Classic Ellroy offers a Crushing Etude for a Mother's Minor Murder

I've heard wax hypnotic on his mother's tragic killing and its effect on his psyche and work in the prologue and closing of his truly masterful 'Black Dahlia', so it's actually very satisfying to experience a deeper and meta-factual exploration in this premiere episode of his new podcast.

I'll be the first to admit Ellroy is an acquired taste- his assiduous alliterative act; the dogged pitbull-grip on rose-tinted rhino regalia rhetoric, ripped right from the pages of a pulp-fiction satire set to overdrive can.. be a little overwhelming, if I'm being honest. Spread across his bulky long-form masterpieces (Black Dahlia and L.A. Confidential in particular), his usual machinations pull down a red/blue filter over the lights, fill your head with sirens and big band crooning, and make the whole narrative feel like the rhyme of an ancient bloodhound.

In short-form (this podcast and his collected anthologies come to mind) it sometimes sidles up to "forced" and farcical- which is an odd feeling for a forensics-filled true-crime caper, layered in grizzly gasps and cutting cries of "help!"... and yet.. it works here. I like it. Case closed.

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Misogynistic

Boring, sensationalistic, poorly-narrated, with annoying/distracting, screaming/music/sound effects. Neither documentary nor performance; no character development, no story arc, and no real case exposés. Female victimization is served up as entertainment, with crass, untalented narration. Very much missing the level of classic 1940s noir had.

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