Sergio Leone Web Board
Other/Miscellaneous => Off-Topic Discussion => Topic started by: Leone Admirer on April 09, 2005, 01:15:06 PM
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Now we all know that the reason we all joined here was to talk about the master of cinematic direction, Leone but I figured that there are so many of us cinephiles here that we should all be able to get together and advise each other on different films from different genres as well as certain DVD's? I decided to settle on Film Noir as that is a very popular genre and is having a resurgance through the large amount of DVD releases but we could do seperate threads for different genres (including Westerns, Foreign Cinema (The Criterion Collection in particualr) . I am a filmmaker in training and am always watching as many new films and DVD's as possible in order to learn many things from the filmmakers of old and would like to discuss them with you on this thread. I volunteer to look on these threads and keep them in order if they happen. This is only a suggestion and I dont mind it if the idea is not feasible but I feel there are enough intelligent film lovers on this site to produce a lively review and discussion about films on DVD/Waiting to come on DVD with the associated genres.
Thank you for you time :)
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Sounds like a great idea, I've watched a few not long ago, The first was Sam Fuller's "Pickup on South Street" with Richard Widmark, Thelma Ritter, and a good looking Jean Peters, it was entierly entertaining.
Then I bought a DVD of one of my personal faves "Touch of Evil" Orson Welles, and the only flaw in the film is Charlton Heston as a Mexican lawyer. I'm sort of building a film noir collection on the side, I add David Lynch into this category, a Simple Plan and Fargo also.
Another film to see is "Sin City" comic book/Kill Bill/ noir, a lot of fun.
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I've selected this page to list upcoming releases, recomended releases (to be reviewed) and noirs missing and yet to be released. Anyone anything to add, just drop me a line and I'll put it down. Thanks!
Upcoming DVD's
- The Film Noir Classic Collection Volume Two
Released: July 5th 2005
Studio: WB
Region: R1
Contains: Born to Kill, Clash By Night, Crossfire, Dillinger and The Narrow Margin.
Info: http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=56595 (http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=56595)
- Fox Film Noir Wave 3
Released: October 2005
Studio: Fox
Region: R1
Contains: The House on 92nd Street, Somewhere in the Night, Kiss of Death (May change)
- Fox Film Noir Wave 4
Released: December 2005
Studio: Fox
Region: R1
Contains: Where the Sidewalk Ends, No Way Out, The Dark Corner(May change)
Recomended
- The Film Noir Classic Collection: Volume 1
Studio: WB
Region: R1
Contains: The Asphalt Jungle, Murder, My Sweet, The Set-Up, Out Of The Past, Gun Crazy.
Info: http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=11131
(Highly recomended and review coming very soon!)
- Fox Film Noir Wave 2
Released: June 7th 2005
Studio: Fox
Region: R1
Contains: House of Bamboo, Nightmare Alley and The Street With No Name
Info: http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=56448 (http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=56448)
Film Noirs Covered By Criterion
[li] Pickup on South Street[/li]
[li] The Killers (Siodmak + Siegal Versions) [/li]
[li] Night and the City [/li]
[li] Thieves Highway [/li]
[/list]
Info Criterion Site: (A must have DVD collection for all film fans! I love them!) www.criterionco.com (http://www.criterionco.com)
Film Noir Sites
Fox Film Noir Collection Official Site: http://www.foxhome.com/filmnoir/
Classic Noir Online: http://www.classicnoir.com/
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I love Touch of Evil and if you don't have the DVD, you can see it on TCM tomorrow night. I love film noir and have loads of them on DVD and VHS. Cool, cool stuff.
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My first review. Apologise for the delay, DVD player broke and all other hell broke loose ::). I've bought 13 other Film Noirs which are currently (or are waiting) to do the rounds in my new player. I aim to review these DVD's on quality and will give it a mark out of 10. I apologise in advance for any bias that become apparent. I am not a reviewer- and nor do I want to be - but I want to use this thread as a recomendation of DVDs and films. Therefore I will give a synopsis of the film, my brief opinions on it, then mention the a/v (audio and visual) as well as the extras. I will also give a link for a price comparison of each DVD. PLEASE! If anyone has any DVD's they want to recomend put your reviews here, following the same system if you like. I aim to review a mix of R1 and R2 DVD's but if any of our European friends want to review any of their editions please do so. Well here we go....
The Maltese Falcon
1941
Dir: John Huston
Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre
Studio: Warner Brothers
DVD Details
Region: R2
Studio: Warners
Transfer: OAR 1.33:1
Sound: 1.0 Mono
Extras: Original Theatrical Trailer, Humphrey Bogart Trailers TCM Doco.
Run Time: 99mins aprox
Date of DVD Release: July 3, 2000
(http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00004TLBB.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
Synopsis
After his partner's death, private eye Sam Spade becomes involved in a search for a priceless statuette. Based on Dashiell Hammett's classic novel.
My Thoughts
An excellent noir. John Hustons masterful direction would serve him well in many other noirs (he would go on to direct such as the Asphalt Jungle) and this, his directorial debut, clearly shows this. Bogie, who had become an established secondary player and gangser in the 30's Warner movies (including his brake out hit The Petrified Forest which has many noir elements) hit it big and is succesful in the leading role of Spade and he would make it even bigger playing Rick in the sublime Casablanca. Astor is excellent as the femme fatale, leading Sam along and Lorre is his usual fine self as a rather smug and slimy hoodlum. This great film should be in the basis of all film lovers and training filmmakers (like me) collection.
Picture
A very good transfer for an early Warners DVD. Warners have excelled themselves at the moment with their R1 releases, and yet the R2's generally are of a little less quality, but this may be corrected. The print desplays great fidelity. Blacks are strong and whites are vibrant. There are however some print defaults, scratches and specks do become common place and in around the 10 minute mark the picture quality drops sharply and continues for a minute before returning to normal. This may be due to the recovery of some dupe elements I don't know, but what I do know is that next year, Warners are releasing (R1) a 2 disc special edition with a re-mastered print so it'll be interesting to see the transfer then.
Sound
Sound is presented in its original mono (good for purists ;D ) and is perfectly servicable. Dialogue is strong and clear, the music may sound a bit weak and muffled but thats of source limitations.
Extra's
Not a jam packed SE, this still presents us with a quality bunch. The original trailer is included (its SPOILER ridden, of course but enjoyable) as well as the TCM doco, Humphrey Bogart Trailers which is a look at how Warners marketed Bogie throughout his career. AN interesting and informative feature. The nearest I can come close to is the Trailer collection on the Questar: 5 Film Noir Killer Classics DVD boxset.
Overall Score
7/10
An fantastic early noir in which you can see the elements we know and love of the genre begining to take shape. This Warners' DVD is a solid choice, and can be had for a rather cheap price if wanted now but it gets only a 'above standard' mark because a superior DVD release is coming soon. Still will you unlock the secrets of the falcon? I hope you do!
Leone Admirer
Links
Price Comparison: http://www.find-dvd.co.uk/D065012.htm (http://www.find-dvd.co.uk/D065012.htm)
IMDB file: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033870/
Variety Review Extract
This is one of the best examples of actionful and suspenseful melodramatic story telling in cinematic form. Unfolding a most intriguing and entertaining murder mystery, picture displays outstanding excellence in writing, direction, acting and editing.
Thread continues here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg134652#msg134652
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Keeping the ball rolling, here's my review of Kubrick's The Killing:
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The Killing (USA, 1956)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
Screenplay by Stanley Kubrick and Jim Thompson
From the novel Clean Break by Lionel White.
Produced by James B. Harris
Runtime: 81 minutes.
Reviewed copy: MGM/UA Region 2 DVD
(http://www.mrbensons.co.uk/sl/l/7/S_V0071236.jpg)
The DVD
Typically of DVDs from MGM/UA, there are no extras with this release (the back of the case tauntingly lists “Interactive Menus” and “Scene Selection” as being Special Features – don’t you just hate it when they do that?). However the transfer and sound quality are fine. As far as I can tell this is an uncut version.
Synopsis
Fresh out of jail, professional criminal Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden) puts together a team of “ordinary” people to pull off a meticulously planned racetrack heist. The job goes without a hitch and the police are none-the-wiser. However, one of the gang, insecure bookie George Peatty (Elisha Cook Jr.) lets on details of the plan to his avaricious femme fatale wife Sherry (Marie Windsor), who then plans with her lover (a young, handsome crook) to steal the loot. From then on everything falls apart and Johnny and his gang are doomed.
Review
Generally regarded as Kubrick’s breakthrough film, The Killing follows an almost identical plot to earlier heist-noirs such as The Asphalt Jungle (1950) and Rififi (1955). Where it differs most sharply from those films (and perhaps what it is most famous for) is its fragmented story structure. While the events leading up to the day of the heist and its aftermath are told in a more or less straightforward linear fashion, the robbery itself is related through a series of overlaps and backtracks, zipping back and forth throughout the day as we see each character’s individual part in the operation. Each scene is introduced by a narrator giving the time and an explanation. Ironically, rather than being confusing this device actually provides the best way in which to tell what is itself a fragmented story – with different characters working alone in different places towards the same goal.
Kubrick’s direction, while clearly not quite up to the standard of his later work, is still at the very least highly competent. He makes good use of single source lighting, giving the whole film a dark, grim feel. This is most effective in an early scene where the gang are sat round a table planning the robbery – as the non-professionals hunch forward their faces become eerily illuminated, while their leader Sterling Hayden slouches back and appears as a silhouette.
One problem with this film is that there are occasional cases of bad acting. The worst offender here is Elisha Cook Jr. who delivers his lines somewhat flatly. Sterling Hayden and Marie Windsor both play their roles brilliantly however. There are also some great bit parts – Timothy Carey (later to star in Kubrick’s superlative Paths of Glory (1957), and in my opinion an underrated talent) plays a laid back professional hitman. And, in a memorable performance, real-life professional wrestler Kola Kwariami indignantly starts a fight in the racetrack bar and proceeds to floor half a dozen security guards.
A classic film noir, intelligent and stylish, The Killing is recommended viewing for anyone getting into the genre. It should also be of interest to Kubrick fans who haven’t seen his earlier work.
My rating: 8 out of 10.
Allmovie page: http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:27318 (http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:27318)
IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049406/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049406/)
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Coming soon: My reviews of Rififi and Stray Dog. I'm also thinking of starting a thread like this for German Expressionism, which I am well into.
The Killing reviews continue here..........: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg150358#msg150358 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg150358#msg150358)
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Good review Redy! Am actually quite tempted with that one!
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So far you've listed two of my favorites, I recommend them to all! Keep them coming!
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Le cercle rouge (1970)
Saw Melville's stylish crime noir drama last night and Gian Maria Volonte was great in his role as an escaped criminal who joins up with Alain Delon and Yves Montand who has just been released out of prison to pull a jewlery hiest. It has a silent opening seemed like at least 15-20 minutes that was reminiscent of the opening of OUTITW. It was a good diversion. The Criterion Collection has loads of extras on a second disk.
Volonte in the extras was again described as hard to deal with on the set, not quite as bad as Kinsky, lol, but difficult.
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Ahhh..yes..a terrific film. One of the great crime movies, in my opinion..
Atmospheric, deliberately paced and very cool... it was hugely influential,..influenced many more familiar, American films,.... it's involving and interesting...with a simply great heist scene (which itself is heavily influenced by the superb film "Rififi" (highly recommended))....... ...as smart and fun and beautifully crafted & spun movie as you're going to find.
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Again, apologies, I've been busy, busy, busy. But it has brought around a useful purpose. I finish, tonight, watching the 17 Film Noirs I added to my collection which I will add soon (not a single one let me down :D )+ I'm going to NY in July and have done a DVD shopping list ;) and 17 DVD's are devoted to noir (with another 14 dedicated to classic Westerns which makes me feel another thread comming along ;D ) Anyway here's the latest review. Hope you enjoy it as more is on the way and remember to submit ure own reviews! Thanks!
The Big Sleep
1945/46
Dir: Howard Hawks
Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall
Studio: Warner Brothers
DVD Details
Region: R1
Studio: Warners
Transfer: OAR 1.33:1
Sound: 2.0 Mono
Extras: Original Theatrical Trailer, Documentary The Big Sleep Comparisons 1945/46, Production Notes
Run Time: Theatrical Cut:114mins/Pre-release: 116mins
Date of DVD Release: June 1, 2004
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00002E227.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
Synopsis
L.A. private eye Phillip Marlowe takes on a blackmail case...and a trail peopled with murderers, pornographers, nightclub rogues, the spoiled rich and more. Humphrey Boart plays Raymond Chandlers' legendary gumshoe and director Howard Hawkes serves up snappy character encounters (particularly involving Lauren Bacall), brisk pace and atmosphere galore in the certified classic.
My Thoughts
One of my personal favourites, The Big Sleep has everything to recomend it. A great cast, excellent direction and compelling, if confusing plot. Bogart plays Marlowe, a role that would later be taken in the 1944 film, Murder My Sweet, by Dick Powell. Bogie's performance is strong and likeable. You feel like this gumshoes been kicked around. His interactions with Bacall...well... to quote miss Bacall, "Cinema magic was made." The DVD contains two versions, the superior theatrical cut, with necessary re-shoots and tightnings as well as the pre-release version. The differances are llarge between the two, and these are documented on the disk and as a curiosity piece and a look at the art of filmmaking its interesting. But don't go expecting and Alien 3 in which the pre-release was much better. Of course this is this reviewers opinion and I invite owners of this disc to give their own opinions. All and all this is a great film from the Hollywood Noir archive and I really recommend this film. It may be long and convoluted, but give it a chance, you will like it ;)
Picture
As stated above this disc contains two versions of the film on a flipper disc. To my knowledge other regions only have the theatrical version so this is the one you should get (but rumours on the grapevine say there could be a new version comming out but as this is unknown and the fact that this disc can be picked up for as little as $10 then this is the version to get)
Picture wise time has been kind to this film. Yes we do get quite a bit of print damage and at one point the entire right side went grey, it is usually a good, watchable print with excellent film grain, strong blacks and solid tones. Interestingly the preview version does look better.
Sound
Presented in 2.0 mono the sound is generally clear with little hiss. At some points the film may sound muffled but we must accept the limitations of such an old soundtrack, my personal preferance would be for a restored 1.0 mono.
Extra's
This edition comes with a quite surprising amount of extras. We're not talking Criterion style or anything but they are interesting. We start off with the doco, The leep Comparisons 1945/46. Hosted by UCLA member Robert Gitt, we are guided through the differeing versions of the film, illustrated by clips. This offers some interesting background info and with a running time of 20mins u'll wish it went on for longer. Also included is some entertaining production notes, detailing the...uhh... production as well as the original trailer, which makes me glad that the main feature has undergone some for of re-mastering.
Final Score
8/10
Granted the score is mainly for the film, the disc does deliver and is the version I recomend. A must for noir lovers and Bogie fans this film is fabulous and for new viewers its a must see!
Leone Admirer
Links
Price Comparison: http://www.find-dvd.co.uk/r1/012569502628.htm
IMDB file: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038355/
Variety Review Extract
Brittle Chandler characters have been transferred to the screen with punch by Howard Hawks' production and direction, providing full load of rough, tense action most of the way.
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And here's another....
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Stray Dog (Japan 1949)
Directed by Akira Kurosawa
Screenplay by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
Runtime: 117 minutes
Reviewed Copy: bfi Region 2 DVD.
(http://www.eastwestdvds.de/catalog/images/straydoguk.jpg)
The DVD
The best thing to be said about the bfi’s DVDs is their packaging – the sleeve notes contain a detailed analysis and background information of the film. The quality of their transfers varies a lot, and sadly in the case of Stray Dog we have a very scratchy, weathered image. This is probably mostly down to the quality of the original negative – after all the world outside Hollywood was generally some way behind in terms of film stock available – but there doesn’t seem to have been much of a cleanup effort. Mind you, I don’t find this so much of a problem for this gritty film noir – it would be much worse if one of Kurosawa’s beautiful epics appeared in such bad shape. There are no extras with this release.
Synopsis
During a sweltering heat wave in post-war Tokyo rookie detective Murakami (Toshiro Mifune) has his gun stolen by a pickpocket. Utterly ashamed, he attempts to redeem himself by tracking down his lost pistol. His guilt only deepens when he discovers that the weapon has been used in a series of robberies and killings. Kindly, seasoned Chief Detective Sato (Takashi Shimura) takes Murakami under his wing and together they track down the criminal – a young man named Yusa. However, the more Murakami finds out about Yusa the more disturbing similarities he sees with himself.
Review
There are some people that would have you believe that the film noir was a wholly American phenomenon. While it is true that by and large the best-known film noirs were from the US, this Japanese thriller is just as heavy in its portrayal of the darker side of society and a shades-of-grey morality as its Hollywood counterparts.
Criminal psychology is a key element of Stray Dog. The paranoid, self-deprecating personality of Yusa is profiled before we ever see him on screen. Many of the characters have two seemingly contradictory sides to their personality. Detective Sato is a warm, friendly family man, yet his attitude towards criminals is cynical, almost misanthropic. Yusa has committed robbery and murder, but he does so to provide for his girlfriend, whom he worships. The idea of doubles – a fairly common theme in film noir – is also explored to some degree in Stray Dog. Murakami is like a mirror image of Yusa. They are the same age, were both soldiers and both had their pack stolen. After the war Murakami became a cop and Yusa became a criminal, and the cynical standpoint of the film portrays both these two career paths as if they were flip sides of the same coin. Their similarities are also portrayed visually, particularly in the climatic scene in which, handcuffed together, they both collapse exhausted side by side, dressed almost identically – virtually mirror images.
This is the earliest of Kurosawa’s films that I have seen and is quite different to his better known work, although still very competent in its direction. There is more of an obvious showyness to Stray Dog compared to the subtler direction of his later works – lots of double exposures, rhythmic editing, weird angles and the like. Kurosawa himself was later to describe it as “… too technical. All that technique and not one real thought in it”. While there is some truth in what he says here he is largely doing himself a disservice. A lot of creative intelligence has clearly gone into this film. He makes good use of contemporary music and topical motifs, and draws good performances from the cast.
One of the most striking devices used by Kurosawa in Stray Dog is his use of weather. Weather is one of Kurosawa’s trademarks – virtually all of his films contain at least one scene which is heightened by a torrential downpour or howling gale. In Stray Dog however he goes the other way as we are constantly reminded of the stifling, cloying heat wave during which the action takes place. Drenched in sweat, characters constantly fan themselves, squint in sunlight or cower in the shade.
The acting in Stray Dog is superb. It’s interesting to see Mifune play such a humble submissive character if you’re used to him as the capering wannabe-Samurai in Seven Samurai (1954) or the shrewd austere ronin in Yojimbo (1960) – you begin to realise what an incredible range the man had. Shimura’s character, on the other hand, is not unlike the role he plays in Seven Samurai – a commanding yet benign leader figure. There are no other stand out roles, but the acting is consistently good.
Overall, Stray Dog is an enjoyable, intelligent film. A bit showy in places, but still highly recommended.
My Rating: 9 out of 10
Allmovie page: http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:47270
IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041699/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041699/)
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Great Review redy! Just to say there is a R1 Criterion edition of this out with many extras and a great transfer. Here's the link http://www.criterionco.com/asp/release.asp?id=233§ion=synopsis
I'm in a reviewing mood so lets keep going with my next review of R2's The Postman Always Rings Twice and then after the Bogie film Dead Reckoning. I am also changing my original post to include up and comming Noir and other important releases.
The Postman Always Rings Twice
US 1946
Dir: Tay Garnett
Produced: Carey Wilson
Screenplay: Harry Ruskin and Niven Busch
Based on the novel by James M. Cain
Cast: Lana Turner, John Garfield
Studio: MGM
DVD Details
Region: R2
Studio: Warners
Transfer: OAR 1.37:1
Sound: 1.0 Mono
Extras: Original Theatrical Trailer, Documentary The John Garfield Story, Introduction to film by film historian and author Richard Jewell, Behind the scenes image gallery
Run Time: 108mins
Date of DVD Release: April 19, 2004
(http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0001EYSX0.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
Synopsis
A torrid tale of lust and murder, based on the novel by James M. Cain. Drifter Frank Chambers walks into a diner and his life is changed for good. He meets the beautiful Cora, who he desperatly wants but she is married. Tensions run high before they decided to do away with the husband. Will they succede? If so can they live with themselves? Their love was a flame that Destroyed!
My Thoughts
An interesting noir. The novel is brought alive by Garnett's taught direction, tight scripting and great cinematography. Lana Turner and John Garfield smoulder on screen and despite the heavy censorship of the time there scenes together are highly erotic. The story never seems contrived, which it could have easily slipped into, and despite 59 years have passed since it's release it still is very suspenseful. The ending doesn't let the film down, even if it could be described as touching on the sentimental, I can't really badmouth this film. The films mood permeates through our your watching of it. It clings to you, making you feel perhaps guilty that An enjoyable watch if ever there was one.
Picture
This film seems to have undergone a complete restoration. Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1 contrast is excellent, with strong blacks, sterling whites and lots of film grain. Its sharpness excites in what must be one of the best looking transfers the film has had for a long time.
Sound
Found in its original 1.0, the films soundtrack is also offered in French, German and Spanish. The English soundtrack sounds fine, with dialogue and music coming through only limited by the limitations of the original track. Sterling stuff from Warner!
Extra's
The film begins with an introduction by film historian and author Richard Jewell. Here, Jewell touches on the history of the film and its actors along with the other works of the director. Its an interesting addition and I do wish more DVD's had these (the best ones to be found tend to be produced by Criterion.) Following this is the doco The John Garfield Story, narrated by his daughter Julie Garfield which highlights the highs and lows of his fabulos career. Also included is the original spoiler ridden trailer (the packaging advertises the trailer for the 1981 re-make but this reviewer and others could not find it) as well as an interesting behind the scenes gallery.
Final Score
9/10
An excellent presentation of a great film which will keep on exciting future audiences. Another great hit from the 1946 MGM team and Warner Home Entertaiment. (Just a note, I love the art work of recent Warner releases. Using the original Poster art adds another dimension to owning these discs)
Leone Admirer
Links
Price Comparison: http://www.find-dvd.co.uk/D065858.htm
IMDB file: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038854/
Variety Review Extract
The Postman Always Rings Twice is a controversial picture. The approach to lust and murder is as adult and matter-of-fact as that used by James M. Cain in his book from which the film was adapted.
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Dead Reckoning
US 1947
Dir: John Cromwell
Produced: Sidney Biddel
Screenplay: Oliver H.P. Garrett, Steve Fisher
Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Lizabeth Scott
Studio: Columbia Pictures
DVD Details
Region: R2
Studio: Columbia Tristar
Transfer: OAR 1.33:1
Sound: 2.0 Mono
Extras: Vintage Advertising Photo Gallery
Run Time: 96mins
Date of DVD Release: January 27th 2003
(http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00007JGKT.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
Synopsis
Rip Murdock is investigating the disappearance of an army buddy. He meets up with Coral Chandler, a nightclub singer, and becomes involved in a world of crime.
My Thoughts
I don't know why but when I first saw this film, I approached it with an uneasy feeling. I don't know whether it was the boxart or the over trying sell on the back of the disc I just wasn't sure what I was going to get. However I popped the disc in the player and I was in a 96minute ride. This film, from the begining explores the conventions of noir, from the flashback, to the voice over, from the confused detective to the assured femme fatale, this film had it all. The direction is exceptional, assured camera moves and direction help sweep the action along as well as some great lines, it maybe no Big Sleep but it has its charms. Bogie, as ever is great giving us a great, troubled performance, a step on from Marlowe in Sleep. Lizabeth Scott is a beauty. Not one of the best actresses ever to play a fatale (see her performance in Too Later For Tears) but hear she plays well the scheming dame up to no good. A well rounded film noir with an enjoyable plot and cast.
Picture
Columbia present the film in its original aspect ratio. Whilst not being the worst transfer I have seen, this certainly aint one of the prettiest. We have frame jitters, hair and splices but sharpness is generally good, blacks are overall very strong and grain is present. Fine.
Sound
Nothing Remarkable, the 2.0 (wish again it was in 1.0) did its job with not much interfearance.
Extras
Our first non-populated disc. All you get is a vintage advertising gallery of 2 posters. The R1 however does include a Bogie trailer gallery.
Final Score
7/10
An above average noir, on an average disc. For extras go R1, if not see the link below for the films cheapest price. Enjoy!
Leone Admirer
Links
Price Comparison: http://www.find-dvd.co.uk/CDR10355.htm
IMDB file: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039305/
Variety Review Extract
Humphrey Bogart's typically tense performance raises this average whodunitwhodunit quite a few notches. Film has good suspense and action, and some smart direction and photography.
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Touchez Pas au Grisbi (1954)
(roughly translated--> "Hands off the Loot" )
Directed by
Jacques Becker
Starring Jean Gabin, René Dary, Lino Ventura, Jeanne Moreau, Dora Doll, Daniel Cauchy, Michel Jourdan, Marilyn Buferd
Cinematography Pierre Montazel
Production Designer Jean d'Eaubonne
Film Editor Marguerite Renoir
Original Music Jean Wiener
Written by Jacques Becker, Maurice Griffe, Albert Simonin from his novel
Produced by Georges Charlot, Robert Dorfmann
(http://www.rialtopictures.com/images_2/grisbi_02.jpg)
"Grisbi" is a true classic......
Highly influential French noir/crime thriller/drama....shamefully obscure & undeservedly overlooked until now...Criterion DVD finally released in January....actually kinda ruined my evening..I had planned on watching another movie after this one..but I didn't want to let this one out of my head yet,..it was that good.
1954 Paris sparkles in glorious black & white..Jean Gabin & the whole cast, including a very young & relatively unknown Jeanne Moreau, is wonderful..Jacque Becker's direction is impeccable.
The great Jean Gabin stars as Max , an aging gangster, who, along with his longtime friend & partner , Riton , has pulled one last job and intends to retire as soon as it's safe to cash in the millions in gold bullion they have stolen. Max is an anachronism...his style, moral code, honor & ways are caught up in changing times...a theme that fans of some of the best American Westerns will recognize in this film...
It'a an absorbing , character-driven story...leading to a lonely highway with guns drawn ..trying to keep from losing everything.
Highly recommended.
continued here...... : http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg146824#msg146824 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg146824#msg146824)
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Great review boardwalk! Lets keep those reviews coming folks!
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Right. I'm up for another review. Am going to set up Classic Hollywood Western DVD Discussion and Review thread soon so please keep an eye out for that. Have Updated upcoming release dates, wants and unknowns on first post. enjoy.
Kiss Me Deadly
US 1955
Director: Robert Aldrich
Produced: Robert Aldrich
Screenplay: A.I. Bezzerides
Cast: Ralph Meeker, Albert Decker and Marian Carr
Studio: United Artists
DVD Details
Region: R2
Studio: MGM
Transfer: Non Anamorphic 1.66.1
Sound: 2.0 Mono
Extras: Original Theatrical Trailer
Run Time: 1hr 42mins
Date of DVD Release: August 4th, 2003
(http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00009XW8K.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
Synopsis
An adaptation of Mickey Spillane's gripping novel which sees Ralph Meeker in the role of private eye Mike Hammer on the case of a missing atomic device stolen by a spy.
My Thoughts
Wow a very intriguing picture. A very harsh, brutal and nasty noir which was rather notorious on release the film is a strange 'mish mash' of elements that collide, rather like the films subject, quite explosively. The film oozes a rather unsetting mood. Mike Hammer (Meeker) seems to be stumbling around, always too late and always being hit. The interesting title sequence sets the tone for the film. Hammer picks up a girl who seems to be fleeing someone before crashing and waking up to find the girl dead. This film is a nightmare. The low budget doesn't detract, it adds to the film, emphasing the almost abstract nature of the piece. The arresting cinematography and ingenious editing give it a rapid pace, yes the story can be hard to follow but the pace is so fast it will not drag. Alright some of the acting can be a little suspect at times and perhaps the story could be presented just a tiny little more straight forward without harming the ambiguity but this is a quirky little noir that is an interesting examination into the dark elements of an already very dark genre.
A note, the back of the box displays that the R2 contains the "fully restored original ending - which contains over one minute of crucial footage that clarifies decades of false interpretations." However this package does not include the advertised shortened ending for comparison
Picture
MGM presents this disc in non-anamorphic 1.66.1 (OAR). Studios seem to be frightened of giving us anamorphic prints of 1.66.1 which is rather annoying. Oh well the transfer given here is OK, not great. The elements seem to hold up well, grain is present along with solid blacks. Artifacts and damage do show up but overall, an agreeable presentation dampened by what should have been an anamorphic presentation and a properly restored picture.
Sound
Like Dead Reckoning there is nothing remarkable, the 2.0 (wish again it was in 1.0) did its job with not much interfearance.
Extras
Just an amusing trailer. Not on MGM! (well Sony now.) I think we need a doco. This disc is a let down on the extras department (not even an enclosed booklet)
Final Score
7/10
I'll be truthful. This score only relates to the film. A good noir, let down by a poor disc Non-Anamorphic, average A/V and no important extras. Even the Universal noirs, with their lack of extras, treated the films with a little more digniity. This disk is dirt cheap though (see below) and definatly worth a watch
Leone Admirer
Links
Price Comparison:http://www.find-dvd.co.uk/16847DVD.htm (http://www.find-dvd.co.uk/16847DVD.htm)
IMDB File: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048261/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048261/)
Variety Review Extract
The ingredients that sell Mickey Spillane's novels about Mike Hammer, the hardboiled private eye, are thoroughly worked over in this presentation built around the rock-and-sock character. Ralph Meeker takes on the Hammer character and as the surly, hit first, ask questions later, shamus turns in a job that is acceptable, even if he seems to go soft in a few sequences.
Interesting Article here: http://www.criterion.com/current/posts/1896-kiss-me-deadly-the-thriller-of-tomorrow (http://www.criterion.com/current/posts/1896-kiss-me-deadly-the-thriller-of-tomorrow)
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Sorry I haven't time to write a full review but.....anybody into FILM NOIR has to catch up with a movie called STRANGER ON THE THIRD FLOOR. It co-stars PETER LORRE in what must be his most sinister performance ever (after M). I've read, that this movie is the one that kick-started Noir off? (Maybe?) All I know is, when I saw it recently (BBC2 noir season) it blew my socks off. It contains a dream sequence that defies logic (in a positive sense). A class act that begs a DVD release! Check this one out, folks, you won't be disappointed! ;)
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Just a short review, but a great noir is 'Out of the Past', starring Robert Mitchum. Fabulous dialogue, great characters, nicely photographed and a slimy turn from Kirk Douglas as the male bad guy. The femme fatale character played by Jane Greer is a classic - not to be trusted an inch - she'd sell you out as soon as look at you. 'She isn't all bad, Jeff, nobody is' observes one character, of Greer. 'She comes the closest' says Mitchum. It's chock full of great lines and has an atmosphere of doom weaved throughout - no matter what he does, Mitchum seems unlikely to escape in one piece.
Another terrific film, not exactly noir, is a movie I just caught recently called 'A Face in the Crowd', directed by Elia Kazan. Its a blacker than black take on the perils of celebrity and the corrupting influence of power. Its interesting that so many great movies came out of the fifties, sixties and seventies - three decades where movies were primarily made for adults. Doesn't seem to happen as much anymore.
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"That's the way it is. You're a fighter, you gotta fight" ...Stoker Thompson
The Set-Up (1949) (http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReview3/noirbox/cov-setup.jpg)
Directed by
Robert Wise
Cast:
Robert Ryan .... Bill "Stoker" Thompson
Audrey Totter .... Julie Thompson
George Tobias .... Tiny
Alan Baxter .... Little Boy
Wallace Ford .... Gus
Percy Helton .... Red
Hal Baylor .... Tiger Nelson
Darryl Hickman .... Shanley
Kenny O'Morrison .... Moore
James Edwards .... Luther Hawkins
David Clarke .... Gunboat Johnson
Phillip Pine .... Tony Souza
Lost in Palookaville
Thanks to Warner Brothers...this critically acclaimed corker of a movie has been rescued from the cracks into which it had fallen.
The Set-Up tells the story of a nearly washed-up 35 year-old prizefighter, Stoker Thompson ,..a fourth rate boxer in a two-bit town, brilliantly & compellingly played by Robert Ryan, in perhaps his finest hour in his finest role.
Stoker finds himself on the boxing B Circuit... in the sweltering, smoke-filled, world of seedy nightclubs and cheap motels that thrive in the ironically named Paradise City,......... who prepares to enter the ring against an up and coming fighter 12 years his junior.. , he doesn't know that his manager and trainer have set him up to take a dive , having made a deal with local gangster Little Boy (Alan Baxter) but they don't bother telling him, figuring Stoker is so washed up he's going to lose anyway..foregoing the need to convince him to do it/cut him in...Meanwhile, Stoker's wife (Audrey Totter, herself a veteran of many films of the noir cycle), across the street in their seedy hotel room, tries to decide if she wants to see her husband get his brains bashed in again...tired of wondering if this will be the one he doesn't walk away from, takes an amazing walk along an amazing nighttime landscape.. a garish..moonlit..neon world filled with arcades ( the wonderfully named Dreamland Arcade), bars, and chop suey places.......populated by dreamers, & schemers.
Directed by the prolific Robert Wise.. who effects a remarkable fluidity within scenes, as well as from one scene to the next...the composition of each scene is impeccable in it's details.. background.. each frame teeming w/ life, ..full of shadows....hopes...dreams..& unfulfillment.
I didnt even consider, as I was watching, that there was no music...it was that perfect & appropriate.....this film's soundtrack is the rhythm of life..conversations..come ons, the background from radios & jukeboxes.
The pace is propulsively energetic (I stole that line from somewhere..) .................
The Set-Up works as a sports movie...a boxing movie..an allegory...a character drama...with gritty noir elements. ... the dingy and shadowy settings , and the seedy figures that inhabit them.. although Wise does manage to tweak & twist the genre somewhat.
The world of noir is a dark one.............at every possible opportunity, someone is chiseling someone else............... & everyone is looking for that million to one shot to make it to the top.
The film..a tight., not at all sparse (this film is loaded) 72 minutes, unfolds in real time. The big boxing scene, which lasts roughly a half hour...is one of the best, most realistic scenes of its kind... ever , staged with beautiful rhythm, building and building to a gut wrenching conclusion. Ryan having been a collegiate boxing champion at Dartmouth, of course adds to the naturalism.
The ultimate set-up may be life itself....but what remains to be discovered, are the consequences of the choices made while caught in a web of fate.
DVD Extras: Commentary by Robert Wise and Martin Scorsese..apparently recorded separately, but interesting nonetheless.
This movie sticks with you....an hour..a day..after seeing it...it still resonates...and gets better. Recommended.
Continued discussion here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg82733#msg82733
(http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg82733#msg82733)
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as for the postman always rings twice, see visconti's Ossessione... same story, but much better.
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Great Reviews guys! Keep em' coming. I agree with you grandpa Visconti's Ossessione is a great film. Upcoming reviews from me will be all the so far released Fox Noir films, the Universal Noir collection and Vol. 2 of Warners Film Noir Boxset.
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by the way, I have to take this oppurtunity, as I do as often as possible, to recomend kansas city confidential, it's a fantastic film, and the dvd is sufficient... great quality, no extras.
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as for the postman always rings twice, see visconti's Ossessione... same story, but much better.
This could only be possible if Visconti used an actress with better legs than Lana Turner. Which is to say, I am skeptical.
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I'm watching "The Narrow Margin" and I thought of this thread. Glad I found it. You guys should check this on out.
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Narrow Margin is one of the top 25 noirs of all time and it features Marie Windsor in her best performance.
There is a magnificent book written by Eddie Muller titled "Dark City Dames" and he focuses on 6 great actresses of the era who are almost forgotten, except by film enthusiasts like us.
In it Muller interviews Marie Windsor, Ann Savage ( Who I had the honor of meeting last year on the book tour) Audrey Totter, Jane Greer, Coleen Gray, and Evelyn Keyes.
Please, Please purchase this book and Mullers other book titled " Dark City" which is the quintessential noir book and delve a little deeper into the dark side of cinema.
Some of my favorites are T-Men and Raw Deal, which are fantastic gritty noirs from Anthony Mann.
Mann also gave us some good Westerns like The Man From Laramie, but it was his noirs that really showed his talent.
I will post some reviews of these films soon.
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I have Dark City. I'll look for the other.
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Just picked up three from the Fox Film Noir collection based on a recent NYT article, I chose three that featured NYC themes,
"The Dark Corner" Dir. Henry Hathaway, with Mark Stevens, William Bendix, Clifton Webb and a great Lucille Ball. This one has some great footage of the 3rd Ave El, plus a great commentary track by film historians Alan Silver and James Ursini.
I think there are a total of 12 titles in the collection.
"Where The Sidewalk Ends" Dir Otto Preminger with Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney also has Carl Malden, commentary track by Film Noir historian Eddie Muller.
and the last which I haven't watched yet but have seen some bits of...
"Kiss of Death" Dir. Henry Hathaway with Victor Mature, Brian Donlevy, Coleen Gray and Richard Widmark. Commentary trak by James Ursins and Alan Silver.
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That was an excellent article in the NYT (I've found a place in London that gets the newspaper so I'm happy now that I can read my favourite non-industry paper). Have you collected the other films in the collection Joe, if not I really recomend that you do so as there is a great collection of films there.
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Yea, I plan to pick them up as time goes by, I'm especially looking forward to Kiss of Death, since I grew up in Astoria NY right near the Astoria Park and the Tri-Borough Bridge.
I got them at Best Buy for $10.99 but you get a $5.00 rebate when you buy three.
Here are the rest of the list I found at Best Buy, there may be more:
Laura
Call Northside 777
Panic in the streets
House of Bamboo
Nightmare Alley
The Street With No Name
Whirpool
Somewhere In The Night
The House On 92nd Street
No Way Out
By the way LA the NYT has a great article on films today "Where Have All The Howlers Gone" by A>O> Scott which laments the homogenized film by committee look of most films these days. No real stinkers but then no great masterpieces either, check it out.
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I've been in Paris over the weekend, The George V hotel to be exact ;) and need to catch up with my NYT's so thanks for the tip. Here's the link to the official site Joe so you can see all the DVD's (some have the trailers on the site)
http://www.foxhome.com/filmnoir/
Hope this helps :)
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LA If you had to list the top Nois you've seen what would be their ranking?
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my top noirs? Hmm ok lets try this lot
1. The Big Sleep
2. The Maltese Falcon
3. Detour
4. Laura
5. Pickup on South Street
6. Sunset Boulevard
7. D.O.A
8. Murder My Sweet
9. Gun Crazy
10. The Set Up
11. This Gun For Hire
12. Possesed
13. In A Lonely Place
14. Dead Reckoning (Both excellent Bogie Noirs)
15. Out Of The Past
16. Scarlett Street
17. Asphalt Jungle
18. Siodmarks The Killers
19. Night And They City
20. Kiss Me Deadly
21. A Touch Of Evil.
There are so many other noirs that I love but these are the top twenty that I would recomend to anyone who wanted to experience, more or for the first time, noir. I recomend the Warners Noir boxsets that are at a very resonable price as well as getting all the fox noirs. The next series has been announced and will include the films Fallen Angel, House on Telegraph Hill and No Way Out. Also you may want to look at modern re-intepretations of noir if you havent already such as the neo noir Chinatown, tech noir like Blade Runner and as James Cameron likes to insist Terminator or the ultra noir Sin City.
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A Film Noir I would love to have on DVD is Lady In The Lake, a film completely shot in POV directed by Robert Montgomery.
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Ok great, I have seen
1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 15, 17, 20, 21, so I have a few to look forward to ;D
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I'd have to reflect and have a list ready to make my choice. But, going by memory alone I would like to rememeber Richards' Farewell My Lovely, which has the best ever Marlowe in Mitchum (who is, I admit, my all time favourite actor). I think more of Bogart as Spade and, as good as he is, I could never visualize him as Chandler's PI )Chandler himself saw Cary Grant as ideal Marlowe). I also like Powell's Marlowe and Garner's (unfortunately the movie he starred in was not among the best ones, though not as bad as High Window). Gould, of course, can easily be totally rejected from purists (and he was, with the movie). But still the Altman's movie is a work that reminds me of the '70's like few other ones and Gould is one of the reasons I like so much the movie itself.
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I watched a great noir last night, Somewhere In The Night. Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz the film tells the tale of a man (John Hodiak) who wakes up in a military hopsital at the end of the war with amnesia. He finds a wallet with the name George Taylor and he accepts that as his name. When discharged, he discovers that he lives in a hotel in LA and he returns there. On arrival he finds a case with a letter, the letter tells him that his pal Larry Cravat has left a deposit of money for him in a bank. Taylor tries to find out who Cravat is so he can no more about himself and he stumbles upon a beautiful night club singer (the stunning Nancy Guild (rhymes with wild) ) and her kind hearted boss (played by the excellent Richard Conte). He soon finds himself plunged into intrgiue, mystery, dangerous femme fatales and murder. All that a noir needs. Also starring is the great Lloyd Nolan as an humerous detective.
Whilst the film isn't flaw proof it is an very good noir and though you may guess some of the plot twists, it still manages to throw more at you. The film is number 08 of the Fox Film Noir Collection.
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Thanks for the heads up
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Watched Sunset Boulevard last night, for the first time in years, forgot hoe great Gloria Swanson's nice over the top creepy performance was, lol. I didn't even recognise Jack Webb until the end credits, the whole film was great, an excellent noir.
That was followed by Mr. Skeffington with Betty Davis who affected an annoying & grating voice that she must have though was appropriate for the part, almost like chalk scratching a blackboard.
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Sunset Boulevard is a fantastic movie. Both Swanson and Holden are almost mesmerising in their roles. I love the moonlight set walk also, imagine how cool that would be to actually do that.
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For me, Noirs are hard to rank... there are so many that I consider distinct and perfect.
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I think Key Largo is very underrated, probably my favorite Noir along with touch of evil... even noir fans rarely mention it among the best.
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Key Largo is excellent. Force of Evil doesn't get mentioned as much as it probably should.
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Which reminds me, look out for a two disc release of Key Largo coming out on R1 DVD this year from Warners. Also I believe there is going to be a 2 disc Maltese Falcon coming out round about the same time too. I can't wait for the next three Fox Noirs too.
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which 3 are they?
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The next three fox noirs are (insert drum role here)...
released on the 7th March
Fallen Angel
The House On Telegraph Hill
No Way Out
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The next three fox noirs are (insert drum role here)...
released on the 7th March
Fallen Angel
The House On Telegraph Hill
No Way Out
Thanks. One of the great genres is catching a little fire again.
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Ok tonight I have recorded "The Girl Hunters" (1963) a Mike Hammer story with Mickey Spillane playing Hammer, should be fun.
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For film noir fans, Warner promises to deliver in R1 land.
News taken from the bits via John Hodson's post at the dvd forums.
The Maltese Falcon (1941) - packaged with The Maltese Falcon - Dangerous Female (1931) and Satan Met a Lady (1936) (multidisc)
More Film Noir titles including Lady in the Lake (1947)
Hopefully Vol.3 of the Noir boxset will be the 'more film noir titles'. And finally, for those like me who thoroughly enjoyed last years Gangster Collection Warners are releasing
The Warner Tough Guys Collection - featuring 'G' Men (1935), Bullets or Ballots (1936), San Quentin (1937), A Slight Case of Murder (1938), Each Dawn I Die (1939) and City for Conquest (1940)
I can't wait ;D
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And for those who like their PD Noirs, VCI Home Entertainment have at least been making a stab at making their noirs presentable (see the SE of Blonde Ice and the double collection of The Chase and Bury Me Dead. Well they've announced quite a few more, and the news is from Inthebalcony.com via the ever informative John Hodson again at the dvd forums.
VCI Film Noir News!
We were recently visited here In The Balcony by the fine folks at VCI Entertainment, who brought us exclusive news about some of the films noir they’re going to be releasing on DVD through their deal with Kit Parker Films.
Some of the most-requested titles (including Black Tuesday, New York Confidential, and The Stranger on Horseback) are still being finalized, but they’re going forward with two series beginning in March, Hammer Noir and Forgotten Noir. Both series are double features, and although titles may still be “tweaked”, here’s what we’re looking at so far:
The Hammer Noir Series (Note that most of these had alternate titles for the U.S. release)
Bad Blonde (a/k/a The Flanagan Boy) (1953) Directed by Reginald Le Borg. A fight promoter’s slutty wife (Barbara Payton) talks her lover into killing her husband.
The Glass Tomb (The Glass Cage) (1959) Dir. Montgomery Tully. Murder in the carnival, with Honor Blackman and John Ireland.
#2
The Black Glove (Face the Music) (1954) Dir. Terence Fisher. A trumpet player (Alex Nicol) is accused of killing a singer.
The Big Deadly Game (Third Party Risk) (1954) Dir. Daniel Birt. While vacationing in Spain, an American (Lloyd Bridges) gets mixed up with a smuggling ring.
#3
Heat Wave (The House Across the Lake) (1954) Dir. Ken Hughes. Mystery writer Alex Nicol is ensnared in a plot by Hillary Brooke to kill her husband.
Paid to Kill (Five Days) (1954) Dir. Montgomery Tully. Dane Clark hires a hit man to kill himself, but eventually tries to call the deal off.
#4
Man Bait (The Last Page) (1952) Dir. Terence Fisher. Bookstore owner George Brent gets involved with his sexy clerk Marguerite Chapman, and somebody ends up dead.
The Gambler and the Lady (1952) Dir. Patrick Jenkins. A gambler (Dane Clark) tries to escape his seedy past when he falls for a beautiful high-class lady. Ooh, good title on this one, eh?
#5
A Stolen Face (1952) Dir. Terence Fisher. Doctor Paul Henreid loses his love, Lizabeth Scott, in the war, so he creates a new one through plastic surgery, only to be surprised when the first one shows up and he’s got two Lizabeth Scotts on his hands.
Blackout (Murder by Proxy) (1954) Dir. Terence Fisher. An American in England is invited to marry a gorgeous blonde he’s just met, but he should’ve been suspicious. Didn’t he ever see Homicidal?
#6
Terror Street (36 Hours) (1953) Dir. Montgomery Tully. Dan Duryea’s estranged wife has been murdered, and he’s been set up to take the rap.
Wings of Danger (Dead on Course) (1952) Dir. Terence Fisher. Zachery Scott is trying to clear his dead pal’s name from a counterfeiting charge.
The Forgotten Noir Series
#1
Portland Exposé (Allied Artists, 1957) Dir. Harold Shuster. A tavern owner, blackmailed by the Mob in a protection racket, fights back after one of the gang attacks his daughter. Ed Binns, Carolyn Craig, Frank Gorshin.
They Were So Young (Lippert, 1954) Dir. Kurt Neumann. Dubbed German film about slave traders in South America. Scott Brady, Raymond Burr.
#2
Scotland Yard Inspector (Lady in the Fog) (Lippert, 1952) Dir. Sam Newfield. An American in England is asked to help find a killer. Cesar Romero, Lois Maxwell.
Treasure of Monte Cristo (Lippert, 1949) Dir. William Berke. Crime and punishment on the streets of San Francisco, and check out this cast: Glenn Langan, Adele Jergens, Bobby Jordan, and Sid Melton!
#3
The Shadow Man (Street of Shadows) (Lippert, 1953) Dir. Richard Vernon. Did one of the nightclub owner’s two girlfriends kill the other one? Cesar Romero, Kay Kendall, and Victor Maddern.
Fingerprints Don’t Lie (Lippert, 1951) Dir. Sam Newfield. A man is dead, and the suspect’s fingerprints are on the murder weapon – can he possibly be innocent? Richard Travis, Sheila Ryan, Tom Neal, and Lyle Talbot.
#4
The Man from Cairo (Lippert, 1953) Dir. Ray Enright. A fortune in Nazi gold is hidden in the hills outside Algiers. Dubbed from Italian. With George Raft and several Italians.
