaningful consequence i could tear from this film, but found none.

It is my belief that this movie would be wildly popular with the type of cult following the documentary shows at various book signings and public appearances. Never having read his literature, i cannot comment on the nature of his books (perhaps they are excellent!), but i may suggest that this film is not worth watching unless you hold the man in as much esteem as he seems to hold himself in.

I really like the movie based on it being very true to the people involved! Very real! On that note, it is seriously f-ed up! I am interested in crime and crime history but this takes it to a new level! Crime seriously affected this guy and I really want to know what made his wife who she is! They are a perfect match but that scares me! This movie makes me wonder about EVERY person involved! The cops even more than the writer and his perfect match of a wife! The dinner table discussions make me blush and uncomfortable and I use the c and p words freely and without restraint. That being said, any movie that has this effect on me is intense! Be aware that it is VERY intense!

I've been drawn to this movie in a morbid sort of way. It is disturbing on many levels. Straight out we know that James Ellroy's mother was brutally strangled and the murder will be revisited and this has fashioned him as an authored. He is by the way the author of L.A. Confidential, which was made into a movie. The movie goes deeper than simply examining his mother's murder. It also examines the famous Black Dahlia murder involving Mary Short, which also played a role in Ellroy's becoming a murder mystery writer. Not wanting to be a spoiler here, the movie is more graphic than many horror films in the murders examined and Ellroy's prose is tossed in from time to time, describing why humans kill, makes for a chilling, yet informative kind of viewing. This film is not for squeamish folks. I would not let my children watch it. Some of the stuff was that disturbing. But, like I said, for some reason, like a moth to a flame, I've been drawn to this film over and over again.