‘L.A. Confidential’ Author Thinks the Movie Version is a “Turkey of the Highest Form’

I find it odd that “L.A. Confidential” author James Ellroy is using the excuse of director Curtis Hanson being dead to attack the film adaptation of his beloved novel.

Speaking at the L.A. Times Festival of Books, Ellroy acknowledged that many people “love” the Oscar-winning film by Hanson, but he believes it’s a “turkey of the highest form.”

“I think Russell Crowe and Kim Basinger are impotent,” he added. “The director died, so now I can disparage the movie.”

A little late, James.

Hanson died in 2016. His “L.A. Confidential” was released in 1997 to rave reviews and plenty of Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. The film helped launch the careers of Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce. I will say that Kim Basinger winning Best Supporting Actress at the 1998 Oscars hasn’t aged well at all. It’s a very thin role.

Hanson and Brian Helgeland won Best Adapted Screenplay. In total, the film received 9 Oscar nominations, but lost the big prize to James Cameron’s “Titanic.” Both films have aged fairly well, but I would have chosen Ang Lee’s “The Ice Storm,” Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Boogie Nights” or even Quentin Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown” as top of the class for 1997.

My take on Elroy’s comments? Book is great. Film is very good. Both are very different. Hanson went for a more old-school Hollywood execution and, mostly, succeeded. Ellroy’s book is sprawling, but meticulously constructed and not as straightforward as Hanson’s film.