Danger Zone (Lippert, 1951) Dir. William Berke. Hugh Beaumont is private eye Dennis O’Brien, hired to take on a couple of cases in two episodes of an unsuccessful TV series. With Tom Neal and Pamela Blake.
#5
Loan Shark (Lippert, 1952) Dir. Seymour Friedman. George Raft goes undercover to break up an extortion ring. With Dorothy Hart and John Hoyt.
Roaring City (Lippert, 1951) Dir. William Berke. Hugh Beaumont is back in two more episodes of Danger Zone. This time, helping him are Stanley Price and Anthony Warde.
#6
I’ll Get You (Escape Route) (Lippert, 1952) Dir. Seymour Friedman & Peter Graham Scott. An American agent (George Raft) goes to England to discover why scientists are being kidnapped and sent behind the Iron Curtain. With Sally Gray and Reginald Tate.
Pier 23 (Lippert, 1951) Dir. William Berke. Hugh Beaumont is back in two more episodes of Danger Zone. With Mike Mazurki, Ann Savage and David Bruce.
#7
F.B.I. Girl (Lippert, 1951) Dir. William Berke. A politician tries to cover up his shady past. The good cast includes Cesar Romero, George Brent, Audrey Totter, Joi Lansing, and the comedy team of Tommy Noonan and Peter Marshall!
Shoot to Kill (Screen Arts, 1947) Dir. William Berke. A crooked D.A. is framing people, and a beautiful woman goes undercover in his office to try and prove it. Luana Walters, Russell Wade, Nestor Paiva.
We’ll let you know more info, including release dates and prices, as soon’s we get the info.
I don't know much about Hammer Noir but taking a glimpse of some of the Lost Noirs makes me anticipat with glee with that collection. As usual with PD land we won't know the quality of the films just yet but hopefully they will be at the high end of the VCI cannon.
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Check out the Fox Film Noir "House of Bamboo" saw it last night, sort of a cross between Noir & "North By Northwest" by the great San Fuller. I was impressed with his attention to detail, it has great shots of 1954 Japan, a great train robbery sequence, just a very well done film. Robert Ryan plays black market gang leader Sandy Dawson, also with Robert Stack. Don't want to give anything away. In Cinemascope
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Fox's transfer of the cinemascope print is excellent + their 4 channel surround, I definatly recomend it as well Joe.
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Check out the Fox Film Noir "House of Bamboo" saw it last night, sort of a cross between Noir & "North By Northwest" by the great San Fuller. I was impressed with his attention to detail, it has great shots of 1954 Japan, a great train robbery sequence, just a very well done film. Robert Ryan plays black market gang leader Sandy Dawson, also with Robert Stack. Don't want to give anything away. In Cinemascope
Great cool guy flick, Sam Fuller rocks, but not really a noir, it was in COLOR!
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The definition of noir changes with who you talk to. I think a few color films could be seen as noirs. Which does remind me, here's my latest bit of noir memrobilia I have purchased. A Blonde Ice lobby card.
(http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/6118/4914qw.jpg)
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cool!
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Well, watched the Neo Noir 1975's "Farewell, My Lovely" , being a Chandler fan, this one followed the book very closely and I was impressed. Robert Mitchum, Charlotte Rampling, John Ireland, Harry Dean Stanton, and Sly Stallone in a bit part. Moose Malloy was played by Jack O'Halloran very well, though I prefer Mike Mazurki take on Malloy from 1944's "Murder My Sweet". Had the sleezy aspects of the novel down well. The version I watched was on VHS, but it seems that Canada has a DVD out, don't know the quality though.
A good film to add to the collection.
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I believe the DVD is out in the UK also, I'll have to go and check on that. I too prefer the 1944 version with Powell, the Warner DVD release of it is superb.
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Well, watched the Neo Noir 1975's "Farewell, My Lovely" , being a Chandler fan, this one followed the book very closely and I was impressed. Robert Mitchum, Charlotte Rampling, John Ireland, Harry Dean Stanton, and Sly Stallone in a bit part. Moose Malloy was played by Jack O'Halloran very well, though I prefer Mike Mazurki take on Malloy from 1944's "Murder My Sweet". Had the sleezy aspects of the novel down well. The version I watched was on VHS, but it seems that Canada has a DVD out, don't know the quality though.
A good film to add to the collection.
O'Halloran was a notorious bar bully out here in Los Angeles, big and strong, but couldn't fight a lick and as a result lost some. I think he tried to hit a guy with his car once.
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My lastest film noir lobby card purchase
(http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/1908/scarlc36mr.jpg)
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Nice card, watched "Out of The Past" the other night a great filck, Jane Greer, Rrrrooough!, lol. Enjoyed it.
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'Tis a great film and I'll second your Rrrrooough! ;D
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Right. I'm up for another review. Am going to set up Classic Hollywood Western DVD Discussion and Review thread soon so please keep an eye out for that. Have Updated upcoming release dates, wants and unknowns on first post. enjoy.
Kiss Me Deadly
"Kiss Me Deadly" had few similarities with Spillane's story about a gang of dope traffickers… Instead Aldrich reworks the plot so that the criminals are mixed up in the theft of priceless and high1y dangerous radioactive material which they are planning to smuggle to an unnamed power…
US 1955
Director: Robert Aldrich
Produced: Robert Aldrich
Screenplay: A.I. Bezzerides
Cast: Ralph Meeker, Albert Decker and Marian Carr
Studio: United Artists
DVD Details
Region: R2
Studio: MGM
Transfer: Non Anamorphic 1.66.1
Sound: 2.0 Mono
Extras: Original Theatrical Trailer
Run Time: 1hr 42mins
Date of DVD Release: August 4th, 2003
(http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00009XW8K.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
Synopsis
An adaptation of Mickey Spillane's gripping novel which sees Ralph Meeker in the role of private eye Mike Hammer on the case of a missing atomic device stolen by a spy.
My Thoughts
Wow a very intriguing picture. A very harsh, brutal and nasty noir which was rather notorious on release the film is a strange 'mish mash' of elements that collide, rather like the films subject, quite explosively. The film oozes a rather unsetting mood. Mike Hammer (Meeker) seems to be stumbling around, always too late and always being hit. The interesting title sequence sets the tone for the film. Hammer picks up a girl who seems to be fleeing someone before crashing and waking up to find the girl dead. This film is a nightmare. The low budget doesn't detract, it adds to the film, emphasing the almost abstract nature of the piece. The arresting cinematography and ingenious editing give it a rapid pace, yes the story can be hard to follow but the pace is so fast it will not drag. Alright some of the acting can be a little suspect at times and perhaps the story could be presented just a tiny little more straight forward without harming the ambiguity but this is a quirky little noir that is an interesting examination into the dark elements of an already very dark genre.
A note, the back of the box displays that the R2 contains the "fully restored original ending - which contains over one minute of crucial footage that clarifies decades of false interpretations." However this package does not include the advertised shortened ending for comparison
Picture
MGM presents this disc in non-anamorphic 1.66.1 (OAR). Studios seem to be frightened of giving us anamorphic prints of 1.66.1 which is rather annoying. Oh well the transfer given here is OK, not great. The elements seem to hold up well, grain is present along with solid blacks. Artifacts and damage do show up but overall, an agreeable presentation dampened by what should have been an anamorphic presentation and a properly restored picture.
Sound
Like Dead Reckoning there is nothing remarkable, the 2.0 (wish again it was in 1.0) did its job with not much interfearance.
Extras
Just an amusing trailer. Not on MGM! (well Sony now.) I think we need a doco. This disc is a let down on the extras department (not even an enclosed booklet)
Final Score
7/10
I'll be truthful. This score only relates to the film. A good noir, let down by a poor disc Non-Anamorphic, average A/V and no important extras. Even the Universal noirs, with their lack of extras, treated the films with a little more digniity. This disk is dirt cheap though (see below) and definatly worth a watch
Leone Admirer
Links
Price Comparison:http://www.find-dvd.co.uk/16847DVD.htm (http://www.find-dvd.co.uk/16847DVD.htm)
IMDB File: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048261/
Variety Review Extract
The ingredients that sell Mickey Spillane's novels about Mike Hammer, the hardboiled private eye, are thoroughly worked over in this presentation built around the rock-and-sock character. Ralph Meeker takes on the Hammer character and as the surly, hit first, ask questions later, shamus turns in a job that is acceptable, even if he seems to go soft in a few sequences.
"Kiss Me Deadly" had few similarities with Spillane's story about a gang of dope traffickers… Instead Aldrich reworks the plot so that the criminals are mixed up in the theft of priceless and high1y dangerous radioactive material which they are planning to smuggle to an unnamed power…
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I didn't know that, I had heard that the adaption had changed quite a few elements. Makes me want to go and read the original story now.
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Those who have the Fox Film Noir series will recognise my next piece of noir history.
(http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/2193/panicinthestreets6mb.jpg)
It's an Australian 13" x 30" Daybill Poster for the Eli Kazan classic, Panic In The Streets.
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another nice find
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The next three fox noirs coming in June (as spotted by John Hodson)
Boomerang
Extras: Deleted Scenes
Audio commentary (Film Historians Alain Silver and Jame Ursini)
Poster Gallery
Photo gallery
House of Strangers
Extras: Trailers
Audio commentary (Film Author & Historian Foster Hirsch)
Photo gallery
I Wake Up Screaming
Extras: Trailers
Audio commentary (Film Noir Historian Eddie Muller)
Production Stills Gallery; Unit Photography Gallery
Photo gallery
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My latest piece of Noir history. An original press sheet for the 1949 Universal Noir Criss Cross staring Burt Lancaster and Dan Duryea.
(http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/5417/crisscrossps19zx.jpg)
(http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/435/crisscrossps26ni.jpg)
(http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/913/crisscrossps37ke.jpg)
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cool
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My latest film noir lobby card purchases, Fallen Angel and Black Angel
(http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/305/lcard884ax.jpg)
(http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/3760/zf23blackangelcu2oa.jpg)
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Thanx for this enourmous work L.A. Your passion for cinema is undouptable. Here is my contribution :
http://people.bu.edu/rcarney/
a very good website ,you probably know, mostly about the American director Sergio appreciated most (quoted from Conversation avec SL , NS) who disappeared the same year (1989), having the same age (60) as Sergio:
John fabulous CASSAVETES
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This seems like a genre that I need to get into a lot more. I haven't seen too many of the films being discussed, but one movie that I'm shocked no one has mentioned yet is "Double Indemnity." I highly recommned it to anyone who hasn't seen it. It's a Billy Wilder film (the guy that did "Sunset Boulivard"). I thought that it was one of the definitive film noir movies, which is why I'm surprised no one's mentioned it (that I noticed).
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This seems like a genre that I need to get into a lot more. I haven't seen too many of the films being discussed, but one movie that I'm shocked no one has mentioned yet is "Double Indemnity." I highly recommned it to anyone who hasn't seen it. It's a Billy Wilder film (the guy that did "Sunset Boulivard"). I thought that it was one of the definitive film noir movies, which is why I'm surprised no one's mentioned it (that I noticed).
Yea its one of the best, its a well known one, I think we've been more concentrating on the good slightly forgotton and obscure ones. The Third Man is another, also Maltese Flacon, etc., etc.
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Thanx for this enourmous work L.A. Your passion for cinema is undouptable. Here is my contribution :
http://people.bu.edu/rcarney/
a very good website ,you probably know, mostly about the American director Sergio appreciated most (quoted from Conversation avec SL , NS) who disappeared the same year (1989), having the same age (60) as Sergio:
John fabulous CASSAVETES
Thank you so much for your kind words roberti, I tell you they do not go unapreciated :). Thanks ever so much for the Cassavetes link. I am a big fan of his work with my favourite being A Woman Under The Influence, followed by The Death Of A Chinese Bookie, Opening Night, and Shadows. I urge people to check out his work, the grainy shooting of Manhatten in Shadows is a work of art and I wish he did more work in New York.
Joe, I think we should set up a list of the best noirs for people to check out.
The Big Sleep, JB is one to definatly check out, along with the fabulous Murder My Sweet and Laura. In fact my best advive is to pick up the R1 Vol1. Noir boxset from Warners and the first three of the fox noirs to sort of scrape the surface. Hope this helps :)
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My noir memorabillia collection grows larger still with the recent purchase of this press sheet for the Bogie Noir The Desperate Hours
(http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/1770/desperatehourspb19lc.jpg)
(http://img455.imageshack.us/img455/8577/desperatehourspb28qv.jpg)
(http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/6596/desperatehourspb35rk.jpg)
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An even more recent purchase, an advert for the same film, The Desperate Hours
(http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/8566/5e1b7ux.jpg)
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The kid looks like Jerry Mathers in that Desperate Hours advert.
I remember seeing as a kid a Noir where the Noir Hero is a bad guy turned good at the end and the the film does take place around Christmas, but the Hero gets shot in a snowstorm and he dies outside on a set of stairs, I really remember liking it, but don't remember anything else about it though I did see it in a theater and it was B&W so it had to be late 50's early 60's. If it rings any bells give me a shout.
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I will try and find it out for you, don't worry. :)
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The hero sort of looked like Victor Mature, I'll have a go at the IMDb when I get a chance.
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The kid looks like Jerry Mathers in that Desperate Hours advert.
I remember seeing as a kid a Noir where the Noir Hero is a bad guy turned good at the end and the the film does take place around Christmas, but the Hero gets shot in a snowstorm and he dies outside on a set of stairs, I really remember liking it, but don't remember anything else about it though I did see it in a theater and it was B&W so it had to be late 50's early 60's. If it rings any bells give me a shout.
Sounds like Kiss Of Death.....w/ begins at Christmastime....w/ Victor Mature.........although a voiceover, by Collen Gray as the love interest, at the end, seems to indicate that he survives getting shot.
Of note is Richard Widmark's sensational screen debut as the twisted Tommy Udo.
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I think you may be right Angel. I have that as part of my fox noir collection. Of course it could also be The Roaring Twenties with Jimmy Cagney in which he dies on the snowy steps of a church.
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Its niether, it was the second half of a double bill, but I have "Kiss of Death" (no Snow) , and I know "The Roaring Twenties" (I think its a downpour rather than a snowstorm) very well, so its not them. The guy dies on snow covered stairs stairs in a snowstorm with a Christmas carol playing.
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The Public Enemy has the rain but this is still an interesting conundrem. ;D
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Whilst on the search for Joe's MIA noir ;D I bought these next three pieces of noir history.
(http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/1116/a51b5ck.jpg)
(http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/7430/bf1b7sl.jpg)
(http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/9999/681b3td.jpg)
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It could have been more of a gangster flick just don't remember.
Anyway mentioning the "Roaring Twenties" when you watch the film be on the lookout for a chase sequence where the vehicles go by a dead ringer for Edward Hoppers "Nighthawks At The Diner" pretty cool.
Hopper and Sloan are my fav artists from the "ashcan" school that compliment that whole 30's ,40's, 50's Noir look.
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Latest Purchase...
(http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/5935/508382sb.jpg)
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nice
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Murder, My Sweet ROCKS!
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Latest news about the third volume Film Noir release from WB taken from the HTF
WB’s Film Noir Volume #3 will include:
Border Incident (1949)
His Kind of Woman (1951)
Lady in the Lake (1947)
On Dangerous Ground (1952)
The Racket (1951)
Five solid selections and Border Incident would be the “surprise” MGM selection.
American Cinematheque is reporting:
Legendary tough guys and femme fatales collide in The Film Noir Classic Colleciton Volume Three, debuting Summer 2006 from Warner Home Video. The Collection includes five classics, all new to DVD and all digitally remastered: Border Incident, His Kind of Woman, Lady in the Lake, On Dangerous Ground and The Racket.
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LA did you happen to catch "Dark City" sort of a sifi Noir, with a lot of cool noirish sets, it wasn't bad at all. And had Jennifer Connelly.
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I haven't caught it fully yet just clips. It looks really good.
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Sort of Noir meets the Matrix but this film actually preceeded the Matrix, its got a lot of 50's era images, not bad.
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Latest purchase, the neo noir
(http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/6342/bladerunnerinsert8jg.jpg)
It's an original US insert poster.
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Latest purchase, the neo noir
(http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/6342/bladerunnerinsert8jg.jpg)
It's an original US insert poster.
I am embarassed to say I have not seen "Bladerunner". I have always stayed away from it because I have only heard bad things about it. But perhaps I am getting opinions from the wrong people.
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IMO Blade Runner is an incredible if heavily flawed pic. I recomend seeing the DC first, there should be an SE coming out late this year on R1.
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I like the creepy feel of the "Murphy's Law" type of future it depicts.
Reminds me a bit of the old "Outerlimts" B&W TV show.
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well you absolutely need to make your own opinion on movies but I can not advise you not to watch Blade Runner for several reasons:first of all it is part of the most interesting Science Fiction movies with 2001 and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. It would be too long to explain why, one day if we meet may be. Anyway there is one of my favorite scenes, may be my favorite love scene in Blade Runner when Deckard (Harrison Ford in his best film and performance) and Rachel are in front of the piano. It is so great! And let me tell just one thing about the last scene: Rutger Hauer(Roy) is stunning in this anti hero performance. He is definitely part of the modern greatest anti heroes.Everything is very well done in this movie, for me it is a masterpiece. Thank you very much Mr Scott for the pleasure I have watching it!
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Roberti, do you have the behind the scenes book Future Noir (I bet you do ;) ). If you have it may be worth checking out the cinefax book Blade Runner: The Inside Story, its an excellent, if a little dry, account behind the scenes of the FX. The best bit about the book is the excellent photos of the models being prepped for shooting. Oh and of course, theres the new DVD coming out late 2006/early 2007 ;D
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The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity are on back to back on TCM today 3/29.
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caught the end of Double Indemnity 8)
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Roberti, do you have the behind the scenes book Future Noir (I bet you do ;) ). If you have it may be worth checking out the cinefax book Blade Runner: The Inside Story, its an excellent, if a little dry, account behind the scenes of the FX. The best bit about the book is the excellent photos of the models being prepped for shooting. Oh and of course, theres the new DVD coming out late 2006/early 2007 ;D
I actually bought this book some years ago in a bookshop in...Paris. STUNNING!
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Saw a pretty good Noir yesterday on TCM, "Raw Deal" (1948) with Dennis O'Keef, Clare Trevor, Marsha Hunt, Raymond Burr, John Ireland, Dir Anthony Mann, it was pretty good Burr who is rather stout to begin with is the head baddie/pyromaniac he's always shot with an open flame in the frame to emphasise this lol, also he's shot from below and at an angle so that his bulk takes up over half the frame.
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Joe, try T-Men (If you haven't already). Its another Mann noir and is good also.
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Does anybody know the title to the noir film that has that famous scene where This brute sends a poor old lady to her death as he sends her wheel chair(as she is on it) down a flight of stairs?
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Kiss Of Death I believe. The brute being played by the excellent Richard Widmark
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Talking of noir, the PD company that is trying by giving us better transfers and extras, VCI Home Entertainment who gave us the excellent release of Blonde Ice are bringing us the DVD release entitled:
FORGOTTEN FILM NOIR # 1 DOUBLE FEATURE PORTLAND EXPRESS & THEY WERE SO YOUNG (1957, 1954)
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Kiss Of Death I believe.
ah! everything is coming back now. thanks.
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no problem :)
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I caught the tale end of another great Noir this morning on TCM called "Odds Against Tomorrow" (1959) never heard of it before but it stared Robert Ryan, Harry Belefonte, Shelly Winters, Ed Begley, and Gloria Graham. What a great little film, shot around upstate NY still looks like it does in the film in the crumbling backwater towns along the Hudson.
Director was Robert Wise and the cinematography was just excellent.
http://tcmdb.com/title/title.jsp?scarlettTitleId=17685
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Just found this excellent website with all the posters of Steve Mcqueen movies that could interest L.A and all the collectors.
By the way my favorite is THE GETAWAY.
http://www.stevemcqueen.org.uk/Posters/
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nice site
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Thanks Roberti!
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My latest film noir lobby card purchase, it's from the excellent Dark Corner (sorry for the pic)
(http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/3531/c910kh.jpg)
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nice pic LA, for those interested TCM is doing a series of Noir films in April called "Darkness After Dawn"
http://www.turnerclassicmovies.com/thismonth/article/?cid=121553
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My latest purchase is this Original Australian Daybill for the Fritz Lang film Clash By Night
(http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/4111/clashbyn5el.jpg)
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My latest purchase is this Original Australian Daybill for the Fritz Lang film Clash By Night
(http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/4111/clashbyn5el.jpg)
the image works alright leone_admirer. at least from where I am standing.
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that's good. It seems ok this end too.
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Whats this "Suitable only for adults"?
I watched "Detour" the other night a great low budget noir, don't take much to make that type of film.
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Suitable Only For Adults is Australians censors warning ala R Rated,. Detour is my fave noir of all time. It's so depressing but georgously short. Ulmer really was a great poverty row director.
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and it must have been a very low budget flick, enjoyed it thoroghly.
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I don't know if you have already seen it but Blonde Ice is another excellent poverty row noir with which Ulmer had his finger in (uncredited). It's been restored and is released by VCI.
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Just announced, R1 is getting a 2 disc Double Indemnity release on the 29th August. Excellent Stuff!
http://homevideo.universalstudios.com/details.php?childId=36327
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Watched Kansas City Confidential 1952, yesterday, excellent noir with Lee Van Cleef, Jack Elam, and Nevill Brand, as the three baddies, and Preston Foster as the crooked ex cop mastermind.
LVC has quite a big part playing Tony Romano, he looks abit greener than in his later tough guy parts but it was an enjoyable flick none the less.
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Saw "The Armored Car Robbery" today not bad not great, but a middle of the road noir.
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Regarding the three latest Fox Noir releases Boomerang, House Of Strangers, I wake Up Screaming, Boomerang has been cancelled but some copies have made themselves to the shelves of some stores. However Fox says that it should be officialy released later on this year to complete the 23 film Fox Film Noir Collection.
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Saw an almost noirish flic yesterday called "Tension" (1950) with Richard Basehart, Audry Totter, Cyd Charisse, Barry Sullivan, and Robert Conrad, it was a good movie, recommend it to noir fans.
Directed by John Berry, with a good femme fatale by Totter.
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The new Film Noir Vol. 3 Warner boxset is released next Tuesday I believe (got my order in to go along with the excellent Tough Guys Collection and my LE models of Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth). Film Noir Vol. 4, supposed to be released sometime this Winter is rumoured to contain a new restored print of Decoy.
Also heres the next three fox Noirs for release on the 29th August (info taken from DVD Times, in turn taken from the Fox press release)
Fourteen Hours (1951) - This compelling suspense drama spends its time with a tormented young man (Richard Basehart) as he teeters on a New York hotel’s 15th floor window ledge, deciding whether or not to jump. Paul Douglas plays a traffic cop, the first officer on the scene, and through his gentle, compassionate talk, he becomes the only one the man on the ledge trusts. He certainly doesn’t trust his mother (Agnes Moorehead) or ex-fiancée (Barbara Bel Geddes). The crowd below is mesmerized and for some, the fourteen hours that follow will change their lives forever. This film is notable for the film debut of Grace Kelly in a small role.
Features include:
1.33:1 Full Frame
English Stereo & Mono
Spanish subtitles
Audio Commentary with Film Historian Foster Hirsch
Interactive Pressbook Gallery
Theatrical Trailer
Shock (1946) - This post-World War II suspense thriller sets off an emotional roller coaster after the psychologically fragile wife of a POW (Anabel Shaw) witnesses a brutal murder from a hotel window while waiting to be reunited with her husband (Frank Latimer). By the time he arrives, she’s nearly comatose with shock. The hotel’s psychiatrist (Vincent Price) is called in to help. But just as she begins to recognize him as the murderer she saw, he realizes she was a witness to his crime. So he arranges to take her to his private sanitarium where he and his nurse-mistress (Lynn Bari) can insure that no one takes the young woman’s ravings seriously and they can secretly administer enough "treatment" to silence her forever. Meanwhile, her husband and the police begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems and as they get closer to the truth, this complex mystery takes some unexpected twists!
Features include:
1.33:1 Full Frame
English Stereo & Mono
Spanish subtitles
Audio Commentary with John Stanley
Interactive Pressbook Gallery
Theatrical Trailer
Vicki (1953) - Jean Peters stars as New York cover girl Vicki Lynn, whose fame came fast and hard, and so does her murder. Her press agent Steve Christopher (Elliott Reid) and her sister Jill (Jeanne Crain) are placed under the microscope by relentless police lieutenant Ed Cornell (Richard Boone), who derives sadistic pleasure from interrogating them. And there is no lack of other suspects in Vicki’s death, despite the fact that Jill found Steve standing over the body. Suspense builds as the characters remember moments in Vicki’s lightning rise to the top of café society. Max Showalter plays Steve’s columnist pal, Carl Betz is a police detective and Aaron Spelling operates the telephone switchboard at Vicki’s hotel.
Features include:
1.33:1 Full Frame
English Stereo & Mono
Spanish subtitles
Audio Commentary with Film Historian Foster Hirsch
Poster Art Gallery
Behind-the-Scenes Gallery
Interactive Pressbook Gallery
Theatrical Trailer
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Kubrick's "The Killers Kiss" was on TCM tonight great little flick check it out!
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will be watching Kubrick's "The Killing" tomorrow night. I'll let you know how it settles.
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Review at the HTF of the new double disc edition of Double Indemnity seems to be very positive, can't wait to get my hands on it.
No news on the re-release of the Dana Andrew's starring Boomerang, but it seems we may have the excellent Marlowe adaption The Brasher Doubloon on the cards based on the Chandler book, The High Window.
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I saw this book a while ago in Barnes & Nobel but I finally picked it up the other day "Film Noir" by Alain Silver & James Ursini, Paul Duncan (Ed.) published by Taschen 2004.
What a beautiful book full of production stills and behind the scene photos, the whole book is printed on matte black pages with white lettering (like this post).
Chapter Titles:
What is Noir
The Perfect Crime
The Fatalistic Nightmare
The Burden of the Past
The Caper Film
Docu-Noir
Love on the Run
Male Violence
Women in Film Noir
The Private Eye
Darkness & Corruption
It has a chronology, a filmography, and a bibliography.
Its a must own for anyone interested in this genre.
PS
If Hanley's book on GBU is anything like this it will be great
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I too own the Taschen book, it's a wonderful coffee table book, I would love to own the massivr Taschen Kubrick book they released which contained spliced footage of 2001 from the personal print of Stanley.
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I have both of those great books, way to go Taschen. Their books on Hitchcock and John Ford are worth having as well. Why don't they have one on Sergio Leone?
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Why don't they have one on Sergio Leone?
Good question!
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Good news for WB Noir fans, at this link http://www.azcentral.com/ent/movies/articles/0829filmnoir0829.html we find that Warners could be releasing up to 10 DVD Noir boxsets! :o ;D
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Double Indemnity (1944) ...a crackling good movie...shows up on Turner Classic Movies at 8 PM...tonight..Aug. 31.
Some of the best dialogue...& one liners...ever.
Catch it if you can......baby 8)
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A week after the much-awaited DVD arrives, this. What timing. Of course, you can look upon it as advertising for the DVD.
Some of the dialogue IS great, but there are bits that don't come off. The speed-limit routine McMurray and Stanwyck do is just too arch to be believed, but they immediately follow up with a better one (the one that ends with "I wonder if you wonder.") Of course, many feel it is really Edward G. Robinson who gets all the good lines (the "my little man" stuff is hard to take, though).
Better then the dialogue, however, is the plot, the trolley-ride pacing, and the inscrutable characters. Wilder took Hitchcock 101 and produced a term project worthy of his master (note the credit sequence that is an homage to the titles at the beginning of Saboteur). Wilder went from this on to Sunset Blvd. and Ace in the Hole, more great stuff.
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Hi Dave, my DVD's winging it's way towards me as we speak, I heard the transfer and sound is top notch on this release (the important part) hows the extras? (Obviously accepting the 'version' on disc 2 ;D )
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Just bought this noir boxset Film Noir - The Darkside Of Hollywood, which is up for pre-release at amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GTJS8A/ref=nosim/102-2103411-2764920?n=130
:)
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I think I saw Railroaded on TCM not long ago.
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For those who are interested ;D this is my latest noir poster purchase:
Touch Of Evil
Original Australian Daybill
(http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/8885/touchofevilqx2.jpg)
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nice
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Hi Dave, my DVD's winging it's way towards me as we speak, I heard the transfer and sound is top notch on this release (the important part) hows the extras? (Obviously accepting the 'version' on disc 2 ;D )
I assume you got your set and have found the answer to your question. I didn't think much of the extras, to be frank. The documentary was enjoyable but not very meaty. The Dobbs commentary was good, but not so interesting that I feel the need to ever listen to it again. Of course, Shickel is as unsufferable as ever. Too bad Criterion couldn't have done this one.........
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I have a treat waiting to watch later tonight, right before the Laydkillers on TMC last night they showed the scheduel for the rest of the night and at 2AM this morning they showed Ossesione (1942) Visconti's first film based on James M. Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice" Got it recorded! 8)
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Bit of an update, next week the Robert Mitchum Signature Collection is released which contains the incredible films;
The Yakuza
Home from the Hill
Macao
The Sundowners
Angel Face
The Good Guys and the Bad Guys
Angel Face being particulaly important to me for personal reasons.
Also Criterion have announced special editons of two of Jules Dassin's greatest
The Naked City
Brute Force
http://www.criterionco.com/asp/coming_soon.asp (http://www.criterionco.com/asp/coming_soon.asp)
There's also the upcoming Noir set which is supposed to contain at least 8 films! Wow the noir fan is in for a treat this year
Also for those with multi-region players Universal have released in R2 land
The Blue Dahlia
The Glass Key
The Big Steal
http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=63713 (http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=63713)
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Ok some more news, first do not get the R2 The Big Steal as it has been colorised >:( , it's an RKO film and rumour has it, it should show up in the 10 film WB Film Noir set due out this summer.
Now some mixed news from the HTF: In an interview, Eddie Muller has suggested that the Fox noir line is not quite finished. According to this we may expect three new titles soon. Boomerang! and The Brasher Doubloon will not be among them.
It seems that Boomerang! is unlikely to see the light of day.
It's a shame as I would like to see Boomerang again. But in happier news Criterion are to release Cry of The City starring Victor Mature and the excellent Richard Conte.
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Out on release on the 20th March it's the classic Michael Shayne Mysteries Vol.1 set starring Loyd Nolan as the PI and containing the following films;
Michael Shayne, Private Detective
The Man Who Wouldn’t Die
Sleepers West
Blue White and Perfect.
http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=63767
Looking forward to this!
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Hey LA .... I purchased a one sheet of "Out of the Past" a few years ago for $100.
OOTP is my favorite noir of all time, and I just happened to walk into a junk store in Austin TX, and the owner was just putting 2 framed poaters up on the wall. I nearly jumped for joy when I saw what posters they were (the other was The Kennel Murder Case), but unfortunately I only had a bill on me and they had a $125 tag on each poster.
I walked up and took down OOTP and offered what i had for the poster out the door ... and they accepted!
Sometimes you are just in the right place at the right time!
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OOTP is a great Mitchum Noir and I would love to own an original (and for $100 that is incredible, I recently saw My Darling Clementine in an auction, the same one I own, go for $1200 when I only payed $200 for mine. You must put a pic up of it. The original noir posters I own are
Panic In The Streets
Clash By Night
Touch Of Evil
And I own lobby cards for
Blonde Ice
Black Angel
Fallen Angel
The Scar
And I own original Press Sheets for
Criss Cross
The Desperate Hours
I'm hoping to pick up a daybill of Blonde Ice soon, the only one in existance! I'm currently getting Touch Of Evil framed along with my original posters for Vertigo, My Darling Clementine, Fistful Of Dollars, Duck You Sucker, Once Upon A Time In America and Clash By Night (1940)
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As being posted round at some other forums, good news for us fans of the Fox Noir series:
From MoviesUnlimited update:
Question: Hi, Irv. Do you know if Fox has stopped their film noir titles on DVD? Will we ever see Boomerang, the 1947 title with Dana Andrews?
Answer: Thanks for writing. Yes, Fox is committed to more film noirs in the future—the collections reportedly do very well for the studio. And Boomerang, which had been previously announced and withdrawn, would likely be part of an upcoming set. Elia Kazan’s smashing 1947 suspenser about a state’s attorney (Andrews) trying to defend a drifter in a murder case in Connecticut, is based on a real incident that occurred in the 1920s.
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"Fox is committed to" and "would likely be" are formulations that don't inspire much confidence in this buyer. Those marketers and their weasel-words: completely antithetical to the noir ethos!
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Very true, though we've had news of Eddie Muller going back under the microphone for some Fox noir commentarys recently which adds to the sense of hope I guess.
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Some more great news from the WB to noir fans. The 10 films in their Film Nori Vol. 4 set have been announced here: http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=64624
The films included are;
Act of Violence
Mystery Street
Crime Wave
Decoy
Illegal
The Big Steal
They Live By Night
Side Street
Where Danger Lives
Tension
Some great films in that list, especially Decoy and They Live By Night. Roll on July O0
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Hey LA I watched "The Big Combo" the other day nice Geneon release though very sparce. Lee Van Cleef and Earl Holiman play a couple of second bannanas to Richard Conti's mob boss. Will give a review when I get a chance to watch it again.
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Look forward to it CJ O0 It's a film I here discussed alot but have yet to see it.
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Well, maybe the title of this thread is inappropriate. I have already been introduced to noir, i just don't know where to turn next. Any movies you can recommend?
here's a list of noirs I've already seen:
The Third Man
Touch of Evil
The Asphalt Jungle
Le Samourai
Le Cercle Rouge
Rififi
Touchez Pas au Grisbi
Sunset Boulevard
Double Indemnity
Elevator to the Gallows
The Big Heat
Drunken Angel
Stray Dog
The Maltese Falcon
Bob Le Flambeur
Chinatown
I thought they were all excellent.
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Bah, not much else I can list!
The Big Sleep (film)
LA Confidential (neo)
Blade Runner (neo)
I believe you are the only other 14-year-old ON THE ENTIRETY OF THE INTERNET that has seen more movies than me. :P
I've only seen seven of those.
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HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA I knew it, I knew one day someone on this forum would ask this question, thankyou Silenzio thankyou! You've seen a few that I would definatly recomend so I'll do a top 20 Noirs that I think should be seen. I have 100s more so once your done with this list I can recomend you some more. Ok Here goes
LA (The Noir fanatic's) top 20 noirs that Silenzio should definatly check out:
1. In A Lonely Place
2. Detour
3. The Set-Up
4. Out Of The Past
5. The Narrow Margin
6. D.O.A
7. Laura
8. Crossfire
9. On Dangerous Ground
10. Somewhere In The Night
11. Panic In The Streets
12. Where The Sidewalk Ends
13. The Big Sleep
14. The Big Clock
15. Thieves Highway
16. The Killers
17. The Chase
18. Kiss Of Death
19. Fallen Angel
20. This Gun For Hire
Plenty more if you need em!
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You need the list that begins here: http://www.theyshootpictures.com/noir250noirs1.htm
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Haven't seen that site before, thanks for posting that Dave O0
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Bah, not much else I can list!
The Big Sleep (film)
LA Confidential (neo)
Blade Runner (neo)
I believe you are the only other 14-year-old ON THE ENTIRETY OF THE INTERNET that has seen more movies than me. :P
I've only seen seven of those.
Aye! Let's hear it for 14! O0
But i've still put off seeing the deer hunter. :(
I will check out the film you mentioned
Thank you for the list, LA, and thank you for the site, Dave. I seem to remember running across it once before, and they have OUATITW in their top 100 films list, which is good enough for me.
I'm putting In a Lonely Place at the top of my netflix queue right now.
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Yes thankyou Silenzio, thankyou, I know people disagree with me but I think that film is pure genius and if I was allowed to swear I would have dropped the f bomb twice in that statement!
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And here's a few noirs i forgot to list in my original post:
High and Low
A Bout de Souffle (Breathless)
The Killing
Bande a Part (Bande of Outsiders)
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All great films O0 One of the things I can recomend it picking up the Warners Noir sets and the fox film noir series. Great way to discover noirs O0
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HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA I knew it, I knew one day someone on this forum would ask this question, thankyou Silenzio thankyou!
Hey!!
I asked you through PMs hundreds of times! ::)
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True, but this is non pm which means my insaneness regarding noirs can be shown to one and all.
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my insaneness regarding noirs can be shown to one and all.
I thought everyone knew about that. ;)
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They do now :D
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Any opinions about The Bad Sleep Well? If I happened to have spare 100 CZK one day... and to have the rest of films waiting to be seen really seen finally...
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Any opinions about The Bad Sleep Well? If I happened to have spare 100 CZK one day... and to have the rest of films waiting to be seen really seen finally...
Oh no. ANOTHER i forgot to mention at the beginning.
The Bad Sleep Well is an amazing and excellent revenge movie. There have only been a few times in cinema history where my heart has been filled with hate towards one character, and this is a movie that succeeds in having that effect. It has a very interesting story, and Kurosawa tells it well. Not to mention it all builds up to an unforgettable finale.
I would write more than four sentences.... but i just woke up. :-[
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One of the things I can recomend it picking up the Warners Noir sets and the fox film noir series. Great way to discover noirs O0
Yeah, they have some of those in the "movie specialty" shop in the mall. Also, they have a Humphrey Bogart set (and everybody loves him).
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I would write more than four sentences.... but i just woke up. :-[
Maybe it's better, because you might spoil it for me. ;D But I have to wait for the 100 CZK... right now I'm virtually moneyless. Hopefully they'll still have it when I get the money.
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Artwork for the upcoming 4th volume of the WB Noir. I just can't wait.
(http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/9718/protectedimagephpbj8.jpg)
(http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/1835/protectedimage1phpcp4.jpg)
(http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/5580/protectedimage2phpzm6.jpg)
(http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/6434/protectedimage3phpem0.jpg)
(http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/6106/protectedimage4phpdj0.jpg)
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Just as well you didn't put up the artwork for "The Big Steal" as that film really sucks.
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It has it's fans but I agree it's the weakest Mitchum movie I know.
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Yeah, it has my vote on that as well.
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Fox are distributing the MGM Film Noir series, included are:
The Stranger (Orson Welles only film to make money reportedly)
The Woman In The Window
A Bullet For Joey
Kansas City Confidential
Artwork here http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=64732
Some have been languishing as PD releases for year so hopefully we'll get some good prints.
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I don't much care for The Stranger, and Kansas City Confidential is a weak film. I've never seen the other two, though, and I look forward to the chance to.
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I already own The Stranger and I find it a passable film, Robinson is good and Welles is rather menacing but The Woman In The Window is excellent Dave O0
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Yeah, thanks, I've always wanted to compare it to Scarlet Street, which I like a lot.
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Scarlet Street is great. I love Duryea's performance (though playing the same character he mostly played through out noir). The ending with Cross wondering the streets is great as well.
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Agreed. Duryea is always great (no doubt because, as you say, he's always playing the same character). It's hilarious when two-thirds of the way into Winchester '73 he walks in like he's just escaped from a noir, perhaps one filming on a nearby stage... ;D
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;D
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I just realised something... I found some money I got from my grandma. (How could I not spend it and have it somewhere, is a mystery to me.) What did I do? I bought Django. Now I have to wait for this again...
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I just realised something... I found some money I got from my grandma. (How could I not spend it and have it somewhere, is a mystery to me.) What did I do? I bought Django. Now I have to wait for this again...
Oh well, at least you got to see that classic spaghetti! O0
LA, i've so far only watched two of your films... of which one (in a lonely place) was so amazing beyond all words (and if I was allowed to swear, i would've dropped the f-bomb twice in that statement).
I'll progress my way through the list, though.
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The Killing. See it. Now.
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The Killing. See it. Now.
I think that was actually the first noir I ever saw.
P.S. No, it is not Kubrick's best film. :P :P :P :D :D :D :P :P :P
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Oh well, at least you got to see that classic spaghetti! O0
LA, i've so far only watched two of your films... of which one (in a lonely place) was so amazing beyond all words (and if I was allowed to swear, i would've dropped the f-bomb twice in that statement).
I'll progress my way through the list, though.
Good for you Silenzio and I too would drop many, many f-bombs to describe this simply astounding noir. I'm sure there will be many others that you'll love in my list too.
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The Killing. See it. Now.
I love The Killing! This is one of the films Quentin Tarantino borrowed heavily for Reservoir Dogs.
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Key Largo is excellent. Force of Evil doesn't get mentioned as much as it probably should.
Definitely agree about Key Largo. Has anyone seen Force Of Evil? I was reading about this one and it seems like it would be interesting and quite good. John Garfield is lead actor. It was directed by Abraham Polonsky. He only made a handful of films. He was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. Garfield plays a crooked lawyer with a brother in the numbers racket. The film is supposed to have really nice noir cinematography of New York. Shots of George Washington Bridge...a lot of shots of Wall Street.
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I just watched Kubrick's Killer's Kiss. It was decent, but one of his lesser works.
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Definitely agree about Key Largo. Has anyone seen Force Of Evil? I was reading about this one and it seems like it would be interesting and quite good. John Garfield is lead actor. It was directed by Abraham Polonsky. He only made a handful of films. He was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. Garfield plays a crooked lawyer with a brother in the numbers racket. The film is supposed to have really nice noir cinematography of New York. Shots of George Washington Bridge...a lot of shots of Wall Street.
Saw it some time ago. My impression was that the shots of New York were really nice, but the story didn't work very well. I was rather disappointed with it.
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Saw it some time ago. My impression was that the shots of New York were really nice, but the story didn't work very well. I was rather disappointed with it.
Thank you Dave.
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Also Criterion have announced special editons of two of Jules Dassin's greatest
The Naked City
Brute Force
While I still enjoy it, the voice overs in The Naked City take me out of the film to some extent.
Not noir but related, just picked up The Warner Bros. Pictures Gangsters Collection, a great set. I highly recommend it for Angels with Dirty Faces alone if nothing else.
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Kind of Noir though Nakadai as White Heat has been often pointed out as a noir (though I go with it being one of the last of the WB Gangster cycle)
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LA, I have a mission for you.
1. Recommend me the next noir films to watch that I have not listed
2. Give me a short yet detailed description of exactly what a noir is. I'm still not too sure yet myself.
These are the noirs I've seen off the top of my head, in order from most favored to least favored.
1. The Killing
2. Chinatown
3. Sunset Boulevard
4. The Big Sleep
5. The Third Man
6. Blade Runner
7. Le Samourai
8. Touch of Evil
9. LA Confidential
10. Stray Dog
11. In A Lonely Place
12. Killer's Kiss
13. Double Idemnity
14. The Maltese Falcon
The only two I disliked were Double Idemnity and Maltese Falcon, but I'm up to give Maltese Falcon another shot sometime this week.
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2. Give me a short yet detailed description of exactly what a noir is. I'm still not too sure yet myself.
You are not alone. There are a zillion definitions, as befits a mythical creature that no one has ever seen. For myself, I am content with "black & white American crime films of the 40s and 50s."
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That's usually what I go by, along with the gritty stylze, jazz, voice overs, and the cigarette smoke.
If that's the case, then how would I describe a neo-noir? I guess the same minus the black and white aspect.
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Post 50s crime films, usually in color, that capture some of the feel of the classic period.
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I just rewatched The Maltese Falcon - surprisingly, I loved it. I guess it's just one of those movies that takes the second viewing.
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I've never liked it. Too talky. The femme fatale looks like a boy.
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I always thought Maltese Falcon was overrated as well, but I only saw it once.
Dave, I like your signature of the poo-gina from Starship Troopers.
Oh, rrpower, watch Elevator to the Gallows right frickin' now. It's innovative and amazing... my favorite French Noir (I don't count Le Cercle Rouge as a Noir). As for the music... I believe our member Sanjuro put it best when he said, "Miles Davis' score is a miracle."
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I always thought Maltese Falcon was overrated as well, but I only saw it once.
You're kidding me!
I love that movie. One of the best noir.....but then again, I haven't seen that much noir.
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You're kidding me!
I love that movie. One of the best noir.....but then again, I haven't seen that much noir.
Never said it was bad, just overrated.
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Never said it was bad, just overrated.
I know, but I still don't think it's overrated.
Anything with Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet, AND Peter Lorre is a classic.
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I love that movie. One of the best noir.....but then again, I haven't seen that much noir.
I've seen a fair amount, and place this among my personal favorites. What it lacks in blackness and grit, it makes up in wit and storyline. Just a fun flick all around, sporting an excellent cast.
Speaking of the excellent cast, I was just watching The Velvet Touch earlier and came to the realization of just how much I dig Sydney Greenstreet.
(http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/6991/maltesefalcon117vs1.jpg)
This remains a bit of a mystery to me, as normally such an outwardly smarmy attitude would repulse me to no end...
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Out of the Past - 9/10
Now that's what I call a stylish noir.
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Then why not give it a stylish "10"?
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I rarely even gives a 9/10 ...but a ten is possible, since I suck at following complex film-noir and it usually takes two viewings for me to really appreciate them (see The Maltese Falcon).
I kind of lost what was going on at some points during the second half of the story when they come ...out of the past.
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Phantom Lady (1944). Early Siodmak noir, famous for its expressionistic photography and the almost constant presence of Ella Raines. Unhappily, the plot is slack, the dialog lame, the acting unconvincing. The camera-work and Ella get a 5, the film gets a one.
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This weekend is the start of Seattle's first film noir festival, featuring several rare films that have never been released on home video. Details here: http://www.seattlefilm.org/events/detail.aspx?FID=55
I hope I can go to some of these....
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This weekend is the start of Seattle's first film noir festival, featuring several rare films that have never been released on home video. Details here: http://www.seattlefilm.org/events/detail.aspx?FID=55
I hope I can go to some of these....
Wow Dave. Hope you get a chance too. Looks great. I was reading about the John Payne film, 99 River Street. Sounded real good. I didn't know it was not available on tape or DVD. They all sound quite interesting. Seattle seems quite outstanding as far as cinema festivals and culture. Have you ever seen any of the Luminous Psyche series films?
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Nope. What are those?
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I read an article after the fact on a retrospective on Bertolucci. Apparently they showed around seven of his films as part of the Luminous Psyche series a couple of years back. I believe the Seattle Art Museum was involved. I thought it was an annual event. In the past I saw they had a showing of films by Max Ophuls. The films and directors are chosen and there's discussion panels and speakers to discuss the films. There seemed to be quite a few groups involved besides the Seattle Art Museum. It seemed that a lot of the discussion was analysis of the characters and films from a psychological and behavioral viewpoint. I guess that's why the series name chosen was Luminous Psyche. It seemed that a lot of the analysis would be from a psychoanalytic slant. I somehow came across the article on the Bertolucci series a year or so ago and after it had happened. I remember thinking how much I would of liked to have been in the Seattle area to have seen it. I've been wanting to check out Ophuls films as well. I'll look to see if I can find some of the things I had read a while back on it.
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I can't find what I had read back a while. There used to be a website, luminouspsyche.org. No longer available. I remember there was quite a bit of information on the Seattle Art Museum site. I was quite impressed with what I read. Even if one were not a proponent of psychoanalytic interpretation, it seemed like a very worthwhile series. To be able to just see some of the films on the big screen, and then to have an opportunity to participate in a community like discussion afterward.
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(http://www.afi.com/wise/films/set_up/images/poster.gif)
Title: The Set Up
Actors: Robert Ryan, Audrey Totter
Director: Robert Wise
Plot Outline: Over-the-hill boxer Bill 'Stoker' Thompson insists he can still win, though his sexy wife Julie pleads with him to quit. But his manager Tiny is so confident he will lose, he takes money for a "dive" from tough gambler Little Boy...without bothering to tell Stoker. Tension builds as Stoker hopes to "take" Tiger Nelson, unaware of what will happen to him if he does. -IMDb
My Thoughts: I'll start by saying I'm a very ametuer (someone must tell me how to spell this word correctly!) reviewer, so I'm going to keep it simple. I just watched it five minutes ago, and just about everything about the movie is perfect aside from some major pacing problems. The acting, direction, characters, and noir style are superb. By superb, I mean superb. Nothing much else for me to say there. Now onto the pacing. First of all, the movie is far too short at a 72 minute running time. I have no problem with the pacing of the first act in which Stoker is waiting for the fight to begin, wondering if his wife will show - the tension builds perfectly. What I do have a problem with this first part is the scenes of his wife wandering the streets, trying to decide whether or not to go to the fight. I realize that highlighting her indecision is a pretty major aspect of the movie, but I feel just cutting all of these scenes would be better for the movie. It did a good enough job continuously showing her empty seat during the fight.
