The prospect of recasting the 1959 death of TV's "Superman," George Reeves, as a noir murder mystery holds an undeniably intriguing allure, but despite some terrific performances and finely detailed period touches, "Hollywoodland" ultimately falls short of reaching the pleasingly pulpy heights of an "L.A. Confidential" or a "Chinatown" despite those obvious aspirations. First-time feature director Allen Coulter, whose extensive TV credits include multiple episodes of "The Sopranos" and "Sex and the City," effectively soaks up the tainted atmosphere provided by newcomer Paul Bernbaum's script, but there is a stifling lethargy hanging over the production that prevents it from ever taking on an organic life of its own. With its release scheduled to follow a week after its Aug. 31 premiere at the Venice Film Festival, the Focus Features film will get an early head start out of the awards-season gate and a savvy marketing push, combined with the enticing subject matter, could yield some lofty business.

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