Was Man Ray’s 1926 Experimental Surrealist Film “Emak Bakia” an Inspiration for Dr. George Hodel’s Black Dahlia “Masterpiece”?
November 29, 2024
Birch Bay, Washington
In Black Dahlia Avenger and my follow-up books, BDA II and III, I present strong corroborating evidence that my father, Dr. George Hill Hodel, was paying homage to his decades-long (1940-1950) close friendship with and to his fellow surrealist, Man Ray. Below is a short clip (thirty seconds) taken from Man Ray’s sixteen-minute film Emak Bakia, released in the U.S. in 1927. Judge for yourself.
Man Ray self-portrait circa 1927
Was the below 30-second clip from Emak Bakia the inspiration for George Hodel’s 1947 kidnap/torture murder and surgical bisection, and subsequent public posing in the Minotaur position of Elizabeth “Black Dahlia” Short? Was this 1947 murder an homage to his good friend Man Ray on the 30th anniversary of the film’s release (1927) in the U.S.?
Below is the original version
UPDATE 11/30/2024
Once again, major KUDOS to a reader. Note in the “Comments Section” from Eliza White Sawyer the following observation:
“I was struck by the iconic coincidence of him including a dahlia in the film.”
Truthfully, I totally missed it. I haven’t watched the full version in decades, and below is the short clip from what Eliza was referencing.
We see Kiki’s face (Kiki was Man Ray’s lover at the time) transform into a flower, but not just any flower, it is a DAHLIA.
As Eliza says, “coincidence,” well, maybe. However, there is another possibility. The general public thinks of the name “Black Dahlia” as being bestowed on the victim, Elizabeth Short, post-murder. NOT SO. Esteemed and much-loved Los Angeles journalist Jack Smith, as a young newspaperman, got a tip that the victim frequented a soda fountain in Long Beach. He called the location and in speaking with the proprietor, learned that Elizabeth Short frequented the location, and the regular patrons gave her the nickname of the “Black Dahlia”, which was sourced from a noir film that was released in the U.S. in March of 1946 called, “The Blue Dahlia” which starred, Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake. (The release was ten months before Short’s murder.)
From the secret Hodel DA Files and witness statements, we know that George Hodel and Elizabeth Short “were acquainted and dated.” (In addition, I present evidence that George Hodel and Man Ray likely knew the victim as early as 1943, where she modeled for Man Ray’s L’Equivoque painting.) It is certainly conceivable that during that period (Spring/Summer 1946) that Elizabeth could well have jokingly informed George of the nickname given to her at the soda fountain. “They call me the Black Dahlia.” Speculative, YES. Possible, YES.
18-second clip from Emak Bakia showing Kiki’s face transforming into a Dahlia flower.
The Blue Dahlia noir film was released in March 1946
I certainly see the connection. I suspect this is just one of many Man Ray works that inspired the murder. And I was struck by the ironic coincidence of him including a dahlia in the film. Steve, there’s no possibility that George Hodel suggested that Elizabeth be called black dahlia, is there? I know that the origin of the moniker is unknown.
Eliza WS: No, actually the origin is known. Her name comes from the fact that she hung out in a soda fountain in Long Beach and in 1946 the noir movie, “The Blue Dahlia” was released in L.A. The guys at the soda fountain started calling her “The Black Dahlia” after the movie and her full black hair. (Even though the Blue Dahlia was a bar, not a person.) This was substantiated my a young Jack Smith, just starting his newspaper career who called the soda fountain and was tipped to her name. Smith in later decades became one of LA’s most beloved journalists and his credibility on this is without question.
The more you dig, the more Gold you find, Steve. Yes, right down George’s alley and another tribute to his admired existential artistic friend. Had to have been an influence.
Steve,I know its somewhat off topic but I recently discovered another interesting dark genius living in Pasadena California at the same time as George Hodel. His name was Jack Parsons..He was an early solid fuel rocket designer/inventor. He helped to found the jet propulsion laboratory in Pasadena and was an early designer n a true visionary in the field of solid fuel and liquid fuel rockets. . He was 7 yrs younger than GHH and also attended Cal tech. He was equally well known for inventing rockets as he was for his devotion to the Thelema cult headed by British occultist Alistar Crowley. He eventually began a relationship with L Ron Hubbards ex wife(after Hubbard beat him outta his life savings)and tried very hard to produce the offspring of Satan. There’s color film of the two and other cult members in the early 50s trying really hard to hard to make rosemary’s baby for real. Parsons was eventually let go from the jet propulsion laboratory during the red scare. He was killed in an explosion in his home lab in the 50s. Under suspicious circumstances, as in a government hit or suicide.
I thought it very interesting and coincidental him being in a brilliant yet dark minded young genius living in Pasadena the same time as GHH then at cal tech n then him running the same Thelema cult that George’s buddy, the German Baron Von Herinnga was a member..I know you’ve said your dad wasn’t into religion or faith but he was still buddies with at least one member of the group. It’s slim but it’s a link between the two. That group is known for kinky n wild sex. I’m not sayin Ghh n Parsons were close but it be almost impossible for the two to not be aware of the other. With both sharing the same time,place n certain sexual proclivities. I’m not sure what or if it means anything important but as Holmes says data, data,data.
Hope you and the family have a Merry Christmas n a great new year.
Frank A: Yes, I am aware of the Jack Parsons/Pasadena potential connections. Actually more than that. Turns out that dad’s accomplice in the basement on the wire recordings, Ernst Von Harringa was friends with Wilford Talbot Smith, the High Priest of Thelema, which was connected to Parsons. Not sure Harringa and Parsons were connected? Not sure GHH ever was involved in any of the church dealings but could have known Parsons as a fellow CalTech alum. Interestingly Parsons was a forensic witness for LAPD on a high profile dirty cop arrest where LAPD guys put a bomb in a fellow officers car or garage (forget which right now) and he testified for the prosecution and a few cops sent to prison. (Capt. Earl Kynette et al.)
There is no doubt in my mind that George Hodel is responsible for this, the evidence piles up. No other suspects make actual sense. I don’t get why Lapd won’t solve and close this case.. there’s more than enough evidence, and it’s so obvious he copied Man Ray. You’d have to be blind to think otherwise!! We know he did it, but how did ES get caught up with him? I had read somewhere down the line that she was planning on getting the hell out of LA just days before she disappeared, and that she was acting scared and paranoid.
You literally can’t write this stuff. Worse than any horror movie, especially when so much remains unanswered.
Do you have a theory as to why she knew George, and why she was trying to get away? Do you think he had told her he was going to kill her?
Heidi:
Yes, it is presented in my followup books. I believe George Hodel first met Elizabeth Short as early as 1943, probably in Santa Barbara during a showing of his good friend Man Ray’s photo/art exhibition there. This was also the location of her arrest and return to Medford that same year. I believe Man Ray had her model for him for his painting “L’Equivoque” as summarized in my later books. Either Man Ray introduced her to George or George met and introduced her to Man Ray. As far as the motive for her murder and her fear in the days and month before she was slain. DA reports document she was in Chicago investigating and asking questions about the “Chicago Lipstick Murders” (three of George Hodel’s murders) and he must have heard about it and came hurrying back from China. Elizabeth was then on the run in fear of her life and fled to San Diego and then was murdered just a month after that.
Another question, how old was George Hodel when this crime took place?
Heidi:
George Hill Hodel was 39 years old, but look considerably younger. Could pass for early Thirties.