Now - onto the fight itself. Being a big boxing fan, I found this fight to be very well filmed and exciting. I enjoyed watching it. That being said, I felt it dragged on far too long. The point was to see if Stoker had the willpower to go on, not taking the dive. The fight could have been cut quite a bit to still get this point across.
As for the last 10 minutes of the movie, it simply shows the consequences of not taking the drop. It maybe could have been expanded a little bit as it seems even shorter in contrast to the lengthy fight scene, but I have no real problem.
It may seem as if I hate it due to the amount of complaining I did about the pacing, but I actually happen to love it as previously mentioned. Even if the movie was cut to under an hour by getting rid of the scenes of Stoker's wife and shortening the fight a little, I believe it would be a stronger film. Maybe a masterpiece.
My final verdict: 9/10. One of the better noirs I've seen.
Continued reviews here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg135673#msg135673 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg135673#msg135673)
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Thanks for the review rrpower. I love The Set Up. Great Wise film and the ending is so brutal but yet has to happen for one of the protagonist's dreams to come true. Marty has gone on record to say he based the look of his fight scenes in Raging Bull on this great film.
Re The Seattle Noir fest: I would be there if I could, in a heart beat. I'm hoping to catch the one in NY next year. i missed this years :'(
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(http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/3006/honeymoonfb8.gif)
Creepy tail based on real life "Lonely Hearts Killers". Shirley Stoller and Ray Lo Bianco, great
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Just saw Desert Fury (1947) at the Seattle Noir Festival. It's actually in Technicolor, so there will be those who argue against it being a true noir (not me, life is too short). What a cast: Lizabeth Scott, Mary Astor, Burt Lancaster, John Hodiak, and Wendell Corey. Hodiak is a gambler, Corey his muscle: they've been together so long they're like a married couple. So, tension mounts when it seems Scott will come between them. Then there are problems between Scott and her mother (Astor); and why won't Scott give nice-guy sheriff Lancaster the time of day? This is actually one of those films that is better now than when it was made because there is so much in it that is unintentionally funny. One of those so-bad-it's-good experiences. Wendell Corey, with his deadpan delivery, steals the show. I laughed a lot. O0 O0 O0
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The "czar of noir" was on hand to introduce tonight's double feature: 99 River Street and Framed. Eddie Muller has great affection for the first, a film about an ex-boxer (John Payne) who gets mixed up with gangsters. Evelyn Keyes is the girl who falls in with (and for) him, and Muller told us to watch for a couple set pieces which feature her. In one she re-enacts a crime in an hysterical monologue, pitched directly at the camera. In another, she vamps to one of the heavies in a pick-up attempt, and she's just hilarious. Muller compared the director (Phil Karlson) to Don Siegel, and I can see similarities with his no-nonsense approach to action and plot development. The film literally begins with a punch, and the fisticuffs just keep swinging throughout. The print we were shown was immaculate, the contrasts a delight to behold. Too bad this has never been available on VHS/DVD.
Muller also had a few opening comments for Framed. Essentially, he feels that James M. Cain was due royalties for the film, although he actually had nothing to do with it. Glenn Ford plays a drifter who comes to a small town and catches the eye of a dangerous blonde working in a restaurant/ bar. She quickly gets her hooks in and drags him into a murder/embezzlement scheme. Yes, there's a backseat driver with a heavy wrench and a car that goes over a cliff. Hmmm, where have we seen it before? This print didn't look quite as good as 99 River Street, but almost. This is another film you suckers may never be able to see except in a theater.
99 River Street: O0 O0 O0 O0
Framed: O0 O0 O0
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(http://www.cinemacom.com/noir/detour368.jpg)
Title: Detour
Actors: Tom Neal, Anne Savage
Director: Edgar G. Ulmer
Plot Outline: In flashback, New York nightclub pianist Al Roberts hitchhikes to Hollywood to join his girl Sue. On a rainy night, the sleazy gambler he's riding with mysteriously dies; afraid of the police, Roberts takes the man's identity. But thanks to a blackmailing dame, Roberts' every move plunges him deeper into trouble. - IMDb
My thoughts: To start, I saw this a few hours ago on a cheap Public Domain movie set that I bought for $12. Obviously, the quality wasn't too good which most likely took a lot away from the experience. As for the movie itself, I enjoyed it, but the flaws were noticeable. The narration, which is essentially a part of your average noir, is quite well done. The lead performance is great, and the plot is intriguing. Outside of the lead performance, I find just about the rest of the acting to be sub-par while the film runs far too short at 67 minutes. There are some faults in editing here and there, and while comparing it to other noirs, it doesn't have the 'style' down. Overall, it's worth a viewing - just don't set any special time aside.
Final verdict: 6/10, though it could be a 7/10 if I had watched a better quality version. It took away from the experience.
Continued here....... : http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145243#msg145243 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145243#msg145243)
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Huh? Who censored the second word of the plot outline?
Anyway, I just watched The Asphalt Jungle. Thought it was great - 8/10.
(http://artfiles.art.com/images/-/The-Asphalt-Jungle-Poster-C10048017.jpeg)
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Dave, thanks for your reviews and sharing your experiences at the Noir Festival. Sounds like you really enjoyed the double feature with 99 River Street. Since they have such great prints on 99 River Street, maybe they'll consider a DVD release someday.
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You never know. It's up to the studios, and they don't always cooperate.
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Here's an interesting resource I've just learned about: http://noiroftheweek.blogspot.com/2005/01/noir-of-week-list.html
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I just watched The Big Heat.
Pretty DAMN GOOD.
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I just watched The Big Heat.
Pretty DAMN GOOD.
I totally agree. When that lady got her faced burned I was like "OH SNAP!"
But seriously, it's a great Noir/Revenge movie.
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The Big Sleep -- 5/5 -- Another FANTASTIC noir that's come from Leone Admirer's recommendation. Probably my new second favorite noir. Just excellent. Bogey is always great.
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I was a tad confused in Mrs. Duncan's role in the plot.
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The Big Sleep -- 5/5 -- Another FANTASTIC noir that's come from Leone Admirer's recommendation. Probably my new second favorite noir. Just excellent. Bogey is always great.
Yes, it's an amazing movie.
The Big Heat - 9/10
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Everyone - post your 10 favorites noirs. EVERYONE DO THIS!
10. Touch of Evil
9. Out of the Past
8. The Third Man
7. The Maltese Falcon
6. Anatomy of a Murder (arguable if it's noir or not)
5. The Big Sleep
4. The Set-Up
3. The Big Heat
2. Sunset Boulevard
1. The Killing
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Everyone - post your 10 favorites noirs. EVERYONE DO THIS!
I would, but I haven't seen enough noirs.
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I would, but I haven't seen enough noirs.
The same here. I've seen only two films of rrpower's list.
Does The 39 Steps count as noir? Just curious.
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Touch of Evil
Out of the Past
Kiss Me Deadly
Kiss of Death
Night Of The Hunter
Double Indemnity
Pick Up On South Street
The Naked Kiss
The Lady From Shanghi
The Third Man
Sunset Boulevard
The Big Combo
Niagra
DOA
The Killing
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Does The 39 Steps count as noir? Just curious.
Not even close.
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The new foxclassics web page has announced the following additions to their Fox Noir line:
Daisy Kenyon
(dir. Otto Preminger, USA 1947)
Dangerous Crossing
(dir. Joseph Newman, USA 1953)
Black Widow
(dir. Nunnally Johnson, USA 1954)
Boomerang!
(dir. Elia Kazan, USA 1947)
Source: http://www.foxclassics.com/comingsoon.php
Very nice to see that Boomerang! will finally be available to all. Black Widow will be great if they put it out in OAR (it was shot in Cinemascope). I look forward to finally having a copy of Daisy Kenyon, although it is a woman's drama rather than a noir (there's no crime in it). No dates on any of these yet. Anyway, great news.
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I just watched The Stranger. A damn fine movie. Orson Welles is possibly the greatest director of all time.
Watch it (legally) here:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2470747832104710993&q=the+stranger+orson+welles&total=19&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0
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The new foxclassics web page has announced the following additions to their Fox Noir line:
Daisy Kenyon
(dir. Otto Preminger, USA 1947)
Dangerous Crossing
(dir. Joseph Newman, USA 1953)
Black Widow
(dir. Nunnally Johnson, USA 1954)
Boomerang!
(dir. Elia Kazan, USA 1947)
Source: http://www.foxclassics.com/comingsoon.php
Very nice to see that Boomerang! will finally be available to all. Black Widow will be great if they put it out in OAR (it was shot in Cinemascope). I look forward to finally having a copy of Daisy Kenyon, although it is a woman's drama rather than a noir (there's no crime in it). No dates on any of these yet. Anyway, great news.
Made my day that announcement did. I'm up to date on all of them at the moment and was rather dissapointed that they had it seemed stopped the line. Knowing Fox I more then suspect that BW will be in OAR. Dangerous Crossing is a great little thriller as well good to have it on DVD. I can't wait to get my hands on the latest WB collection when I'm back in NY. (Also for those who haven't got them Angel Face, Macoa and the neo-noir The Yakuza available as part of the Bob Mitchum set are fantastic with Premingers Angel Face being the best of the lot)
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My Favs:
Fallen Angel
Body Heat (contemporary noir?) :-\
The Postman Always Rings Twice
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Double Indemnity - 5/5
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The Big Sleep - 3/5
Terrible, convoluted plot that bored me. Bogey and Bacall's chemistry on screen is one thing that makes the movie watchable.
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The Big Sleep - 3/5
Terrible, convoluted plot that bored me. Bogey and Bacall's chemistry on screen is one thing that makes the movie watchable.
Hey, WTF! I saw this a couple nights ago and it blew me away.
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Even *I* like The Big Sleep. Peacemaker, have you been into my stash of Jimson weed?
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Even *I* like The Big Sleep. Peacemaker, have you been into my stash of Jimson weed?
;D ;)
I dunno, I just didn't think it was that great. I didn't say it was that bad either.
Just....eh.
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Angels With Dirty Faces 5/5
One of James Cagney's best. I love how he portray's the character of Rocky Sullivan. Cagney was a joy to watch.
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Beaver reviews Warner's Film Noir 4 boxset: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews32/film_noir_classic_collection_v4.htm
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DELETED
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The Big Sleep - 3/5
Terrible, convoluted plot that bored me. Bogey and Bacall's chemistry on screen is one thing that makes the movie watchable.
YOUR plot is terrible and convoluted.
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YOUR plot is terrible and convoluted.
This would be true if his screen name was "Gianfranco Parolini."
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One of the reasons (so-called) film noir went south is that TV took over its subject matter and much of its style. Perry Mason (1957-1966) demonstrates this, as do the early seasons of The Fujitive. DVDBeaver has some nice screen captures from the new release The Fujitive, Season 1 Part 1 here: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews32/the_fugitive_tv_series.htm
It's fun to look at shots of some of the guest stars and try to ID them. I can get most of them, and most importantly (to my way of thinking) I can name all the women. Give it a try yourself.
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The Fugitive was a tremendous television series. They just don't make dramas like that anymore. A while back, actually it must be more than 10 years ago, Arts & Entertainment (whatever happened to the programming on that channel?) used to show the reruns. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them. You're right. It was always quite fun to see and pick out the stars that were featured in each episode. A lot of those stars went on to bigger things, or were frequent guest stars on all the other hour long programs of the 60's. The Fugitive episode formula was recycled quite a bit by a lot of programs that followed in various ways. Always liked David Jansen too. He was always pretty terrific on television like James Garner.
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Stanley Kubrick's The Killing (1956) 5/5 great noir hiest that goes completely wrong O0
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Detour - 5/5. Low key and entertaining. It doesn't try to be anything more than it isn't. What it is a low budget gem. Recommended.
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Daisy Kenyon
(dir. Otto Preminger, USA 1947)
Dangerous Crossing
(dir. Joseph Newman, USA 1953)
DVDEmpire lists these for pre-order and a release date of March 11.
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This seems like the place to post this. Terry Teachout in October at the commentarymagazine.com blog issued the following book review of the new Otto Preminger biography.
Bookshelf
Terry Teachout - 10.22.2007 - 11:01
• Otto Preminger? Who he? If you’re a paid-up member of the most extreme wing of the auteur theory of film criticism, which holds that directors are the golden gods of Hollywood and everyone else is chopped liver, you’re probably already bristling. Preminger is a certified darling of the auteurists, though cooler heads long ago dismissed him as a cost-conscious middlebrow with a Viennese accent whose continental demeanor and I-am-a-genius tantrums were sucker bait for impressionable rubes. Even his brother agreed. When Foster Hirsch approached Ingo Preminger about writing a biography of his more famous sibling, he got a thoroughly sensible answer: “I can see eight, nine, ten books about Bergman or Fellini, but a book about Otto? He was a very good producer and he fought important battles against censorship, but there was no great film!”
Nevertheless, Hirsch soldiered on, and the result is Otto Preminger: The Man Who Would Be King (Knopf, 373 pp., $35), a readable book about an interesting man who made two good movies, Laura and Anatomy of a Murder, and two or three others that are still worth watching. If you think that’s sufficient cinematic achievement to justify a full-length biography, rest assured that this one will hold your attention, for Preminger’s story is fascinating from start to finish. A Polish Jew who reinvented himself as an echt-Viennese stage director, he relocated to Hollywood by way of Broadway and embarked on a career that brought him fame, fortune and a fair number of admiring reviews. A bald-headed tyrant whose larger-than-life personality made him the stuff of countless anecdotes, Preminger worked with everybody from Laurette Taylor to John Wayne, had affairs with Gypsy Rose Lee and Dorothy Dandridge, and played a half-dozen big-screen Nazis on the side, the best-remembered of whom is the sardonic commandant of Billy Wilder’s Stalag 17: “With Christmas coming on, I have a special treat for you. I’ll have you all deloused for the holidays.”
In between these well-told tales, Hirsch does all he can to persuade us that the director of Forever Amber, The Moon Is Blue, and River of No Return was something more than a highly paid hack. Not only does he call the embarrassingly elephantine Advise and Consent “the most intelligent American film about American politics…made by a maestro at the height of his command of the language of film,” but he even finds it in his forgiving heart to describe Skidoo, one of the half-dozen worst big-budget movies ever made, as “this infamous, endearing flop.” Far more telling, though, is Hirsch’s unintentionally devastating account of Preminger’s parallel career as a stage director in Austria and America, which leaves no possible doubt of his fundamental artistic unseriousness (the only plays of any importance that he directed in his 42 years in the theater were The Front Page and Johann Nestroy’s Einen Jux will er sich machen).
The truth was that Preminger cared only for commercial success, and was willing to make any compromise necessary in order to get it. Whenever he took on “serious” subject matter, he invariably watered it down so as to make it palatable to the masses, adding just enough shock value to épater le bourgeois. (It was Preminger who introduced the word “virgin” to the silver screen in The Moon Is Blue, showed Frank Sinatra shooting up in The Man with the Golden Arm, and filmed the inside of a gay bar in Advise and Consent.) Only twice did he adapt significant stage plays, Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan and Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan, and both films, predictably enough, were artistic and commercial failures.
The rest was melodrama—except for Laura, the slickest and most elegant film noir ever made, and Anatomy of a Murder, a startlingly tough-minded courtroom drama in which Preminger drew on his youthful experience as a Viennese law student to show how lawyers approach the vexing problem of defending clients whose innocence they doubt. These two films are more than worth remembering, and Hirsch does well by them (though he seems curiously unaware that Alexander Woollcott was the real-life model for Waldo Lydecker, the epicene journalist-radio personality who narrates Laura).
Yet two films do not an oeuvre make, and I have a feeling that Foster Hirsch, for all his enthusiasm, suspects as much. At book’s end, he describes Otto Preminger as “a supremely fluent metteur-en-scène who made thoughtful, challenging films on a broad range of subjects that continue to matter.” Judicious appraisal—or damning with faint praise? You be the judge.
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And my response:
Worth a read, certainly. But a quick check of the IMDB shows that TT's assessment of OP is too pat. I've not seen Anatomy of a Murder, which is probably pretty good (a Jimmy Stewart picture), but Laura is one of those films that's famous for being famous. When you actually see the thing you can't help feeling disappointed: the plot's a complete bust. The first time through, however, not knowing this, it's possible to be impressed by the movie's wit and sense of style. But once you know the ending, it's hard to return to the film with any great amount of pleasure.
Style is what OP was all about. Of course, today Laura is considered a "film noir," and a particularly good-looking one. But it was not the only example of the, ahem, genre to come off OP's bat. Worthier films include Fallen Angel (w/ Linda Darnell and Dana Andrews), Whirlpool (Gene Tierney), Where the Sidewalk Ends (Andrews and Tierney) and Angel Face (Mitchum and Jean Simmons). What these films all have in common is that they consist of B-film material burnished to an A-level gloss. All are entertaining, and work reasonably well (Whirlpool is complete hokum); OP knew how to appeal to mainstream tastes.
OP's later career was essentially more of the same, only instead of looking to the pulps for inspiration, he took his material from airport news stands. Hence Bonjour Tristesse, Anatomy of a Murder, and Exodus; how he avoided adapting an Alex Haley novel we'll never know. True, his aspirations weren't very high, but he knew his audience, and how to flatter it. There are exceptions, however. The last film of his career was The Human Factor, a Graham Greene novel that did have high aspirations, as did, presumably, Preminger's film. Even more interesting is the fact that OP brought out the film version of Porgy and Bess (odd that TT doesn't mention this). I've never seen the whole thing (I watched part of it at a SIFF Secret Festival screening) and it's not my thing (Gershwin opera), but there are people to whom attention must be paid who think the film is one of cinema's grails (rights issues, apparently, keep it from general distribution). Say what you will about its merits, P&B represents OP's bid for artistic sainthood. What audience did he make it for, anyway? Apparently, one not yet born.
In the end, OP will be remembered mostly as an entertainer, a showman. But that is no small achievement. Indeed, I'd rather sit down to Fallen Angel or Where the Sidewalk Ends (even Laura) than have to again endure Touch of Evil or The Lady from Shanghai. Welles could have benefited from a bit of Preminger's "common touch," and probably envied it.
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February brings the Noir circus back to town, along with ringmaster Eddie Muller: http://www.seattlefilm.org/events/detail.aspx?FID=91
Man, do I love double features. I'll definitely be seeing Moonrise (w/ Gail Russell) and Night Has a Thousand Eyes (with Gail Russell and Edward G. from a Cornell Woolrich tale). Those are two I've been curious about for a while. Woman in Hiding/Jeopardy are another pair I've never seen. And Conflict is one of the few Bogarts I've missed.
Too bad, suckers. In the Noir World there are those who get to live in Seattle, and those who have to spend their lives watching television.
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February brings the Noir circus back to town, along with ringmaster Eddie Muller: http://www.seattlefilm.org/events/detail.aspx?FID=91
Man, do I love double features. I'll definitely be seeing Moonrise (w/ Gail Russell) and Night Has a Thousand Eyes (with Gail Russell and Edward G. from a Cornell Woolrich tale). Those are two I've been curious about for a while. Woman in Hiding/Jeopardy are another pair I've never seen. And Conflict is one of the few Bogarts I've missed.
Too bad, suckers. In the Noir World there are those who get to live in Seattle, and those who have to spend their lives watching television.
May I change my category?
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By all means. Just don't get caught doing it.
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hey i need some help here, i recently rented "the big sleep" and was wondering which version of the film should i watch first, the 1946 theatrical version or the '45 prerelease version. your help will be appreciated.
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Doesn't matter much. In fact, I think there's a short documentary with the disc that covers the differences, and they aren't all that significant. Flip a coin, watch either version, then watch the doc, and you'll be good to go.
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Also check out James Garner in "Marlowe" based somewhat on Chandler's "The Little Sister" sometime if you can, It wasn't bad if I recall & Rita Moreno does a nice strip tease. :o
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Ministry of Fear (1944) - 6.5/10
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Ministry of Fear (1944) - 6.5/10
I've wondered about that one. Why doesn't it quite live up to its billing?
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I've wondered about that one. Why doesn't it quite live up to its billing?
It just feels too much of studio product in the bad sense. I mean, it feels as if it was put together on an assembly line. Some plot holes. But it's not complete rubbish.
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The Big Sleep 9/10
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Out of the Past: 8/10
The ending really made this film work for me O0
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Then why doesn't it get a "10" (or at least a "9")? It's not only a great film, it's a great Mitchum film!
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Then why doesn't it get a "10" (or at least a "9")? It's not only a great film, it's a great Mitchum film!
the plot, thats why. i really didn't know exactly what was going on, just a general gist of it. Mitchum and Greer were great, and so was the cinematography, but that plot just hard to follow (i loved the themes of it though)
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the plot, thats why. i really didn't know exactly what was going on, just a general gist of it . . .
How is that the fault of the film? Give yourself an "8" and the film a "10."
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How is that the fault of the film? Give yourself an "8" and the film a "10."
:-[
well im sorry i obviously didn't like it as much as you
i guess i didn't follow the plot very well because i really didn't connect with it right away until it started to end. Objectivly speaking, yeah it's a great film, with great acting, writing, direction, and cinematography. But subjectivly speaking, i just didn't connect with it. Maybe if the film spent a little more time at the beginning showing more scenes with Ann and Bailey together, i might have felt more of a connection right away.
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Noir week has come and gone, and I saw all the ones I wanted and then some. I got a free ticket to opening night and so was able to catch a new 35mm print of The Prowler, with Van Heflin as a (very entertaining) psycho cop. Next I saw the Gail Russell double feature: Moonrise turned out to be a disappointment, visually rich, but plot-wise, a beggar. Night Has a Thousand Eyes, however, with the great Edward G. as a psychic, was a real corker--but then, it was based on a Cornell Woolrich story, so you'd expect no less. Then, Women-in-Peril Night had one with Ida Lupino (Woman in Hiding--too many plot contrivances to enjoy), and one with Barbara Stanwyck (Jeopardy--no less contrived, but with dynamite pacing that kept your mind on the action). But as Mr. Muller said in his opening remarks, with Ida and Barbara as the women, how much peril can they be in? [It turns out Jeopardy is actually out on video, and I can recommend it as the best 69 minute feature I've ever seen.] Finally, I was able to finish up with Conflict, one of the few Bogarts I hadn't seen until then (Bogey discovers that murdering his wife puts him in a lonely place--ha!).
With the festival over, what's a noirhead like me to do? No worries: the local revival house is beginning a Phil Karlson retrospective this week. First up: 5 Against the House (w/Kim Novak and Brain Keith - 1955) and Brothers Rico (w/Richard Conte - 1957). I don't much care for Karlson's Kansas City Confidential, but last year I saw his 99 River Street and enjoyed it, so I've got my hopes up. Anway, the important thing is, I get to see these films, and you don't. That's noir, baby!
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Beaver:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews35/daisy_kenyon.htm
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews35/black_widow.htm
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews35/dangerous_crossing.htm
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Here's a comparison Beaver has done of the different versions of Cry of the City: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews21/cry_of_the_city_dvd_review.htm
The German one looks good, and really whets my appetite for the new Criterion disc, which should look as good or better.
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Sounds like I'm going to have to check out The Prowler when I can, I'm beginning to develope a healthy respect for Van Heflin
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Sounds like I'm going to have to check out The Prowler when I can, I'm beginning to develope a healthy respect for Van Heflin
Yeah, he's an interesting actor. Just saw him in Gunman's Walk, playing a crusty rancher with two grown sons. He plays it as a back-slapping, hard-drinking good-ol-boy, and does it very convincingly.
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Heflin really was a versatile actor. Last weekend I caught most of Patterns (1956) on TCM. He was pretty terrific in this film as well. In Patterns he plays an executive that’s worked his way up from the field to management. Brought in to replace another aging executive played by Ed Begley. The film was based upon a teleplay and script by Rod Serling. Apparently, it was originally a television production for the old Kraft Theater program in 1955. The television production was so well received, that a studio approached Serling to script a feature film version. I guess much like his screenplay for Requiem For A Heavyweight. Everett Sloane is outstanding as well. Nicely written and acted.
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Hulu.com has Boomerang! available to stream for free. The catch is you gotta watch a bunch of annoying commercials interspersed throughout, but given the difficulty of finding this title, it's nice this option's available. It's allowed me to finally see it.
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His Kind of Woman (1951) - 6.5/10
Is Jane Russell hot or what! :-*
Dan Milner (Robert Mitchum), a gambler, agrees to fly to a high class hotel in Mexico for $50,000. No reason for this request is given. On the way there he meets Lenore Brent (Russell) who has the same destination. She's going there to meet her boyfriend, actor Mark Cardigan (Vincent Price). At their destination Milner starts to wonder why he's there and to have second thoughts...
Until the last half an hour it's very entertaining; the Mitchum/Russell couple is nice, supportive characters are entertaining (though, in the end most of them appear to have little to do with anything) and the dialogue is juicy. But the last half an hour! For some reason, at the point where one would expect the movie to pick up the pace it feels slower than ever before; and this is where all the action happens! Also, on one hand there is serious stuff and unexpectedly violent violence but on the other hand there is this actor character going through a farce of his own, and this doesn't come off all that well (I can see the same problem in PotC films). What's worst, we don't see Russell on screen for almost half an hour :(
Continued here............: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg149093#msg149093 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg149093#msg149093)
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Scarlet Street 9/10, this was one of those Noirs where you never quite were sure which way it was going, kept me interested throughout, it was great, Dir, Fritz Lang, with Edward G. Robinson, Joan Benett, Dan Duryea. rent & check it out on Netflix!
continued here........ : http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg146626#msg146626 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg146626#msg146626)
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According to Dvd Empire, Fox will release 3 more noirs on September 2nd. They are:
Boomerang
Moontide
Road House.
Found this note today at HTF. Exciting news, although with Boomerang available on Hulu now, not as exciting as it would have been a few months back. The other two are Ida Lupino films: Moontide being a rare Hollywood starring vehicle for Jean Gabin (and directed or partially directed by Fritz Lang); and Road House featuring Lupino in a triangle with Cornel Wilde and Richard Widmark. Haven't seen either of these, and am looking forward particularly to Road House.
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I think I'll make it's own thread, since it's so damn good. Tuco_Harmonica in the 'Rate the Last Movie' thread claimed it to be the greatest American film ever. While I wouldn't go THAT far, it's certainly nearly the best of the 50's.
As mentioned in the other thread Lancaster and Curtis give incredible performances. The downtown New York atmosphere Mackendrick creates is unbeatable. It has to be the "New Yorkiest" movie I've ever seen aside from Manhattan. The script is perfection, the dialog contributes even more to the wonderful atmosphere.
Well I'm not going to go on pulling a bunch of praise (and adjectives) out of my ass. Just see the movie.
(http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/MG/143936~Sweet-Smell-of-Success-Posters.jpg)
Thread continues here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg134602#msg134602
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*Tuco Harmonica said it's possibly the greatest American movie that he's seen.
You know what, it is the best American movie of all time. I doubt I'll see anything that I think will best it. ;D
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Ok, I think it's time to see this. I love Burt Lancaster and this film has seemed to slip under my radar.
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WOW!: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews39/desert_fury.htm
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Sounds interesting
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Handy: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/film-noir.htm
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That is handy thanks. O0
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Two Vincent Sherman noir-like films come out September 23 in R1: Affair in Trinidad and The Garment Jungle (according to IMDb, this second one is actually a Robert Aldrich film, but with Sherman's name on it). These are part of a new line of "Martini Movies" the Sony is inaugurating. Other films are coming out on the same date. Here's the complete press release:
SPHE Press Release: Sony launches Martini Movies
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Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Launches Martini Movies
New Label of Hip and Iconic Films for the Cool Film Lover
First Slate includes The New Centurions, The Anderson Tapes, The Garment Jungle, Affair in Trinidad and $ (Dollars)
For the First Time on DVD in the U.S. on September 23, 2008
Culver City, CA (July 14, 2008) – No matter the decade, there’s a place where icons, idols and the infamous flock for bottomless drinks and over-the-top trysts. Now Sony Pictures Home Entertainment invites you back to that place with an intriguing selection of MARTINI MOVIES. Making their U. S. DVD debut in this collection are such cutting-edge films as The New Centurions, The Anderson Tapes, The Garment Jungle, Affair in Trinidad and $(Dollars). The titles in the MARTINI MOVIES collection will be available individually for an SRP of $19.94 each.
Straight men and con artists, radicals and revolutionaries, flacks and scabs: they’re all here, shooting the breeze, working the room , cursing the past and toasting the future. These MARTINI MOVIES feature the work of some of the finest actors and directors of the past fifty years and take us from the dawn of Hollywood to 1970’s Las Vegas con-games.
The New Centurions, based on the debut novel by best-selling author Joseph Wambaugh, is directed by Academy Award® winner Richard Fleischer (1947 Best Feature Documentary, Design for Death; Soylent Green) and stars Academy Award® winner George C. Scott (1971 Best Actor, Patton; Dr. Strangelove) and Academy Award® nominee Jane Alexander (Best Actress in a Leading Role 1984 Testament, 1974 The Great White Hope; Best Actress in a Supporting Role 1980 Kramer vs. Kramer, 1977 All the President’s Men). The Anderson Tapes, based on a novel by award-winning mystery novelist Lawrence Sanders, is directed by Academy Award® nominee Sidney Lument (Best Director, 1983 The Verdict, 1977 Network, 1976 Dog Day Afternoon, 1958 Twelve Angry Men) and stars Academy Award® winner Sean Connery (1988 Best Supporting Actor, The Untouchables; Dr. No, Goldfinger) and Academy Award® nominee Dyan Cannon (Best Actress in a Supporting Role 1970 Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, 1980 Heaven Can Wait). The Garment Jungle, a behind the scenes look at the famed New York City garment district, directed by Vincent Sherman (Mr. Skeffington, Old Acquaintance), stars Academy Award® nominees Lee J. Cobb (Best Actor in a Supporting Role 1955 On the Waterfront, 1959 The Brothers Karamazov) and Robert Loggia (1986 Best Actor in a Supporting Role Jagged Edge). Affair in Trinidad, a steamy film nor set in the Carribean, also directed by Vincent Sherman, stars Rita Hayworth (Gilda, Pal Joey) and Glenn Ford (Gilda, Superman). $ (Dollars), a quirky heist comedy, was directed Academy Award® winner Richard Brooks (1961 Best Adapted Screenplay Elmer Gantry; In Cold Blood) and stars Academy Award® winners Warren Beatty (1982 Best Director Reds; Bonnie and Clyde) and Goldie Hawn (1970 Best Actress in a Supporting Role Cactus Flower; Private Benjamin).
Synopses
THE NEW CENTURIONS (1972)
Rookie cop Roy Fehler (Stacy Keach) and seasoned veteran Andy Kilvinski (George C. Scott) patrol the worst ghettos of Los Angeles. Cruising the hood, they bravely face off with hookers, gangsters, druggies and bank robbers. However, when his partner and best friend retires, Fehler discovers how good cops can sometimes turn bad.
THE ANDERSON TAPES (1971)
When Duke Anderson (Sean Connery) gets out of the cooler, he discovers the mother lode in his rich girlfriend’s (Dyan Cannon) ritzy apartment building. With help from a safecracker (Christopher Walken), a decorator and a thug, Duke might be able to pull off the greatest heist yet. What he doesn’t know if that someone is watching his every move and beating him at his own game.
THE GARMENT JUNGLE (1957)
On the mean streets of the garment district in New York City, Alan Mitchell (Kerwin Matthews) discovers that the dress business owned by his father (Lee J. Cobb) is being controlled by the mob. Alan must join forces with rebellious labor union leaders in order to save his family’s company from thugs.
AFFAIR IN TRINIDAD (1952)
Rita Hayworth portrays a dancer who, at the cost of damaging her relationship with leading man Glenn Ford, secretly agrees to work in cahoots with the police in an attempt to extract information from a gang of international spies.
$ (DOLLARS) (1971)
The stakes are high when a high-class hooker, Dawn Divine (Goldie Hawn) and a handsome con man, Joe Collins (Warren Beatty), team up for a Hamburg bank heist. They set their targets on the secret stashes of a shady army sergeant, a German drug dealer and a Vegas mobster. But when the crooks realize they’ve been double-crossed, Dawn and Joe must run for their lives in order to keep the loot.
MARTINI MOVIES DVDS INCLUDE “MARTINI MINUTES”
How to Hold Your Liquor
How to Pull Off a Heist
How to Play the Leading Lady
How to Play the Leading Man
The New Centurions is directed by Richard Fleischer and written by Sterling Silliphant, based on a novel by Joseph Wambaugh. With George C. Scott, Stacy Keach and Jane Alexander.
The Anderson Tapes is directed by Sidney Lumet and written by Frank Pierson, based on a novel by Lawrence Sanders. With Sean Connery, Dyan Cannon, Martin Balsam and Christopher Walken.
The Garment Jungle is directed by Vincent Sherman and written by Harry Kleiner, based on articles by Lester Velie. With Lee J. Cobb, Kerwin Mathews, Gia Scala, Richard Boone and Robert Loggia.
Affair in Trinidad is directed by Vincent Sherman and written by James Gunn, Oscar Saul, Berne Giler and Virginia Van Upp. With Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford.
$(Dollars) is directed and written by Richard Brooks. With Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn.
"Academy Award®" and "Oscar®" are the registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
THE NEW CENTURIONS
DVD Catalog #:
26805
DVD UPC Code:
043396-26805-0
DVD Order Date:
8/21/08
DVD SLP:
$19.94
Running Time
103 minutes
Rating
R
THE ANDERSON TAPES
DVD Catalog #:
26807
DVD UPC Code:
043396-26807-4
DVD Order Date:
8/21/08
DVD SLP:
$19.94
Running Time
98 minutes
Rating
PG
THE GARMENT JUNGLE
DVD Catalog #:
26809
DVD UPC Code:
043396-26809-8
DVD Order Date:
8/21/08
DVD SLP:
$19.94
Running Time
88 minutes
Rating
NR
AFFAIR IN TRINIDAD
DVD Catalog #:
28203
DVD UPC Code:
043396-28203-2
DVD Order Date:
8/21/08
DVD SLP:
$19.94
Running Time
98 minutes
Rating
NR
$ (DOLLARS)
DVD Catalog #:
26880
DVD UPC Code:
043396-26880-7
DVD Order Date:
8/21/08
DVD SLP:
$19.94
Running Time
121 minutes
Rating
R
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711 Ocean Drive (1950) Edmond O'Brien 6.5/10
A telephone repairman gets mixed up with illegal gambling.
More of a crime drama than a noir I think .
Continued here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg142803#msg142803 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg142803#msg142803)
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Interesting series of French films noir (if such thngs can be said to exist). An over-reliance on films already available on DVD, unhappily, but still some interesting rarities: http://www.filmforum.org/films/crimewave.html
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The DVD release of Boomerang! has been canceled . . . again. Oh well, it's still up for free streaming on hulu.com.
Moontide and Road House still appear to be on track for Sept. 2.
EDIT: In fact, Boomerang! came out, so the Kazan completists should be happy.
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Someone tell me what they think of these movies. There's a buy 1 get 1 free sale on Deep Discount with a ton of warner titles, and they have all the box sets on sale.
Born to Kill
Clash By Night
Crossfire
Dillinger
The Narrow Margin
Border Incident
His Kind of Woman
Lady in the Lake
On Dangerous Ground
The Racket
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Someone tell me what they think of these movies. There's a buy 1 get 1 free sale on Deep Discount with a ton of warner titles, and they have all the box sets on sale.
Born to Kill
Clash By Night
Crossfire
Dillinger
The Narrow Margin
Border Incident
His Kind of Woman
Lady in the Lake
On Dangerous Ground
The Racket
BTK is good, CBN is not noir (it's a trashy women's picture), Crossfire is so-so, Dillinger is so-so, The Narrow Margin sucks (I'm the only one who thinks this, it is generally highly regarded), Border Incident is excellent (but kind of like a TV episode--a very, very good TV episode, mind), HKW is off-beat (kind of a noir comedy), LitL is a gimmick (but an interesting one), ODG has a great first half but turns ridiculous once they leave the city (great score, though), The Racket is very, very, very so-so.
Hope that helps.
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How can I get ahold of this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6P2Eeom-Oc
Not to mention this:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045902/
?
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How can I get ahold of this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6P2Eeom-Oc
By taking . . . the long wait?
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By taking . . . the long wait?
I'd rather take the same route the one who posted the excerpt at youtube or those who reviewed the movie at IMDB took. But you're not a detour expert, are you?
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They Live by Night (1948) - 7.5/10
A good film noir. Okay, maybe it could be 8/10.
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They Live by Night (1948) - 7.5/10
A good film noir. Okay, maybe it could be 8/10.
Could you elaborate? I've had the DVD for some time but I can never quite bring myself to watch it because 1) I dislike Farley Granger; and 2) I really hate Cathy O'donnell. Also, I've seen Altman's version (Thieves Like Us) and I don't really feel like heading back into such territory again. Am I thinking wrong?
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I guess the story is pretty much the same in Altman's version. I can't say this would be the most original movie ever (or even if it was at some point it isn't anymore after numerous copycats) but the use of helicopter shots in action scenes is something worth noticing. Also note not showing the heist, an idea that has since been used for example in Reservoir Dogs. Neither one of the main couple (Farley Granger/Cathy O'Donnell) is really personal (in "star" sense) but that doesn't mean they would be dull; I think their relationship is interesting to follow. What can I say? It's a well-written, well-directed and well-acted although not overly original crime movie. Is it worth your time? Well, that depends on what else you have in your shelf.
Continued here...... : http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145122#msg145122 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145122#msg145122)
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Glenn Erickson reviews the new Sunset Blvd. Centenial edition DVD: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s2751suns.html
He can't help commenting on the film itself and gives one especially helpful insight:
The themes of despair and moral decay are definitely Noir, but what Sunset Blvd. resembles most is a Gothic horror film. The "undead" Norma Desmond entices Joe Gillis away from the land of the living, to share her waxwork fantasy of a bygone age. Like one of Dracula's minions, Joe is only the latest in a succession of victims that include a chimpanzee (!) and an ex-film director. Max the Butler fabricates phony fan letters, feeding Norma's fantasy the way one of Dracula's helpers might provide fresh supplies of blood. Norma controls and manipulates Joe with her forceful personality. In no time at all he's yielding to her will on every subject. Joe thinks he's a tough guy and can walk out whenever he likes, but he's fooling himself.
I would agree that comparing the film to the gothic horror genre seems more revealing than applying the "film noir" label to the movie.
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But Jinkies, the STYLE! It's noir because of the style! :D
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You are being facetious, of course, but in fact you see a lot of the stylistic elements associated with film noir in horror films of the 40s. Hangover Square and the Val Lewtons, for example, use expressionistic lighting, but they are still horror films. Calling such things horror-noir is just fudging.
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The Long Wait http://www.ioffer.com/i/43066926
I The Jury http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150310531760
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This is the very point I make. My film class aggravates me to no end because many people in the class seem unable to think outside the box when it comes to classifying movies. My final paper for that class was in fact arguing that there's no way in hell that Mildred Pierce is a noir film.
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But Jinkies, the STYLE! It's noir because of the style! :D
Why do you have to drag this pointless debate into every thread dealing with noir, er, I mean 40s and 50s heist, thriller, PI, police prodecural, suspense, crime, mystery and femme fatale films?
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It was relevant to Jenkins' post.
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Thanx, CJ O0
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Yeah, CJ, thanks. Could you find "The Line-up" for us, too?
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Yeah, CJ, thanks. Could you find "The Line-up" for us, too?
http://scootermoviesshop.com/sess/utn;jsessionid=1549396b98064ce/shopdata/index.shopscript (http://scootermoviesshop.com/sess/utn;jsessionid=1549396b98064ce/shopdata/index.shopscript)
Slight rainbow effect in the background of a few scenes but a great transfer overall.
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Thanks, T_H. I guess you've posted that link before, but I'd forgotten about it.
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On the off-chance anyone's interested, I uploaded my final film essay to my blog:
http://nothingiswrittenfilm.blogspot.com/2008/12/mildred-pierce-and-question-noir.html (http://nothingiswrittenfilm.blogspot.com/2008/12/mildred-pierce-and-question-noir.html)
I do concede that noir exists in some shape or form, you'll notice. ;)
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It only exists in the minds of critics and the suckers they dupe. It can be a useful term of convenience when referring in passing to a 20-year block of Hollywood films; however, when it ceases to be useful, it should be discarded. What does Bound have to do with black & white films of the 40s and 50s? Why speak of films noir when you can use more useful and precise terms such as "PI films" or "50s police procedurals" ? What does The Maltese Falcon have in common with Odds Against Tomorrow? There may be a few points of similarity that can be educed, but surely it is more illuminating to enumerate the differences between such films.
Anyway, your paper/blog is well argued, although it suffers a bit from a confusion of categories (noir is neither a genre nor a style). Clearly, though, Mildred Pierce should be classified (if classifying is needed) as a woman's melodrama.
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You need to take that issue up with my film instructor. The selection of noir films he had was silly; I'm not sure I'd consider any of the three he screened a noir film at all. Gilda maybe, although I feel the relationship between Johnny and Gilda was the main focus of that movie. Bound is probably the closest storywise but it's definitely not a classic noir film. We watched a scene from Double Indemnity (which as a result I watched for myself) but that's about the only "true" noir. No Touch of Evil, no Maltese Falcon, no Third Man, no Wilder films - I found his selection to be ridiculous, hence my bitching in the paper about his selection of films. Perhaps that was his point, though.
I made the qualification to avoid argument with Tuco and others. That wasn't my intent, which was merely self-promotion with something relevant to the thread in question.
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Thanks, T_H. I guess you've posted that link before, but I'd forgotten about it.
no problem, DJ.
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CinemaRetro reviews the M Squad- The Complete Series box set:
http://www.cinemaretro.com/index.php?/archives/2686-LEE-MARVINS-M-SQUAD-THE-COMPLETE-SERIES-COMES-TO-DVD.html
I've never seen any of these, but I'd sure like to . . .
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titoli, did you get your copy of The Long Wait yet? Mine came today: it's sourced from a videotape with a fair number of annoying creases: oh well, it's watchable.
Also got a DVD-R of The Locket, a Mitchum I've wanted to see . . .
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titoli, did you get your copy of The Long Wait yet?
No, I followed your expert advice and took a long wait.
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titoli, did you get your copy of The Long Wait yet? Mine came today: it's sourced from a videotape with a fair number of annoying creases: oh well, it's watchable.
(http://i21.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/c7/79/f992_1.JPG)
I can't find this bastard either.
All the reviewers at IMDB haven't been on the site since 1993.
Where did you get yours?
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If you read page 16 of this thread you would know it. >:(
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If you read page 16 of this thread you would know it. >:(
Well why didn't you tell me sooner :D
I've been chasing ghosts the past month.
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That particular DVD-R is kind of a disappointment. Not only is the source videotape, that was in turn taken from a TV broadcast. So the image is several generations removed from an actual print, with the corresponding loss of detail. As it happens, though, the film isn't all that good anyway, so it's not one I'm going to be rewatching much. I am glad to have seen it once, however.
My copy of The Locket from the same vendor was much better (sourced directly from a TV broadcast I think), and since that's a real corker of a film, I'm glad matters fell out as they did.
Now I'm waiting for DVD-R of I, The Jury and Pitfall from that other seller linked on page 16.
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Violent Saturday, which, as far as I know, is not available on a legit DVD anywhere, is available for free streaming at Hulu. It may not be everyone's definition of a noir, though (widescreen, in color). Still, it does have Lee Marvin . . .
http://www.hulu.com/watch/50978/violent-saturday
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The Big Combo (1955) - 8/10
I wasn't expecting much but was pleasantly surprised. The cinematography is great and shadow-rich, though the transfer I saw was bad. A major con is that none of the characters is very interesting. Lee Van Cleef has a supporting role.
More on The Big Combo here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg134791#msg134791 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg134791#msg134791)
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Hard to know if this is something to get excited about or not: http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content/id/69997/the-film-noir-collection-begins-in-march.html
These all appear to be public domain films, many of them available in R1 in sub-standard editions. It would be nice to get new and improved transfers of these titles, but I'm not getting my hopes up. I've already got a cheapo version of Woman on the Run (a solid film, btw) and wouldn't mind an upgrade. My guess, though, is that these won't be all that impressive.
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Somewhere in the Night - Too long, but how great is Lloyd Nolan! (Gonna get me all the Michael Shaynes). and the two babes are really hot. 6\10.
thread continues here http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg134566#msg134566 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg134566#msg134566)
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Call Northside 777 - This is one of the few cases where my initial judgment of a molvie must be revised. I remembered this as a taut, gritty suspense movie, instead is good only until Conte takes the truth test. After that it becomes verbose, overstretched and goofy (this happens when technology is made the protagonist). Actors under par, actresses good. 5\10
another opinion here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg135335#msg135335 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg135335#msg135335)
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The Dark Corner - Wonder if the american distributors cut only Leone's movies or took liberties with indigenous products, like this. They should have, if they didn't. 5\10
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Dark Corner is better than Northside. At least in TDC you've got Clifton Webb being Clifton Webb: "I hate the dawn. The lawn always looks like it's been left out all night." Ha!
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Thieves Market - Interesting and unusual plot. The main dish of the movie is sexy Valentina Cortese, in spite of her terrible hair-do which cannot hide her being miscast: in spite of that, no surprise Conte (very good in this movie) leaves insipid Barbara Lawrence for her. Cobb does his homework. 7\10
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Dark Corner is better than Northside. At least in TDC you've got Clifton Webb being Clifton Webb: "I hate the dawn. The lawn always looks like it's been left out all night." Ha!
OK. To make you happy I'll give Northside 4\10.
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Thieves Market - Interesting and unusual plot. The main dish of the movie is sexy Valentina Cortese, in spite of her terrible hair-do which cannot hide her being miscast: in spite of that, no surprise Conte (very good in this movie) leaves insipid Barbara Lawrence for her. Cobb does his homework. 7\10
I think the U.S. title is Thieves Highway. I dislike Valentina Cortese (Mrs. Richard Baseheart at one point) and am more than a little annoyed that Barbara Lawrence was given such an unsympathetic part. Even with the awful personality transplant, I'd still take Barbara over Valentina any evening.
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Even with the awful personality transplant, I'd still take Barbara over Valentina any evening.
Yeah, but it's the night I was referring to.
discussion continues here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg135986#msg135986 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg135986#msg135986)
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In the dark all cats are grey, what?
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Yeah, sure.
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This Woman is Dangerous (1952) - 8/10. Warner delves into their archive and brings forth this Joan Crawford vehicle. Crawford is a gangster's moll who must chose between her psycho boyfriend (David Brian) and the new man in her life--the handsome eye surgeon who has restored her sight. And may the best man die! The main outline offers little of interest, but the film is full of several unexpected touches--a sudden detour to a woman's prison, a scene with a great child actress, the appearance, and then re-appearance, and then a re-re-appearance of a slimy PI--that a pleasant momentum is achieved, then sustained, right up to the thrilling climax. The ending goes soft, otherwise this would qualify as a great film noir. Still, it put me in the mood to revisit the other tough-as-nails Crawfords: Mildred Pierce, Possessed, Flamingo Road, and, still my favorite, The Damned Don't Cry.
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This is reported at HTF; the quote is supposed to be from DVDSavant:
I've received a report of a rumor that I believe is probably true: Sony is preparing a really terrific-sounding Noir boxed set, their first. It contains five great titles: Edward Dymtryk's The Sniper with Arthur Franz, Fritz Lang's The Big Heat with Glenn Ford and Gloria Grahame, Phil Karlson's Five Against the House with Kim Novak and Brian Keith, Don Siegel's The Lineup with Eli Wallach and Irving Lerner's Murder by Contract with Vince Edwards. Only The Big Heat has seen a previous release; all of them are gems.
Good news if true. I wonder, though, why Human Desire isn't in this set (it's been out in Japan for many months); and why re-release The Big Heat instead? Needless to say, many of us have been waiting for The Line-up, and although I've seen neither The Sniper nor Murder By Contract, their reputations make those titles highly desirable. I have seen Five Against The House, which is only so-so (but features an early Kim Novak appearance), but I won't squawk about having to get a copy of that along with the others. I hope this rumor pans out.
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sounds great O0
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Nightfall (1957) - I can't decide if I enjoyed Brian Urlacher's, er, Aldo Ray's performance, or the casting decision. On one hand, it's a departure from the usual leading role in these films but Ray is such a meathead, even though if there's depth to his character/persona. I like him as an actor but I don't know about a leading man. Then again, it's interesting to see more of a regular joe as a lead, as opposed to the usual fast talking, slender, urban looking leads.
**********SPOILERS***********
The story is well-written, even if the ending is a little silly - it bothered me that they wouldn't bother bring guns to go back and look for the money. Another slight annoyance is in the opening moments that Bancroft would give Ray her real address, that doesn't seem logical, given the circumstances.
**************************
I really like Tourneur (does he have any other non-Out of the Past noirs this good?) and a young Anne Bankcroft was a beautiful, enchanting lady I must say.
Overall, I liked this a lot, a solid 8.
discussion continues here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg140423#msg140423 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg140423#msg140423)
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Nightfall (1957)
Apparently, this is going to be part of an upcoming boxset from Sony being released in November. The films included, according to rumor, are: Pushover (1954), Nightfall (1957), The Brothers Rico (1957), City of Fear (1959), In a Lonely Place (1950).
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Apparently, this is going to be part of an upcoming boxset from Sony being released in November. The films included, according to rumor, are: Pushover (1954), Nightfall (1957), The Brothers Rico (1957), City of Fear (1959), In a Lonely Place (1950).
Good news, as this deserves a release. I haven't seen any of the others besides IaLP, a personal favorite.
Nightfall reviews continue here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144635#msg144635 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144635#msg144635)
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I've seen The Brothers Rico, a pretty good mob movie with Richard Conte. Hopefully, IALP will get a remastering (although it doesn't really need it).
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I doubt it because it seems like it's added in the package as the main selling point/the big name. I hope I'm wrong though.
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Ha! http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/jun/05/raymond-chandler-double-indemnity-cameo
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Ha! http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/jun/05/raymond-chandler-double-indemnity-cameo
For the first time I have to thank you for a heads-up. :'(
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For the first time I have to thank you for a heads-up. :'(
Then your field of interests is too narrow.
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Then your field of interests is too narrow.
You bet! >:(
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Here's a first look and details about Sony's upcoming Film Noir Classics Vol. 1:
http://classicflix.blogspot.com/2009/08/sony-film-noir-classics-vol-1.html
Muller gives good commentary, so I'm glad to see he's speaking on two of the films.
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Sony is bringing out Film Noir Classics box sets, Vol. 1 and 2 in November. Even before that they're releasing a Samuel Fuller set which includes several noirs (some of which he wrote rather than directed). But they're not stopping there. Over at their website, they're reporting this:
More Noir! For a number of years, the UCLA Film and Television Archive has been gracious in programming a
series of films under the moniker of Columbia Restorations. The series features newly-restored prints of films from the Columbia Pictures library that we have been working to preserve and restore. Last fall, the series focused on actresses from Columbia noir titles of the 1940's and 1950's. Gloria Grahame, Lizabeth Scott, Nina Foch, just to name a few. This series received an enthusiastic review from Ken Turan in the Los Angeles Times and led us to think, why not create a DVD release around this concept? The result, The Bad Girls of Noir boxed set, featuring six of the films (Over-Exposed, The Glass Wall, One Girl's Confession, Two of a Kind, Bad for Each Other, and The Killer that Stalked New York) will be released in early 2010. It is really the first release of its kind with this particular focus and we hope fans of the genre will enjoy it.
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More good news, via The Digital Bits:
Film noir fans will be glad to know that the previously-promised fifth volume of titles is definitely a go for a pressed DVD release. The format will be 10 films on 5 DVDs with commentaries and other extras included. Titles have not yet been revealed and exact release timing has not been finalized either.
This is actually a nice surprise, considering the archive program (manufactured on DVD-Rs) has been Warner's dumping ground for their noir titles.
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Have you heard any rumblings as to what will be included?
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Nope. And with Warner's, there's lots of possible titles.
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If you hear anything, please keep us posted.
I'm just thankful that these sets are in demand to the point in which more and more obscure titles are being released, rightly so.
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Holy Sh*t!: http://www.hulu.com/watch/95974/99-river-street
Hulu has screwed up the access to this (they give a synopsis for another film and on the basis of that apparently erroneously give it an R rating, which means you have to log in to watch it), but once you've registered (which is free) and logged in you can watch it without a hitch. Whatever source they're using for the film it looks pretty good: a huge improvement over the bootleg I have. If you're a Noir-head, you don't want to miss this.
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Thanks for posting this here, I have wanted to see this movie for a couple years now.
On the subject of Phil Karlson, SCANDAL SHEET (didn't Fuller write this?) and THE PHENIX CITY STORY will be on TCM sometime this week/early next week, check their IMDb pages for showtimes.
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Thanks, although I don't have access to Turner at the moment. Phenix City is the one I really want to see, too. Scandal Sheet is terrific, and I did see that recently, but it's also coming out as part of Sony's Sam Fuller boxset next month. "Noir" is a great time to be alive!
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DVD Savant reviews the new Warner Archives edition of Nora Prentiss (warning: contains spoilers): http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3009nora.html
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Thanks, although I don't have access to Turner at the moment. Phenix City is the one I really want to see, too. Scandal Sheet is terrific, and I did see that recently, but it's also coming out as part of Sony's Sam Fuller boxset next month. "Noir" is a great time to be alive!
I've heard about the upcoming set for awhile, checked out the titles, and was disappointed to not see RUN OF THE ARROW included. That's one I really want to see.
yeah, I hope these sets keep coming, this is great.
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Where Danger Lives (1950)
Nothing new plot-wise but has enough elements tossed in to keep things interesting. With that said, it moves beautifully and each sequence is very entertaining with lots of interesting bit characters. A very good on-the-lamb noir and Nicholas Musuraca's visuals are stunning in some instances. Mitchum is the man. Ignore the imdb rating and watch this if you haven't already.
8/10
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Mitchum is a complete idiot in that one. Granted, his character gets hit on the head, but this is one of those cases where, for the plot to work, the main character has to do one stupid thing after another. Too infuriating to enjoy.
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I didn't have any issues with the murder scene, or Mitchum's decision making after he decided to run, because he couldn't turn back at that point.
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I didn't have any issues with the murder scene, or Mitchum's decision making after he decided to run, because he couldn't turn back at that point.
Of course he could.
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To me, skipping town is an admission of guilt and he was under the impression he accidentally killed her husband.
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Yeah, but at some point he has to figure out that he's being played by the girl. And it becomes pretty obvious she's a nut. He'd be better off turning her in and taking his chances with the law. This should occur to him, but he keeps doubling down on one bad choice after another. Why not go see a lawyer?
Discussion of Where Danger Lives continues here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg135210#msg135210 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg135210#msg135210)
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Just got a shipping confirmation from DVDPacific: my copy of the Columbia Film Noir Collection (Vol 1) goes out sometime in the next 24 hours. Looking forward to finally having The Lineup and all the rest on nice newly pressed discs. Hoo-rahh!
UPDATE: It shipped! Maybe I'll have it by Friday . . .
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sounds great O0
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Here's a new online resource that may prove helpful: http://www.noirlists.com/
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Just got a shipping confirmation from DVDPacific: my copy of the Columbia Film Noir Collection (Vol 1) goes out sometime in the next 24 hours. Looking forward to finally having The Lineup and all the rest on nice newly pressed discs. Hoo-rahh!
UPDATE: It shipped! Maybe I'll have it by Friday . . .
It left Jersey City this morning. Next stop, the US Mail Distribution Center at White Plains!
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Here's a new online resource that may prove helpful: http://www.noirlists.com/
Thanks I'm going to be a building a noir collection eventually, I have a few but there are many. :-\
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Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics I is in the house! This is especially sweet as the official release isn't until Nov. 3. I will be watching The Lineup tonite!
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Enjoy!
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The Bribe (1948) - 7/10. Set on the island of Backlot, Central America/Central Hollywood, Robert Taylor plays a government agent in town to get the goods on a ring illicitly moving surplus airplane engines (say What?). The gang sees him coming and sends Charles Laughton to offer him money to look the other way. When that doesn't work, they offer him another bribe:
(http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/9331/cap318.png)
How can he resist? Easy, he's Robert Taylor. He just continues to adopt his persona as a handsomely carved block of wood and goes on. The gang then decides to take the usual next step. There's a big game fishing sequence that turns deadly that is well done--in spite of stock footage, rear projection, and a studio tank, it's actually quite suspenseful. Then it's time for the gang to close ranks; which means, taking care of the weak links. The mastermind, Vincent Price, plays an uncharacteristically hands-on villain in this one.
(http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/7853/cap330.png)
"But you know, the pity is, when I'm paid, I always see the job through."
(http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/4589/cap340.png)
This takes us to the final set piece, which is climatically climactic.
(http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/3168/cap344.png)
Noir's vaunted chiaroscuro is much on display here.
(http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/7131/cap338.png)
"I see your fireworks, and raise you."
(http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/8140/cap346.png)
"I call!"
I saw this courtesy of the WB Archives. Unfortunately, the image froze about 30 seconds before the end, so I can't exactly recommend the DVD.
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L.A. Confidential (1997)
It's really good; complex story, interesting characters, the historical setting, good acting and solid directing, but once Kevin Spacey's character Jack Vincennes gets killed the movie so obviously loses steam I really don't care what's happening anymore. And this happens every single time I watch it (and I watch it at least once a year). It should be a school example of how one man carries the whole show on his shoulders, although all the other actors seems to get more screen time and plot importance. Once he's out, the story turns amateurish and cheap.
Luckily, it's near the end of the movie ;)
8/10
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(http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/7131/cap338.png)
I thought you didn't like Star Wars?
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Ya know, if they'd filmed SW in black and white, I'd probably be a big fan.
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DVDBeaver gives a rundown on the various releases for Scarlet Street. They reconfirm that the image on the R1 Kino is good--but demonstrate that the image on the more recent R2 Odeon is better: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare2/scralettstreet.htm
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How has the rest of the Columbia set?
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Right, the Columbia set.
There are 5 films in it, but I skipped the two I'd seen already (The Big Heat and 5 Against the House) and concentrated on the 3 that were new to me. Here's a quick report.
The Sniper (1952) - 7/10. Stanley Kramer's name on the front of this red-flagged it for me, and sure enough, it turned out to be a movie with a message. I guess the message was, Psycho killers are people too. Who knew? But also they're a menace, and nobody wants this particular one on the loose, not even the sniper himself. He keeps sending the police messages hoping they'll put a stop to his compulsion to kill good-looking brunettes, but they take their time about it. When they finally nab him, though, he's visibly upset about what he's done. A shame about the large body count. Presenting the killer sympathetically was, apparently, a way for the producer to show his good intentions. This isn't your ordinary tawdry tale of serial killings, Mr. Kramer seems to be repeatedly announcing, this is a much more high-toned affair. Oh well, the San Francisco locations are shot well, the score is quite interesting, and the lead actor isn't bad. But what's Adolphe Menjou doing in the picture--and what happened to his mustache?
The Lineup (1958) - 7/10. I watched this twice to make sure, but this was something of a disappointment. Again, great SF location work, and Don Seigel really knows how to shoot scenes, but the plot makes almost no sense at all. The characters are a lot of fun, though, especially the partners in crime, Eli Wallach and Robert Keith (Brian Keith's dad). Also the climax--a long car chase ending in a shootout--is pretty exciting.
Murder By Contract (1958) - 8/10. Vince Edwards plays a guy who takes up contract killing because it pays better. The film begins with a quick tour through his early, simple assignments before settling down on the one that is much more complicated and lengthy and which ultimately proves his undoing. For his final hit Edwards is given two stooges to assist him (one played by Herschel Bernardi!) and they provide a certain amount of comedy relief. There's an odd vibe running through the film--you can't tell if you are supposed to take things seriously or not--that reminded me a lot of Jim Jarmusch's approach. In fact, this film would probably make a great double bill with The Limits of Control. The LA setting is complemented by a pre-surf electric guitar score. This is one I'll definitely be watching again.
The image on the DVDs for all three of these is immaculate.
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Noir opera: http://www.santafeopera.org/tickets/production.aspx?performanceNumber=2787
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Pun-boy dies!
Jeez Jenkins, ah haf already been sentenced to a lahf wifout da wahmf of hooman cumfuht! Vy mahst you be so cold!?!
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(http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/7131/cap338.png)
"I see your fireworks, and raise you."
(http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/8140/cap346.png)
"I call!"
I need to see this movie, just for that picture alone.
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Beaver reviews the Columbia Noir Set: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews47/film_noir_collection.htm
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Available on Netflix: I Wake Up Screaming (1941) a proto Noir with Betty Grable ,Victorr Mature , Carole Landis , Laird Cregar, William Gargan, Alan Mowbray, Allyn Joslyn , and Elisha Cook Jr. Great cinematography almost a template for Noir films to come. Title is a bit misleading though, lol. 7/10
Great, check it out and listen with commentary also!
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Right, Eddie Muller gives great comment. They don't call him the Czar of Noir fer nothin'.
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Elisha Cook has been in every other noir ever made I think.
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Elisha Cook has been in every other noir ever made I think.
True, but he doesn't tend to be in the best ones. Detour? Not in it. Out of the Past? Not there either. Double Indemnity? Nope. Criss Cross? Uh uh. In a Lonely Place?
Need I go on?
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True, but he doesn't tend to be in the best ones. Detour? Not in it. Out of the Past? Not there either. Double Indemnity? Nope. Criss Cross? Uh uh. In a Lonely Place?
Need I go on?
The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep and The Killing are awfully big titles, and certainly better than Criss Cross (which I like) and Detour (which I really enjoy).
It was just a silly observation but when I think of noir supporting players, Cook is the first name that comes to mind. I think his casting in Wenders' Hammett supports my case.
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The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep and The Killing are awfully big titles, and certainly better than Criss Cross (which I like) and Detour (which I really enjoy).
It was just a silly observation but when I think of noir supporting players, Cook is the first name that comes to mind. I think his casting in Wenders' Hammett supports my case.
Urm . . . it's Wenders worst movie, though, dontcha think? :D
Yes, of course your comment was silly, and my response was intended in the same vein. Cook is in a lot of noirs, and you're right, his name quickly comes to mind when thinking of supporting parts. Still, he's not in any of my absolute top faves, although I enjoy him when I see him (my favorite role of his is as Lawrence Tierney's erstwhile sidekick in Born to Kill).
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Urm . . . it's Wenders worst movie, though, dontcha think? :D
Yes, of course your comment was silly, and my response was intended in the same vein. Cook is in a lot of noirs, and you're right, his name quickly comes to mind when thinking of supporting parts. Still, he's not in any of my absolute top faves, although I enjoy him when I see him (my favorite role of his is as Lawrence Tierney's erstwhile sidekick in Born to Kill).
I haven't seen enough to say if it's his worst. I'll say this: It's no Chinatown.
That's probably his best role, performance wise, I agree.
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Young Man with a Horn (1950)
Some sort of biopic-noir-musical-drama crossbreed, with romance, both classic and lesbian, and a few other things. Directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Kirk Douglas, Lauren Bacall and Doris Day, about the life of the American jazz musician Bix Beiderbecke. I don't care for jazz music much but I think it's pretty safe to say this is only a mediocre experiment. The first half of the movie is somewhat interesting but you can easily tell it'll go nowhere, the second half gets buried beneath its uneventfulness. Kirk Douglas was OK; but I had the feeling I saw those happy smiling faces of his somewhere before. I even dare to say both Lauren Bacall and Doris Day (!) were better.
Probably more interesting for jazz music lovers. Though I wouldn't count on it.
5/10
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In the same vein I saw the other day
Blues In The Night (1941)
About members of a traveling jazz band trying to keep their leader from drinking himself to death.
Cast: Priscilla Lane, Betty Field, Richard Whorf, Lloyd Nolan Dir: Anatole Litvak, wasn't bad but wasn't outstanding either.
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The Hot Spot (1990)
Neo-noir directed by Dennis Hopper, starring: Don Johnson, Jennifer Connelly, Virginia Madsen, Charles Martin Smith, William Sadler, and others.
Not the best neo-noir you can come across but certainly not the worst either. Watchable, thoroughly entertaining movie that doesn't try too hard, with sort of a road movie undercurrent. All the actors make it work pulling off their standard character actor repertoire, except for Jennifer Connelly that is (and was even then) very probably the most versatile of them all. Expect no surprises, and you won't be disappointed.
Glides very well for a two hour movie.
6.85/10
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Young Man with a Horn (1950)
Just came across the following in John Updike's The Centaur:
The five movie palaces of Weiser Street in Alton were Loew's, the Embassy, the Warner, the Astor, and the Ritz. I went to the Warner and saw "Young Man With a Horn," starring Kirk Douglas, Doris Day, and Lauren Bacall. . . . My best piece of luck for the day, I came in on the cartoon. . . . The cartoon was, of course, Bugs Bunny. Loew's had Tom and Jerry, the Embassy Popeye, the Astor either Disney, the best, or Paul Terry, the worst. I bought a box of popcorn and a box of Jordan Almonds . . . The sidelights were soft yellow and time melted. At the end, when the hero, the trumpeter who was based on Bix Beiderbecke, had finally fought free of the rich woman who with her insinuating crooked smile (Lauren Bacall) had been corrupting his art, and the good artistic woman (Doris Day), her lover restored to her, sang, and behind her own transparent voice Harry James's trumpet pretending to be Kirk Douglas's lifted like a silver fountain higher and higher into "With a Song in My Heart"--only here, on the last note, an absolutely level ecstasy attained, did I remember ........"
Well, the narrator is a fictional character, but he seemed to like the film.
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But the guy is talking about his childhood, right?
The movie is worth checking for one thing alone: it's a noir-musical (by some definitions), and there really aren't many of them around. Apart from that, you'll soon find that's it's not really musical, nor a biopic, nor a romance flick, nor a real noir for that matter, it is maybe a drama for the most part, but a pretty shallow and dull one. I'd say the category it best fits in is - experiment.
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An amazing post has appeared on The Blackboard, a film noir board:
Raw Deal (1948) / Part 1 - Correcting Misstatements about the Plot
Posted by Dan Hodges on 11/9/2009, 8:44 am
A great deal has been written about Raw Deal, in books, articles and web-posts. So two things, but only two, are easily accessed – summaries of the plot and commentaries on the spellbinding cinematography by John Alton. Interpretations of the movie, however, are far less available.
What’s uncanny is that plot summaries so often have at least one inaccurate assertion. These errors aren’t about trivia, but key aspects of the story.
Below are a selection of the most frequent (and bewildering) misstatements about the plot, followed by my explanations of what really happens. It’s reasonable to conclude that if events in a film can be so erroneously described so often, it means there’s something questionable – indeed, troubling – about how critics/historians “see” the film.
“A gangster, Joe Sullivan, is framed by his associates and vows revenge when he is released from prison” (Carl Macek, Film Noir: An Encyclodpedic Reference to the American Style); “Intent on getting revenge against the men who framed him” (Michael L. Stephens, Film Noir: A Comprehensive, Illustrated Reference to Movies, Terms and Persons); “Prison escapee gets caught between two women on his way to confront crime boss that had him framed” (Spencer Selby, Dark City: The Film Noir); “The tale of framed gangster’s quest for vengeance after he busts out of prison” (All Movie Guide); “O'Keefe who breaks jail to pursue a vendetta against the confederates who framed him” (The BFI Companion to Crime); "On the run from prison, seeking revenge on the gangster who framed him” (Paul Duncan, Film Noir: Films of Trust and Betrayal); “A standard revenge yarn” (Back Alley Noir, official forum for the Film Noir Foundation); “A desperate man breaks out of prison and begins a relentless and bloody pursuit of those who framed him” (Elliot Lavine, Roxie Theater program, May 16, 2009).
Joe is not framed. Jeanine Basinger correctly explains, “As the film opens, Joe is in prison, sent up because he agreed to take a rap for Rick, with the understanding that Rick would get him out and pay him $50,000 for the favor” (Anthony Mann).
Revenge is not the mainspring of the plot. After Joe escapes from prison and gets by a police dragnet, he goes, as planned, to Grimshaw’s Taxidermy shop in Crescent City. He expects to meet Rick and collect $50 G’s. He brings Ann into the shop, and they make small talk with Grimshaw. Then Grimshaw tells Joe that Rick is in the backroom waiting for him.
The film has run over 47 minutes before Joe discovers he’s walked into a trap. Joe has no idea that Rick sent Fantail to the taxidermist’s to kill him.
After more than 57 minutes in the film, in a scene in a San Francisco hotel room just before they’re supposed to take a ship to South America, Joe tells Pat he’s going to kill Rick. Although Pat strenuously argues with Joe, she can’t convince him to forget about the money, avoid the risk of getting killed and stay with her. Then, her anger rising, she says, “If Ann asked you, I bet you’d do it.” Joe slaps Pat hard in the face, and she leaves the room. Joe pours himself a drink, downs it and throws the glass against a wall.
Soon Pat comes back. She’s upset because, in her jealousy about Ann, she almost betrayed Joe to the police. Joe’s unsettled because he knows it’s his fault, yet he can’t say to her what he should. He grouses, “You’ve forgiven me a thousand times before without my asking.” After a pause, as they sit silently next to each other on a bed, she presses his hand to her cheek. Suddenly, he stands up and tells her to get ready to go to the ship.
The conflict between Pat and Joe is ultimately about Ann, not Rick. Joe gives in to Pat because resolving his complicated romantic situation becomes more important than upholding his sense of an-eye-for-an-eye manliness. At the start of their argument he tells Pat that he’s “got to” get revenge. When the scene ends, Joe’s willing to forget about Rick and, though she’s not his first choice, to start life anew and abroad with Pat. The total run-time about vengeance – the repeatedly but incorrectly cited theme of the film – is less than five minutes.
“Rick sets up a prison escape for Joe which is, in fact, designed for his capture” (Jeanine Basinger).
On the contrary, early in the evening before Joe makes his break, Rick explains to Spider, citing one reason after another, that the odds of Joe not being killed by the police are greater than 10,000 to 1. Rick is setting up Joe to be “cut down,” not sent back to his cell.
“Coyle has arranged for Joe to be killed during the break-out in order to avoid confronting him” (Nancy Steffen-Fluhr, “RAW DEAL: The Case of the Flamin’ Man”); Rick “has arranged for Joe to be killed during the break-out” (Wikipedia).
Rick has only helped arrange for Joe to break out by “opening up three doors and letting him take his chances.” He’s confident that, either when Joe’s still inside the prison walls or while he’s on the lam, the police will kill him.
“Do-gooder Ann Martin is kidnapped by Joe Sullivan and eventually kills Fantail to protect him” (Alain Silver & Jim Ursini, Film Noir); “Joe Sullivan…enchants Ann so much that she kills for him” (Bruce Crowther, Film Noir); “Ann shoots Joe’s attacker in the back. After this act of murder” (Wikipedia); “After this act of murder, Ann decides she’s in love with Joe” (Carl Macek); “A fight with a vicious thug ends when Joe convinces Ann to shoot his attacker in the back. After this act of murder” (allexperts.com).
Joe doesn’t convince Ann to shoot Fantail. In fact, he doesn’t appear to even see that she’s entered the taxidermist’s back room. As Joe and Grimshaw fight, Fantail comes up behind Joe with a large iron pipe. Ann picks up Joe’s gun from the floor and, standing in back of all three men, she takes aim at Fantail and fires.
In the next scene, on a beach outside the taxidermist’s, Joe comforts Ann because she thinks that she’s killed Fantail. Joe tells her that she didn’t, and she’s relieved.
The next day Fantail is at a gas station and he sees Ann. After he kidnaps her, he brings her to Rick. When Rick learns Joe’s on his way to rescue Ann, he sends Fantail and Spider outside to kill him. In a shootout in the fog across the street from Rick’s apartment building, Spider and Fantail accidentally kill one another, each thinking he’s firing his gun at Joe. In other words, Fantail has lots of screen time after Ann shoots him.
“When they return to the motel in the morning, Joe knows it can't work out with Ann and gets her to take one of the cars back to San Francisco while he and Pat go their separate way to San Francisco” (Dennis Schwartz).
Joe doesn’t send Ann away at a motel. Instead, they split up elsewhere, in an exquisite scene of filmmaking and nonpareil noir. As Basinger writes, “Ann takes Pat’s place in Joe’s affection, but Joe sends her back to her own world. This is beautifully realized in a scene in which Joe and Ann [after they’ve spent the night together] drive up to meet Pat on a flat stretch of deserted road along the costal highway. Joe stops his car at frame right, a goodly distance from Pat in her car at frame left. A long shot stresses the distance between the two cars, the isolation of all three characters, the hopeless, fatalistic sense of their situation, and the relationship of the two women vis-à-vis Joe. After Joe pushes Ann out of the car, another long shot shows the two women walking silently past each other as they change positions. Pat’s voice on the track says, ‘I suppose I should feel some kind of victory, but I don’t. Walking past her this way…She, too, is just a dame in love with Joe.’ The image of the two women passing without speaking, set against the loneliness of the barren highway, is the equivalent of a bleak modern poem. Years before the alienated European films of the 1960s, Mann captured the same feeling in a cheapie for Eagle-Lion.”
The following quotes refer to the penultimate scene when Joe, trying to rescue Ann, fights Rick. “Rick inadvertently starts a fire. He jumps out of a window to his death” (Michael L. Stephens); “Rick trips over the candles which sets the place on fire as he tries to pull Joe into the fire with him. Rick then jumps out the window in a ball of flames” (Dennis Schwartz).
It’s misleading to say “inadvertently,” and it’s mistaken to say Rick “jumps.” Rick shoots Joe first. Joe fires back and the impact of the bullets pushes Rick backward, overturning a candelabra. The candles fall on the floor, setting some draperies on fire. Joe and Rick struggle until Joe spins Rick away and Rick falls backward through the flaming draperies and out a window. The camera shows him on fire, falling toward the street, face up, and screaming.
This “final” scene doesn’t exist. “Pat, back at her apartment, is resigned to a life of loneliness” (Michael L. Stephens).
In the actual final scene, Pat steps out of police car in handcuffs just in time to see Joe, mortally wounded by Rick’s gunshot, come out of the front door of Rick’s apartment building. Ann’s with him. Joe dies on the sidewalk, in Ann’s arms. The camera shifts across the street to show the street sign for “Corkscrew Alley,” the poor neighborhood where Joe, Pat and Rick grew up. Raw Deals ends with the symbolism of Joe and Ann united because above “Corkscrew Alley” is another sign that says, “Jane St.”
Can't wait for Part 2!
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And here it is:
Raw Deal (1948) / Part 2 - Correcting Misinterpretations of the Plot
Posted by Dan Hodges [User Info] on 11/9/2009, 8:45 am
Message modified by user Dan Hodges 11/9/2009, 8:56 am
Although there are many published (and Internet-posted) summaries of the plot of Raw Deal, which often contain one or more factual errors, there are only a few interpretations of this pantheonic film noir.
Carl Macek says, “Joe Sullivan exists as a homme fatale seducing Ann Martin into a world filled with violent action and murder, enticing her with a promise of sexual fulfillment that goes beyond the realm of normal relationships. She surrenders completely to Joe, committing murder as the ultimate expression of her love” (Film Noir: An Encyclodpedic Reference to the American Style).
And Jeanine Basinger says, “In forming her relationship with Joe, Ann undergoes a moral change. After idealizing him as a former child hero gone wrong…, she learns the situation is more hopeless—in film noir terms, more predetermined—than that. She has to reform her understanding of him along newer, more realistic lines” (Anthony Mann). To prove her point, Basinger also cites Ann’s decision to fire a gun to save Joe’s life.
Macek and Basinger are wrong because it’s Ann who gets Joe to change.
Joe, Ann and Pat break the rules in a state park by building a campfire. As Ann sweet-talks a park ranger into letting the two women off with just a warning, Joe hides behind a tree, with his pistol drawn. After the ranger leaves, Joe thanks Ann. But Ann berates him, “Thanks? I didn’t do it for you. I did it for that kid. You’d have shot him down. I saw you with that gun. I saw the look on your face. You’re a murderer. I may have romanticized you before, but now I know you. You’re something from under a rock. You don’t have to worry about me turning you in anymore. I don’t have to. You’ll get yours. Somehow, sometime, somewhere!”
As they drive through the night to a mountain lodge, Joe doesn’t say a word. Pat thinks it means Ann “was getting under his skin.”
Outside the lodge, Joe tries to flirt with Ann, but she rebuffs him. He says, “You’re right. I am something from underneath a rock…that famous rock that hits you in the back of the head after you’ve tried to help someone…But I’m climbing right up…until I reach the top.” She asks, “To what end? More crime?” He grabs her and forces a kiss on her. Holding her arms tightly, he says he wanted to see how she’d react when she got “kissed by something from under a stone.” Suggesting that he’s ashamed of his class background, she says, “That bothers you, doesn’t it?” He answers, “Oh, what do you know about anything? You’ve probably had your bread buttered on both sides since the day you were born. Safe! Safe on first, second, third, and home.”
Ann breaks free of Joe’s grip and retorts, “That’s what you think. Just because I own a collar and a tailored suit and my nails are clean, you think I haven’t had to fight? I got a good education, sure. I suppose that means I was born with a silver spoon, doesn’t it? My father was a schoolteacher. He died in the war of the Depression. Only he didn’t get any medals or any bands or any bonus. He left three children. You think you had to fight. The only way you know how to fight is that stupid way with a gun. Well, there’s another way you probably never even heard of. It’s the daily fight that everyone has to get food and an education, to land a job and keep it, and some self-respect. Safe? I never asked for anything safe. All I want is just a little decency, that’s all.” Ann rushes back to the lodge, and Joe follows, brooding. Ann goes to Pat’s room and tells her, “Joe means nothing to me. Not now.”
Soon after, a man pursued by the state police runs up to the lodge, shouting and banging on the door. Oscar (the lodge owner), Joe and Ann are on the other side of the door in a hallway. Pat is behind and above them, on the lower steps of a stairway. Afraid the police will come to the lodge and find Joe, Oscar and Pat don’t want to let the man in. Ann begs Joe with her eyes. Joe says to Oscar, “Let the poor slob in.” Pat cries out, “Joe, use your head! Don’t be a chump! Joe, you can’t! You can’t!” Ann looks at Joe again, and he says, “Open it up, Oscar.”
The man bursts in. Everyone moves toward the camera, from the hallway into the living room. Except Pat. She’s seen on the stairs, in deep focus, far away and isolated. Joe tells Oscar’s wife to get the man a drink, but she refuses to serve a “wife murderer.” Then Joe’s startled to see Ann pouring a glass.
Wracked with remorse, the man runs outside, fires his pistol in the air and is gunned down by the cops. Ann looks at Joe and says, “That could be you.” Crucially, her tone of voice is serious and not spiteful, as it was at the state park and outside the lodge. This is because Joe’s changed. By helping the fugitive, he showed he could be unselfish. Ann showed her gratitude by doing what Joe asked and pouring the man a drink.
Just before a state trooper enters the lodge, Joe pulls Ann out of the living room and into a small closet under the stairs where Pat still stands. In previous scenes, to prevent Ann from alerting anyone he’s an escaped convict, Joe or Pat held a gun on her. Standing close together in the dark closet, they look at each other, and their gaze is romantic.
Therefore, what happens at the taxidermist’s is because of their new relationship. When Ann sees that Joe is about to “get his,” instead of standing by and letting it happen, she saves his life. Shooting Fantail doesn’t mark Ann’s change in attitude toward Joe. It’s the consequence of a change that’s already occurred. It didn’t come about because Joe seduced her or because she reforms her understanding of Joe. When Ann’s distraught that she might have killed Fantail, Joe says she did it to save his life, adding, “I know I’m not worth it, but then…” Ann interrupts, “Oh, yes, you are!” Once again they look at each other, and this time they kiss. Joe became worthy when he heeded Ann’s unspoken plea to help the fugitive. For that, Joe didn’t get a rock thrown at his head; he got Ann’s respect and love.
Why would Macek and Basinger fail to recognize Joe is changed by Ann? Why would they believe Ann accommodates herself to Joe instead of the other way around? Both authors’ views are based on a hardboiled framework for interpreting film noir. Accordingly, they analyze Ann in terms of Joe, because he’s the central character and he’s a tough guy. In fact, however, both Ann and Pat convince Joe to do as they wish. Pat stops Joe from seeking revenge on Rick. Ann gets Joe to be decent to the hunted man.
Furthermore, it’s right that Joe does what the women want. The fine person he was as a kid is still within him as a man. He was a poor boy, and those life circumstances were a raw deal. But when Ann tells Joe about everyone’s “daily fight,” she profoundly affects him. She gets even deeper under his skin.
After Fantail calls him a “jerk,” Joe says, thinking of Ann, “Called that a lot lately. Much better language.” Joe’s love for Ann and her influence on him are what change him into a different man. On the ship he tells Pat he wants to “start fresh, decent.” As Pat listens to Joe talk about having “a business…a house…[and] kids,” she realizes his dreams are meant for Ann. (In a moment Pat reveals to Joe that “Ann’s with Rick!”)
When Joe sends Ann away after they spend the night together, she thinks he prefers Pat. So until he rescues her, she doesn’t know how much he loves her. Dying in her arms, he tells her not to cry, “I got my breath of fresh air. You….” Joe knew he’d changed the way Ann wanted, which is why Pat sees there’s “a kind of happiness on his face.”
Macek and Basinger’s views fail because to interpret Raw Deal, based on what really happens, requires jettisoning a hardboiled framework.
Macek finds faults with Raw Deal when he contrasts it to a normative ideal of film noir, which he derives from a hardboiled framework. He says, “The ironic narration provided by Pat develops the romantic undercurrent evident in many noir films. It remains for the true noir film to debase any sense of pity or love that may be present, replacing it with a tough, cynical nature.”
Similarly, Robert Ottoson complains, “The only thing that keeps Raw Deal from being an exemplary film noir is its soft center. The love that O’Keefe has for Hunt is not only far-fetched, but Hunt’s excessive moralizing is not in keeping with the film’s overall quality of brutality and pessimism” (A Reference Guide to the American Film Noir, 1940-1958).
Although there’s no happy ending in Raw Deal, the love story is a deal-breaker for Macek and Ottoson, preventing it from being “true” or “exemplary” film noir.
Yet “moralizing” is an inaccurate term to describe Ann’s criticisms of Joe at the state park and outside the lodge. Furthermore, it’s the agonizing romantic triangle that makes Raw Deal so extremely noir. Joe’s physical conflict with Rick (and his henchmen, like Fantail) comes in a distant second to Joe’s emotional struggles with Ann and Pat. Indeed, the film packs a greater wallop by showing Joe’s repudiation of “a tough, cynical nature.”
Macek, Basinger, Ottoson, and many others still today, hold fast to a hardboiled framework about film noir. Raw Deal is a far better film than strict adherents to a hardboiled framework are able to acknowledge. Through a crime and love story that is the equal in its adultness with the best of French poetic realism, not to mention American film noir, Raw Deal shows the heart-wrenching despair men and women endure and the soul-deadening compromises they give in to. Not only the extraordinary visual style but also the exceptionally tense interplay of mature romantic relationships place Raw Deal among the best cinema, as well as film noir.
Wow! Who is this guy?
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Somewhere in the Night (1946) Dir by Joeseph F. Mankiewicz with John Hodiak as George W. Taylor, Nancy Guild as Christy Smith, Lloyd Nolan as Police Lt. Donald Kendall, Richard Conte as Mel Phillips, Josephine Hutchinson as Elizabeth Conroy, Fritz Kortner as Anzelmo aka the psychic Dr. Oracle and Margo Woode as the hooker Phyllis. George Taylor wakes up in a military hospital with amnesia and a letter in his wallet from a girl he done wrong. He also gets a letter from a Larry Cravat that is worth 5,000 at a local California bank, so he's off on the trail of Cravat so that he can find out his own identity. On the way he meets Nancy a local torch singer and Phyllis a hooker who comes off as a high society dame. Lots of twists and turns in this entertaining film, some great lines also, caught it on Fox Movie Channel this morning.
Phyllis: "Who is the character with the hair" (to Christy) "that is why I haven't seen you around" (to Taylor)
Christy: (to Phyllis) If its around I'm sure you'll get it".
Great Noir 8/10
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DJ got a link to "The Blackboard" forum looks interesting.
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Try this: http://members.boardhost.com/mrvalentine/
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Try this: http://members.boardhost.com/mrvalentine/
thanks check out this film if you haven't:
The Capture (1950) Another one of those on the cusp "End of The West" Westerns shot in a very noir style its practically not only a bookend film to "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" but it probably could be considered as a stand alone film noir, It begins around the oil fields of Tampico and in the same time (just like TTOTSM) and then moves into the interior just like (TTOTSM). Its directed by John Sturges and has enough sleazy interior cantina shots with old whirling overhead electric fans and trains to keep me happy. It stars Lew Ayres as Lin Vanner, Teresa Wright as Ellen Tevlin Vanner, Victor Jory as Father Gomez, Jacqueline White as Luana Ware, Jimmy Hunt as Mike Tevlin, Barry Kelley as Earl C. Mahoney, and Duncan Renaldo (the Cisco Kid) as Carlos
The basic story is Vanner an oil company man gets a hunch and goes after a suspect in an oil company payroll robbery that Mahoney, who was guarding the money, says they passed on the rails just before the motorized railcar was attacked. Vanner takes off on a hunch on horseback to a pass through the mountains, he comes upon Sam Tevlin and orders him to throw up his hands Tevlin who has hurt his right arm yells out that he can't but Vanner can't make out what he yelled and shoots him, wounding him seriously. Tevlin denies having anything to do with the robbery that he was heading back to his ranch, wife and son, and explains that he couldn't put his hand up because of his wound. Vanner feels disgusted with himself and puts Tevlin on his horse and leads him back to the oil company office, there Mahoney interrogates Teviln roughlyand he dies from his wounds.
Vanner quits the company and accompanies the body of Tevlin to is home town where he meets an old friend Carlos. Ellen Tevlin now with no husband puts an add in the paper for a ranch foreman and Vanner applies. He gets along good with the family until Ellen finds a newspaper clipping about Vanner taking Tevlin and she blames him for his death. Eventually they reconcile, and Vanner decides to clear Tevlin's name and go after the real robber of the payroll.
Its not a great print on the DVD but its worth renting from Netflix, 8/10 for the atmosphere alone.
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Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
I found it unusual enough to hold my attention till the end, but I wouldn't climb in my top X of Film Noirs. Those characters are so overbuilt it's scary, which doesn't mean they're not entertaining to watch and listen to, but they have phony (with a capital P) written on their foreheads. Falco and JJ are like bang-bang-bang-bang, you're looking around what happened, did I miss something or what... Smart lines whenever they open their mouth; witty, humorous, insinuative, daring, bloody everything. It took me the whole movie to decrypt what's the nature of their relationship supposed to be in first place, and I still don't quite get it.
something like 7 or 7.5 out of 10
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The Ninth Gate (1999)
I guess I can understand most of the complaints, but nevertheless, it is a very entertaining and highly re-watchable movie. It's far from Polanski's best, it does not possess the level of intensity you'd expect and it (carefully) builds up to nowhere, but the characters are interesting (both Depp and Langella are excellent) to follow and the melancholic scent of old books and antiquities is hard to resist. Very well made from the technical side.
7/10
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The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Something seems to be missing here; it's a solid Noir with one of Humphrey Bogart's best performances, yet once they all meet in the same room I soon get disinterested from all the talk. Forgive me but I wouldn't call it a full-blown masterpiece.
7.6/10
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The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Something seems to be missing here; it's a solid Noir with one of Humphrey Bogart's best performances, yet once they all meet in the same room I soon get disinterested from all the talk. Forgive me but I wouldn't call it a full-blown masterpiece.
7.6/10
You are forgiven, although I wouldn't give it more than a "6." Too talky by half! And everything is shot on those boring sets. Move along folks, there's nothing to see here.
thread continues here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg134663#msg134663
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Guess these posts on The Big Sleep (1945/6) would be better included in this topic:
As we seem to find ourselves in the season of the LIST, best of.....worst of.....longest.....shortest.....etc. I thought I would add one more (just for the craic).
My all time favorite TWO-PERSON screen exchange is the following:
....
Interestingly this whole scene was not in the original 1945 cut of the movie, but was added for the 1946 theatrical release. There's a DVD release with both versions and a discussion of the differences.
... the original 1945 cut is clearly the better version in my opinion.
I find it hard to choose between them. I'm glad they gave us a DVD with both.
Looks like opinions differ on this issue:
The DVD contains two versions, the superior theatrical cut, with necessary re-shoots and tightnings as well as the pre-release version. The differances are llarge between the two, and these are documented on the disk and as a curiosity piece and a look at the art of filmmaking its interesting. But don't go expecting and Alien 3 in which the pre-release was much better. Of course this is this reviewers opinion and I invite owners of this disc to give their own opinions.
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You are forgiven, although I wouldn't give it more than a "6." Too talky by half! And everything is shot on those boring sets. Move along folks, there's nothing to see here.
6 is maybe a bit harsh, but it's certainly more objective and founded than giving it a 9 or calling it a perfect movie as many do. It is an entertaining flick; the lines are often witty and the acting is very good, but the localization just killed the second half more than anything else. I know FN ain't like W, but shooting 40 minutes in the same room is a bloody crime.
Continued here...........: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg148608#msg148608 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg148608#msg148608)
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Laura (1944)
Better and more tense story if compared to TMF, with even better acting and way more interesting characters. And with Gene Tierney. If you have an actress like her you can shoot wherever you like.
8.3/10
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Laura (1944)
Better and more tense story if compared to TMF, with even better acting and way more interesting characters. And with Gene Tierney. If you have an actress like her you can shoot wherever you like.
8.3/10
We're in close agreement here. A lot of the air goes out of this one when Tierney returns from the dead. This could have been a first-draft for Vertigo, but they muffed it. Also, the solution to the murder is rather disappointing. I agree about the acting and the characters. Clifton Webb is a real hoot.
continued discussion here...........: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg148931#msg148931 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg148931#msg148931)
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Noir City 8 (those lucky San Franciscans): http://noircity.com/noircity.html
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dj since you have your finger on the pulse of noir happenings let me know of anything you hear coming up in NYC. O0
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Sure.
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Leave Her to Heaven (1945) dir. John Stahl with Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain, Vincent Price, Mary Philips, Ray Collins, Darryl Hickman. Creepy film overall about a nightmare of a woman who stops at nothing to get what she wants, saw it today on FMC.
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Touch Of Evil Just love these bordertown/south of the border films, this one is always a fun watch, from Dennis Weaver's over the top Don Knotts type motel manager, to the absurd looking Heston, anyway Janet Leigh, the loactions, and cinematography are just candy to my eyes 10/10
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Someone who calls himself Mike Kuhns has posted this over at The Blackboard. I have no idea if he knows what he's talking about, but he certainly acts like he does. Anyway...
It looks like 2010 will bring another Film Noir DVD set from Warner Brothers (regular DVDs, not Archive DVD-R):
Titles will include ARMORED CAR ROBBERY, PHENIX CITY STORY, DESPERATE, DIAL 1119, CORNERED, DEADLINE AT DAWN, CRIME IN THE STREETS and BACKFIRE.
I sure hope this is true.
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The Strange Loves of Martha Ivers (1946) Director, Lewis Milestone with Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Lizabeth Scott, Kirk Douglas, A great noir with Lizabeth Scott as HOT as ever, on TCM just got finished. This is a great Van Heflin flick check it out.
Continued reviews of The Strange Loves of Martha Ivers here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144832#msg144832 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144832#msg144832)
The Big Combo (1955) dir Joseph H. Lewis, with Cornel Wilde, a great slightly over wound and the top Richard Conte in this one, Brian Donlevy, Jean Wallace, Susan Lowell, Robert Middleton, Lee Van Cleef, and Earl Holliman. "First is first and second is nobody" Its good to see Van Cleef in this.
Continued discussion here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg141101#msg141101 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg141101#msg141101)
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The Big Combo (1955) dir Joseph H. Lewis, with Cornel Wilde, a great slightly over wound and the top Richard Conte in this one, Brian Donlevy, Jean Wallace, Susan Lowell, Robert Middleton, Lee Van Cleef, and Earl Holliman. "First is first and second is nobody" Its good to see Van Cleef in this.
A film I have been meaning to see for ages due to this one image always being presented as the quintessential noir shot:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/25/BigComboTrailer.jpg)
Continued discussion here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg141101#msg141101 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg141101#msg141101)
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As reported (and confirmed) over at HTF, the Bad Girls of Film Noir will be split into two sets:
Videoeta has 2 listings (with UPC numbers and February 2 release date) for Bad Girls of Film Noir Volume 1 and Bad Girls of Film Noir Volume 2. Each set contains 2 discs and list price is 24.95. Actual titles are not listed although I suspect they decided to break a recently rumored set into 2 volumes. That set was going to include:
Over-Exposed (1956)
Glass Wall, The (1953)
One Girl's Confession (1953)
Two of a Kind (1951)
Bad for Each Other (1953)
Killer That Stalked New York, The (1950)
If the decide to follow Screwball Comedies formula, each set should contain 4 titles.
There would be 2 additional titles, then. Lang's Human Desire seems a real possibility.
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Caught 14 Hours today on FMC directed by Hathaway with quite the cast Paul Douglas, Richard Basehart, Barbara Bel Geddes, Debra Paget, Agnes Moorehead, Robert Keith, Howard Da Silva, Jeffrey Hunter, Martin Gabel, and Grace Kelly. Pretty good film enjoyed it, about a a guy on the ledge of a hotel wanting to commit suicide, score ok. 7/10.
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Yeah, I pretty much have the same feelings about 14 HOURS. I think it would have been better if they eliminated the side plots of superfluous bystanders, though they weren't too overbearing. That way, things would run much smoother, there's no reason why it needs to be 90 mins. 75-80 sounds about right. I agree with the score, decent but not something I'd ever want to revisit.
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Mitchum is a complete idiot in that one. Granted, his character gets hit on the head, but this is one of those cases where, for the plot to work, the main character has to do one stupid thing after another. Too infuriating to enjoy.
Yeah, I have to agree with you on Where Danger Lives. I'll also add that plotwise whatever has to go wrong for the main characters it does. And Faith Domergue is the most dime-a-dozen femme fatale in movie history. And Mitchum doesn't convince me for a minute as a doctor. Still the movie it's entertaining due to its fast pace for a only once visit. 6\10
(http://dvd.shop.it/locandine/grande/una-rosa-bianca-per-giulia-989901.jpg)
Continued discussion here.......: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg148608#msg148608 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg148608#msg148608)
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Just saw another couple-on-the-run flick, Tomorrow Is Another Day (1951). The beginning is very similar, with Ruth Roman bumping off her meal ticket and getting Steve Cochran, who blacked out when it was going down, to believe he's responsible. But guess what? This one is actually worse than Where Danger Lives. RR is neither psychotic nor evil, and feels guilty about the deception. So when the cops close in she 'fesses up. But Steve, who is rather dim but nonetheless noble, has to insist on taking the rap (and since he has a record, he looks pretty good for it). Into this orgy of self-sacrifice comes Mo Ankrum, one of the regular justices on Perry Mason, who finds that RR acted in self defense, so all the charges are dropped! Steve and Ruth walk happily into the sunset. Pathetic.
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L.A. Confidential (1997) - I had missed this because of Kevin Spacey on the movie poster and on the cover of the dvd. Until I read the review of Howard Hughes in his Crime Movies. So today I bought the dvd and found that I was wrong. Spacey has a smaller part than the three leads but he comes off absolutely as the best of the lot (Crowe, another actor I don't particularly like, is good as he has only to be his usual unexpressive self). I hadn't liked it a bit in another couple of movies I had seen it in, but that was the movies fault. This is the best thriller I have seen since Goodfellas. 9\10
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D.O.A. (1949) - Half ot the time one doesn't know what's going on and when you know it it's a let down. Still this is one of the faster-paced movies I know, with O'Brien always, literally, on the run. The italian distributor found smartly a good italian title fitting the original acronym : Two hours more (Due ore ancora). 7\10.
(http://www.deastore.com/covers/802/725/300/batch3/8027253001198.jpg?1252584505)
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D.O.A. (1949) - Half ot the time one doesn't know what's going on and when you know it it's a let down. Still this is one of the faster-paced movies I know, with O'Brien always, literally, on the run. The italian distributor found smartly a good italian title fitting the original acronym : Two hours more (Due ore ancora). 7\10.
Great ending though, what?
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Fistful-of-noir:
Johnny O'Clock (1947) - 5/10. I usually like Dick Powell in tough-guy mode, but he comes off rather lame here. He's supposed to be a gambler . . . but he doesn't gamble. What does he do, exactly? It takes a while before we find out. It has something to do with Nina Foch. And then Evelyn Keyes shows up. The heavy is played by heavy Thomas Gomez. A very underwritten film: there's almost nothing driving us from scene to scene. Cry Danger is way better.
The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947) - 6/10 Bogart is a psychotic painter, Barbara Stanwyck his endangered wife, in this rather standard woman-in-peril picture. Stanwyck gives us none of the great attitude we see in her other films, and Bogart supplies nothing but his patented nut-job routine (featured also in Conflict, at the end of Sierra Madre, in The Caine Mutiny, and intermittently in In a Lonely Place, all better films). Pretty miss-able.
Framed (1947) - 7/10. Starts with a bang (Glenn Ford behind the wheel of a truck heading downhill without brakes) and hardly lets up until the end. Janis Carter is the femme fatale who plans to take Ford for a ride--with extreme prejudice--and she's doing it all for the sake of rotter Barry Sullivan. The ending, though weak, is not awful.
The Web (1947) - 9/10. What a cast! Edmond O'Brien is the patsy. Ella Raines is the girl. Vincent Price is the evil--and oh-so-smooth--mastermind. William Bendix is the hero's cop friend--or is he? Bendix plays his part so well you can't tell if he's really trying to help O'Brien or not. The plot, though simple, works very nicely.
Tomorrow is Another Day (1951) - 3/10. Steve Cochran and Ruth Roman are a couple on the run. The story is so utterly preposterous I found it impossible to enjoy any of the individual scenes. Why did this make Eddie Muller's Top 25?
Inferno (1953) - 7/10. Rhonda Fleming and her new boyfriend decide to leave hubby out in the desert and hope he croaks, but Robert Ryan's will to survive is very strong. This color noir desperately needs a restoration. Probably won't happen, as they'd have to restore the 3-D effects too.
Human Desire (1954) - 6/10. This remake of a Renoir film (which in turn was adapted from a Zola novel) isn't a patch on the original, although it's always nice to see Gloria Graham. Glenn Ford gets suckered again--until he doesn't. Broderick Crawford lumbers around and looks uncomfortable.
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Great ending though, what?
Bah...
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Been wondering about this, and in light of Beaver's review, I may have to pick up my own copy: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews48/berlin_express.htm
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D.O.A. (1949) - Half ot the time one doesn't know what's going on and when you know it it's a let down. Still this is one of the faster-paced movies I know, with O'Brien always, literally, on the run. The italian distributor found smartly a good italian title fitting the original acronym : Two hours more (Due ore ancora). 7\10.
(http://www.deastore.com/covers/802/725/300/batch3/8027253001198.jpg?1252584505)
Just caught it again tonight on TCM I'll go one more point than titoli 8/10
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TCM had an Edmund O'Brien night DOA followed by The Hitch-Hiker, Lupino did a great job and with not much budget another winner 7/10
continue discussion here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg140132#msg140132 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg140132#msg140132)
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Call Northside 777 (1948) Basically a woman places an ad in the Chicago Times offering a $5,000 reward for information that will exonerate her son Richard Conti, the newspaper assigns Jimmy Stewart to look into case. Great cinematography of the seedier parts of Chicago circa 1948. 7/10.
Second viewing here........ : http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg151045#msg151045 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg151045#msg151045)
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Cry Of The City (1948) dir by Robert Siodmak, Not a bad noir not great but on the good side of average, I'm on a Richard Conte roll lately on Fox Movie Channel this morning, with Victor Mature as Lt. Candella, Richard Conte as Martin Rome, Fred Clark as Lt Collins, Shelley Winters as Brenda Martingale and Debora Paget as Tina Riconti.
Continued reviews here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg142769#msg142769 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg142769#msg142769)
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Been wanting to see that one. Hopefully Criterion will be bringing it out in 2010.
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If you get FMC they show quite a few of their noirs, I just stumble upon them, one good thing about FMC as opposed to say TCM is every time I hit one in the middle I get a dialog box on the screen giving me the opportunity to start it over, I don't get that with Turner for some reason.
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Beaver reviews Warner Archive's Highway 301: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews48/highway_301.htm
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Blonde Ice (1948) an Ok noir, low budget nothing spectacular.
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The Set-Up (1949)
(http://img2.webster.it/MIT/308/8032442203086g.jpg)
What I don't like about this movie? Its perfection. Direction is faultless, but too elaborated. The characters (expecially the boxers) are all exemplary. Audrey Totter would make every fighter a loser with her whining about retiring. Ryan is the "iveseenitall" kind: and the too intelligent look on his face makes one wonder why should he be still stuck on boxing at 35. And last but not least, Rocky's fights are more realistic than the set-up one in this. I've read that Ryan was an adept of the art in his youjth: one easily understands why he didn't make a name for himself. Still the movie has unquestionable merits: the pace, the side characters, the actors. 7\10
Continued here....... : http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg146052#msg146052 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg146052#msg146052)
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Blast of Silence (1961) Baby Boy Frankie (France), Cronaca di un assassinio (Italy), Explosion des Schweigens (West Germany)
(http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz337/cigarjoe/blastofsilence.jpg)
Excellent low low budget "Spillane-Hammeresque" noir shot on a shoestring (for about $30,000) using actual NYC locations, they got Lionel Stander to do the narration for a $1000 uncredited, director Allen Baron was going to use Peter Falk as the lead but he got a better offer so Baron used himself, lol. Nice soundtrack also. This is my NYC from my youth a trip down nostalgia lane it won an award in Munich recently O0
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(http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz337/cigarjoe/LastSeduction.jpg)
The Last Seduction (1994)
A great great neo noir starring Linda Fiorentino in what I think is probably the ultimate sizzling femme fatal performance. Lots of twists and turns make this one a fun ride, saw this on the big screen in 1994 and had it on DVD but just re-watched it today for the first time in years, glad I did. Dircted by John Dahl with Bill Pullman and Peter Berg.
A psychological thriller/ black comedy. Bridget, a refreshingly chain-smoking New Yorker, ruthlessly exploits the weaknesses of the bottom feeders she comes in contact with. She uses her sexual attraction to stun the hapless men (who reside in the Western, Southern Tier, Rt 17 corridor of New York State south of Buffalo) into slobbering idiots. 9/10 check it out O0 O0 O0
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Dahl did 3 neo-noirs in a row, in quick succession, from 89-94: Kill Me Again, Red Rock West, and The Last Seduction. All are good, all have femme fatales manipulating dopes into criminal activities. Maybe my favorite is the first one.
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I don't believe I've ever seen the first I'll have to give it a go.
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I, the Jury (1953) Dir. by Harry Essex, middling adaptation of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer book. Biff Elliot and his bull in the china shop style grows on you as the film progresses. This film is also loaded with interesting character actors and features some great locations, it needs a better release 7/10
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I, the Jury (1953) Dir. by Harry Essex, very good adaptation of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer book. Biff Elliot and his bull in the china shop style grows on you as the film progresses. This film is also loaded with interesting character actors....
And their names are Peggie Castle, Peggie Castle, and Peggie Castle. ;)
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The Two Mrs. Carrols (1947) Seen this before, I remembered about 1/2 way through, its the noir style but with an English theme with English accents which is not high on my list of my preferred noir garnishments (gritty, big city dosen't matter local, sleazy, bleak far Western US, Tex-Mex border, neon loaded, rural US) oh well for me and my tastes 6/10.
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The Two Mrs. Carrols (1947) Seen this before, I remembered about 1/2 way through, its the noir style but with an English theme with English accents which is not high on my list of my preferred noir garnishments (gritty, big city doen't matter local, sleazy, bleak far Western US, Tex-Mex border, neon loaded, rural US) oh well for me and my tastes 6/10.
I agree that it's not great, but it's a Bogart that a lot of people haven't seen, and Bogart is always interesting. Another better film built on similar lines (again with Bogart) is Conflict.
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Joe (and other noir-heads), check this site out: http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/viewforum.php?f=18
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Thanks, I bookmarked it.
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Red Rock West (1993) Dir by John Dahl with Nicolas Cage, J.T. Walsh, Lara Flynn Boyle and Dennis Hopper, with a cast like this it should have been a whole lot better, seemed like an on the cheap production with a ridiculous car vs train chase, and a farcical ending. Nowhere near as good as "The Last Seduction" 6/10.
The Web (1947 Dir by Michale Gordon with Ella Raines , Edmond O'Brien, William Bendix , and Vincent Price a little bit too predictable 6.5 to 7/10 at best.
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The Web (1947 Dir by Michale Gordon with Ella Raines , Edmond O'Brien, William Bendix , and Vincent Price a little bit too predictable 6.5 to 7/10 at best.
It has, IMHO, Bendix's best ever performance.
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Not exactly noir, but it IS a Phil Karlson picture: http://www.hulu.com/watch/119375/the-silencers
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Cry Danger (1951) Dir by Robert Parrish. This film I liked, The opening title sequence with the Sunset Limited is cool, the quirky trailer park setting along with its resident trailer trash is unique, and the story keeps you interested great performances by Dick Powell, Rhonda Fleming, Nancy Morgan, Richard Erdman, William Conrad, Regis Toomey, Jean Porter, and Jay Adler. 7/10
My second viewing review here........: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg148264#msg148264 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg148264#msg148264)
The Web (1947 Dir by Michale Gordon with Ella Raines, Edmond O'Brien, William Bendix , and Vincent Price a little bit too predictable 6.5 to 7/10 at best.
It has, IMHO, Bendix's best ever performance.
Yea, Bendix was good in The Web.
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Not a favorite of mine, but free streaming video is free streaming video! http://www.hulu.com/watch/118469/somewhere-in-the-night
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Thieves Highway 1949 dir. by Jules Dassin with Richard Conte, Valentina Cortese, Lee J. Cobb, Barbara Lawrence, Jack Oakie, Millard Mitchell , Joseph Pevney, and Ed Kinney, an excellent noir about the fruit market business in California, with Richard Conte actually playing the good guy for once, wasn't quite convinced about Cortese playing a hooker or Cobb an Italian, lol, but a very nice Criterion release 8/10.
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A nice text-with-photos intro to Razzia sur la chnouf (1955) (which I haven't yet seen myself): http://members.boardhost.com/mrvalentine/msg/1263799444.html
UPDATE: the link no longer works
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Dragnet (1954) is now available on DVD-r. This is not the TV show: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0033PSH5O
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Hey what's the idea of releasing DVD-r's?
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Last April, Warner launched an archive program selling deep catalog titles on a made-on-demand basis. This is because, probably, they got tired of pressing big runs of classic titles that didn't sell. There is a demand for old films, but there isn't necessarily a demand for ALL old films. Deciding which films to bring out was always a crap-shoot, and once the Casablancas and the like had been released, it got harder and harder to guess what consumers would shell out for. Rather than keep guessing and losing money, Warner decided to let consumers casts votes with the only ballots the industry respects, the ones with pictures of dead presidents on them.
But to do made-on-demand, you have to use DVD-r.
Evidently Warner's experiment has been a success, because other companies are now getting into the business. This is, unhappily, the future. Companies will continue to release pressed discs, but only for new releases or films that have a proven track record. Classic titles, by and large, will come out on DVD-r. Eventually, of course, disc technology will go away as downloads and streaming supplant it, but that's probably a long way away.
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99 River Street (1953)
The plot, as outrageous as it is, works pretty well. The opening boxing scene was every bit as good as those in Wise's THE SET-UP. I really only take issue with the ending, which disappoints; too conventional and ordinary. The score is standard stuff. I really like Phil Karlson.
Continued to be reviewed here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144784#msg144784 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144784#msg144784)
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Last April, Warner launched an archive program selling deep catalog titles on a made-on-demand basis. This is because, probably, they got tired of pressing big runs of classic titles that didn't sell. There is a demand for old films, but there isn't necessarily a demand for ALL old films. Deciding which films to bring out was always a crap-shoot, and once the Casablancas and the like had been released, it got harder and harder to guess what consumers would shell out for. Rather than keep guessing and losing money, Warner decided to let consumers casts votes with the only ballots the industry respects, the ones with pictures of dead presidents on them.
But to do made-on-demand, you have to use DVD-r.
Evidently Warner's experiment has been a success, because other companies are now getting into the business. This is, unhappily, the future. Companies will continue to release pressed discs, but only for new releases or films that have a proven track record. Classic titles, by and large, will come out on DVD-r. Eventually, of course, disc technology will go away as downloads and streaming supplant it, but that's probably a long way away.
That's fucked up because eventually you'll end up having shelf-fulls of empty discs...
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We don't know that for a fact. Not all DVD-r's are created equal (or so they tell me).
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The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
Excellent neo-noir and one of the few Coen Bros movies I do care for. Maybe a tad unemotional in a few critical turns but the character study and acting overcome this deficit. It seems Billy Bob Thornton was born for this part.
8/10
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Over at the Blackboard reports from Noir City 8 are coming in. This note is particularly, er, noteworthy:
Eddie Muller also showed a 6-minute short entitled The Endless Night: A Valentine To Noir, which many of you may have seen linked on Back Alley or on YouTube. Eddie calls it the best distillation of noir he's ever seen, and I have to agree, even if it somehow overlooks any clips of Joan Crawford and Edmond O'Brien. It gets just about everybody else. A 20-year-old woman from Santa Rosa named Serena Bramble put it together on her laptop using downloaded Internet clips and iMovie software. She was in the audience Friday night and received great applause for her work and oozing praise from Muller. She deserved it -- it looked incredible on the big screen (the background music ``Angel'' from the band Massive Attack ... and hey, it works). Many people personally congratulated her during intermission and after the show, including me. Here's a link to the montage, well worth 6:41 of your life.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOgBa2Oij1A
The poster is right to wonder at the absence of Crawford and O'Brien. And I want to know where Whit Bissell is! Another complaint: too few films are represented. Still, it's a great job of editing, and of matching clips to music. (Note to self: re-listen the Massive Attack's Mezzanine real soon).
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Thanks for that. O0
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The Long Goodbye (multiple viewing) - probably the best PI movie I've seen.
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The Long Goodbye (multiple viewing) - probably the best PI movie I've seen.
I like The Long Goodbye a lot--IMHO, it's Altman's best. But I wouldn't call it a PI movie, more of an anti-PI movie.
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Another film noir board: http://www.backalleynoir.com/
And free streaming TV noir: http://www.cbs.com/classics/perry_mason/
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I like The Long Goodbye a lot--IMHO, it's Altman's best. But I wouldn't call it a PI movie, more of an anti-PI movie.
Well, yeah, but it should still be considered a PI film regardless of any revisionist and/or subversive characteristics/intentions. imo any way.
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Thanks for that link. O0
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Naked Lunch (1991)
A fascinating and very crispy piece of Kafkaesqian absurdist surrealism (or absurdism and surrealism, if you like). Fantastic; these things rarely turn out to be this entertaining and encircled. I'll have to read the book at some point, although knowing the movie bares little resemblance to it I'm wondering if there's any point. Peter Weller gives a gargantuan performance: Bill Lee is one tragicomic and oblivious MF, he carries the whole parade around on his face, l-o-l! (BTW, what the hell happened to him?)
Moreover - and most important - a bloody fantastic piece of disguised film noir! Morphium-noir at its best, probably the only one of its kind!
And yeah, it had me laughing like few other movies did - is there something wrong with me? Doctor?
7.7/10
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A nice article on the demise of the Femme Fatale:
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/whatever-happened-to-the-femme-fatale-1633088.html
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I've just read a contemporary italian review (by a distinguished poet) and the plot is very alluring:
(http://cdn2.ioffer.com/img/1164009600/_i/15369108/g_1.jpg)
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Its not on Netflix it may not have a DVD release yet.
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His Kind of Woman (1951) - 6.5/10
Is Jane Russell hot or what! :-*
Dan Milner (Robert Mitchum), a gambler, agrees to fly to a high class hotel in Mexico for $50,000. No reason for this request is given. On the way there he meets Lenore Brent (Russell) who has the same destination. She's going there to meet her boyfriend, actor Mark Cardigan (Vincent Price). At their destination Milner starts to wonder why he's there and to have second thoughts...
Until the last half an hour it's very entertaining; the Mitchum/Russell couple is nice, supportive characters are entertaining (though, in the end most of them appear to have little to do with anything) and the dialogue is juicy. But the last half an hour! For some reason, at the point where one would expect the movie to pick up the pace it feels slower than ever before; and this is where all the action happens! Also, on one hand there is serious stuff and unexpectedly violent violence but on the other hand there is this actor character going through a farce of his own, and this doesn't come off all that well (I can see the same problem in PotC films). What's worst, we don't see Russell on screen for almost half an hour :(
The search engine worked! What I learned is to type the last names of the actors and that usually delivers.
Thanks for saving me the time, but I'd say the entire last hour is pretty bad, or whenever the point when Mitchum arrives on the ship; but I have to admit the scene where he shoots the pipe and crawls under the steam was entertaining.
I really enjoyed the first hour or so, some pretty respectable Hawks posturing. I think it goes without saying, but Mitchum and Russell make quite the duo. And yeah, Russell was a looker in her prime. Macao, while not perfect, is a much better film and similar. It's a shame that the movie derailed to that extent.
This could have been salvaged in the editing room, had they pulled an Annie Hall and ditched the plot, or leave in enough and let Mitchum and Russell carry the movie.
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Macao, while not perfect, is a much better film and similar. It's a shame that the movie derailed to that extent.
Completely disagree. Macao (both the city and the movie) completely bores me, but His Kind of Woman remains entertaining even when the plot stops working and the tone from one scene to the next ceases to cohere. Yeah, maybe they could have "fixed" the picture, but why? Would that have made the film any more enjoyable? Not for me. Mitchum is still Mitchum, Price is likeably hammy, and Raymond Burr gets to do his best turn as a villain. Given 9 seasons of Perry Mason, it's impossible, retrospectively, to view Burr in an objective way; he must remain Mason even as we view him as the heavy. I can't take any of it seriously. So a post-modern reading is inevitable. That being the case, it's just like watching a Godard film. For me, anyway.
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Completely disagree. Macao (both the city and the movie) completely bores me, but His Kind of Woman remains entertaining even when the plot stops working and the tone from one scene to the next ceases to cohere. Yeah, maybe they could have "fixed" the picture, but why? Would that have made the film any more enjoyable? Not for me. Mitchum is still Mitchum, Price is likeably hammy, and Raymond Burr gets to do his best turn as a villain. Given 9 seasons of Perry Mason, it's impossible, retrospectively, to view Burr in an objective way; he must remain Mason even as we view him as the heavy. I can't take any of it seriously. So a post-modern reading is inevitable. That being the case, it's just like watching a Godard film. For me, anyway.
I'd say Mitchum and Russell's chemistry is reason alone. And yes, I definitely think the movie would be more enjoyable, especially considering that I didn't find anything in the last half to have any relevance, nor did I even find it entertaining. Macao, and its unoriginal ways, at least understands that Mitchum and Russell's relationship should be at the heart of the movie.
Mitchum all but vanishes while Russell's character is completely non-existent in the last hour. I don't see the point in that. I'm a fan of Price, but he was miscast for the role. He simply doesn't belong in this type of film. And I don't have any opinion on Burr because I'm not a Perry Mason fan--not that I have anything against the show, but I only watched episodes as a little kid. I don't really see the Godard connection either. With his work, at least the character and/or plot abandonment is intended, thus making it more digestible and relevant. I guess there could be a similarity for someone who watches a Godard movie without any knowledge going in, but in this case, I don't feel that bad writing should be rewarded.
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Murder By Contract (1958) - 8/10. Vince Edwards plays a guy who takes up contract killing because it pays better. The film begins with a quick tour through his early, simple assignments before settling down on the one that is much more complicated and lengthy and which ultimately proves his undoing. For his final hit Edwards is given two stooges to assist him (one played by Herschel Bernardi!) and they provide a certain amount of comedy relief. There's an odd vibe running through the film--you can't tell if you are supposed to take things seriously or not--that reminded me a lot of Jim Jarmusch's approach. In fact, this film would probably make a great double bill with The Limits of Control. The LA setting is complemented by a pre-surf electric guitar score. This is one I'll definitely be watching again.
I agree with your thoughts but haven't seen 'Limits' yet.
That is probably the best score I've heard pre-Morricone. Well, I can't think of any that I would prefer. It's not perfect, but like Blast of Silence--my pick for a double bill--it's both campy, brilliant and a little "off". 8/10.
I need to see The Sniper and 5 Against the House
The Hit (1984) - I don't have a bad thing to say about this movie, it's exceptional. Terrence Stamp, John Hurt and Tim Roth were perfectly cast. The movie is beautiful to look at, features a great score and has a ton of charm. Pleasant surprise. 9/10
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The Hit (1984) - I don't have a bad thing to say about this movie, it's exceptional. Terrence Stamp, John Hurt and Tim Roth were perfectly casted. The movie is beautiful to look at, features a great score and has a ton of charm. Pleasant surprise. 9/10
My recollection is that this is just so-so, but I haven't seen it since it first came out. I should probably give it another look.
The Sniper is interesting, and has some great SF location work. Five Against the House, even with Kim Novak, is pretty tepid.
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That's disappointing to hear about 5AtH, since it has a great premise and is a Karlson movie.
The Hit is definitely worth another look. I doubt you'll enjoy it as much as I did, but it's interesting and worth examining.
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The Hit (1984) - I don't have a bad thing to say about this movie, it's exceptional. Terrence Stamp, John Hurt and Tim Roth were perfectly cast. The movie is beautiful to look at, features a great score and has a ton of charm. Pleasant surprise. 9/10
A good movie indeed, gets slightly better and better each time I watch it. Laura del Sol is smokin' hot here. I'd give it an 8.
But is it a noir, Mitch?
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Laura del Sol is smokin' hot here.
Now that I distinctly remember (and I love her in those flamenco movies she did).
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A good movie indeed, gets slightly better and better each time I watch it. Laura del Sol is smokin' hot here. I'd give it an 8.
But is it a noir, Mitch?
I'd say it qualifies as a neo noir.
and I have been a bit sleep deprived of late, so that's the reason for all the grammar errors--not that I am a stranger to them.
The Big Sleep (1978) - Meh. I want to reserve my judgment a bit because I didn't see it in its OAR but what a bore. Mitchum is the only reason to watch this. The daughters were miscast and just plain horrible. And to borrow a page from Titoli's book, not very attractive either. While Michael Winner is a competent director for Bronson homicidal rage flicks, I don't think very highly of his work outside of that realm. If he isn't a hack, he's damn close. I do need to give Lawman another chance though.
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Farewell, My Lovely (1975) with Mitchum is light years better. O0
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Farewell, My Lovely (1975) with Mitchum is light years better. O0
Seconded. But then, it wasn't a Winner film.
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I wish that was released on region 1, oh well. I'll track it down. Thanks.
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BS is not Winner's best movie, I can easily agree, but about the sisters, expecially the one playing Carmen, I disagree. Have you seen American Graffiti?
(http://www.timemachinetoys.com/toypics/clark2.jpg)
(http://www.graffititribute.com/images/portraits/candy-clark.jpg)
And Sarah Miles, well she's no Bacall, but she's far from ugly.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OQmEa5OKyOI/R_hYWA2QXVI/AAAAAAAADDc/3had8Kzb2W0/s1600-h/SarahMilesB15.jpg)
And Winner is not a hack. He may not be a great director but I would like so much to watch these days movies like the ones with Bronson or Lawman.
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Yes, I like AG quite a bit but I can't say I find her very attractive. I will admit that her hair style wasn't helping her cause.
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I'd say it qualifies as a neo noir.
and I have been a bit sleep deprived of late, so that's the reason for all the grammar errors--not that I am a stranger to them.
No worries, you can take the car, Mitch, it does me no good. Just leave the girl and your sleeping problems will soon be over (while mine will start).
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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704722304575037631589446308.html?KEYWORDS=dvd+movies
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The Sniper (1952) - 7/10. Stanley Kramer's name on the front of this red-flagged it for me, and sure enough, it turned out to be a movie with a message. I guess the message was, Psycho killers are people too. Who knew? But also they're a menace, and nobody wants this particular one on the loose, not even the sniper himself. He keeps sending the police messages hoping they'll put a stop to his compulsion to kill good-looking brunettes, but they take their time about it. When they finally nab him, though, he's visibly upset about what he's done. A shame about the large body count. Presenting the killer sympathetically was, apparently, a way for the producer to show his good intentions. This isn't your ordinary tawdry tale of serial killings, Mr. Kramer seems to be repeatedly announcing, this is a much more high-toned affair. Oh well, the San Francisco locations are shot well, the score is quite interesting, and the lead actor isn't bad. But what's Adolphe Menjou doing in the picture--and what happened to his mustache?
Too much time was spent in police headquarters with secondary characters sharing their philosophies on how to treat violent criminals. I'd say it's obvious Kramer's voice is heard through the psychologist. As preachy as it is, it was an interesting movie with some great moments. I wish more time was spent in the streets because the location work was very good, like you said. The shot when the lead shoots the dude on the water tower in one frame is something that will stick with me. I wish there were more moments like that.
I actually thought Menjou turned in the best performance in the movie and it's always great to see Marie Windsor.
7-8/10
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And Sarah Miles, well she's no Bacall, but she's far from ugly.
O0
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I take back my comment on Sarah Miles because I didn't realize she was in Blow Up.
But she really looked bad in the movie.
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http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0475871/
Sad.
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Le jour se lève (1939)
If the story was more complex this would have been a huge movie, like this it often drives forward relying mostly on Jean Gabin's great charisma as the leading man. Jacqueline Laurent was unbelievably cute, Arletty on the other hand very magnetic. Good (if not great) cinematography. Noir before noir?
(around) 7.5/10
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Cool audio interview with Eddie Muller, the Czar of Noir (interspersed with some great noir soundtrack music):
http://www.backalleynoir.com//showthread.php?200-Eddie-Muller-on-The-Juke-Joint-radio-show
Good to know Human Desire is finally coming to DVD, and that Too Late For Tears is getting the full restoration treatment.
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New pressed DVDs of the following are coming (possibly this summer) per reports at the Digital Bits and HTF: Rope of Sand (49), Union Station (50), Dark City (50), and Appointment With Danger (51). Looking forward to that last one, especially--Jack Webb as the bad guy!
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The House On Telegraph Hill (1951) dir by Robert Wise with Richard Basehart, Valentina Cortese (who I just saw recently in "Thieves Highway"), William Lundigan, and Fay Baker, good film with twists about a 7/10.
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The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) - 7.5/10
I guess I was more fitting audience for it now than five years ago.
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The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) - 7.5/10
I guess I was more fitting audience for it now than five years ago.
This is one of the movies that work better with a second viewing: once you know the movie is about the barber and not about the first murder, you focus on the right points instead of thinking the movie is finished after the first trial.
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Remake of I Wake Up Screaming, on Hulu: http://www.hulu.com/watch/139611/vicki
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Press announcement from the HTF:
BURBANK, Calif., April 5, 2010 – Warner Home Video (WHV) doubles the stakes in The Film Noir Classic Collection Volume 5, debuting July 13, with legendary Hollywood tough guys and femme fatales once again colliding, this time in eight smoldering suspense classics, all new to DVD. Titles include Cornered/Desperate, The Phenix City Story/Dial 1119, Armored Car Robbery/Crime in the Streets, and Deadline at Dawn/Backfire.
The new movies, which have all been digitally remastered for this collection, include stunning performances by John Cassavetes, Dick Powell, Steve Brodie, Charles McGraw, Susan Hayward, Virginia Mayo, and Raymond Burr, among others. An unbelievable entertainment value, the four-disc collection will be available for $49.92 SRP. Orders are due June 8.
Warner Home Video released its first Film Noir Collection in 2004, re-awakening America’s fascination with the unique genre and garnering acclaim from critics nationwide. This led to a revival of film noir throughout the entire home entertainment industry as well as three more successful volumes from Warner Home Video in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
About The Film Noir Classic Collection Volume 5
Cornered (1945):
From England to continental Europe to Buenos Aires, ex-RCAF pilot Dick Powell stalks the Nazi collaborator who murdered his bride. But one fact constantly surfaces during his quest: no one can describe the mysterious man. Joining Powell in the film shadows are the director and other key talent behind Murder, My Sweet of the year before.
Special Features:
Cornered trailer.
Runtime: 102 minutes
Rating: NR
Film Specs: B&W 4x3 1.37 standard aspect ratio
Language: English Mono
Subtitles: English
Desperate (1947):
Desperate is the first of seven atmospheric noirs directed by Anthony Mann. Steve Brodie is a postwar every man who accepts what he thinks is an honest trucking job, only to find he’s the driver in a botched heist that puts Brodie and his bride (Audrey Long) on the run from the cops and the cons who planned the job (including chief thug Raymond Burr).
Runtime: 73 minutes
Rating: NR
Film Specs: B&W 4x3 1.37 standard aspect ratio
Language: English Mono
Subtitles: English
The Phenix City Story (1955):
Corruption, brutality and vice plagued Phenix City, Alabama, for 100 years, so who would dare to change it? Based on real-life events and filmed on location in what was called Sin City USA, director Phil Karlson’s semi-documentary tells the jolting tale of those who risked their lives to bring the burg’s syndicate of thugs and murderers to justice.
RT: 100 minutes
Rating: NR
Film Specs: B&W 16x9 Widescreen 1.77
Language: English Mono
Subtitles: English
Dial 1119 (1950):
An asylum inmate escapes to the city, where he takes hostages at a local dive, guns down a bar employee and warns authorities his captives will be next if the doctor whose testimony first put him away doesn’t arrive within the hour. A bit of casting irony goes with the movie’s then-novel use of TV news coverage: actors Marshall Thompson, William Conrad, Keefe Brasselle and Leon Ames would have significant career ventures in television.
Special Features:
Includes Dial 1119 theatrical trailer.
RT: 75 minutes
Rating: NR
Film Specs: B&W 4x3 1.37 standard aspect ratio
Language: English Mono
Subtitles: English
Armored Car Robbery (1950):
Richard Fleischer directs this brute-force milestone about a deadly heist and the battle of wits and firepower between a fugitive gangster (William Talman) and his stripper moll (Adele Jergens) and a bulldog cop (Charles McGraw), out to avenge his partner’s death, who uses hidden microphones, lab work and his own well-honed instincts to close the net.
RT: 68 minutes
Rating: NR
Film Specs: B&W 4x3 1.37 standard aspect ratio
Language: English Mono
Subtitles: English
Crime in the Streets (1956):
Following a turf rumble with a rival group, a street gang leader (John Cassavetes) tells his gang to do what they’ve never done before: kill a snitch. Reginald Rose wrote and Don Siegel directs a jazz-riffing screen version of a tale first seen on TV and co-starring James Whitmore and Sal Mineo.
RT: 91 minutes
Rating: NR
Film Specs: B&W 16x9 Widescreen 1.77
Language: English Mono
Subtitles: English
Deadline At Dawn (1946):
A gangster’s sister lies dead. All clues point to sailor Bill Williams as the murderer. Slated to depart for duty at dawn, the swabbie, aided by good-hearted dime-a-dancer Susan Hayward and affable cabbie Paul Lukas, has mere hours to prove his innocence. The tangy Clifford Odets script is based on a novel by William Irish (pseudonym of Cornell Woolrich).
RT: 83 minutes
Rating: NR
Film Specs: B&W 4x3 1.37 standard aspect ratio
Language: English Mono
Subtitles: English
Backfire (1950):
Vincent Sherman directs this gripping yarn about recovering war veteran Gordon MacRae’s quest to prove pal Edmond O’Brien innocent of murder. Aiding him is his resourceful nurse Virginia Mayo. And a secretive doctor, a lively undertaker, a desperate gambler, a dying witness and a haunting Viennese melody all lead them to a shocking climax.
RT: 91 minutes
Rating: NR
Film Specs: B&W 4x3 1.37 standard aspect ratio
Language: English Mono
Subtitles: English
The Film Noir Classic Collection Volume 5
Street date: July 13, 2010
Order due date: June 8, 2010
UPC #: 883929042197
$49.92 SRP
All Films Are Not Rated
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In a Lonely Place (1950) - 8/10
This is one of those movies that don't exactly blow your mind but that probably will haunt you for a long time. Or then not...we'll see about that.
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In a Lonely Place (1950) - 8/10
This is one of those movies that don't exactly blow your mind but that probably will haunt you for a long time. Or then not...we'll see about that.
I think reception depends on how sensitive you are to Bogart's iconic status.
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Barton Fink (1991)
It can be that I'm too stupid to get the main message, I'm not ruling that out at all, but it's just that I couldn't find any symbolism to decrypt in first place. As this movie is, apparently, just full of it in every second. Obviously, to make an example, I don't buy the scene when Barton and Charlie are wrestling as some sort of extremely smart psychological undertone cutting to the core of homosexual desires. But I think that might not be obvious to anyone, lol. I'm open to other people's interpretations, as long as they're interesting.
Nevertheless, this is a movie that is contagiously fun to watch; if you leave the logic behind it's just swell all around. Solid performances from everyone, but the two detectives steal the show for me (very entertaining lines).
All gravy - no meat. Can turn out to be very tasty if you happen to have some bread on you.
7.5/10
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Barton Fink (1991)
All gravy - no meat. Can turn out to be very tasty if you happen to have some bread on you.
I'll go along with that. The whole "deeper meaning" thing is a tease. That aspect of the film is, I'm pretty sure, just there to catch out the heavy-breathing dipsh*t fanboy types. The Coens always play fair: they skewer 40s Hollywood, but also Fink, their stand-in for Clifford "Oh So Socially Engaged" Odets. Why should they then spare the obsessive purveyors of their own films?
I think one exchange is emblematic of the movie as a whole. Fink is having lunch with a suit (Tony Shalhoub) in the studio cafeteria, and asks where he can find a writer to collaborate with. The suit replies, contemptuously: "In here? Throw a rock." Then, as the guy gets up to leave, he leans over and says, "And do me favor, Fink. Throw it hard!"
The film, and the Coens, in a nutshell.
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I think reception depends on how sensitive you are to Bogart's iconic status.
I'm not sure I got your point but I'd say this is the Bogiest role I've seen from him.
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I'm not sure I got your point but I'd say this is the Bogiest role I've seen from him.
I'd say it is the Bogiest performance, but the role is unusual.
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The music's pretty simple yet (strangely) very touching. If slightly maladjusted.
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Out of the Past - This was excellent until the accountant's murder. From then on it becomes too messy (and uselessly so), practically living only on Mitchum's burberried appearance. How Both Douglas and Mitchum manage to get both f...d up in the end by somebody whom they know is gonna do it is beyond me. That is probably what turned me off the first time I saw it many years ago in spite of Mitchum's and Douglas's (his overacting thrives on Mitchum's underplaying) performances. 7\10
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Out of the Past - This was excellent until the accountant's murder. From then on it becomes too messy (and uselessly so), practically living only on Mitchum's burberried appearance. How Both Douglas and Mitchum manage to get both f...d up in the end by somebody whom they know is gonna do it is beyond me. That is probably what turned me off the first time I saw it many years ago in spite of Mitchum's and Douglas's (his overacting thrives on Mitchum's underplaying) performances. 7\10
It's not just the performances, it's the very literate script. No doubt your Italian ear can't quite fully appreciate many of the gnomic utterances placed in Mitchum's mouth.
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Dark City (1998)
Quite excellent future-noir. It is a very interesting story (although doubtfully all that original) but as it goes on the plot and the characters kinda lose themselves in the mist of the bigger picture (and the special effects). Don't quite live brightly enough to make the movie a superb masterpiece. Still; one of the best movies of the 90's.
8/10
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Dark City (1998)
Quite excellent future-noir. It is a very interesting story (although doubtfully all that original) but as it goes on the plot and the characters kinda lose themselves in the mist of the bigger picture (and the special effects). Don't quite live brightly enough to make the movie a superb masterpiece. Still; one of the best movies of the 90's.
8/10
Yea I like this one also and its got a Leone alumni, Jennifer Connelly. O0
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It's not just the performances, it's the very literate script. No doubt your Italian ear can't quite fully appreciate many of the gnomic utterances placed in Mitchum's mouth.
Expecially since I saw it dubbed this time too.
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Expecially since I saw it dubbed this time too.
Aaaaaauuuugggghhhhh!
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The Naked Dawn (1955) The fascinating rogue, the unsatisfied wife and the hipocrite husband. You've seen it already but not staged on the mexican border, with Arthur Kennedy playing (convincingly: maybe because I saw the movie dubbed in spanish) a mexican. It's all so ridiculous and, like most of noires, boring. 5\10
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In the run-up to Columbia's second film noir box, the website has this bit of background on DP Burnett Guffey. Interesting reading : http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/columbiaclassics/blog/?offset=3
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Who decided that July was gonna be Noir Month? There's the Columbia box, Film Noir Vol. 5 from Warner's, and we'll also be getting these 3 titles from Olive Films: http://classicflix.blogspot.com/2010/04/dark-city-appointment-with-danger-part.html
I guess I'll be getting them all . . .
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The blog we've all been waiting for: http://fiftiescrimefilms.blogspot.com/
This guy's also got a blog for 60s crime films: http://sixtiescrimefilms.blogspot.com/
(Thanks, Cinema Retro, for the tip!)
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A somewhat disappointing review:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews24/human_desire.htm
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The Hitch-Hiker (1953)
Good for TV standards, it will not disappoint you if you wanna kill an hour or so, just don't expect it to come anywhere near Rutger Hauer's 80s vehicle. They go in circles with the story and there's a bump on more than one place. Can't complain 'bout the actors.
6/10
Continued here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144604#msg144604 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144604#msg144604)
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http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews51/film_noir_collection_vol2.htm
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Fury - 7/10 - Fritz Lang's first Hollywood film if I'm not mistaken. Although it's very well-made and has its share of powerful sequences, particularly the Brooke Hart-inspired lynching scene, I find the central conceit of the film pretty hard to swallow and that takes it down a notch. The loud speech-making and neon-light messages in the second half hurt it too, well-delivered though they generally are.
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Yeah! http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews51/film_noir_classic_collection_vol._5.htm
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The Black Book (aka Reign of Terror) - 9/10 - A really dark and nasty noir set in Revolutionary France, directed by Anthony Mann. John Alton's cinematography is amazingly claustrophobic and nightmarish, and the movie has a real sense of danger and violence to the whole thing. Great cast too, especially Arnold Moss (?) as the slippery police chief. An overlooked gem.
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The Black Book (aka Reign of Terror) - 9/10 - A really dark and nasty noir set in Revolutionary France, directed by Anthony Mann. John Alton's cinematography is amazingly claustrophobic and nightmarish, and the movie has a real sense of danger and violence to the whole thing. Great cast too, especially Arnold Moss (?) as the slippery police chief. An overlooked gem.
I like the film too, but why call it a noir? Why not call every black and white film of the 40s a noir? The distinctiveness (and therefore usefulness) of this term is quickly evaporating.
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Why not? It was certainly filmed with the style (and worldview) of Mann's other late '40s films, which would surely qualify.
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Yeah! http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews51/film_noir_classic_collection_vol._5.htm
fuck yeah
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Don't shoot me, I haven't seen the film!
It has most of the conventions/cliches of noir: the photography of course, an amoral protagonist, a femme fatale, dirty cops, and so forth. It even has a few "car chases." It could just as easily have been set in the modern day.
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So except for the color, it could be called a noir. No, wait, there are some color films called noir. And I'm sure that the events in the film could take place in the present day (in the same way that revolutionary France is "always with us"). Go ahead, it's a noir.
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Not really.
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My copies of the Sony set and the Warner set arrived together yesterday. Thirteen noirs to view and digest! This is the bestest summer ever!
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It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it. Let the reviewing begin:
Nightfall (1957) - 8/10. Aldo Ray is on the run from the cops (they think he bumped off his camping buddy), but there are also a couple of goons (Brian Keith and a sadistic Rudy Bond) who want to get to him first and ask the question: what happened to the missing $350,000? Enter Anne Bancroft as a faux femme fatale and a pre-Barney Miller James Gregory as a sympathetic insurance investigator. Add stunning b&w widescreen photography of LA and Wyoming (courtesy of Burnett Guffey), and impeccable direction by Jacques Tourneur, and you get a 78 minute cheapie that's better than most A pictures of the period. Tourneur adds further interest by building in a tripartite flashback structure, and establishes synchronicity between the hero and the insurance investigator through the use of some very inventive match cuts.
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Armored Car Robbery (1950) - 7/10. Dave Purvus (William Talman) had the perfect heist figured . . . until it all went terribly wrong. Richard Fleischer directed this tight 68 minute police procedural. Its chief virtue lies in watching Talman improvise his way out of a number of corners, but Charles McGraw's dogged police detective provides some moments of fun as well. Too bad the ending is so pedestrian.
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City of Fear (1959) - 7/10. An escaped con (Vince Edwards) is loose on the streets of LA with a canister of what he thinks is heroin but which in fact contains "Cobalt 60." This follow-up to Murder By Contract is Irving Lerner's Panic in the Streets, but with a nuclear angle. Great widescreen b&w photography provided by Lucien Ballard, and an impressive score from Jerry Goldsmith. The plot is little more than the premise followed to its logical conclusion, but it's entertaining enough.
Review continues here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144723#msg144723 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144723#msg144723)
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Erickson on the new Sony set: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3228noir.html
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Erickson on the coming DVD of Appointment With Danger: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3243dang.html
This bit in particular caught my eye:
The writers were surely hoping to achieve the word-of-mouth buzz enjoyed by Henry Hathaway's Kiss of Death, with its controversial scene in which Richard Widmark pushes an old lady in a wheelchair down a flight of stairs. Appointment with Danger tries to top that brutality by having the dominant hit man Regas (Jack Webb) beat his submissive partner Soderquist (Harry Morgan) to death with Soderquist's own baby's bronzed booties.
That's sold me!
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Noir or non? You make the call: http://www.hulu.com/watch/95170/big-house-usa
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Me:
New York Confidential (1955) - 7/10. Richard Conte is a stone cold killer working for Broderick Crawford in the NY branch of "the Syndicate." Early on the rules are established: the Syndicate always comes first, and individuals who in any way threaten its existence (or are perceived to threaten it) are eliminated. This dictum is rigorously enforced, so that by the end of the film all the players have changed but the Organization keeps chugging along. The virtue of this approach is that the film maintains a hard edge throughout, with nary a hint of sentimentality. However, it also means there are few surprises. By way of compensation we do get some fun performances: Conte is pitiless, and Crawford should have won an award for his scenery chewing. And then there's Anne Bancroft, playing the boss's daughter who wants only to get out from under, who had, in her day, the loveliest bones in the industry.
Erickson: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3247york.html
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Deadline at Dawn (1946) - 8/10. A sailor (Bill Williams) on liberty in NYC must prove his innocence once his "escort" from earlier in the evening is found dead, and he must do it in time to catch a 6 a.m. bus back to his ship (the deadline of the title). Helping him is a cynical taxi dancer (a young and scrumptious looking Susan Hayward) and eventually a cabbie with a weird accent (Paul Lukas). The cast of suspects include (shock!) Joseph Calleia as a gangster (never better). The improbabilities keep piling on (the body of the murdered woman has countless visitors but remains undetected by the police until almost the end of the picture--although a police station is right across the street!). At several points I wanted to throw up my hands, but I kept watching because of the script's endless string of inventive quips (IMDb has some of them here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038458/quotes). One exchange absolutely floored me. In a reflective moment alone with Lukas Susan Hayward speaks wistfully:
Hayward: How can you love a boy you've just met?
Lukas: How can a casual passing stranger change your entire life? You'd be amazed. My wife I met and loved in a minute. In a dentist's office. With all the vitamins, too. I love her to this day . . . although it's 16 years since she's been gone.
Hayward: No children?
Lukas: A girl. She's married now. Last year I put her husband in a dry-cleaning establishment. I had some savings. I'd die for that girl.
Hayward: Does she remember her mother?
Lukas: My daughter? Oh, very well. She even remembers the man.
Hayward: What man?
Lukas: The man my wife ran off with. You won't believe it, the first six years, I shaved every night before I went to bed. I thought she might come back.
The plot is absurd, but for dialog like this (which actually contains clues to the solution of the crime) the film is worth watching and re-watching.
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sounds good O0
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Good news: http://www.wbshop.com/Locket-The-1946/1000168099,default,pd.html?cgid=ARCHIVENEW
The Film Noir Forum has this review of the film (http://members.boardhost.com/mrvalentine/msg/1280945501.html):
Made in the stark "film noir" style that was popular for crime dramas in the forties and fifties, "The Locket" deals with a similar theme to Alfred Hitchcock's "Marnie", that of a beautiful but psychologically disturbed young woman whose disturbance manifests itself as kleptomania, an uncontrollable impulse to steal. The main character, Nancy Monks, is a working-class girl who as a child was wrongly accused by her mother's wealthy employer of stealing a valuable locket and harshly beaten. The memory of this injustice has scarred Nancy ever since, and in adult life she tries to revenge herself on the world by stealing jewelery. Her compulsion to steal wrecks first her relationship with Norman Clyde, a young artist, and then her marriage to Harry Blair, a psychiatrist. Nancy's crimes may, indeed, go beyond mere theft; there is a suggestion that she may have committed a murder in the course of one robbery, a murder for which an innocent man suffers the death penalty.
Much of the comment on this film has centred on its unusually baroque structure, complex even by today's standards and even more so by those of the forties. It has been described as a "flashback within a flashback within a flashback". (The main action takes place on the morning of Nancy's second wedding. The story of her marriage to Blair is told in the first flashback, which contains a second flashback telling Clyde's story as told to Blair, which in turn contains a flashback narrating the story of her childhood). Despite this intricate construction, however, the plot line is never difficult to follow.
The film's links to Hitchcock's works go beyond a thematic resemblance to "Marnie". The set used for the house of Nancy's mother's employer is the same one used for the house of Alex Sebastian in "Notorious"; in both cases it serves to suggest opulent wealth combined with coldness. More importantly, the film-makers clearly shared the fascination with psychology that was obvious in such Hitchcock films as "Spellbound" or "Psycho". Such a fascination, particularly with the theories of Freud, was, in fact, quite common in the cinema around this period, although these theories were often somewhat bowdlerised. The censors were clearly uncomfortable with Freud's insistence on the particular importance of sexual experiences in influencing the human psyche. (I was interested to read the comments of the reviewer who pointed out the use of the locket of the title as a symbol of repressed memory).
Despite these thematic links it is not really accurate to describe the film as "minor league Hitchcock" as one reviewer did. I have not seen any of John Brahm's other films, but "The Locket" is the work of a major-league player. It is not a suspense film in the normal Hitchcock style but rather a melodrama. Brahm is able to get good performances out of his actors, particularly from Robert Mitchum as Clyde and Laraine Day, an actress with whom I was not previously familiar, as Nancy. The melodramatic style requires a non-naturalistic heightening of emotion; in some films this might have come across as over-acting, but here it is quite deliberate, done for increased dramatic effect and in line with the dark, neo-Gothic tone of the film. This is not a well-known film today, but I was lucky enough to catch it when it was recently shown on British television, and was not disappointed.
Continued here..........: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg150897#msg150897 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg150897#msg150897)
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[quote from: cigar joe on November 24, 2009, 12:21:05 PM
The Big Combo (1955) dir Joseph H. Lewis, with Cornel Wilde, a great slightly over wound and over the top Richard Conte in this one, Brian Donlevy, Jean Wallace, Susan Lowell, Robert Middleton, Lee Van Cleef, and Earl Holliman. "First is first and second is nobody" Its good to see Van Cleef in this. [/quote]
Yeah, but a small combo, actually. Conte is huge, the actors are all good, the photography excellent. So what is missing? Production values. You never have the impression that Conte is more than a small time gangster. Some plot turns are ridiculous (the bomb he personally delivers to the henchmen; the cop's kidnapping like it was all a joke). Still the execution is perfect. 7\10
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Pushover (1954) - A poor man's Double Indemnity. Fred MacMurray conspires with a larcenous Blonde to bump off her old man and split a large payday. Will this sap never learn? The slick b&w widescreen photography can't hide the fact that the whole film is shot on about 4 sets (and one backlot location). This movie doesn't have much, except for Kim Novak in her first credited appearance--but that's enough.
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Pushover (cont.)
titoli, in an uncredited cameo, tries out his usual material:
(http://a.imageshack.us/img714/6645/cap398.png)
the usual tropes regarding narcissism and self-reflexivity are employed:
(http://a.imageshack.us/img261/1159/cap383.png)
That Vertigo Moment:
(http://a.imageshack.us/img217/808/cap404.png)
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Pushover (concluded):
(http://a.imageshack.us/img714/2936/cap389.png)
(http://a.imageshack.us/img714/9435/cap388.png)
(http://a.imageshack.us/img713/4238/cap391.png)
(http://a.imageshack.us/img713/4739/cap405.png)
(http://a.imageshack.us/img261/7700/cap407.png)
"He killed for money and a woman. He didn't get the money and he didn't get the woman."
Pushover review continues here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144723#msg144723 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144723#msg144723)
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From the review of the Blu-ray of Le Cercle Rouge at DVDBeaver:
ADDITION: (August 2010) Studio Canal Collection - Region 'B' - Blu-ray: Firstly, this is the European region 'B'-locked Blu-ray edition of Melville's film. It will be the exact same disc (transfer, menus, extras) used in the UK (Optimum), Germany (Kinowelt) and in France (Studio Canal) under the umbrella of The Studio Canal Collection. Packaging will differ due to the country language it is sold in September 2010 but all digital features will be the same. Accordingly Lions Gate should release this in North America although I have no scheduled release date yet.
The prize of the extras is Olivier Bohler's 1 1/4 hour documentary Code Name: Melville - described as "...mixing interviews, rare archival footage and film extracts, the film shows how Melville's works were impacted by what he experienced in his youth during WWII, and how it structured his whole approach to cinema, not only in its thematic but also in its aesthetics." we certainly don't want to take away from the 20-minute introduction by film scholar Ginette Vincendeau (love that voice) and, under 'About Le Cercle Rouge' interviews with assistant director Bernard Stora (30:11 - French w/subs), writer, director, actor Jose Giovanni (14:37 - French w/subs) and Rui Nogueira (26:12- French w/subs). There is also a trailer in HD.
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the strangest girl-hunt a man ever went on.
some of the supporting charactors are Rafael Campos
Wesley Addy , Michelle Nichols ,
Raymond St. Jacques
Angela Lansbury
Katharine Ross
Suzanne Pleshette
Jean Simmons ( not the guy from kiss )
jimmy Garner( who's outta his mind )
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059453/fullcredits#cast far as i go as this is the Leone board and I'm way outta my element
mid sixties noir gone crazy
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I like it it's a good movie O0
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Kiss of Death (1995) - 6/10
Don't remember the original but this is 100% mediocre, yet watchable.
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David Caruso doesn't have the sunglasses in this one. :D
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Beaver on the available DVD versions of Desert Fury: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews39/desert_fury.htm
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Wow, The Dark Mirror is out in Germany. DVDBeaver lauds the release: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews52/the_dark_mirror.htm
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Pushover (cont.)
titoli, in an uncredited cameo, tries out his usual material:
(http://a.imageshack.us/img714/6645/cap398.png)
The problem is I'm still trying to this day to remember whom she's reminding me of.
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Forgot to mention that I wrote this piece after my Robert Ryan marathon a few weeks back:
http://nothingiswrittenfilm.blogspot.com/2010/08/robert-ryan-noir-extravaganza.html (http://nothingiswrittenfilm.blogspot.com/2010/08/robert-ryan-noir-extravaganza.html)
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Restored Film Noir "The Prowler" with Van Heflin and Evelyn Keyes, on TCM tonight.
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Bad Cop Noir! I've seen it twice on the big screen and I'd be happy to own it on DVD (if it ever comes out). Van Hefflin makes a wonderfully lovable psycho.
Continued discussion here....... : http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145264#msg145264 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145264#msg145264)
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You. Must. Be. Joking: http://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2010/09/hbo-releases-trailer-of-kate-winslets-first-post-oscar-performance/63053/
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I like Kate well-enough but that is fucking stupid.
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The Usual Suspects (1995) - 7.7/10
Not great as the rating on IMDb would suggest but decently entertaining. (You can see the ending coming from around the corner.)
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I'm not a fan of Mildred Pierce but that's ridiculous. They remake everything. It needs to stop.
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Especially since MP is decidedly of its time. The only way to re-do it is to drop whatever noir-ish characteristics it had, rendering it a total soap opera.
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Blu-ray.com reviews Region B Le Cercle Rouge: http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Le-cercle-rouge-Blu-ray/11183/#Review
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(http://multimedia.fnac.com/multimedia/images_produits/ZoomPE/6/0/3/3700173215306.jpg)
Run of the mill, you've-seen-it-all b-movie. Donlevy is very good and Raines, as usual, very attractive (while Coburn is almost embarrassing). But the story is very uninventive and in the final development ridiculous. And anyway half an hour too long. 5\10
Continued here....... : http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg148013#msg148013 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg148013#msg148013)
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Yeah, but on account of Ella, I give it a "6."
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(http://i2.cdiscount.com/pdt/1/7/3/1/f/3700173213173.jpg)
He Walked By Night (1948)
This movie is divided in 2: on the one hand you have the police procedural part which is boring as hell, on the other you have the real noir part featuring Basehart, even photographically different from the other. The underground tunnel part anticipates the third man of a year (but I seem to remember that something similar was made already in a mabuse. but maybe i'm wrong). So all in all I give it 6\10.
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Cry of the City (1948) This is not a noir in my book, but rather a gangster-cop story. Still, as every movie shot in b&w in the 40's it is marketed as noir for commercial reasons. Anyway, it is remarkable not so much for the crime plot (rather awkward) but for the confrontations between Conte and Mature and Conte and his mom. and his girl It is unusual to watch characters in a movie lambast or even ridiculize the criminal activities like it is done here, to see the criminal rejected by his own beloved ones. Conte is left with no hero aura and his criminal life denounced for all the grief it causes to the people who love him or help him. Mature is huge in this movie, even more than Conte: an Oscar performance. 8\10.
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Cry of the City (1948) This is not a noir in my book, but rather a gangster-cop story. Still, as every movie shot in b&w in the 40's it is marketed as noir for commercial reasons. Anyway, it is remarkable not so much for the crime plot (rather awkward) but for the confrontations between Conte and Mature and Conte and his mom. and his girl It is unusual to watch characters in a movie lambast or even ridiculize the criminal activities like it is done here, to see the criminal rejected by his own beloved ones. Conte is left with no hero aura and his criminal life denounced for all the grief it causes to the people who love him or help him. Mature is huge in this movie, even more than Conte: an Oscar performance. 8\10.
I would love to see this. Criterion is supposed to be bringing it out on disc in R1, but they are taking their time about it.
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711 Ocean Drive! Yeah! http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews52/711_ocean_drive.htm
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711 Ocean Drive! Yeah! http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews52/711_ocean_drive.htm
Great, I saw it not long ago either on TCM or FMC.
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Especially since MP is decidedly of its time. The only way to re-do it is to drop whatever noir-ish characteristics it had, rendering it a total soap opera.
Agreed.
it would make sense to be re-made as a Sirk movie.
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it would make sense to be re-made as a Sirk movie.
I know you're being serious, and you're right, but nonetheless: LOL.
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According to legend, this is where it all began: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews52/stranger_on_the_third_floor.htm
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I love this film, but I already have the Image disc and am happy with it so will forego the upgrade: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews24/amazing_mr._x.htm
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More noir from the Warner Archives:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews52/this_side_of_the_law.htm
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews52/the_sellout.htm
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Savant on 711 Ocean Drive: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3349driv.html
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Bad Blonde (1953) Ok but predictable Hammer noir with Barbara Payton, Frederick Valk, John Slater, Sid James, and Tony Wright.
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Posted today over at "The Blackboard":
Joseph Losey's The Prowler is coming from VCI on Feb 1.
AVAILABLE AT LAST ON DVD! Famed director Joseph Losey's long neglected masterpiece, scripted by legendary blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, has been restored to its original bleak splendor by the Film Noir Foundation and the UCLA Film & Television Archive. A nefarious cop stalks a lonely, repressed Los Angeles housewife and decides to win her in the traditional film noir fashion - by knocking off her husband! Bonus Features: Documentary featurette "The Cost of Living: Creating The Prowler," with James Ellroy, Christopher Trumbo, Denise Hamilton and Alan K. Rode, "Masterpiece in the Margins": Bertrand Tavernier on The Prowler, On the Prowl: Restoring The Prowler. The Film Noir Foundation and UCLA Film & Television Archive Partnership, Photo Gallery, Audio Commentary by Film Noir Expert Eddie Muller, Original Theatrical Trailer Product Specs: DVD9; Dolby Digital 2.0; RT - 92 minutes; B&W; Aspect Ratio - 1.37:1 - 4x3; Year - 1951; SRP - $19.99
Great news. The Muller commentary alone is worth the price.
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Barton Fink - 8.5/10
Guess what? DJ convinced me.
You're a sick f*ck, Fink.
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Barton Fink - 8.5/10
Guess what? DJ convinced me.
You're a sick f*ck, Fink.
The film convinced you. Now, time to follow up with The Man Who Wasn't There.
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Oh I already love it. I loved it since the 2nd vision (first time, I got bored because I was traped into the wrong story, so the twist at the begining of the first trial got me out of the movie... once you know what you're supposed to follow, it's a great movie, and i've seen it around 10 times).
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According to a poster at The Blackboard, the following noir and noir-related films are streaming on Netflix:
Union Station
Appointment With Danger
Big House USA
The Turning Point
Cry Danger
Moonrise
Dear Murderer
No Man Of Her Own
Black Orchid
Rope of Sand
Dark City
Foreign Intrigue
99 River Street
Hot Cars
Ruthless
The Scar (excellent print)
Fear In The Night
The Big Caper
Private Hell 36
Allotment Wives
My Gun Is Quick
The Assassin
The Depraved
Cage of Evil
The Big Boodle
Crime Against Joe
The Naked Street
The Big Night
Hell's Island
I Walk Alone
Man Trap
Sleep My Lovely
Alaska Seas
Odd Man Out
Hell's Half Acre
Five Steps to Danger
The Missing Lady
The Great Van Robbery
Johnny Cool
Cat Burglar
Plunder Road
Cop Hater
Edge of Fury
Hong Kong Confidential
The Mugger
Lady of Vengeance
Hidden Fear
Flight to Hong Kong
Down Three Dark Streets
The Fake
Confidence Girl
The Man With My Face
Edge Of Doom
Blanche Fury
The Hideout
The Killer is Loose
The Fearmakers
Criminal Investigator
The Last Mile
The Young Captives
Accused of Murder
Appointment with Crime
Jennifer
Fatal Witness
London Blackout Murders
City After Midnight
Brief Encounter
Incident in an Alley
Counterplot
Cry Tough
Man Accused
The Cruel Tower
And per the Netflix site, they seem to be offering a free subscription for a month. Hmm, I can watch a lot of noir in a month.........
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Brief Encounter is a noir?
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I think the idea is that noir-heads would be interested because of the photography (it would come under the "noir-related" part of the category).
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Cool I'll be watching them for sure O0
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Quicksand (1950) not bad with Mickey Rooney, Peter Lorre, Jeanne Cagney, Barbara Bates.
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Quicksand (1950) not bad with Mickey Rooney, Peter Lorre, Jeanne Cagney, Barbara Bates.
Thanks. I'll put it in my queue.
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Well, Netflix doesn't have Quicksand for streaming. However, I was able to settle for:
My Gun is Quick (1957) 8/10. This Mike Hammer entry is a lot of fun. Plenty of knuckle-play, a string of rub-outs, and dames, dames, dames. There's even a pretty good dock-side gun battle at the end (with a terrific shooter and shootee moment with Mike in the middle distance giving it to Thug #7 in the foreground). Robert Bray is probably what most people want for their Mike Hammer. He's good, though conventional, but would have been perfect for a TV show. In fact, this film seems a lot like a very, very, good TV episode--and some of the women in it did show up later on Perry Mason. Also this film has probably the best Velda of all time: Pamela Duncan (right, you've never heard of her. Neither had I). It doesn't have anyone comparable to Peggie Castle, though, so I, The Jury still remains my favorite Mike Hammer film. But this is definitely number 2.
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Well, Netflix doesn't have Quicksand for streaming. However, I was able to settle for:
My Gun is Quick (1957) 8/10. This Mike Hammer entry is a lot of fun. Plenty of knuckle-play, a string of rub-outs, and dames, dames, dames. There's even a pretty good dock-side gun battle at the end (with a terrific shooter and shootee moment with Mike in the middle distance giving it to Thug #7 in the foreground). Robert Bray is probably what most people want for their Mike Hammer. He's good, though conventional, but would have been perfect for a TV show. In fact, this film seems a lot like a very, very, good TV episode--and some of the women in it did show up later on Perry Mason. Also this film has probably the best Velda of all time: Pamela Duncan (right, you've never heard of her. Neither had I). It doesn't have anyone comparable to Peggie Castle, though, so I, The Jury still remains my favorite Mike Hammer film. But this is definitely number 2.
Sounds good
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More Netflix Noirs (again, as reported at The Blackboard):
Madonna's Secret (rare Alton)
Cry Vengeance
The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry
Caught (Ophuls gem)
The Fatal Witness
Money Jungle
City After Midnight
Really glad to hear about Madonna's Secret, a film I hadn't known of.
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The Narrow Margin (1952) Great noir film with Charles McGraw, Marie Windsor, Jacqueline White, Gordon Gebert, David Clarke, Peter Virgo, and Paul Maxey (who was a staple on 50's TV) excellent cross country passenger train setting, fun dialog describing Windsor as "strictly poison under the gravy", nice stylistic touches, Windsor & McGraw at their best. Rent on Net Flix. One of my favorites 10/10
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Madonna's Secret (1946) - 5/10. I can't improve upon the Netflix thumbnail, so: "When yet another one of moody French painter James Harlan Corbin's (Francis Lederer) beautiful models turns up dead, the girl's sister poses as a model herself in the hopes of proving that the suspicious artist is a killer. But soon she has a change of heart and falls for the man. Is Corbin toying with her, or could he be innocent after all?" Yeah, I wonder. Problem is, it's all-too-obvious who the real killer is. And Lederer makes an odd leading man: a face like Eduardo Ciannelli's, and a voice like Peter Lorre's. Every girl's dream date! The film was photographed by John Alton, but there's little of his signature style in it. One scene, though, has to be seen to be believed: during the obligatory nightclub scene with the obligatory torch singer, the girl vocalist simultaneously performs as the target for a knife-throwing routine! Each time she finishes a phrase, a knife lands with a thud. Well, it's a Republic picture; but no-one at the studio noticed how nutty that was?
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WTF? http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004G9UXEO/dvdbeaver-20/ref=nosim
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http://noircity.com/noircity.html
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looks pretty cool!
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The Devil Thumbs a Ride (1947) - A strong 8/10.
Dir. Felix E. Feist
Steve Morgan kills a man in a holdup and hitches a ride to Los Angeles with Fergie. At a gas station, they pick up two women. Encountering a roadblock, Morgan takes over and persuades the party to spend the night at an unoccupied beach hous
A nice little gem, running only 62 minutes. Mostly well written, give a couple of stupid decisions Fergie makes. Acting is professional for the most part but one of the girls delivers some of her lines only tolerably. The climax is a bit disappointing. But the good points: No dragging; a complete story very tightly told. And the characters are interesting.
Recommended O0 If you can find it...
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3 with the great Robert Ryan:
Alaska Seas (1954) 7/10. Salmon piracy in 20s Alaska. Nice guy Brian Keith hires bad boy Robert Ryan for his Fisherman's Collective, but it isn't long before the cash-strapped Ryan is selling his buddy out to evil canning czar Gene Barry. Ryan is amazing, basically playing the same character he portrayed in Clash By Night, but now with an HE- loaded harpoon gun. Jan Sterling is the girl who can't decide which of the two leads to go for. Is it really a noir? Well, close enough.
The Woman on Pier 13/I Married a Communist (1949) 8/10. Just as shipping executive Robert Ryan is about to settle down with new wife Laraine Day, the Commies come calling to remind him that he may have left the Party, but the Party hasn't left him. Thomas Gomez plays Commie boss Vanning like a cross between a mobster and a corrupt politician--he only vaguely registers that Ryan doesn't want to play ball, then goes back to issuing him orders. Eventually, the Commies wear Ryan down, but he ends by redeeming himself, only not before having to pay for his Commie crimes.
The Outfit (1973) 8/10. Robert Duvall gets out of the pen only to find that he's #1 with a bullet on The Outfit's Hit Parade. Seems the bank he went up for was Mob owned, and The Outfit doesn't think his jail sentence was punitive enough. Deciding the best defense is a good offense, Bob recruits Joe Don Baker and Karen Black to help him take on The Organization. So effective is his strategy--robbing each of The Syndicate's high yield operations--that he gets the personal attention of head man Robert Ryan (in his last screen role). In the gun-battle climax Ryan asks, "Can we deal?" and Duvall replies with "Too late!" and some high-caliber punctuation.
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The Woman on Pier 13/I Married a Communist
Hahaha, the title should have been The Woman on Pier 13 Married a Communist!
Continued Discussion here........ :http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145271#msg145271 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145271#msg145271)
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The Hitch-Hiker (1953) A good thriller, with future Hamilton Burger as a good villain. But I wonder why he doesn't kill his two hostages after the car broke. 7\10
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Human Desire (1954) directed by Fritz Lang with Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Broderick Crawford, and Edgar Buchanan, good noir with some outstanding railroad footage, its not "The Narrow Margin" though, its more a film who's emphasis is about Desire & Desperation than anything else, Gloria Grahame is wonderful as femme fatale slut Vicky who slowly reveals her true character throughout the course of the film. 7/10
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Human Desire (1954) directed by Fritz Lang with Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Broderick Crawford, and Edgar Buchanan, good noir with some outstanding railroad footage, its not "The Narrow Margin" though, its more a film who's emphasis is about Desire & Desperation than anything else, Gloria Grahame is wonderful as femme fatale slut Vicky who slowly reveals her true character throughout the course of the film. 7/10
You should check out Jean Renoir's original, it's better.
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You should check out Jean Renoir's original, it's better.
Maybe. But I didn't like either one.
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Kansas City Confidential (1952) I heard about this movie the first time about 30 years ago when I read Jack Shadoian's book on gangster films. He was rather enthusiastic about it. I am not. This is a rather contrived plotline which steps often into absurdity. The major absurdity is that hardened hoodlums may accept the proposition of doing a heist wirhout knowing each other and, even more absurd, that they (without knowing who the main plotter of the whole coup may be) accept to split the booty at a later time without any assurance that, as it would be only natural, the one keeping the loot may very well vanish into thin air. Then there's the whole middle part in the mexican resort which is just too long and helps not the plot to advance. Still I give it 7\10 because I like Payne and the three western stalwarts (not because they deliver great performances but just because they are given ample screen time).
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Been plowing through Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics II the last week. So far have viewed Human Desire, Pushover, and tonight "Nightfall"
Nightfall (1957) Directed by Jacques Tourneur from a script by Stirling Silliphant with Aldo Ray, Brian Keith, Anne Bancroft, Jocelyn Brando, James Gregory and Rudy Bond as a pretty good Psycho. Filled with flashbacks. Keith & Bond rob a bank and drive off the road in the high country of Wyoming. Ray & his doctor buddy are on a camping trip and witness the crash.
Their involvement with it triggers the whole tale into which the film drops us blindly without a setup just as it is unwinding in real time so that things are not quite what they seem. An insurance investigator James Gregory following/staking out Ray provides us with clues as he discusses the case with his wife and the flashbacks from Ray's POV to Bancroft and Gregory flesh out story in parcels.
But the real treat in this film is the quite stylistically high contrasting cinematography, especially at the confrontation at the oil well pump, there are some nice location street shots that blend well into the studio city sets, great stuff reminiscent of the graphic novel & film Sin City, though tame in comparison. One also gets the vibe of the Cohen Brothers film "Fargo" in the Wyoming set sections.
Bank robbers Brian Kieth and Rudy Bond steal all the scenes they are in. Anne Bancroft has a nice role as a faux femme fatale, and Aldo Ray is believable in his poor schlub caught in the middle of it role.
So far this is the most entertaining Noir of the set. 8/10
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Nightfall (1957)
But the real treat in this film is the quite stylistically high contrasting cinematography, especially at the confrontation at the oil well pump, there are some nice location street shots that blend well into the studio city sets, great stuff reminiscent of the graphic novel & film Sin City, though tame in comparison. One also gets the vibe of the Cohen Brothers film "Fargo" in the Wyoming set sections.
Absolutely. You may want to also mention that this is a widescreen noir, a definite minority within the class. The nice thing about that Columbia set is that the films are from the 50s, which means they were shot black-and-white but also wide, a definite plus, especially in the case of Nightfall (which is the best of the bunch).
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The Brothers Rico (1957) Director, Phil Karlson with Richard Conte, Dianne Foster, Larry Gates, James Darren, Argentina Brunetti,
Paul Picerni, and Rudy Bond. An entertaining Noir using the "you can't just quit the mob and expect to have everything come out smelling like roses" storyline. Doesn't quite have the great sets and locations of "Nightfall" but Conte keeps it interesting in this tale of a brother trusting in the mob and trying to save his siblings.
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Conte is always interesting. I just saw Highway Dragnet on Netflix, a silly story about a man wrongfully accused of a murder on the run who commandeers a car driven by Joan Bennett and another woman. When it turns out that Bennett had motive and opportunity for the crime Conte is accused of . . . well, the writing is on the wall. But the film is still fun just because of Conte. He could make reading the phone book interesting.
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The Outfit (1973) 8/10. Robert Duvall gets out of the pen only to find that he's #1 with a bullet on The Outfit's Hit Parade. Seems the bank he went up for was Mob owned, and The Outfit doesn't think his jail sentence was punitive enough. Deciding the best defense is a good offense, Bob recruits Joe Don Baker and Karen Black to help him take on The Organization. So effective is his strategy--robbing each of The Syndicate's high yield operations--that he gets the personal attention of head man Robert Ryan (in his last screen role). In the gun-battle climax Ryan asks, "Can we deal?" and Duvall replies with "Too late!" and some high-caliber punctuation.
Savant's more detailed take on the film and the new MOD disc: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3407outf.html
He does a nice job of listing all the noir-age cameos: The Outfit is one of Robert Ryan's last movies, made when he was dying of cancer. The role doesn't give him much more to do than simmer with anger. But the parade of familiar faces is like a who's who of noirdom. Here's the rundown: Emile Meyer (Panic in the Streets, The People Against O'Hara, The Mob, Shield for Murder, Sweet Smell of Success, Baby Face Nelson, The Lineup); Roy Roberts (The Brasher Doubloon, He Walked by Night, Force of Evil, The Killer that Stalked New York); Roy Jenson (The Getaway, Chinatown), Elisha Cook Jr. (Stranger on the Third Floor, The Maltese Falcon, Phantom Lady, The Big Sleep and everything else; Marie Windsor (Force of Evil, The Narrow Margin, The Sniper, City that Never Sleeps, The Killing); and the aforementioned Jane Greer (They Won't Believe Me, Out of the Past, The Big Steal, The Company She Keeps) and Timothy Carey (Crime Wave & The Killing). Some of these actors have rather tiny parts, but all make an impact, eliciting a nice, "ooh, thats...." reaction.
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The rest of the Columbia Film Noir Set II:
Pushover (1954) Director, Richard Quine with Fred MacMurray, Philip Carey, Kim Novak (in her film debut), Dorothy Malone, E.G. Marshall, and Allen Nourse. A police detective played by MacMurray picks up gangster's girlfriend Novack as part of a ruse for the police department, they fall for each other with a dialog eerily reminiscent of the MacMurray-Stanwick exchange in "Double Indemnity" and go to the "Noir" side. "Double Indemnity" it ain't but its an entertaining film none the less, 6.5-7/10
City of Fear (1959) Dir. by Irving Lerner, with Vince Edwards, Lyle Talbot, John Archer, Steven Ritch, and Patricia Blair. Edwards & a fellow inmate escape from prison stealing an ambulance and what they think is a canister of pharmaceutical grade cocaine from the prison hospital, what it actually is Cobalt 60, a highly dangerous radioactive substance. The chase ensues with the police employing a Geiger counter to trace the Cobalt 60. It will remind you a bit of "Panic in the Streets" minus the great visuals of New Orleans and the Plance/Mostel chemistry. Edwards is good as the dying of radiation poisoning convict and the last shot of the film is a hoot. Another 6.5-7/10
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Born To Kill (1947) Director, Robert Wise with Claire Trevor, Lawrence Tierney, Walter Slezak, Phillip Terry, Audrey Long, Elisha Cook Jr., Isabel Jewell, and Esther Howard. Part of the Film Noir Classic's Collection #2. This one is great with a good cast who aside from Elisha Cook Jr., I was pretty unfamiliar with. Trevor plays a high society divorcee in Reno finalizing the divorce, who befriends beer swilling landlady Ester Howard, in a great performance, and next door cutey Isabel Jewel who two times ladykiller hood Tierney as a way to keep him in line. Loose cannon Tierney who is in a sort of "Of Mice And Men" relationship with Elisha Cook Jr. (though not retarded as in the Steinbeck book, just dangerously impulsive) surprises Jewel & date in her house and kills them both. Trevor discovers the bodies but says nothing and leaves Reno on the train to San Fransisco with Tierney (who she met and becomes infatuated with in a casino while he was shadowing Jewel & her date), not knowing that he was the murderer. Walter Slezak is spot on in a classic characterization of a sleazy detective hired by Landlady Howard to find Jewel's killer.
Trevor is living with her wealth stepsister Audry Long and is engaged to a man with wealth Phillip Terry, the divorce paving the way for their marriage but she is now drawn fatally to Tierney who upon meeting Long projects his uncanny attraction to women and immediately focuses his attentions on Long to Trevor's dismay.
This is a good one, entertaining, with many twists, some great interior and location shots, all around great performances by the whole cast 10/10
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The Beav takes on The Outfit: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews53/the_outfit.htm
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Whistle Stop (1945) Notable only for Ava Gardner at her most beautiful. Raft is too old for the part and McLaglen is better than wgen playing for Ford. But that amounts to little anyway because the plot is weak. 5\10
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Rope of Sand is coming to DVD: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004J2FJ24/ref=pd_luc_mri?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
I wish I could endorse it, but I saw it recently on Netflix and it's a poor man's Casablanca relocated to South Africa's "Diamondstad." Some of the Casablanca cast members are ported over: Claude Rains playing Claude Rains (again), and Peter Lorre as Peter Lorre. Even Paul Henreid is there, however, this time in the Major Strasser role. A very young and very fit Burt Lancaster is the male lead, not on the hunt for letters of transit, but rather diamonds. And of course Henreid is determined to catch him with the goods so he can visit upon him a very painful death. The film's biggest failing is with the female lead: Corinne Calvet is no Ingrid Bergman, and her world-weary act at the start is as phony as her later conversion-through-love for Lancaster. Rains does have enough wicked witticisms to keep things moving along, and Lancaster gives good Tough Guy, but the story isn't very compelling. 6/10.
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99 River Street (1953) 7/10 Not a bad Noir caught most of it on TCM except the very beginning. Heavyweight boxer Payne will go blind if he enters ring again so he ends up driving a cab and gets framed for his wife's murder who is mixed up with diamond heist crooks so he goes after them. Has some great sequences with heavy Jack Lambert and a finally on the waterfront.
Kansas City Confidential (1953) 7/10 Second time I've caught this film again very uneven, but its nice seeing Brand, Elam, & Van Cleef doing what they do best.
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99 River Street (1953) 7/10 Not a bad Noir caught most of it on TCM except the very beginning. Heavyweight boxer Payne will go blind if he enters ring again so he ends up driving a cab and gets framed for his wife's murder who is mixed up with diamond heist crooks so he goes after them. Has some great sequences with heavy Jack Lambert and a finally on the waterfront.
What's wrong with this review? Hmmm, well first, it doesn't mention that Evelyn Keyes is in it, giving one of her nuttiest performances, and THEN it doesn't note that Payne's wife is played by screen goddess Peggie Castle. Joe, are you taking your Viagra?
Seriously, though, this film does one thing particularly well: it introduces, in natural, un-forced ways, the talents of the leads at the beginning, and then allows them to use those talents later to successfully complete the adventure. For example, the Evelyn Keyes character is an actress, and her acting skills come in handy when, late in the day, she has to vamp Brad Dexter (who is wonderfully evil in this, probably his greatest role). And of course, the fact that Payne is playing an ex-boxer is useful when there are some fisticuffs and feats of endurance required at the climax.
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Seriously, though, this film does one thing particularly well: it introduces, in natural, un-forced ways, the talents of the leads at the beginning, and then allows them to use those talents later to successfully complete the adventure.
I missed all that, I caught it just before his wife is found dead in the cab :(
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Kansas City Confidential (1953) 7/10 Second time I've caught this film again very uneven, but its nice seeing Brand, Elam, & Van Cleef doing what they do best.
As I was saying...
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The Black Book (1949) I've seen at IMDB that this is listed as a noir film. I don't think it is, actually it reminded me more of some Universal horror productions of the time (the sets look very much like those used for british town like London or Edinburgh, or even those of some central european remote town) but as everything shot in b&w with some death is automatically included in that genre I posted this mini-review here. The first part is excellent, Mann and his dop John Alton do a great job and the movie really manages to communicate the Terror atmosphere of Robespierre's rule. Afterward though it veers on Scarlet Pimpernel kind of action, with chases and poor ruses like that of the book on the bed: a pity. Basehart as Robespierre gives a Oscar-worthy performance: the way he use his arms in the mass scenes is astounding. Even the actor playing the chief of police (Arnold Moss: i don't think I saw him before) is good. 7\10
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Crossfire 1947 Director: Edward Dmytryk with Robert Young, Robert Mitchum, Robert Ryan, Gloria Grahame, Paul Kelly, Sam Levene, George Cooper, a pretty good film entertaining. Ryan is a racist who murders Levene because he is a Jew, Cooper is accused of it. Young and Mitchum seek the truth. Gloria Graham is a cutie B-girl in this one with a small part that she really makes the most of, gotta love her. 8/10
Criss Cross (1949) Director: Robert Siodmak doomed Burt Lancaster is drawn into an armored car robbery by femme fatale ex wife Yvonne De Carlo, with Dan Duryea, Stephen McNally, Esy Morales, Tom Pedi, Percy Helton. Good film with Bunker Hill section of LA used in bg. 7/10
Continued discussion of Criss Cross here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144835#msg144835 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144835#msg144835)
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The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) This movie has two great scenes: that of Stanwick and Heflin on the hill and the final three-sided confrontation except...except that the way that one ends is all wrong: censorship-induced? I would have given it an 8\10 in spite of its taking a long time to get going: the Lizbeth Scott angle, though integrated in the script, it is secondary to the Douglas-Stanwick relationship which isn't well-developed and consequently makes the finale appear even more forced of what already is (or maybe I say this because I don't like Scott, who also seemed to me to be a poor man's Bacall, and I adore Stanwick, probably the best combination of looks and acting ability in Hollywood in the years before the emergence of Ava Gardner). And Douglas is absolutely miscast, though of course nobody when they hired him could predict the screen persona he would develop in the decades to be, as distant as could be from the character he plays (badly, of course) here. So it's 7\10. Anyway I would like somebody to explain the finale to me, eh CJ?
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Criss Cross (1949) Director: Robert Siodmak doomed Burt Lancaster is drawn into an armored car robbery by femme fatale ex wife Yvonne De Carlo, with Dan Duryea, Stephen McNally, Esy Morales, Tom Pedi, Percy Helton. Good film with Bunker Hill section of LA used in bg. 7/10
You disappoint me, Joe. One of the bleakest endings in noir-dom, and still the film manages only a "7"? Eddie Muller puts it #2 on his Top 25, right behind In A Lonely Place. And he offers this in justification: "De Carlo in the parking lot pleading straight to the camera might be noir's defining moment."
continued.... : http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144837#msg144837 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144837#msg144837)
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The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) This movie has two great scenes: that of Stanwick and Heflin on the hill and the final three-sided confrontation except...except that the way that one ends is all wrong: censorship-induced? I would have given it an 8\10 in spite of its taking a long time to get going: the Lizbeth Scott angle, though integrated in the script, it is secondary to the Douglas-Stanwick relationship which isn't well-developed and consequently makes the finale appear even more forced of what already is (or maybe I say this because I don't like Scott, who also seemed to me to be a poor man's Bacall, and I adore Stanwick, probably the best combination of looks and acting ability in Hollywood in the years before the emergence of Ava Gardner). And Douglas is absolutely miscast, though of course nobody when they hired him could predict the screen persona he would develop in the decades to be, as distant as could be from the character he plays (badly, of course) here. So it's 7\10. Anyway I would like somebody to explain the finale to me, eh CJ?
I'd have to watch it again
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You disappoint me, Joe. One of the bleakest endings in noir-dom, and still the film manages only a "7"? Eddie Muller puts it #2 on his Top 25, right behind In A Lonely Place. And he offers this in justification: "De Carlo in the parking lot pleading straight to the camera might be noir's defining moment."
Well I may disappoint again, I don't care for "In A Lonely Place" all that much either, I don't get its high ranking, it's not sleazy enough for my tastes concerning Noir, more melodrama than I need. For example I would have liked to see a whole film based on Gloria Graham's B girl character in "Crossfire" rather than "In A Lonely Place".
I was sleepy watching "Cris Cross" and it's still here at the house (I've been out working in outside temps in the single digits & teens and pretty played out after work) so I may have dosed off, don't remember that parking lot scene I'll give it another go. O0
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Here is an amazing tribute to Dark Passage (thanks to The Blackboard for the tip):
http://www.noircon.info/2010/10/noircon-and-david-goodis-revisit-dark.html
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OK DJ reboot 8):
Criss Cross (1949) Director: Robert Siodmak doomed Burt Lancaster is drawn into an armored car robbery to cover for femme fatale ex wife Yvonne De Carlo, with Dan Duryea, Stephen McNally, Esy Morales, Tom Pedi, Percy Helton. Great film with Bunker Hill section of LA used in bg. Excellent performances all the way around must have been nodding out the first go round. Dan Duryea, who always seemed flaky to me in any Western I've ever seen him in is stellar in this, Yvonne also 10/10
Continued reviews here..... : http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145150#msg145150 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145150#msg145150)
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The Great Flamarion (1945) If this is a noir, then The Blue Angel is too. It has a little story and a small budget but a great cast and a great director. Duryea, quite astonishingly, can't play convincingly an alcoholic. Stroheim imitates Astaire at one moment. 7\10
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OK DJ reboot 8):
10/10
Wow, 10/10! O0
I guess I can forgive you for not liking In A Lonely Place.
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OK DJ reboot 8):
10/10
[/quote
Wow, 10/10! O0
I guess I can forgive you for not liking In A Lonely Place.
Ok, 8) so what is all the hype about IALP it seem a dreary melodrama with a lot of angst.
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Well, you're supposed to think that maybe Bogart is the murderer. But then, if he isn't the murderer, then he must be an OK guy. The standard Hollywood set-up. Finally Ray pulls the rug out from under everyone's expectations by supplying a third possibility: Bogart isn't the murderer, but he isn't an OK guy either (he has rage issues). A pretty innovative move for the time, and even now most first-time viewers don't see the end coming.
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Reign of Terror is awesome. Crossfire stinks.
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The Big Clock (1948) Dir John Farrow, with Ray Milland, Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Sullivan, George Macready, Rita Johnson, Harry Morgan, and Elsa Lanchester an unlikely cast for sure. Great Noir and funny to boot. Looks like it was all shot in the studio not very many location shots 9/10.
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On Dangerous Ground (1951) The first part is very good, with the night city dirty side depiction. The second part suffers from too much melodrama: I can't stand the Lupino charcter, it woud be good otherwise. The Hermann's score is on a level with Marnie's or Psycho's. 6\10
Continued here....... : http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145559#msg145559 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145559#msg145559)
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On Dangerous Ground (1951) The first part is very good, with the night city dirty side depiction. The second part suffers from too much melodrama: I can't stand the Lupino charcter, it woud be good otherwise. The Hermann's score is on a level with Marnie's or Psycho's. 6\10
Yup. O0
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I couldn't disagree with you guys any more. The first 25 or so minutes feels like filler, while the actually movie takes place up state. The melodrama was great, so was Ryan. There were also some great standalone scenes like the car chase in the snow.
Pushover (1954) - I really enjoyed the snappy pace - it's basically a lesser combination of Double Indemnity and Rear Window. The leads were great. Very solid movie. Decent imagery. There are some logic problems though.
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They Live By Night (1948) I don't like movies where you guess that is gonna go wrong for the protagonist from the start: just look at Granger's face. I also don't like all that molasses: much of it could have been cut off, especially toward the end. I also don't like Granger, not masculine enough. A pity because for the rest the movie is perfect, with great performances by all the other actors. The direction is maybe Ray's best. The score negligible. 7\10
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I also don't like Granger, not masculine enough.
He was just a place holder until Anthony Perkins could be found.
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He was just a place holder until Anthony Perkins could be found.
I don't know, I don't think they have much in common: Perkins is a good actor, he's not. Maybe I should watch again Senso (a film I don't like, like all melodramas). Probably because of being dubbed is more tolerable there.
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I'm sure I've seen "They Live By Night", I just don't remember much of it.
Black Angel (1946) dir. by Roy William Neil with Dan Duryea, June Vincent, Peter Lorre, Broderick Crawford, Constance Dowling, Wallace Ford, Hobart Cavanaugh, Freddie Steele, and John Phillips, another good Dan Duryea film (see "Criss Cross"). You know I've come to discover that my whole perception of him has come from the impressions I made from the Westerns I've seen him in. He was never believable to me as a Western villain he always seemed somehow off, not comfortable in Westerns, too goofy. In Noir he works.
Sort of a who dun-nit, who killed femme fatale Mavis (Constance Dowling).
7/10
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another good Dan Duryea film (see "Criss Cross"). You know I've come to discover that my whole perception of him has come from the impressions I made from the Westerns I've seen him in. He was never believable to me as a Western villain he always seemed somehow off, not comfortable in Westerns, too goofy.
Too slick. He looks too much of a dandy for westerns. He needed the Leone treatment.
Criss-Cross (1949) I was sure I had seen it before, but I was probably making confusion with The Killers or Brute Force. It is shot masterfully, but some elements do not persuade me. Lancaster for one: he hadn't learned how to play at the time. He's even displayin full throttle his moronic grin in the first scenes: this was more of a Garfield part. Then the incessant repeating that the hold-up could only be an inside job while it is apparent that there are a million ways to do the crime without somebody in the inside. And the hospital left without a night ward? And how De Carlo got the money? Lancaster is said to have preserved one half of the loot from the bandits who, presumably, took the other half. 7\10
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Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950) Another "Murphy's law" product. The plot turns are improbable, or contrived, or simply wrong. Some example: Malden happens on the murder scene and in five minutes can reconstruct how things went; Andrews can't accept how things really went, trying all his best to put the blame on Merril when it is clear he's innocent (but somehow everybody does his best to convince the viewer he's not, even Merril's sidekicks). So, after Merrill (we don't know how) reconstruct correctly all Andrews' moves, apparently he doesn't find necessary to bring his conclusions to Andrews' superiors (of course: it must be Andrews himself who must be allowed to show his repentance and pride). I could add other examples... So Gene will wait for him, though: can anybody believe it? 6\10 just for the night scenes and photography and the whistled tune.
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I don't know, I don't think they have much in common: Perkins is a good actor, he's not. Maybe I should watch again Senso (a film I don't like, like all melodramas). Probably because of being dubbed is more tolerable there.
I agree that Perkins was a much better actor than Granger. Hence my use of the term "place holder": Perkins essentially put Granger out of work, since he became the go-to guy when a "sensitive" type was required. There weren't enough gigs for both men, so the better actor beat the other out (that's my theory, anyway).
The BD of Senso is coming from Criterion in about a month-and-a-half. I've never seen it, but I'll be giving it a spin. I don't know what my dubbing options will be.
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So you think that, had Perkins had had a mortal accident in 1958, Granger would have been Norman Bates? Well, bah...
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Well, Hitchcock had used Granger twice before, nicht wahr? Although, without Perkins, maybe the Psycho project would never have gone forward anyway.
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Well, Hitchcock had used Granger twice before, nicht wahr? Although, without Perkins, maybe the Psycho project would never have gone forward anyway.
Robert Wagner was much more convincing as a psycho in A Kiss Before Dying than Granger could ever have been. But of course you needed a new face for playing Bates. Anyway I still can see little similarity with Perkins.
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Detour (1945) I liked it better this time than the first, probably because this time I had the original audio. Still I can't see why this is considered a classic. We have had hundreds of telefilms in the '50's and 60's shot with the same meagre budget and just as good. 7\10
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Hmmm, maybe it's time to reprise this bit of boffo scholarship ["Thank you, Mr. Jenkins." "No, Dave, thank you!"]:
Detour (Ulmer, 1945) is rightly considered one of the greatest of films noir. It contains the essential elements of noir: bizarre circumstances, a feckless hero crossing from light into darkness, a femme fatale. The film was also made quickly and for little money, lending an appropriate air of crudeness to the proceedings. This crudeness serves to camouflage, if some are to be believed, a work of considerable sophistication.
Most critics of Detour have taken Al’s story at face value: He was unlucky in love; he lost the good girl and was savaged by the bad girl; he was an innocent who looked guilty even to himself. But the critic Andrew Britton argues a more intriguing theory in Ian Cameron’s Book of Film Noir. He emphasizes that the narration is addressed directly to us. We’re not hearing what happened, but what Al Roberts wants us to believe happened. It’s a “spurious but flattering account,” he writes, pointing out that Sue the singer hardly fits Al’s description of her, that Al is less in love than in need of her paycheck, and that his cover-up of Haskell’s death is a rationalization for any easy theft. (Ebert 134-136).
Even before Britton’s clever reading, others had questioned Al’s veracity:
. . . . Roberts believes that fate controls these circumstances, and that is why he is so afraid. No matter what he does to try to escape his predicament, fate reaches out and produces another fantastic turn of events that makes things even worse.
The existential answer to this mythic dilemma is a realization that one is not simply a pawn in the hands of mysterious, evil forces. Ulmer subtly implies that Roberts ironically controls his own fate by emphasizing the close relationship between his fear and the freakish chain of events that reinforces it. He expects the worst and the worst occurs. Roberts maintains that he only expects the worst because he knows some exterior fate has “put the finger on me,” but how does he know this? It seems just as reasonable to assume that this is just his way of tyrannizing himself. (Selby 29)
Apparently, the author of the Detour entry in Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style had his doubts about Roberts also. Glenn Erickson expands on ideas found there:
Critic Blake Lucas correctly pegged Al’s detour from the straight and narrow path as the road he really wants to take. Unlike other noir antagonists who struggle in dark corners, Al’s destiny has a definite self-willed quality.
Al makes two crippling decisions, choices proving that character determines his fate, not the ‘mysterious force’ he whines about at the film’s end. He’s convinced that his vagrant status will prejudice the law against him, but Haskell’s accidental death isn’t all that mysterious. The dead man’s pills should prove that he had an existing heart condition. Al makes the accident appear to be a crime and takes Haskell’s identity, thus guaranteeing a murder charge if he’s caught. These are the acts of a masochist. So thoroughly does Roberts frame himself, the only explanation is that he secretly wants to be a criminal. (Erickson in Silver and Ursini, 27).
As we have seen, there is another explanation possible: Roberts, a social deviant, is relating an ex post facto rationalization for his criminal acts. But let’s return to Erickson.
Later on Al laments the fact that he can’t hook up with Sue “with a thing like that hanging over my head.” In actuality, that happened as soon as he left his ID on Haskell’s body. Roberts is really that kind of complicated man who professes to have strong goals yet all the while purposely engineers his own failure. In real life these maladjusted types want attention, or for someone else to step in and relieve them of their responsibilities. It’s the urge that keeps a potential high-class musician like Al playing piano in a dive: he can curse his cruel fate while avoiding the feared struggle for success in the competitive world. This allows him to trumpet his superiority while cursing the system that he claims has victimized him. (Erickson in Silver and Ursini 28).
Most critics taking this line do so by demonstrating inconsistencies between the narration and what appears on screen. But as Selby points out, we are not merely dealing with an unreliable narrator. "Such speculations are certainly being encouraged by the film’s ending, where Roberts only imagines his final capture. Through this clever twist, Ulmer forces the viewer to make his own judgment about Roberts’ real fate, which in turn forces him to admit how great his identification has become." (Selby 29)
On this view, it is not only the narration we may question in the final moments, but the visuals as well. Selby doesn’t push this understanding far enough, however. If the final images are coming from the narrator’s imagination, why not the entire film? Why trust anything we see when the whole is being mediated through Roberts’ perspective?
In fact, the plot sounds like a yarn told in the exercise yard by an inmate who has worked it up to demonstrate the injustice of his sentence. He’s innocent, a victim of “fate” and circumstances. Maybe the film is just Roberts’ first run-through before the cops pick him up, a rehearsal to make sure he’s got his facts “straight.”
Detour is, at least for some, a film about being conned. For others, Detour will remain what it purports to be, a true testament of a man driven by circumstances to crime. But then there are always those willing to pay out to panhandlers and snake oil dealers, those who take any tale at face value, however outlandish, those who will not scruple even to accept the words of French critics with a fancy name for a group of films. Detour is for them too.
Works Cited: Ebert's The Great Movies/Selby's Dark City: The Film Noir/Silver and Ursini's Film Noir Reader 4
Continued comments here........ : http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145275#msg145275 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145275#msg145275)
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And I'm sure I missed a gay subtext somewhere.
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Fear In The Night (1947) Director: Maxwell Shane with Paul Kelly (DeForest Kelley), Ann Doran, Kay Scott, Charles Victor, Robert Emmett Keane, Jeff York, not great, watchable very poor quality DVD from Netflix. 6/10
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The DVD is here! http://www.amazon.com/Prowler-Van-Heflin/dp/B004C2523M/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_4
Fabulous extras! Talking head doc, an interview with a gushing Bernard Tavernier, a very interesting doc on noir film restorations (including some hints about titles now in the pipeline). I watched the film last night with the Eddie Muller commentary turned on. That's entertainment!
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Glenn Erickson has a thorough write-up on this release:
http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3425prow.html
Here's his take on the extras:
VCI's The Prowler has been given the DVD special edition treatment we wish ALL of our favorites would receive. The restored and remastered feature transfer is flawless, thanks to the work of the UCLA Film and Television Archive and the close attention of The Film Noir Foundation, which collected some of the donations that helped make the restoration possible.
The Film Noir Foundation's Eddie Muller and Alan K. Rode make the extras both entertaining and highly informative. Author and expert Muller carries the full audio commentary track, serving up the benefit of his research and wisdom on the making of the film and its relationship to the blacklist years. He also gives the film's text and visuals a fine combing, examining the specific choice of words in Dalton Trumbo's screenplay. Gilvray's home is described as a "hacienda", to make it seem even more of a prize to Webb Garwood, the outsider looking in. It's one of Muller's better commentaries, and he's recorded many.
The docu featurette The Cost of Living: Creating The Prowler is the place to begin, after seeing the film, of course. Aided by Trumbo's late son Christopher Trumbo, Denise Hamilton and author James Ellroy, Alan Rode takes us deep into The Prowler, painting vibrant pictures of the appealing Evelyn Keyes, the underrated Van Heflin and the shifty producer Sam Spiegel, who pocketed the crew donations for the wrap party. Rode and Muller bring forth much of the film's fascinating factual background, including Dalton Trumbo's resorting to threats to get his pay for the script. Denise Hamilton digs into the film's strong characters, especially Susan, one of the most believably rounded women in film noir. The occasionally profane James Ellroy explores the film's ripe sleaze factor. Now a serious L.A.P.D. apologist, Ellroy distances Webb's crooked cop from the local force. He reminds us that the city is nowhere identified, but it is obviously Los Angeles. When Ellroy identifies himself as once having been a voyeur "perv" like Garwood, he's referring to events recounted in his autobiographical novel, My Dark Places. As a homeless young adult Ellroy stalked Hancock Park, sneaking into yards to peek through windows. When he tells us that he has a personal connection to The Prowler, he isn't kidding.
The academic heavy lifting for The Prowler is performed by French director and film historian Bertrand Tavernier, in an interview featurette Masterpiece in the Margins. When Tavernier talks about subtext, it doesn't come off as graduate school doubletalk. I refer to Joseph Losey's use of contrasting locations as "schematic", but this man can describe the film's landscape as "metaphysical" with confidence. It's true: when Losey's moves his urban murder drama to the desert, the story seems to enter a separate, almost surreal dimension.
The disc's featurette On the Prowl: Restoring the Prowler gives us a full picture of the effort and process by which The Prowler came to be reborn. UCLA Archive restorers go on camera both at their facilities and at the film's re-premiere at the American Cinematheque. "The paperwork and the actual film had become separated" and for all practical purposes The Prowler was a lost feature. An original 35mm element was offered to UCLA by the lab where it had been abandoned, long ago. With backing from the Film Noir Foundation, UCLA was able to finesse a beautiful restoration. We also see clips from other UCLA-restored noirs like Pitfall and work-in-progress on Cry Danger!, a terrific tough-guy noir that may have become legally unglued from RKO. We don't see anything of Try and Get Me!, rumored to be a future focus of The Film Noir Foundation.
The package rounds off with a close look at the film's provocative pressbook and an original trailer in good shape. That's a fairly rare item considering that United Artists kept so few of its trailers from the early 1950s.
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I Married A Communist - 1949
6.5/10
A mediocre noir with some hilarously scenery-chewing baddies but it also had a young Robert Ryan (the reason I watched it) in a good guy role, wow. ;D I kinda ROFL'd at the scenes of the Blonde Demon. She was such a typical femme fatale it hurt. And the fat baddie looked like an old retired politician of my country (who was quite a clown). But the ending was :'(.
I would've totally put Peter Lorre as some Commie minion in this. No noir is complete without Peter Lorre. ;)
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Hmmm, maybe it's time to reprise this bit of boffo scholarship ["Thank you, Mr. Jenkins." "No, Dave, thank you!"]:
Detour (Ulmer, 1945) is rightly considered one of the greatest of films noir. It contains the essential elements of noir: bizarre circumstances, a feckless hero crossing from light into darkness, a femme fatale. The film was also made quickly and for little money, lending an appropriate air of crudeness to the proceedings. This crudeness serves to camouflage, if some are to be believed, a work of considerable sophistication.
Thank you for that O0 I see your point but I didn't find the movie especially good.
Detour (1945) - 6.5/10
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Thank you for that O0 I see your point but I didn't find the movie especially good.
Oh, don't worry. That's only because you trust your own brain and not someone else's.
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Screen caps: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews53/the_prowler.htm
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This is kinda fun: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00y2xn6/Afternoon_Play_Double_Jeopardy
Listen quick, I think it's only available for a week.
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Crime Wave (1954) Holy shit! One of the best Noir's yet by Director: André De Toth with a stellar cast, Sterling Hayden
Gene Nelson, Phyllis Kirk, Ted de Corsia, Charles Bronson, Jay Novello, Nedrick Young, James Bell, and Dub Taylor , with outstandingly excellent location cinematography in LA.
Another ex con slub, Gene Nelson, is caught in the middle between Ted de Corsia's smarmy cigarette holder smoking gang leader and Sterling Hayden's tough homicide cop. 10/10
SEE THIS ONE O0 O0 O0
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The Killers (1946) Better than Criss-Cross, so I give it 8\10. Visually it is astounding: it has a crisp surface which doesn't belie the fact that (except for the factory scene) it is all shot in a studio. I don't think there is a single shot which is not visually attractive. Plotwise it has some faults, especially in the finale (those dying people on the stairs!, the Gardner's pleading for some useless words that would supposedly save her and so on. But you do not get aware of them until you see the remake:
continued here......: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg148608#msg148608 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg148608#msg148608)
The Killers (1964) I saw it first in the early 70's (but probably I'm wrong there, it seems that this got a circulation visa in 1978. The dubbing though seems like it was done in the '60's. I'm curious about the vicissitudes of the movie in Italy) in a cinema and was amazed. I saw it again twice on tv and was amazed again. Today I watched it again on a big screen (but, alas, the italian dvd is fullscreen) and, again, this is still one of my favourite movies. Still I give it only a 9\10 because I don't like Cassavetes, especially in the beginning (his grins while driving are ridiculous) though I like him when he discovers the truth. And I don't like Gulager, who tries his best to portray a nevrotic individual besieged by tics and with sudden violence eruptions but who, to me, looks rather nerdy, especially as he mostly seen shoulder to shoulder with the real thing. I also think that the racing sequence is too long).
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I agree with Joe on Crime Wave. O0 Excellent film.
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I've got a question that cropped up from watching Crime Wave, I've seen a lot of Hollywood films where some one drives up in a car to a location and the headlights are not on, WTF is up with that was there a problem with the headlights reflecting in the camera lens, or just sloppy film making?
Now in Crime Wave there is no problem shooting cars driving around with the lights on, it looked amazing, anybody know?
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You're talking about headlights at night? Or headlights in the day (or day-for-night)? If it's the latter, it might be due to sloppy filmmaking. If it's the former, it may be due to optics. Full-on headlights will cause lens flare that film can't help reading. I'm just taking a stab at what you're talking about, because I'm not sure to what you are referring. Do you have a particular example (besides Crime Wave) you can point to?
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You're talking about headlights at night? Or headlights in the day (or day-for-night)? If it's the latter, it might be due to sloppy filmmaking. If it's the former, it may be due to optics. Full-on headlights will cause lens flare that film can't help reading. I'm just taking a stab at what you're talking about, because I'm not sure to what you are referring. Do you have a particular example (besides Crime Wave) you can point to?
Yea, headlights on cars trucks in night shots that should normally be on, I'm leaning towards sloppy filmmaking.
"Do you have a particular example"
Not at the moment, but I'll start to note the ones I see.
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Decoy (1946) dir by Jack Bernhard on a double disc with "Crime Wave" a pretty ridiculous Noir revolving around bringing the dead back to life to find out where he hid the loot Jean Gillie plays the over the top femme fatale with Edward Norris,
Robert Armstrong, Herbert Rudley, and Sheldon Leonard. 5/10
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Decoy (1946) dir by Jack Bernhard on a double disc with "Crime Wave" a pretty ridiculous Noir revolving around bringing the dead back to life to find out where he hid the loot Jean Gillie plays the over the top femme fatale with Edward Norris,
Robert Armstrong, Herbert Rudley, and Sheldon Leonard. 5/10
I love, love, love this movie but it certainly is ridiculous - which is why it's a favorite of mine. imo it's a camp classic and I love the sci-fi angle. I can't think of anything like it.
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I love, love, love this movie but it certainly is ridiculous - which is why it's a favorite of mine. imo it's a camp classic and I love the sci-fi angle. I can't think of anything like it.
Yea, Sheldon Leonard camps it up pretty well I'll admit.
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On Dangerous Ground (1952) dir: Nicholas Ray, with Ida Lupino, Robert Ryan, Ward Bond, Charles Kemper, Anthony Ross, Ed Begley, Ian Wolfe, Sumner Williams, and Nita Talbot.
Just about every time I've caught this its been from the manhunt in the country sequence to the end. One time I saw the very beginning and never knew how it segued from the city to the countryside, I always assumed Ryan was chasing a crook.
Now I finally know the story, brutal cop with inner turmoil, get shipped to the rurales to help with a manhunt. Ends up seeing himself reflected in Ward Bond's revenge filled father character. Woman, Ida Lupino, soothes the savage beast. A pretty good noir with a nice juxtaposition of city/country images. Watch Nita Talbot's prostitute character in the bar as she looks Ryan up and down. 8.5/10.
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http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews53/99_river_street.htm
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O0
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Best Blu-ray news of the year so far: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/308835/criterion-press-release-pale-flower-dvd
Not only is this in what I like to call Ultra-Noir (b&w in 'scope), it has that fabulous Takemitsu score.
Now, the wait.
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The Big Steal (1949) Of course this is not a noir, but apparently somebody considers it to be, so here we are. This is one of the best chase movies I saw, it starts at 110 and keeps it until the end. The end is a little awkward, overcomplicated and the episode of the mexican road workers idiotic. Still is vert enjoyable. 8\10
Review discussion continues here............: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg151132#msg151132 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg151132#msg151132)
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Odd Man Out (1947) - 8/10
Oh my, James Mason is beautiful in this! And he looks even better when suffering. And the athmosphere... perfect noirness.
I loved all those weird supporting characters - they aren't seen in movies lately. But they were somehow there in the French poetic realist films too. It's very close to those.
One thing that keeps it from 10: the ending could have been more dramatic if we'd actually see them on the ground from closer.
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The Big Steal (1949) Of course this is not a noir, but apparently somebody considers it to be, so here we are. This is one of the best chase movies I saw, it starts at 110 and keeps it until the end. The end is a little awkward, overcomplicated and the episode of the mexican road workers idiotic. Still is vert enjoyable. 8\10
I love this movie but haven't seen it in a while. It is perfectly paced and a lot of fun.
Best Blu-ray news of the year so far: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/308835/criterion-press-release-pale-flower-dvd
Not only is this in what I like to call Ultra-Noir (b&w in 'scope), it has that fabulous Takemitsu score.
Now, the wait.
I never would have thought this would receive a bluray release. I love this movie so much I might not even wait for a sale.
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I never would have thought this would receive a bluray release. I love this movie so much I might not even wait for a sale.
You're all right, T.H. I don't care what titoli and Groggy say about you.
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You're all right, T.H. I don't care what titoli and Groggy say about you.
I've never said anything about T.H. He has an awesome signature anyway.
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My sig is pretty cool. Modesty be damned.
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I remember seeing as a kid a Noir where the Noir Hero is a bad guy turned good at the end and the the film does take place around Christmas, but the Hero gets shot in a snowstorm and he dies outside on a set of stairs, I really remember liking it, but don't remember anything else about it though I did see it in a theater and it was B&W so it had to be late 50's early 60's. If it rings any bells give me a shout.
I finally think I may have tracked this one down I think it was back in 2006 that I posted this lol, It may be Sam Fuller's "Underworld U.S.A." 1961
Anybody seen this one lately?
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I saw it a few years ago but I remember that scene (something similar) occurring in the first five minutes of the movie. Don't quote me though.
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Its coming on Netflix so I guess I'll find out. O0
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Underworld U.S.A. (1961) Dir Sam Fuller, with Cliff Robertson. I think I actually saw this in the theater back in 61 and remembered liking it but was fuzzy on some of the details, i.e. the end happens in a wet alley and instead of Christmas music its a music box "Auld Lang Syne" that plays, close. I think over the decades I may have cross wired this with James Cagney's death in "The Roaring Twenties" but I'm still not 100% positive its the film.
Anyway, as a 14 year old Robertson sees his father beaten to death in an alley and as the years pass he finally gets his sweet revenge on the four culprits, some nice sequences but not up to "Pickup On South Street" budget standards. It keeps you entertained and Robertson is great, some of the rest of the cast are recognizable but not names you have on the tip of your tongue, its on the cusp of the Film Noir era closer in look to "Shock Corridor" and "The Naked Kiss" than "Pickup On South Street" still a 7/10
A trio of NYC based Noir revisited recently.
Kiss Of Death (1947) dir Henry Hathaway with Victor Mature, Brian Donlevy, Coleen Gray, Richard Widmark, and Carl Malden, a classic, real New York City and environs backgrounds, Mature shines, and Widmark's deranged Tommy Udo is unforgettable 10/10.
Where The Sidewalk Ends (1950) dir Otto Preminger over zealous cop Dana Andrews brutally relies on his fits to persuade suspects into confessions he goes one step too far killing a small time hood while trying to frame Gary Merrill
Gene Tierney becomes a love interest, again great New York City location work 9/10
The Dark Corner (1946) dir Henry Hathaway with Mark Stevens, Lucile Ball, Clifton Webb, Cathy Downs, Kurt Kreuger, and William Bendix. Again great NYC background shots of the long gone 2nd Avenue El and the approach vault of the Queensboro Bridge, this little Noir is a detective story revolving around an art dealer Webb and his unfaithful wife Downs and his attempt to frame Stevens for murder of his wife's lover Kreuger. Lucile Ball plays it straight as the "Velma" girl Friday detective secretary who falls for Stevens. Bendix is the out of town mussel hired by Webb to do the dirty work. 8/10
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Johnny Eager (1941) dir by Mervyn LeRoy with Robert Taylor, Lana Turner, Edward Arnold, Van Heflin, and Robert Sterling I sort of caught most of this on TCM while doing some inside outside the house maintenance on the wood stove chimney so I really couldn't put all my attention into watching, I'll probably have to see it again. The jist of it is Taylor an ex-con racketeer working as a legit cab driver while still on parole secretly is still running his outfit using figurehead investors to mask his involvement and his second in command Van Heflin to keep them in line . He needs official permission to open his dog track from Arnold the DA and when he meets Lana Turner he figures out a way to get it, Turner is stunning BTW. Its got just a bit more love triangle than a normal Noir, but Heflin puts in an Oscar winning performance and the end gun battle in the streets is great. Again no rating until I can watch this again with undivided attention.
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The Locket (1946)- 8/10 Got this for Mitchum, but as it turns out, he isn't in all that much of it. No matter, the film is terrific. It has a wacky flashback within a flashback within a flashback structure that somebody like the Coens could have a lot of fun with. But the central performance, by Laraine Day, is a wonder to behold. I've never really liked her--although the only other role of hers I know is as the love interest in Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent--but here she's just right as an apparent good girl who's actually a twisted schemer. As such, she joins the ranks of others of her ilk: Jane Greer in Out of the Past, Joan Fontaine in Born to be Bad, Olivia de Havilland in The Dark Mirror. I find this presentation of the femme fatale more interesting than the more obvious efforts supplied by the likes of Marie Windsor or Barbara Stanwyck, good as they are. Anyway, it's really a treat to watch Laraine Day lie, lie, lie and send a series of men to their destruction. Isn't that the very essence of so-called film noir? Too bad the film loses its nerve at the end and goes for an implausible happy ending. Up to that point, the film is hard edged and clean.
SPOILERS
Laraine Day is indeed awesome in her role, but I had a bit of a problem with all that psychoanalysis stuff: it felt cheap to me. No, I have not read any Freud, but I have a feeling that the filmmakers haven't read anything either except Reader's Digest. The idea of a trauma in her childhood is a good one but the psychoanalysis stuff is rubbed in the audience's face way too much. What kept the movie interesting for me was the flashback within a flashback within a flashback structure which is great, and the movie couldn't be told in any other way. (The only other film, that I know of, to use this technique is Passage to Marseille.) The story works as it is BUT there's always, right until the last five minutes, the possibility that it is all made up by the Doc (played by Brian Aherne). Imagine how sick that would be! But anyway, there's an equally great twist even now: she is marrying her playmate's brother! Didn't see that one coming.
No more than 7/10 from me, though. That's because of the overdone freudism and often uninspired visual storytelling (though there are highlights, too).
I don't quite see what Jenkins means by "an implausible happy ending". She's regressed to infantile level, and it's dubious if she can ever recover. And it's left open wether her (latest) husband will stand by her side or not. Note also the linkage to the ending of Notorious: the same door! Reading A: in both films a sick (femail) main character is escorted out of it. Reading B: the door is used as a way to a bittersweet punishment - both, Nancy of The Locket and Alexander Sebastian of Notorious, go through that door to face their destiny, unavoidable retribution for their crimes: death for Sebastian and presumably some kind of an asylum for Nancy. One bastard goes in and another comes out.
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I don't quite see what Jenkins means by "an implausible happy ending". She's regressed to infantile level, and it's dubious if she can ever recover. And it's left open wether her (latest) husband will stand by her side or not.
In a Hollywood film of the period, if you don't receive summary execution, you are meant to recover. And it's pretty clear, to me anyway, that sucker #4 is going to stand by her.
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Odd Man Out (1947) - 8/10
Oh my, James Mason is beautiful in this! And he looks even better when suffering. And the athmosphere... perfect noirness.
I loved all those weird supporting characters - they aren't seen in movies lately. But they were somehow there in the French poetic realist films too. It's very close to those.
One thing that keeps it from 10: the ending could have been more dramatic if we'd actually see them on the ground from closer.
That's a pretty cool film.
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In a Hollywood film of the period, if you don't receive summary execution, you are meant to recover. And it's pretty clear, to me anyway, that sucker #4 is going to stand by her.
To me it appeared that she was as much a lost case as, say, Norman Bates at the end of Psycho or Norma Desmond at the end of Sunset Blvd. And anyway, even if the sucker #4 is going to stand by her, I wouldn't call that a downright happy ending...
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To me it appeared that she was as much a lost case as, say, Norman Bates at the end of Psycho or Norma Desmond at the end of Sunset Blvd.
But those are later films, and trailblazers to boot. The fact that her husband-to-be is going to stick means she is redeemable, and therefore, since the husband is such a swell guy, his devotion won't be going for nothing.
In other noir news: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/rififi.htm
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The Set-Up (1949) Director Robert Wise, with Robert Ryan, Audrey Totter, George Tobias, Alan Baxter, and Wallace Ford. Great little boxing Film Noir with a lot and I mean of atmosphere. Robert Ryan, aging fighter, who has a room in the "Cozy Hotel" with his girl Audrey Totter, goes up against a young opponent with underworld connections, his manager doesn't tell him that he supposed to take a dive, for $50 bucks no less (hey, a hamburger and two beers tab came to $1.16 including the tax, lol). He finally finds this out during the fight but he was not going give up and beats the kid. Repercussions come.
The cinematography is outstanding we get are a lot of nice beautifully lit and composed facial closeups and boxing action with a juxtaposition of great 5 to 10 second cutaway vignettes of various members of the fight audience reactions that provide a wonderful cross section of humanity. Another 10/10 for me. O0
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The Set-Up (1949) The cinematography is outstanding we get are a lot of nice beautifully lit and composed facial closeups and boxing action with a juxtaposition of great 5 to 10 second cutaway vignettes of various members of the fight audience reactions that provide a wonderful cross section of humanity. Another 10/10 for me. O0
Amen. O0
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http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews53/rope_of_sand.htm
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http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews53/rope_of_sand.htm
looks cool
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The Street with No Name (1948) dir. William Keighley, Writer: Harry Kleiner (screenplay) starring: Mark Stevens, Richard Widmark, John McIntire, Ed Begley, and Lloyd Nolan, This is one of the police procedural Noirs with some great location work around LA. Widmark is a sneering hypochondriac villain who runs a boxing gym, HQ for a gang the police are wanting to put out of business. They send undercover FBI agent Stevens into a dive neighborhood of arcade parlors and cheap flea bit hotels to infiltrate the gang and get the goods on Widmark, Nolan is the FBI agent in charge McIntire his undercover contact to Nolan. Barbara Lawrence is the very cute girlfriend of Widmark. 7/10.
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[Widmark is given a sneering hypochondriac villain who runs a boxing gym as a front for a gang
Why should a gang need a front? And a boxing gym at that? :o
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Maybe "front" is the wrong word, say it was their headquarters O0. Sort of like Max, Fat Moe's & Noodles Nightclub, or the "Bada Bing" in The Sopranos.
PS I edited it to make it clear.
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Barbara Lawrence is very cute.
Now you're talking! O0
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Hell's Island (1955) - 5/10. Another John Payne/Phil Karlson collaboration, but much less successful than previous efforts. Payne plays a schlub being played, first by a gem smuggler who wants a ruby, then by an old girlfriend (Mary Murphy) who wants her husband rescued from a penal island. Or so she claims. Murphy is kind of fun to watch as she lies, lies, lies to sucker Payne. Of course he finally wises up, but then there goes much of the entertainment. This film piles on the cliches--the villain even has a pond where he keeps alligators. There a few neat touches--a man at a cockfight is killed with a metal spur, for example--but production values are poor, the story is formulaic, and everybody (especially Payne) overacts. For Karlson completists only.
Continued discussion here........: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg148815#msg148815 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg148815#msg148815)
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The Set-Up (1949) Director Robert Wise, with Robert Ryan, Audrey Totter, George Tobias, Alan Baxter, and Wallace Ford. Great little boxing Film Noir with a lot and I mean of atmosphere. Robert Ryan, aging fighter, who has a room in the "Cozy Hotel" with his girl Audrey Totter, goes up against a young opponent with underworld connections, his manager doesn't tell him that he supposed to take a dive, for $50 bucks no less (hey, a hamburger and two beers tab came to $1.16 including the tax, lol). He finally finds this out during the fight but he was not going give up and beats the kid. Repercussions come.
The cinematography is outstanding we get are a lot of nice beautifully lit and composed facial closeups and boxing action with a juxtaposition of great 5 to 10 second cutaway vignettes of various members of the fight audience reactions that provide a wonderful cross section of humanity. Another 10/10 for me. O0
Yeah, The Set-Up is a masterpiece. Easily Ryan's best performance (which is saying something), and probably Wise's best film too.
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Scarlet Street (1945) dir Fritz Lang, with Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea. Netflix disk is faded out needs a restoration, would look great restored, even with lousy print. Robinson is a cashier who dreams of being an artist. On the way back from a dinner in his honor he saves a damsel in distress from an attacker and falls in love. She (Bennett) turns out to be a prostitute & Duryea her pimp. Needs a better print. With the print as is a 7/10
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Scarlet Street (1945) dir Fritz Lang, with Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea. Netflix disk is faded out needs a restoration, would look great restored, even with lousy print. Robinson is a cashier who dreams of being an artist. On the way back from a dinner in his honor he saves a damsel in distress from an attacker and falls in love. She (Bennett) turns out to be a prostitute & Duryea her pimp. Needs a better print. With the print as is a 7/10
Well, the italian dvd has a very good quality. The movie, I saw it in the early '80's back to back with the twin made the year before. I don't like it. Visually, as everything by Lang, is beautiful: and still with a title like that one should expect at least not to be shot entirely in the studio. The male leads are perfect, Duryea expecially. But Joan Bennett doesn't look the part. It is the story that is the main source of unsatisfaction. We have to accept: 1) that Robinson could have married a harridan like only in movies 2) that he can be blind to Bennett's real feelings towards him (he gives her money though she doesn't even want to be touched by him 3) that her wife's thought-deceased husband comes up out of the blue 4) the incredible affair with his paintings. I haven't read the french novel on which it was based: probably censorship and the fact id didn't have to render the story in images made ot more acceptable, but to the movie I can give only a 6\10.
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I haven't read the french novel on which it was based
What about the French movie on which it's based, Renoir's La Chienne?
Joe, did you watch the Kino DVD? I seem to remember it looked pretty good......
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What about the French movie on which it's based, Renoir's La Chienne?
Why do you think is based on the secondary source and not on the primary one?
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What about the French movie on which it's based, Renoir's La Chienne?
Joe, did you watch the Kino DVD? I seem to remember it looked pretty good......
No its wasn't the Kino instead of real black shadows it was sepia toned and a bit blurred not sharp :-)
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Well, the italian dvd has a very good quality. The movie, I saw it in the early '80's back to back with the twin made the year before. I don't like it. Visually, as everything by Lang, is beautiful: and still with a title like that one should expect at least not to be shot entirely in the studio. The male leads are perfect, Duryea expecially. But Joan Bennett doesn't look the part. It is the story that is the main source of unsatisfaction. We have to accept: 1) that Robinson could have married a harridan like only in movies 2) that he can be blind to Bennett's real feelings towards him (he gives her money though she doesn't even want to be touched by him 3) that her wife's thought-deceased husband comes up out of the blue 4) the incredible affair with his paintings. I haven't read the french novel on which it was based: probably censorship and the fact id didn't have to render the story in images made ot more acceptable, but to the movie I can give only a 6\10.
Fair enough.
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Joe, try the Kino. It's readily available.
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You haven't read the novel.
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You haven't read the novel.
Me, no, I haven't.
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Me, no, I haven't.
I didn't either. So I can't say if the movie is based on a novel or on a previous film version. I have just to trust what's written in the film credits.
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I have just to trust what's written in the film credits.
You're kidding, right? The lying credit is a Hollywood commonplace!
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You're kidding, right? The lying credit is a Hollywood commonplace!
So you've read the novel?
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So you've read the novel?
Sure, just like he's seen The Dark Knight.
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Sure, just like he's seen The Dark Knight.
I'm posing questions to Jenkins and somebody else must answer for him.
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Touchez Pas au Grisbi (1954) director Jacques Becker A great little Crime Noir about two old gangsters close to retiring Max (Jean Gabin), and Riton (Rene Dary), and their loot (grisbi), which is a temptation to Josie (Jeanne Moreau) in one of her earlier films and her new boyfriend Angelo (Lino Ventura) a rival gang leader. Angelo kidnaps Riton to exchange for loot that he finds out about from Josie. Some very nice location footage and a nice action sequence at the exchange. 9/10
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Haven't read it, never claimed to. Irrelevant to the point I was making, to wit, that "I have just to trust what's written in the film credits" is the statement of a hopeless naif. Btw, titoli, if you're interested I can get you a deal on one of the large bridges in my neighborhood . . . .
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Haven't read it, never claimed to. Irrelevant to the point I was making, to wit, that "I have just to trust what's written in the film credits" is the statement of a hopeless naif. Btw, titoli, if you're interested I can get you a deal on one of the large bridges in my neighborhood . . . .
The point you were making was that the Lang's movie isn't based on the novel but on a former movie based on the same novel. How can you say that if you haven't read the novel? OK, that is irrelevant to the point you were making, to wit that you can say whatever passes in your mind and it's no use discussing anything with you because you make of inconsistence and contradiction your style.
About the bridge, we have in the vicinity of the town the famous bridge of Ariccia. It might turn useful to you.
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Touchez Pas au Grisbi (1954) director Jacques Becker A great little Crime Noir
What is there of "little"?
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titoli, you are amusing as ever. How you like to pose and rant! Actually you are arguing in bad faith because it's clear you aren't really interested in the merits of the case.
If you were, you'd have pointed out that there is stage adaptation, by the improbably named André Mouézy-Éon, that interposes between the source work and the two films. If IMDb is to be believed, Renior's film as well as Lang's credit both the original author (Georges de La Fouchardière) and the adaptation. This is particularly interesting because the two films are, in terms of plot, nearly identical. You could make the plausible argument, then, that the two films are so similar because they draw not only from de La Fouchardière but from Mouézy-Éon. That would have been a pretty good argument if you'd been willing to make it.
It would not have persuaded me, though. To buy it, I would have to believe that in the period 1931 to 1944 neither Lang, nor any of his collaborators, ever saw Renoir's film. I just find that incredible. Even the Coens, who claim to have adapted their recent True Grit from Portis and not from Hathaway, admit that they saw the 1969 film when it "first came out." So, although Lang (or his studio) made the point of paying off both novelist and playwright (or their estates), thus obviating the need to credit Renoir (and think of the grief Leone might have spared himself if he'd credited FOD to Hammett), I'm pretty sure his main inspiration for SS was Renoir's film. I don't know that for a fact (and it would be nice to check the original novel, but there doesn't seem to be one in print in English), but that's the way film people usually do business. They re-make films, their own and others, simple as that.
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What is there of "little"?
"little" as in tight, simple, little story, not extravagant, or convoluted. ;)
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"little" as in tight, simple, little story, not extravagant, or convoluted. ;)
CJ, have you seen Casque d'Or (1952) also by Jacques Becker? I haven't seen Touchez Pas au Grisbi but I have a feeling you would get a big kick out of Casque d'or. It's been 2-3 years since I saw it but it appears that I gave it full 10/10 on IMDb.
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CJ, have you seen Casque d'Or (1952) also by Jacques Becker? I haven't seen Touchez Pas au Grisbi but I have a feeling you would get a big kick out of Casque d'or. It's been 2-3 years since I saw it but it appears that I gave it full 10/10 on IMDb.
I'll place it on the Netflix list. O0
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titoli, you are amusing as ever. How you like to pose and rant! Actually you are arguing in bad faith because it's clear you aren't really interested in the merits of the case.
If you were, you'd have pointed out that there is stage adaptation, by the improbably named André Mouézy-Éon, that interposes between the source work and the two films. If IMDb is to be believed, Renior's film as well as Lang's credit both the original author (Georges de La Fouchardière) and the adaptation. This is particularly interesting because the two films are, in terms of plot, nearly identical. You could make the plausible argument, then, that the two films are so similar because they draw not only from de La Fouchardière but from Mouézy-Éon. That would have been a pretty good argument if you'd been willing to make it.
It would not have persuaded me, though. To buy it, I would have to believe that in the period 1931 to 1944 neither Lang, nor any of his collaborators, ever saw Renoir's film. I just find that incredible. Even the Coens, who claim to have adapted their recent True Grit from Portis and not from Hathaway, admit that they saw the 1969 film when it "first came out." So, although Lang (or his studio) made the point of paying off both novelist and playwright (or their estates), thus obviating the need to credit Renoir (and think of the grief Leone might have spared himself if he'd credited FOD to Hammett), I'm pretty sure his main inspiration for SS was Renoir's film. I don't know that for a fact (and it would be nice to check the original novel, but there doesn't seem to be one in print in English), but that's the way film people usually do business. They re-make films, their own and others, simple as that.
Oh, here at last your argument: Lang has copied Renoir because that's how film business goes. How can one reply to that?
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"little" as in tight, simple, little story, not extravagant, or convoluted. ;)
I like the other definitions better.
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Let's be clear. The consensus--not something I came up with on my own--is that Scarlet Street is a remake of La Chienne. Consensus is not always correct, of course, but if one wants to challenge consensus one has to do so with evidence. And in this case, your claim--that SS is unique in the annals of film by being a direct adaptation of a source novel without reference to any intervening adaptations--is truly extraordinary. And as the saying goes: extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
But the evidence you provide is not extraordinary: a credit listed on film titles. This is not extraordinary evidence because, as everyone who knows anything about Hollywood knows, credits in films are highly unreliable. One can go down a long list of examples of lying credits, but I'll cite two. First, there was the old Hollywood practice during the studio system of crediting the guys who ran the various departments for the studio with things in individual studio films regardless of their actual creative contributions to those films--they could even get credit for having done nothing. Second, there has always been a lack of clarity about writing credits in Hollywood films; even today, unless you are responsible for one-third or more of the content of the finished film, writers are not entitled to credit for their work. These examples go on and on. Credit in Hollywood has never been about scholarly attribution, but entirely about the fulfillment of industry protocols and the need to forestall lawsuits.
So more evidence is needed. Attempting to shift the burden of proof to me is a non-starter. I am not making the extraordinary claim, I am standing with the consensus (at least until I see evidence to the contrary). You are the one making the claim, so you must provide the proof.
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All this fuss over Scarlet Street?
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yeah, damn good film
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Many of Lang's movies just don't stick with me - this and The Woman in the Window being the two best examples. They would have been better had they been shot in technicolor because they contain some tough to describe pristine quality that doesn't compliment the B&W visuals.
I'm more of a Big Heat fan than Lang admirer, I guess.
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So now you're trying to turn tables on me, as usual. First you simply say that Lang's movie is based on Renoir's movie, adding later that this is because how film business goes and finally conceding that it is just because you read it somewhere and calling it (rather bombastically) "consensus". And this should be enough to set the burden of proof on me.... I just asked you how you could be sure that Lang based his movie on Renoir's: which might very well have been the case, but I wonder how many of those unnamed sources (IMDB?) checked the novel to see if Lang took anything there which is absent from Renoir's movie, for example. That wouldn't be an insignificant detail, I guess. I don't know anything about the affair and I couldn't care less about the two movies. Still, if you say something as definite as what you said you should be able to support it, if not with facts, at least with reliable secondary sources, like the Eisner's book I gave away many years ago. Or at least say so right away and save me the time for this useless discussion.
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Poodle Springs (1998) There is the famous anecdote about the people filming The Big Sleep about not knowing who had killed a secondary character of the story and Chandler, asked by them about it, didn't remember either. Well, I don't know what poor Leigh Brackett and Howard Hawks could have made if they had to transpose this for the screen. I mean, I haven't read the novel (and I never intended to, out of respect for Chandler) but if I assume (as jenkins is wont to) that Rafelson simplified the story once he brought it on the screen I can't imagine what the original novel (a development on the first 6 chapters left by Chandler) by Robert B. Parker was like. But that is not the question because that is not why people, I think, read P.I. novels. You read Agatha Christie for the plot, you read Chandler or Spillane or even Stout for the characters, the dialogues, the city descriptions. Here the dialogues are standard, nothing memorable. Characters are standard and forgettable as well. The final explication and shooting are embarrassing. And, most of all, James Caan does nothing to sympathize with his character: and he looks old, older than Mitchum in his own Marlowe movies. I think Caan could have made a good (don't know how good) Mike Hammer in the '70's or even the '80's. But his Marlowe at 58 sucks. I think the best Marlowe, or at least the one that suits better my idea of him, is James Garner's, even though The Little Sister is not the best movie of the series. 6\10
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This Gun For Hire (1942) Directed by Frank Tuttle, with Veronica Lake, Robert Preston, Laird Cregar, and Alan Ladd. This one was hit & miss, the two opening sequences with hit man Alan Ladd (in his debut) are excellent the boarding house intro & his first hit (you won't recognize him at first), it goes down from there, Veronica Lake provides the love interest (I don't quite get the big attraction with Lake, maybe its just me but but I'd rather bend Marie Windsor, Gloria Graham, Jean Peters, Jane Greer, or Rita Hayworth over the table in any order first before her, lol ), and over the top heavy Laird Cregar as sleazy chemical plant owner by day/night club owner by night is entertaining. Robert Preston seems to be phoning it in and the patriotic anti Jap War theme comes off very dated & heavy handed nowadays. 6.5/10
and some Fractured Features....
Caught (1949) Director: Max Ophüls with James Mason, Barbara Bel Geddes, Robert Ryan, this came on TCM at an inopportune time, I was half asleep and nodding off while watching this but from what I remember it looked good, and Barbara Bel Geddes seemed to have her tits/and erect nipples practically on display in a number of shots, will need another viewing while awake to make sure I wasn't dreaming, luckily its on streaming video on Netflix, will report back. ^-^
They Live By Night (1949) Saw the middle of this one when I came home from work, then had to go pickup the wife in a snowstorm, what I saw also looked good. Dir. Nicholas Ray. Farley Granger, Cathy O'Donnell, Howard da Silva, Jay C. Flippen, and Helen Craig. Again will have to rerun it.
Gun Crazy (1950) Dir. Joseph H. Lewis. with Peggy Cummins, John Dall, Berry Kroeger, Morris Carnovsky, Anabel Shaw, Harry Lewis, Nedrick Young, Rusty (Russ) Tamblyn. Cummins is femme fatale who leads gun-crazy Dall in a Bonnie & Clyde like spree. Seen the beginning and the end never the whole thing through, caught the end again today after I picked up the wife & got back home.
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Caught (1949) Director: Max Ophüls with James Mason, Barbara Bel Geddes, Robert Ryan, this came on TCM at an inopportune time, I was half asleep and nodding off while watching this but from what I remember it looked good, and Barbara Bel Geddes seemed to have her tits/and erect nipples practically on display in a number of shots, will need another viewing while awake to make sure I wasn't dreaming, luckily its on streaming video on Netflix, will report back. ^-^
This is OK. Ryan is great, Mason better-than-good, BBG rather gormless, but that's pretty much what the role requires. Don't know why this is considered a noir, though--there's no crime. More of an overheated mellodrama.
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Dementia - Daughter of Horror (1955) I thought I was in for some cheap budgeted horror foray, instead this is a quintessential noir. Even though the nightmare element is pervading, the techniques of the movie remind me more of noir flicks than horror ones. What i can't digest of this movie is the fact that all the women are below-average, expecially the protagonist. Had she been more appetizing I could have given this movie 9\10 (because, of course, they can say in the blurbs on the cover that this compares with Un chien andalou: but it doesn't have the force (and the irony) of Bunuel's classic). But to make a cheap budgeted movie with those results makes it a solid 8\10.
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Dementia - Daughter of Horror (1955) I thought I was in for some cheap budgeted horror foray, instead this is a quintessential noir. Even though the nightmare element is pervading, the techniques of the movie remind me more of noir flicks than horror ones. What i can't digest of this movie is the fact that all the women are below-average, expecially the protagonist. Had she been more appetizing I could have given this movie 9\10 (because, of course, they can say in the blurbs on the cover that this compares with Un chien andalou: but it doesn't have the force (and the irony) of Bunuel's classic). But to make a cheap budgeted movie with those results makes it a solid 8\10.
I don't think I've ever heard of it. I'll have to check it out.
I always thought "Carnival Of Souls" was noir-ish also.
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Possessed (1947) Dir. Curtis Bernhardt with Joan Crawford, Van Heflin, Raymond Massey, and Geraldine Brooks. A demented Joan Crawford walks the streets of LA looking for David, collapses in Lew's Cafe, and wakes up in a mental ward. Flashbacks reveal the sorry tale. 5/10
Hefiln is good at any rate.
A real meller not my cup of tea type of Film Noir. BTW Crawford always to me anyway, gave me the impression even before tell tale flick "Mommy Dearest", that her elevator never went all the way to the top, like she had a screw loose and was on the verge loosing it in all of her films that I've seen, 8)
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The Damned Don't Cry (1950) Director Vincent Sherman, with Joan Crawford. Caught this one near the end she "plays a woman who becomes discontented with her marriage and boring life and sets out to make a better living for herself no matter the cost. She loses her young child in an accident. Her infatuation with dangerous men ultimately leads her into equally dangerous situations". This one was better than the last but I missed all of the melodrama at the beginning, lol. It ended as a sort of riff on the Bugsy Siegel story with Joan playing a mobsters girlfriend who is encouraged to "fraternize" with the Bugsy character to rat on what's going on to the mobster. Still with Crawford in it and from what the beginning sounds like I can only rate it at best a 6/10.
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The Damned Don't Cry (1950) Director Vincent Sherman, with Joan Crawford. Caught this one near the end she "plays a woman who becomes discontented with her marriage and boring life and sets out to make a better living for herself no matter the cost. She loses her young child in an accident. Her infatuation with dangerous men ultimately leads her into equally dangerous situations". This one was better than the last but I missed all of the melodrama at the beginning, lol. It ended as a sort of riff on the Bugsy Siegel story with Joan playing a mobsters girlfriend who is encouraged to "fraternize" with the Bugsy character to rat on what's going on to the mobster. Still with Crawford in it and from what the beginning sounds like I can only rate it at best a 6/10.
You're selling this one short. It's my favorite of the 40s-50s Crawfords (not counting the non-noir Daisy Kenyon): a tough-as-nails tale that really moves. The summary that you quote above takes place in about the first 5 minutes of the film; then we get Joan clawing her way to the top over the bodies (metaphorically speaking) of Kent Smith, David Brian, and finally a very dashing Steve Cochran. This is one of the best examples there is of the Warner formula (cheap, fast, and tough).
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You're selling this one short. It's my favorite of the 40s-50s Crawfords (not counting the non-noir Daisy Kenyon): a tough-as-nails tale that really moves. The summary that you quote above takes place in about the first 5 minutes of the film; then we get Joan clawing her way to the top over the bodies (metaphorically speaking) of Kent Smith, David Brian, and finally a very dashing Steve Cochran. This is one of the best examples there is of the Warner formula (cheap, fast, and tough).
Fair enough. Like I said I only saw the last 30 minutes, and was rating it based on my dislike of Crawford, I'll give it another go if it pops up again, you bet.
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Body and Soul (1947) I see this is listed as noir at IMDB but of course it doesn't belong in that category. This is just a melodrama about the usual movie boxer, that with moral scruples which exist only in hollywood. This is totally predicable, Anne Revere is heavy as lead, Garfield looks older than his father, Lilli Palmer looks and acts like a model for Barbie. I wonder why the boxer as a sob as portrayed in the famous Ring Lardner short story could find only the Kirk Douglas movie based on it a response. 5\10
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Whirlpool (1949) Director: Otto Preminger, with Gene Tierney,as Ann Sutton, Richard Conte, as Dr. William 'Bill' Sutton, José Ferrer as hypnotist David Korvo and Charles Bickford as Lt. James Colton. Tierney is beautiful in this. She plays a wealthy, prominent, closet kleptomaniac who is assisted by Ferrer out of a jam that would cause unwelcome publicity for her psychiatrist husband (Conte) and then falls under his suggestive powers, which ends with a frame up for a murder. These types of high society based noirs are usually not quite as fun for me as their seedier counterparts but this one is great. The wife gave this one high marks 9/10.
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Whirlpool (1949) Director: Otto Preminger, with Gene Tierney,as Ann Sutton, Richard Conte, as Dr. William 'Bill' Sutton, José Ferrer as hypnotist David Korvo and Charles Bickford as Lt. James Colton. Tierney is beautiful in this. She plays a wealthy, prominent, closet kleptomaniac who is assisted by Ferrer out of a jam that would cause unwelcome publicity for her psychiatrist husband (Conte) and then falls under his suggestive powers, which ends with a frame up for a murder. These types of high society based noirs are usually not quite as fun for me as their seedier counterparts but this one is great. The wife gave this one high marks 9/10.
The self-hypnotism at the end took it out of the realm of noir (for me at least) and into science fiction. I liked Ferrer's performance throughout, though: a very smooth-talking psycho.
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Union Station (1950) Director: Rudolph Maté, with William Holden, Barry Fitzgerald, Nancy Olson, Lyle Bettger, caught this on Netflix another WOW!!!. The story of this noir begins with Olson on a train back to Chicago. She watches as a speeding car races the train to the station on a parallel highway. Two men get out, board the train, and the car speeds away. The men inexplicably sit apart from each other and Olson notices that as one stows away his suitcase in the overhead rack that he's wearing a shoulder holster. She tells the conductor who wires ahead to the Lieutenant (Holden) in charge of security at Union Station. We soon find out that its a kidnap and ransom caper. Barry Fitzgerald plays his memorable stock Irish police commander, and Lyle Bettger is a great villain.
This film abounds in atmosphere and absolutely great, great, location shots, not only does Union Station play a prominent part, but we also get extended period Chicago Elevated shots, the Chicago stockyards, and the climax in the Chicago Tunnel Company RR tunnels (http://users.ameritech.net/chicagotunnel/tunnel1.html (http://users.ameritech.net/chicagotunnel/tunnel1.html)) O0 O0 O0 10/10 on the locations alone.
Streaming on Netflix
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Five Miles to Midnight (1962) dir by Anatole Litvak, with Sophia Loren, Athony Perkins, Gig Young, and Jean-Pierre Aumont, listed as a Crime Drama, but very noir-ish. Lisa (Loren) playing an unsatisfied Italian woman, has a fight with her American husband Robert (Perkins) in a Paris night club. He leaves the next day for a business trip and Lisa says she does not want to see him again. She is with newspaperman Alan Stewart (Aumont) that evening when she learns Robert's plane has crashed with no survivors. Waking from sedation after the funeral, Lisa finds Robert in their flat, injured but alive. He was thrown clear of the crash by a lucky twist of fate. He now wants to collect on the $120,000 insurance policy that he took out at the airport. Lisa reluctantly goes along with the scheme, once she collects the money and turns it over to him, she thinks she will finally be rid of him.
Now I was just half paying attention to this (it was on TCM) and it has various relationship angles that went over my head and I wasn't hooked until Loren brutally deals with David, it would be definitely worth another view. I'd say it was a Neo-Noir and a 6.5-7/10 from what I caught of it, Loren looks great as always!
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Five Miles to Midnight (1962) dir by Anatole Litvak, with Sophia Loren, Athony Perkins, Gig Young, and Jean-Pierre Aumont, listed as a Crime Drama, but very noir-ish. Lisa (Loren) playing an unsatisfied Italian woman, has a fight with her American husband Robert (Perkins) in a Paris night club. He leaves the next day for a business trip and Lisa says she does not want to see him again. She is with newspaperman Alan Stewart (Aumont) that evening when she learns Robert's plane has crashed with no survivors. Waking from sedation after the funeral, Lisa finds Robert in their flat, injured but alive. He was thrown clear of the crash by a lucky twist of fate. He now wants to collect on the $120,000 insurance policy that he took out at the airport. Lisa reluctantly goes along with the scheme, once she collects the money and turns it over to him, she thinks she will finally be rid of him.
Now I was just half paying attention to this (it was on TCM) and it has various relationship angles that went over my head and I wasn't hooked until Loren brutally deals with David, it would be definitely worth another view. I'd say it was a Neo-Noir and a 6.5-7/10 from what I caught of it, Loren looks great as always!
I'm intrigued by the "lucky twist of fate" which can save you from an airplane crash. ::)
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I'm intrigued by the "lucky twist of fate" which can save you from an airplane crash. ::)
<spoilers>
He was blow out the cargo door at impact.
anyway today....
Dark City(1950) Dir by William Dieterle
Bad luck begets bad blood when desperate GI Arthur Winant (Don DeFore) gets taken by grifter Danny Haley (Charlton Heston) and his cronies and hangs himself, launching unseen brother Sidney (Mike Mazurki) on a table-turning vendetta against which Haley alone has a shadow of a chance. With chanteuse girlfriend Fran Garland (Lizabeth Scott) as his beacon, the hunted sets out to uncover his hunter -- and reckons with his own misdeeds along the way. Just a bit too draggy, with a lot of rear projected processed shots, Heston's debut film also has Jack Webb and Harry Morgan as a punch drunk flunky. 6.5/10
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<spoilers>
He was blow out the cargo door at impact.
;D
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Just a bit too draggy
Yup. I'd rate it 4/10.
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Man-Trap (1961) Directed by Edmund O'Brien, with Jeffry Hunter, David Jansen, Stella Stevens, and a cameo by Bob Crane. Not really noir but not a bad crime flick revolving around Central American ill gotten loot. Jansen and Hunter are Korean War vets. Jansen repays Hunter (who saved his life) with an in on a deal for 1/2 a million dollars. Stevens plays Hunters drunk & promiscuous wife, San Francisco locations, and a nice chase sequence, nothing special Stevens really looks good. 6/10
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Man-Trap (1961) Directed by Edmund O'Brien, with Jeffry Hunter, David Jansen, Stella Stevens, and a cameo by Bob Crane. Not really noir but not a bad crime flick revolving around Central American ill gotten loot. Jansen and Hunter are Korean War vets. Jansen repays Hunter (who saved his life) with an in on a deal for 1/2 a million dollars. Stevens plays Hunters drunk & promiscuous wife, San Francisco locations, and a nice chase sequence, nothing special Stevens really looks good. 6/10
Huh, I've never heard of this one. O'Brien just directs, he's not in it?
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Huh, I've never heard of this one. O'Brien just directs, he's not in it?
Yea his first directorial debut, also forgot to mention that its based on a John D. McDonald story, I'm sure the story is much better. Its on Netflix streaming video.
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Back to Back films based Chandler's Philip Marlowe character.
Lady in the Lake (1947) director Robert Montgomery, with Robert Montgomery as Phillip Marlowe, Audrey Totter as Adrienne Fromsett, Lloyd Nolan as Lt. DeGarmot, Tom Tully as Capt. Kane, Leon Ames as Derace Kingsby, Jayne Meadows as Mildred Havelend
Dick Simmons as Chris Lavery.
Unusual innovative Noir part serious partly send up, I chuckled at some of the conversations between Totter & Montgomery and the allusion to author's of hard boiled detective fiction. With the POV camera portrayal gimmick of Marlowe by Montgomery the brunt of the film falls on Audrey Totter's shoulders and she is both fascinating and stellar in the various long takes. Some great sequences to watch for, the casing of Lavery's house with the intro of Jane Meadows, and the reveal of the body (nuff said), the auto accident sequence and the confrontation between Nolan and Meadows. Has a Christmas theme vocal chorus that warps ominous for what little soundtrack there is. Once you get the hang of the POV its very entertaining. This is a film you could "almost" show to kids that are enamoured with first person shooter games, they'd probably "get it" lol. 10/10
Marlowe (1969) Director: Paul Bogart, with James Garner as Philip Marlowe, Gayle Hunnicutt as Mavis Wald, Carroll O'Connor as
Lt. Christy French, Rita Moreno as stripper Dolores Gonzáles, Sharon Farrell as Orfamay Quest, William Daniels as Mr. Crowell, H.M. Wynant as gangster Sonny Steelgrave, Jackie Coogan as Grant W. Hicks, and Bruce Lee as Winslow Wong. This is an adaptation of Chandler's "The Little Sister" which is interestingly enough a song that runs under the opening credits. Filmed way past the end of stylized Noir this film updates Marlowe to the contemporary late 1960's replete with hippies and flophouses. The opening title sequence shows a Peeping Tom/Blackmailer taking photos of two poolside lovers, the next sequence has Marlowe, already on a case, driving up to a peace sign bedecked beach house (in a convertible Dodge with a photo of the Peeping Tom attached to his dash). The beach house has its denizens all stoned out on the porch. I like Garner and his Marlowe is a loner, which hews pretty close to the Marlowe of the novels, but still color and lack of stylized Noir lighting rob you of the gritty feel of the original novels.
The story revolves around the hunt for the wayward brother of Orfamay Quest (Farrell) and turns convolutedly into something else. Gayle Hunnicutt is Mavis Wald, a prominent TV star billed as "America's Sweetheart" an almost auguring like reference to Mary Tyler Moore & her show by the same name. Moreno is great as a stripper (she does a nice routine) and it has some adequate performances by Hollywood child star Jackie Coogan and TV actor O'Connor, Bruce Lee (in his first American film) doesn't quite make sense as it is filmed, that said, all of the supporting cast could have used a bit more development, especially Lee, and it needed much more in the way of actual establishing shots of sleazy LA locations. Anyway could have been better, worth a watch 8/10
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How about Garner as Marlowe? I think he's the best.
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How about Garner as Marlowe? I think he's the best.
On impulse I'd agree, I didn't like Bogart, or Gould, and Montgomery is OK probably the next best, but I'll have to watch Mitchum again in Farewell My Lovely (1975) to give you a definitive answer. I remember liking that, but I didn't like The Big Sleep (1978) being set in England , and I don't remember Murder, My Sweet (1944) with Dick Powell or George Montgomery in The Brasher Doubloon (1947).
Then there are TV depictions, Philip Carey (1960), Powers Boothe (1986) James Caan (1998) Jason O'Mara (2007), I may have seen Poodle Springs with James Caan
We probably should start a Best Phillip Marlowe thread.
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Powell is actually the only serious contender. Carey and O'Mara I never saw, Booth sucks like all that series he starred in, Caan I reviewed it a few days ago. Mitchum is great but he plays Mitchum, not Marlowe: though he plays it in the arguably best movie about Chandler's character (again Powell's movie being the best contender).
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Powell is actually the only serious contender. Carey and O'Mara I never saw, Booth sucks like all that series he starred in, Caan I reviewed it a few days ago. Mitchum is great but he plays Mitchum, not Marlowe: though he plays it in the arguably best movie about Chandler's character (again Powell's movie being the best contender).
Unfortunately "Murder, My Sweet" is unavailable here at the moment.
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(http://www.dvd.it/locandine/media/l-ombra-del-passato-rko-214233.jpg)
I thought I had bought it but I was wrong. >:(
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Bought. :D
On Amazon.it a little over 6 euros.
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In Italy there's also a dvd of The Brasher Doubloon but, so I've read, only with italian audio >:(:
As the movie isn't that good (it was on tv a handful of times) I let it pass.
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Mister Buddwing (1966) Director, Delbert Mann, with James Garner as Mister Buddwing, Jean Simmons as The Blonde, Suzanne Pleshette as Fiddle, Katharine Ross as Janet, and Angela Lansbury as Gloria. (It begins with a POV camera portrayal we see the sky and tree branches, then Central Park as our perspective changes, then we see hands searching finding clues, we don't see who we are until we enter the Plaza Hotel and look in a mirror). A well-dressed man (Garner) wakes up on a bench in New York's Central Park, with no idea of who he is, or how he got there. All he can find in his pockets are a train schedule, a couple of drug capsules, and a piece of paper with a phone number on it. On his right hand: a ring with a cracked stone; engraved on the inside of the band is the inscription, "From G.V." Armed with these meager clues, the man, adopting the name "Buddwing" (inspired by a passing Budweiser beer truck and a plane flying overhead), sets out to learn his true identity. Along the way, he encounters a variety of people, including three different women (Simmons, Pleshette, Ross) who each reminds him in some way of someone named "Grace." With each of the three women he meets he has flashbacks to his life with Grace at different stages of their relationship. Great New York locations abound, the Plaza Hotel, The Queensboro Bridge, Times Square Arcades, and a excellent crap game sequence in Harlem.
Very surreal film Noir-ish in style, I would call it a Near-Noir it would fit in a list of those darker, sleazier, Black & White Films of the Fifties and Sixties that didn't necessarily have a crime angle involved, films like "Requiem For a Heavyweight", "Somebody Up There Likes Me", "Marty", "A Streecar Named Desire", "The Fugitive Kind", "On The Waterfront", "The Hustler", "Baby Doll", "Walk on the Wild Side", "Anatomy of a Murder", "To Kill a Mockingbird", "The Defiant Ones", "Your Cheatin' Heart", "I Want to Live!", "A Face in the Crowd ", etc., etc. I should start a new thread on these.
Two interesting past and future character actor appearances in it, first one was the 2nd cab driver, Billy Halop from the old Dead End Kids. The second is the lady dice player who is played by Nichelle Nichols, the lovely Lt. Uhura of Star Trek. I like it, 7.5-8/10
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Unfortunately "Murder, My Sweet" is unavailable here at the moment.
No, it's available. "Farewell, My Lovely," however, is not.
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No, it's available. "Farewell, My Lovely," however, is not.
You are right, my mistake, it's now on my Netflix list. "The Brasher Doubloon" is not. O0
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The Phantom Lady (1944) Director Robert Siodmak, with Franchot Tone as Jack Marlow, Ella Raines as Carol Richman, Alan Curtis as Scott Henderson, Aurora Miranda as Estela Monteiro, Thomas Gomez as Inspector Burgess, Fay Helm as Ann Terry, Elisha Cook Jr. as Cliff, and Regis Toomey as Detective Chewing Gum.
A sort of a flimsy implausible story on this one that started out very good then disintegrates, but it has some interesting sequences that I liked a lot.
An unhappily married Scott Henderson waiting to attend a show is stood up by his wife at a bar. Frustrated, he notices that a hat-wearing woman seated also at the bar looks lost and in distress. He makes some small talk with her and first offers her the show tickets to try and cheer her up, but one thing leads to another and he ends up spending the evening on a no-name basis with her. Returning home, he finds his wife strangled and the police waiting and he becomes the prime suspect in her murder. Every effort to prove his alibi fails; oddly no one seems to remember seeing the phantom lady (or her hat). Scott is convicted and sent to Sing Sing. His secretary, "Kansas," (Raines) sets out to locate the "phantom" lady.
An interesting mix of unlikely characters with probably husky Thomas Gomez as the Inspector being the most surprising. This film looks entirely shot in the studio with nicely detailed sets, one that represents one of the old New York City El's is magnificent. There is one series of sequences where Raines, dressed up as a two bit floozy, seduces orchestra drummer Elisha Cook Jr. to get information, and they head off to a wild jazz band rehearsal in a tenement basement before they end up in Cook's crash pad.
All in all, the jazz, the characters, and the sets are great, the story so so. 7/10
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Dementia - Daughter of Horror (1955) I thought I was in for some cheap budgeted horror foray, instead this is a quintessential noir. Even though the nightmare element is pervading, the techniques of the movie remind me more of noir flicks than horror ones. What i can't digest of this movie is the fact that all the women are below-average, expecially the protagonist. Had she been more appetizing I could have given this movie 9\10 (because, of course, they can say in the blurbs on the cover that this compares with Un chien andalou: but it doesn't have the force (and the irony) of Bunuel's classic). But to make a cheap budgeted movie with those results makes it a solid 8\10.
Bizarre film, like mentioned above could have used better looking women, they did a good job with what they had but its no "Carnival of Souls".
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The Phantom Lady (1944)
All in all, the jazz, the characters, and the sets are great, the story so so. 7/10
That squares with my view of the matter, although, as an Ella Raines devotee, I'd be tempted to give it another point.
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Bizarre film, like mentioned above could have used better looking women, they did a good job with what they had but its no "Carnival of Souls".
Rating?
And what version did you see? The uncut without comment (not that it makes much difference)?
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Carnival of Souls (1962) I followed CJ's tip and watched it, but didn't appreciate it much. I do not even think it belongs in this thread. Once you get the hang of it it becomes boring, just a bloated up episode of Twilight Zone: with a 25-30 minutes cut it could have fared better. The female lead is appetizing but doesn't show much of herself. 6\10
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Rating?
And what version did you see? The uncut without comment (not that it makes much difference)?
Uncut I think, but it was a bit too low budget for me 6/10 for effort, now as to Carnival of Souls the un-cut pristine version of that I'd go as 8/10, partly for the innovative locations the Peeping Tom in the boarding house segment, and sentimental (Candace Hilligoss) reasons. 8)
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That squares with my view of the matter, although, as an Ella Raines devotee, I'd be tempted to give it another point.
She is great in this, (The Phantom Lady) and I like the way you don't know at first who the main protagonists are going to be, but in order for everything to make sense you're asked to swallow that Marlow killed the wife suddenly on impulse then spied on Henderson's every move with enough cash in his pocket to pay off every body Henderson came in contact with, then hangs around making sure that nobody spills the beans, then after killing Cliff removes all evidence of "Kansas" being there in Cliff's apartment and then keeps that evidence in a draw in his studio. come on.....
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Screen Caps from "The Phantom Lady":
The Phantom Lady with Scott Henderson
(http://img816.imageshack.us/img816/3739/phantomlady1944dvdripxv.jpg)
"Kansas" follows bartender to El station
(http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/3739/phantomlady1944dvdripxv.jpg)
El station platform
(http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/3739/phantomlady1944dvdripxv.jpg)
El station platform
(http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/3739/phantomlady1944dvdripxv.jpg)
"Kansas" dressed as hooker
(http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/3739/phantomlady1944dvdripxv.jpg)
Cliff notices "Kansas"
(http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/3739/phantomlady1944dvdripxv.jpg)
"Kansas" in basement Jazz bar.
(http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/3739/phantomlady1944dvdripxv.jpg)
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She is great in this, (The Phantom Lady) and I like the way you don't know at first who the main protagonists are going to be, but in order for everything to make sense you're asked to swallow that Marlow killed the wife suddenly on impulse then spied on Henderson's every move with enough cash in his pocket to pay off every body Henderson came in contact with, then hangs around making sure that nobody spills the beans, then after killing Cliff removes all evidence of "Kansas" being there in Cliff's apartment and then keeps that evidence in a draw in his studio. come on.....
Well, putting it like that, I'm starting to go off on this one . . .
Thanks for posting the screen caps. All the El station stuff are matte paintings!
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Well, putting it like that, I'm starting to go off on this one . . .
Thanks for posting the screen caps. All the El station stuff are matte paintings!
That is what is so fantastic about it they came out looking great. My only quibble would be that their weren't enough lit windows depicted in the sky scrapers to realistically look like New York City.
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Farewell My Lovely (1975) Directed by Dick Richard, with Noir Icons Robert Mitchum as Philip Marlowe, and John Ireland as Det. Lt., Nulty, with a supporting cast that includes Charlotte Rampling as Helen Grayle, Sylvia Miles very impressive as alcoholic floozy Jessie Halstead Florian, Anthony Zerbe as sleazy Laird Brunette, another great performance by Harry Dean Stanton as crooked on the take Det. Billy Rolfe, Jack O'Halloran in his film debut with an adequate interpretation of Moose Malloy, Joe Spinell as Nick, and a very young Sylvester Stallone as whorehouse punk, Jonnie. Novelist, Jim Thomson puts in an appearance as Judge Grayle.
Story line "man mountain", not too bright Moose Malloy, is out of prison after seven years for a robbery rap, he's looking for his former squeeze Velma Velento former chanteuse and dancer at Florians, he hires Marlowe to find her.
I really, really, enjoyed this version of "Farewell My Lovely", and I'd have to say it equals "Murder My Sweet" not point for point but for different reasons, "Murder My Sweet" has an unforgettably well done first meet between Marlowe (Dick Powell) and Moose Malloy (Mike Mazurki) and while on Mike, for me he is still the Malloy to beat, he is the actor that has the cachet, the cinematic memory, he is what I most remember about that version of the Chandler Story, him and the Noir cinematography. I'll have to watch it again, but I have a feeling that it will be tough to beat the outstanding cast of the 1975 film.
That said "Farewell My Lovely" has four unforgettable Marlowe & Molloy go to Florian's sequence, the two Marlowe and Jessie Florian sequences, the Marlowe meets Femme Fatale Helen Grayle (Charlotte Rampling) sequence (and Rampling BTY has some beautiful green eyes, you know I don't even recall Claire Trevor's performance in "Murder My Sweet"), and the Nulty gets religion in the police car sequence, then add in all the Marlowe/Nulty vignettes, this film is one not too miss. Sets and interiors suitably seedy and not hampered by the Hays Code and the script is Pre PC so there is no pulling punches in the various lines and situations, bravo.
The cinematography of the interiors was excellent, everything depicted had aura of decay, one minor quibble, it could have probably alluded just a bit more to classic noir films than it did, there were a number of sequences shot against a backdrop of brightly lit windows (Marlowe's office and Jessie Florian's parlor come to mind) that had venetian blinds but the blinds were either closed or pulled up so we get none of the staple barred shadows, a shame, it would have been a nice bonus.
What I remember most vividly from the novel is the character Jessie Florian and description of the dump she lives in, and Chandler is in top form here. And out of all that detail rendered, what sticks in my memory most is Chandlers description of the fingerprint encrusted glasses Jessie comes back with to drink the booze out of. The film doesn't quite go to that depth but its close, and it probably paints Jessie just a tab bit more comely and sympathetically than the novel does.
Mitchum is Mitchum, like John Wayne when you reach iconic status its hard to separate character from personality, but you can overlook it here. I'll almost have to re-read the novel (I'd bet its been 20 years since I did) to give a definitive answer on who's is the best Marlowe Mitchum, Montgomery, Powell, Garner. Regardless the Mitchum/Ireland scenes are a visual treat and direct link to Classic Noir.
Soundtrack is great and for a Chandler adaptation this one placed in the correct time period is probably the best one in that respect. 9/10 mainly for Jack O'Halloran, now if they had cast Richard Kiel, William Smith, or as titoli mentioned Dan Blocker as Moose it could have upped the cachet a notch.
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"the best Marlowe Mitchum, Montgomery, Powell, Garner."
I presume you're alluding to "George" Montgomery, as "Robert" is mostly heard. That's a weird choice.
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"the best Marlowe Mitchum, Montgomery, Powell, Garner."
I presume you're alluding to "George" Montgomery, as "Robert" is mostly heard. That's a weird choice.
No, I haven't seen The Brasher Doubloon, so I just listing the Marlowe performances I've seen, I should have added Bogart and Gould to that list, they never come to mind, and they are not the best regardless.
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But if you mean "Robert" Montgomery, then you have to include all the OTR Marlowes.
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But if you mean "Robert" Montgomery, then you have to include all the OTR Marlowes.
What do you mean by OTR? , I'm not following
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Murder My Sweet (1944) Though it is the 3d vision of the movie it was my first in english. And I didn't remember it took so many liberties with the plot which, in spite of my having read the novel repeatedly, I couldn't follow in depth. There was the good idea of making Ann Riordan Mr. Grayle's daughter, but eliminating the character completely, like Richards did, was even better. And that's about that. The gimmick of the temporary cecity of Marlowe's is just finalized to the final cheesy scene. The actors. As I said, Powell is my favourite Marlowe with Garner. But probably comes second. The girl playing Anne Riordan is perfect but, as said, the character is disposable. I take Trevor over Rampling just because I like her best. And I take O'Halloran over Mazurki because Moose is, literally, true to his name: Mazurki gives too much passion to a character who shows he has it in store only in the final meeting with Velma. The sanatorium scene is perfect, with a great Powell. That makes me give it a 8\10: still a vote under Richards's version.
Continued discussion here...... :http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg147908#msg147908 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg147908#msg147908)
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What do you mean by OTR? , I'm not following
Old Time Radio.
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OK I see. O0
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Just heard a rumor that TCM will show in May 3 Hammers: My Gun is Quick, Kiss Me Deadly, and The Girl Hunters. O0
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Here are some screen caps from "Farewell My Lovely" side by side with me playing around with how it may have looked in B&W this really needs a re-release 8):
Marlowe's (Mitchum) opening monologue in a room at the Casa Miarabell Hotel, this version is told in flashback for probably 4/5 of the total:
(http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/2902/40637760.jpg)
(http://img816.imageshack.us/img816/3153/cmbw.jpg)
(http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/2663/cmbwcomp.jpg)
Florian's
(http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/2840/florians.jpg)
(http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/4469/floriansbw.jpg)
(http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/1389/florians4.jpg)
Moose Malloy
(http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/7855/florians3.jpg)
Jessie in tattered bathrobe
(http://img864.imageshack.us/img864/8266/jessied.jpg)
Then all dolled up for Marlowe
(http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/1849/jessie2.jpg)
Jessi & Marlowe boozing it up (notice no noir barred shadows through the venetian blinds)
(http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/3751/jessie4u.jpg)
(http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/8786/jessie4bw.jpg)
Femme Fatale (Charlotte Rampling) has a vague Bacall look about her.
(http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/4345/72135661.jpg)
Green eyes to match the jade necklace.
(http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/4951/vv1m.jpg)
The flash of inner thigh to Marlowe.
(http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/4348/vv2dt.jpg)
The kiss.
(http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/9597/vv4s.jpg)
Some nice three shot Compositions the top in Florian's the bottom at the Lido gambling ship:
(http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/1535/florians5.jpg)
(http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/3141/threeshot.jpg)
to be continued......
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You missed Sly...
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... and Groggy's all time favorite.
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More screen caps from "Farewell My Lovely"....
Icons Mitchum-Ireland
(http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/4276/iconsb.jpg)
(http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/7661/icons1.jpg)
(http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/5937/icons1bw.jpg)
Novelist Jim Thompson as Judge Grayle
(http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/6025/43650688.jpg)
Marlowe's Office, Mitchum-Ireland-Stanton
(http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/3773/soffice.jpg)
(http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/5152/sofficebw.jpg)
ambiance Jessie's House
(http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/2320/shse.jpg)
Whorehouse sequence
(http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/7820/32026950.jpg)
(http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/7317/wh2z.jpg)
(http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/9651/wh2bw.jpg)
a young Stallone
(http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/5733/stalloneu.jpg)
Stallone gets caught grabbing a freebie.
(http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/6451/whconfrontation.jpg)
Mitchum coming out of his OD.
(http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/9788/wh1b.jpg)
(http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/3667/wh1bw.jpg)
dead Tommy Ray
(http://img807.imageshack.us/img807/3801/86380683.jpg)
The "getting religion" sequence
Ireland
(http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/7702/irelandf.jpg)
Stanton-Ireland in LAPD cruiser
(http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/5022/getreligion.jpg)
(http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/9396/getreligionbw.jpg)
LA Street
(http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/1773/lastreet.jpg)
(http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/5315/lastreetbw.jpg)
The gambling ship "Lido"
(http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/3703/lido.jpg)
underworld boss Burnette
(http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/8552/burnette.jpg)
Using flunkies head to knock on Burnette's office door
(http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/8720/lidoconfrontation.jpg)
Gun battle on Lido
(http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/8725/gunbattleonlido.jpg)
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I like this slightly over the top interpretation of Mike Hammer, especially after viewing all the previous watered down versions. O0 O0 O0
I, The Jury (1982)
Directed by Richard T. Heffron, starring Armand Assante, as Mike Hammer, Barbara Carreram as Dr. Charlotte Bennett, Laurene Landon as Velda, Alan King as Charles Kalecki, Geoffrey Lewis as Joe Buttler, and Paul Sorvino as Det. Pat Chambers.
I first saw this probably sometime in the late 80’s once, had nothing to compare it to, and barely remembered it so it was a delight to get to view this the other day, especially since I‘ve recently been revisiting Spillane and the films based on his novels.
It took 30 some odd years for a film to really do full justice to the zeitgeist of a Mickey Spillane novel. The best looking and true Noir adaptation is still “Kiss Me Deadly” (1955) with Ralph Meeker, Jack Elam, Strother Martin, Jack Lambert, Gabby Rogers, and Cloris Leachman, but it was hampered by being made while the Hays Code was still in effect. The original “I, The Jury” (1953) was DOA having non presence Biff Eliot in the title role, but at least the babes were “hammertomically” correct , “My Gun is Quick” (1957) starring Robert Bray as had the right caliber of women, but had the action not in NYC, but in some seaside resort and Hammer was running around with a pop gun not his trademark .45 Colt Automatic. “The Girl Hunters” (1963) had Spillane in the title role, but he was no actor, and aside from the establishing shots of NYC , the film was shot in England. At least it had the babes.
But WOW!, right from the opening credits of I, The Jury (1982) you know you are in Mike Hammer land with the emphasis on women and the Colt .45 automatic, Broads & Bullets, Girls and Guns (both kinds). I’m sure graphic novelist Frank Miller (Sin City) had to have seen this graphic opening sequence in three colors black, white, and red, and was influenced by it. If not, it predates that style by 10 years.
This version has Hammer’s office located above Times Square, set in the post Vietnam 80’s. Hammer is a sleazy detective working divorce cases. We first see him pulling a dead fish out of his tank and holding it while talking to another fish/client, who is worried about his wife cheating on him. Hammer asks to see her picture notices that she is beautiful, then tells the client that he’s in trouble. Next shot has Hammer screwing the clients wife while fielding a call from him, the conversation is humorous along the lines of , “yea I’m right on top of her”, and “yea, don’t worry, I’m very familiar with all her moves”.
Hammer’s one armed war buddy Jack takes a slug in the guts and dies crawling across his living room, notified of his death Hammer (like a licensed rogue cop with full access to NYPD info) acts like bull in a china shop and the action (along with the catchy and wonderfully complementary score) never quits… that is unless a broad drifts into range, and a bevy of lovelies do so.
In this version Velda who in the novels was also a licensed detective holds her own doing double duty as a competent secretary/associate, and quasi love interest, she shows flashes of jealousy when Mike returns to the office disheveled and bruised from his escapades.
All the actors put in decent performances, I just wish Geoffrey Lewis had a bigger part, my only quibble.
What’s not to like.
Barely Neo Noir if that. The one noir lit sequence that I do rememner was when Hammer goes to pay respects to Jack's wife. Most of the film is too brightly lit.
No first person narrative.
And well, this version deviates a bit from the novel, i.e., using a surrogate serial killer in place of Kaleki’s henchman to the detriment of the novel‘s excellent Bellamy Twins sequences, the substitution of the sex clinic for the whorehouse, and bringing an ex-CIA paranoid operative “house as fortress” character into the story.
Armand Assante as Hammer hews closer to the Ralph Meeker look than what you picture Mike Hammer should look like (for me that would have been the great Charles McGraw), but he has the machismo and misogynistic qualities right, lol .
The cinematography is adequate, very pedestrian, nothing stylistic.
Setting the story in the post Vietnam 1980’s takes away the dirtier, grittier, sleazier, New York of the late Forties to early Sixties. There’s no street level connection to the Burlesque Joints, XXX Movie Theaters, The “Live Nude Girl” Peep Shows, the Arcades, the newspaper stands, the street vendors, the con games, the Dime A Dance Ballrooms, the bums, the panhandlers, the hookers, etc., etc., New York was starting to loosing that real ambiance, too bad. I remember The 42nd St. Times Square area ridden with the above in 1970, and by the time I returned in 1996 it had changed to Disneyland. Minor quibbles.
Still excellent film 8.5/10,some funny bits, almost the perfect Hammer with an excellent score.
The only way to improve would be a Sin City type treatment keeping the machismo and misogynistic qualities this film has with the dirtier, grittier, sleazier, New York of the late Forties to early Sixties.
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Phantom Lady Jazz Band sequence:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vEgZM5x0ik (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vEgZM5x0ik)
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ambiance Jessie's House
(http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/2320/shse.jpg)
"Maybe she beat it." / "Nolte, this is where people like her beat it to."
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Jessi & Marlowe boozing it up (notice no noir barred shadows through the venetian blinds)
(http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/3751/jessie4u.jpg)
I don't know why but after almost 40 years I've been watching this movie I keep concentrating on her jugs.
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"Maybe she beat it." / "Nolte, this is where people like her beat it to."
Nolte?
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"Maybe she beat it." / "No, this is where people like her beat it to."
what it should say.
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I wasn't concerned with the exact line, I was trying to indicate who was speaking to whom. But I should have said "Nulty", the character played by John Ireland.
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I wasn't concerned with the exact line, I was trying to indicate who was speaking to whom. But I should have said "Nulty", the character played by John Ireland.
OK ;)
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Noir of the Week
nice site I stumbled on to:
http://www.noiroftheweek.com/2005/01/noir-of-week-list.html (http://www.noiroftheweek.com/2005/01/noir-of-week-list.html)
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Appointment with Danger (1951) Director, Lewis Allen with Alan Ladd, Phyllis Calvert, Paul Steward, Jan Sterling, Jack Webb, Stacy Harris, Harry Morgan, David Wolfe, Dan Riss, Geraldine Wall, and George J. Lewis.
Great opening sequence of a body disposal in the pouring rain I was hooked from the get go. Also some nice railroad footage and industrial landscapes of Gary Indiana steel mills. O0 O0 O0
Alan Ladd is Al Goddard, a USPS special investigator sent to Gary, Ind., to solve a postal detective's murder. A young nun Sister Augustine (Phyllis Calvert) is the sole witness. With her aid Ladd learns the identity of the men and uncovers the gang's plot to pull off a million-dollar mail heist. Jan Sterling plays gang leaders floozy jazz loving girlfriend Dodie La Verne. Jack Webb plays a loose cannon creep and Harry Morgan a slow witted goon. Very enjoyable 8/10.
Down Three Dark Streets (1954) directed by Arnold Laven with Broderick Crawford, Ruth Roman, Martha Hyer, Marisa Pavan, Max Showalter (Niagara), Kenneth Tobey, Gene Reynolds, and William Johnstone.
Sort of a police procedural, quasi-documentary, stars Broderick Crawford as FBI Agent John Ripley.When fellow G-man Zack Stewart is murdered, Ripley takes over the trio of cases Stewart had been working on assuming one of them will reveal his killer. This one is also entertaining but its a bit fuzzy in logic with the motives of the actual murderer the connection of why he killed the FBI man and his girlfriend? or whatever she was is never connected. Martha Hyer is a cute mobsters girlfriend.
It does have some great location shots of LA and the streetcar system and ends up at a great set piece at the base of the iconic HOLLYWOOD sign.
Entertaining, but the lack of connection explained above drops this to a 7/10
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Vicki (1953) director Harry Horner, with Jeanne Crain, Jean Peters, Elliott Reid, Richard Boone, Max Showalter, Larry Evans, Alexander D'Arcy, Carl Betz, and Aaron Spelling.
Opening sequence, a shot of Times Square with one of the giant billboards plastered with a stories high image of New York "super" model Vicki. Cut to a seedy tenant hotel a sheet covered body wheeled out to an ambulance, a toe tag reads Vicki Lynn. Cut to Jersey Shore resort, Richard Boone, NYPD homicide detective, gets out of a taxi looking tired and in need of a vacation, he checks in and is about to go up to his room when he spots the headlines "Vicki Killed". He immediately goes ballistic and phones NY demanding to be put on the case.
Jean Peters a cute waitress working the late night shift at a typical NYC late night dinner is discovered by a Publicity Agent & Society Columnist, they proceed to make her over into the next "super" model. She becomes an overnight sensation much to the concern of her sister played by Jean Crain and gradually becomes ruthlessly ambitious.
Boone goes on an incensed investigation of Elliot Reid the Publicity Agent attempting to railroad the case upon him. This is more of a acting ensemble noir rather than visual noir focusing on relationships, and it lacks much of the stylized noir cinematography or great set pieces that I relish. Regardless if you are a Richard Boone fan you'll enjoy his portrayal of an obsessed cop. Peters is good but I still like her better in "Pickup On South Street". All the characters in this film are revealed to be corrupt to some extent. 7/10
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Sleep, My Love (1948)Directed by Douglas Sirk with, Claudette Colbert, Robert Cummings, Don Ameche, Rita Johnson, George Coulouris, Queenie Smith, Ralph Morgan, Raymond Burr, and va-va-va-voom, Hazel Brooks.
Colbert wakes up on a Boston bound train with no knowledge of how she got there.
This film has almost the same premise as "Gaslight". Ameche, married to wealthy Colbert living on Sutton Place, NYC, is trying to drive her insane in order to get her out of the way so that he can access her fortune and replace her with Hazel Brooks. Coulouris is a portrait photographer posing as a psychiatrist in in cahoots with Ameche. Brooks who makes a very impressive entrance wearing a see through robe and a very skimpy outfit is Coulouris' models and Ameche's Femme Fatale. Cummings is the friend of one of Colbert's high society gal pals, who hits it off with Colbert on a plane flight from Boston and takes it upon himself to find out the truth.
I like this way better than "Gaslight". It was all shot in studio so it has some nice stylized noir sequences, I especially like the seedy pseudo NYC neighborhood where Coulouris has his shop off of an El stop, the photographer studio set, and the final denouement on the four story stairwell. This film also has an unexpected sequence of a peek at a delightful Chinese wedding, cool. Raymond Burr plays a Police Lieutenant investigating Colbert's disappearance.
Only complaints neither Burr or Brooks were showcased enough. Entertaining 7/10
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Vicki (1953) director Harry Horner, with Jeanne Crain, Jean Peters, Elliott Reid, Richard Boone, Max Showalter, Larry Evans, Alexander D'Arcy, Carl Betz, and Aaron Spelling.
Opening sequence, a shot of Times Square with one of the giant billboards plastered with a stories high image of New York "super" model Vicki. Cut to a seedy tenant hotel a sheet covered body wheeled out to an ambulance, a toe tag reads Vicki Lynn. Cut to Jersey Shore resort, Richard Boone, NYPD homicide detective, gets out of a taxi looking tired and in need of a vacation, he checks in and is about to go up to his room when he spots the headlines "Vicki Killed". He immediately goes ballistic and phones NY demanding to be put on the case.
Jean Peters a cute waitress working the late night shift at a typical NYC late night dinner is discovered by a Publicity Agent & Society Columnist, they proceed to make her over into the next "super" model. She becomes an overnight sensation much to the concern of her sister played by Jean Crain and gradually becomes ruthlessly ambitious.
Boone goes on an incensed investigation of Elliot Reid the Publicity Agent attempting to railroad the case upon him. This is more of a acting ensemble noir rather than visual noir focusing on relationships, and it lacks much of the stylized noir cinematography or great set pieces that I relish. Regardless if you are a Richard Boone fan you'll enjoy his portrayal of an obsessed cop. Peters is good but I still like her better in "Pickup On South Street". All the characters in this film are revealed to be corrupt to some extent. 7/10
Joe, you should have mentioned that this is a remake of the much superior I Wake Up Screaming (1941).
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Sleep, My Love (1948)Directed by Douglas Sirk with, Claudette Colbert, Robert Cummings, Don Ameche, Rita Johnson, George Coulouris, Queenie Smith, Ralph Morgan, Raymond Burr, and va-va-va-voom, Hazel Brooks.
I like this way better than "Gaslight".
Sorry to keep coming off as a nitpicker, but are you comparing this with the American remake of Gaslight (the one with Ingrid Bergman) or the British original?
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Joe, you should have mentioned that this is a remake of the much superior I Wake Up Screaming (1941).
It's been while since I watched it, I didn't make the connection, but your right Laird Cregar was a better unstable police detective, and Victor Mature was superior also, but I just don't remember any of the women in the first version, I'll have to revisit.
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Sorry to keep coming off as a nitpicker, but are you comparing this with the American remake of Gaslight (the one with Ingrid Bergman) or the British original?
The one with Bergman & Charles Boyer, I wasn't aware of the other. ;)
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The Warner Archives released Marlowe today: http://www.wbshop.com/Marlowe/1000203135,default,pd.html?cgid=
If you follow the link you'll be able to see a fun clip of Bruce Lee destroying Marlowe's office.
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I wonder how the image quality is ???
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Watch the clip.
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Watch the clip.
Yea it does look good.
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The Scarf (1951) Directed by Ewald André Dupont, with John Ireland, Mercedes McCambridge, James Barton, Ezra Thompson, Emlyn Williams and Lloyd Gough.
Ireland escapes from a metal hospital where he's been confined for killing a girl friend, but he doesn't remember doing it. Desert Rat turkey farmer Thompson takes him in, skeptical at first but eventually believing his story. A hitchhiking McCambridge (who actually doesn't look too bad in this film) gets picked up by Ireland on his way to town. A scarf she's wearing triggers a memory in Ireland and sends him of a search for his best friend Williams, who had witnessed the murder and who's testimony sent Ireland to the mental hospital. Prison psychiatrist Gough, Thompson, and McCambridge eventually trick Williams into revealing his complicity.
Cheap and not very stylish Noir, and McCambridge's singing waitress outfit is atrocious. 6/10
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The Phenix City Story (1955) Directed by Phil Karlson, with John McIntire, as Albert L. Patterson, Richard Kiley as John Patterson,
Kathryn Grant as Ellie Rhodes, Edward Andrews as Rhett Tanner crime boss.
A sort of semi documentary with a ten minute intro of a series of interviews with the actual participants. Basically an Alabama border town town is run by a crime syndicate that's grown fat on prostitution and crooked gambling, directed at soldiers from Fort Benning across the river in Georgia, all the vice is concentrated on 14th Street. Crusaders against the Good ol' Boys.
A hometown boy, Lawyer John Patterson, a army war crime prosecutor back from Germany, eventually is persuaded to fight the corruption when he visits the "Poppy Club" run by Rhett Tanner and observers the mob in action. He joins up with reformers. With the help of Poppy Club dealer Ellie Rhodes and his father Albert Patterson who is persuaded to run for State Attorney General the process of cleaning up the town commences.
I'd seen the end of this once before but never the whole way through, in the beginning it concentrates mostly on the illegal gambling end of the corruption, has a very tame night club torch singer/"B" girl sequence (its probably supposed to suggest a strip tease, but its very lame), barely touches on prostitution (which is alluded to with scenes viewed of soldiers & women co-mingling on the street either in background shots, or viewed through traveling car windows). The way its depicted is that the rigged gambling was the main attraction when you know that with Fort Benning just across the river the soldiers were probably more after poon-tang than anything else.
From the point where the mob decides to teach Patterson a lesson to the end (which is the part I saw before) its entertaining, the documentary interview at the beginning is almost sleep inducing. What interesting is that a poster from Phenix City on IMDb says that it's still a shit hole, the corruption is still there just not "in your face" out in the open as before and its on both sides of the river now, lol, go figure.
"Touch of Evil" which covers the practically same territory, I like much better, you get a better feel of the sleazy side of corruption in the Wells film. John McIntire is always good and Richard Kiley also. If this would have developed a bit more of the corruption angle to juxtapose the crusaders it would have strengthened the story still I'll give this a 7/10
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Murder My Sweet (1944) Though it is the 3d vision of the movie it was my first in english. And I didn't remember it took so many liberties with the plot which, in spite of my having read the novel repeatedly, I couldn't follow in depth. There was the good idea of making Ann Riordan Mr. Grayle's daughter, but eliminating the character completely, like Richards did, was even better. And that's about that. The gimmick of the temporary cecity of Marlowe's is just finalized to the final cheesy scene. The actors. As I said, Powell is my favourite Marlowe with Garner. But probably comes second. The girl playing Anne Riordan is perfect but, as said, the character is disposable. I take Trevor over Rampling just because I like her best. And I take O'Halloran over Mazurki because Moose is, literally, true to his name: Mazurki gives too much passion to a character who shows he has it in store only in the final meeting with Velma. The sanatorium scene is perfect, with a great Powell. That makes me give it a 8\10: still a vote under Richards's version.
Watched this today, I too, even though I haven't read the book in years, was wondering why they deviated so much from the plot. I'll agree that in seeing it again that O"Halloran is the superior Malloy, thought I do like the "Pepper's Ghost" entrance of Malloy that is employed in this interpretation, the Richards film is superior and I believe more faithful to the book.
This version ties up the loose ends in a beach house rather than on the gambling ship and the Burnette character is absent. It also has a lame epilogue catering to the female audience.
Powell is great as Marlowe pretty much as I pictured him in my minds eye as I remember the book (Mitchum was just a tad too old and a tad too iconic, unfortunately), and I'll go with Rampling also she had a devious look in her eyes, Trevor wasn't as believable to me she played it a bit to "upper crust", all in all though, I prefer all the rest of the actors in the Richards version. 8/10 agreed.
Continued here............: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg149814#msg149814 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg149814#msg149814)
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What's your choice: Garner or Powell?
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What's your choice: Garner or Powell?
Hard to say, it just doesn't feel right without fedora's or Black & White, you have to have one or the other. Richards film proves you can do it in color, and Aldrich's "Kiss Me Deadly" updates Hammer and he's not wearing a fedora.
If Garner's film would have been in the right time frame I'd definitely say Garner.
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In fact I'm only referring to the actor, not to the movie, as Garner's movie can't compare to Powell's or Mitchum's or (but I should watch it again) Hawks'.
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I'm gonna have to read the novel again to have the literary Marlowe fresh in my mind to be able to be definitive about it.
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Here are some screencaps from "Murder My Sweet"
The Pepper's ghost Malloy intro:
(http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/4710/kmpdvd002969062546.jpg)
(http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/9797/kmpdvd002393062459.jpg)
Velma:
(http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/3663/kmpdvd013736063621.jpg)
Marlowe's Dali-esque drug induced hallucination:
(http://img859.imageshack.us/img859/4274/kmpdvd022036065226.jpg)
One of my favorite sequences Marlowe lights a match off Cupid's ass:
(http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/9612/kmpdvd036403151705.jpg)
(http://img859.imageshack.us/img859/9867/kmpdvd037591151822.jpg)
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O0 O0 O0
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Railroaded! (1947) Directed by Anthony Mann with John Ireland, Hugh Beaumont, Sheila Ryan, and Jane Randolph, another low budget Noir, with a lame script.
Sexy beautician Clara Calhoun (Randolph), who has a bookie operation in her back room, connives with her boyfriend, mob collector Duke Martin (Ireland), to stage a robbery of the day's take. But the caper turns violent; a cop and Duke's partner are shot; and Duke arranges for innocent Steve Ryan, owner of the car they stole, to be framed. Sheila Ryan plays love interest to cop Hugh Beaumont. A few too many contrived plot points for me but Ireland puts in a very good turn as mobster, watch it for Ireland. Randolph is a looker. 6.5/10
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My Gun is Quick has been released today on an R1 DVD (maybe a DVD-R). Didn't spot this on the radar and now it's suddenly available. I guess I'll get it.
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Impact (1949) directed by Arthur Lubin with Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines, Charles Coburn, Helen Walker, Tony Barrett. and Anna May Wong.
This one had decent story line that made up for its lack of being very Noir-ish. Basically Walker and Barrett plan on killing her husband Donlevy an auto company executive working in San Francisco. I'd have killed him myself for the unbearably overly attentive husband shtick routine he was playing. Anyway once the attempted murder goes haywire (a bumbling Barrett accidentally drives into a gasoline tanker and is burned beyond recognition), the police assume the body is Donlevy's.
Donlevy, who was conked on the head and left for dead regains conscious climbs into a parked moving van, passes out, and wakes up someplace in Nevada.
Humiliated and devastated by his wife's complicity in the attempted murder, Donlevy gets a job as a mechanic working for Raines in a fly speck town in Idaho. He does not reveal his identity and, lets his wife get indicted as an accomplice in his murder. There is an unexpected twist. 6.5-7/10
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What's wrong with this review? Hmmm, well first, it doesn't mention that Evelyn Keyes is in it, giving one of her nuttiest performances, and THEN it doesn't note that Payne's wife is played by screen goddess Peggie Castle. Joe, are you taking your Viagra?
Seriously, though, this film does one thing particularly well: it introduces, in natural, un-forced ways, the talents of the leads at the beginning, and then allows them to use those talents later to successfully complete the adventure. For example, the Evelyn Keyes character is an actress, and her acting skills come in handy when, late in the day, she has to vamp Brad Dexter (who is wonderfully evil in this, probably his greatest role). And of course, the fact that Payne is playing an ex-boxer is useful when there are some fisticuffs and feats of endurance required at the climax.
99 River Street
Reprise..... Watched the full movie tonight, what a difference, your right DJ, I missed a lot, the whole Evelyn Keyes in the theater sequence all of the Peggy Castle/Brad Dexter sequences, practically half the film, lol. This is an excellent Noir with some nice surprises. 10/10
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The Crimson Kimono (1959) director Sam Fuller, with Victoria Shaw, Glenn Corbett, James Shigeta, Anna Lee, and Gloria Pall. Stripper killed and LAPD detectives hunt killer in Little Tokyo. Turns into a sort of message movie on Asian/Caucasian integration, some nice noir sequences but way too much talk. The more noir I see of Fuller the more he doesn't quite ever reach the standards of "Pickup on South Street " or "House of Bamboo". 6/10
DJ enlighten us, what gives, is it the demise of the studio system directly related to the end of stylized noir?
I am aware that both color film and TV required bright lighting and that may have effected production with regards to the after market market, but the style of "Pickup on South Street" is markedly different from "The Naked Kiss" almost as if they had two different directors.
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Crime Against Joe (1956) Director: Lee Sholem with John Bromfield, Julie London, Henry Calvin, Patricia Blair, Joel Ashley, Robert Keys, Alika Louis, John Pickard.
After Waking up after a night of drinking and flirting with nightclub singer Irene (Alika Louis), war veteran and struggling artist Joe Manning (John Bromfield) is horrified when he learns that she was murdered -- and he's the prime suspect. The cops release Joe after his friend Slacks (Julie London) lies to give him an alibi, and the pair sets off in search of the real killer, who may be one of Joe's high school classmates.
This one is bad, lousy acting, horrible day for night shots that match badly with the studio footage, Julie London a car hop in slacks? Give me a break. Netflix streaming, its should stream right into the trash can. How noir should not be made 1/10.
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[DJ enlighten us, what gives, is it the demise of the studio system directly related to the end of stylized noir?
I'm just guessing, but I'd say the culprits are TV and color. Noir migrated to the small screen in the late 50s (Check out Perry Mason, M-Squad, etc.) while color spectaculars took over the big screen. Then TV went all color, and there was nowhere left for noir to go.
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I was kind of specifically relating the question to Fuller's Noirs. ;)
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Saw this quite a while ago on TCM but re-watched it on Netflix last night. I almost forgot how good, in a non-conventional way this one is.
Cry Danger was directed by Robert Parrish, and stars Dick Powell as just released con Rocky, Rhonda Flemming as Nancy, Richard Erdman as Delong, William Conrad as mob bookie Castro, Regis Toomey as Regis Toomey as lawman Cobb, and Jean Porter as blond dish Darlene.
(http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz337/cigarjoe/CryDanger.jpg)
Nice opening title sequence of passenger train making its journey to the City of Angles. At Union Station, Rocky (Powell) is met by cop Cobb (Toomey) and the man who provided his alibi (five years late) that got him released from the pen, an alcoholic marine with a wooden leg named Delong (Erdman). Cobb buys the drinks and asks Rocky about the missing $100,000 loot from the robbery that got him incarcerated along with his best friend. Rocky sticks to his story that he was framed and that he knows nothing about the money.
After cop leaves the bar Rocky confronts Delong and he admits that he made up Rocky's alibi and that a greatfull Rocky should part with some of the hidden loot. Rocky tells him that he really doesn't know anything about the robbery but he knows who might and that is Castro (Conrad) a local mob bookie, headquartered upstairs at the Amigo Club, but he is greatfull for the alibi and befriends Delong. Before confronting Castro, Rocky first wants to visit his best friends wife Nancy (Flemming) who was a former girlfriend of Rocky's.
Delong & Rocky driving a decadent looking Nash Ambassador (that bobs up and down like a boat on an easy-glide suspension) go to find Nancy.
(http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz337/cigarjoe/CD.jpg)
Nancy lives in a seedy run down trailer court near downtown LA. Rocky and Delong go to the court and rent a decaying trailer from a crusty ukulele playing manager while waiting for Nancy to return from work. While passing the time they befriend a cute blond sunbather named Darlene. Delong, Darlene, Rocky and Nancy start hanging out together while Rocky begins to unravel the frame that got him set to prison.
What's to like?
This is a great little noir all set in a rundown low rent neighborhood of LA replete with fleabag hotels, sleazy bars, and corner deli's.
The trailer park location is great, it provides a nice contrast to conventional all dark Noirs and it gives that creepy "just flipped over rock and bugs scurrying from the sun" feeling to the film. The park and its denizens provide a lot of amusing laughs interspersed with seriousness of the confrontations between Rocky, Castro, and Castro's henchmen.
The Nash Ambassador is a hoot, you can't help but chuckle everytime you see tough guy Rocky driving around in what looks like a ridiculous upside down bathtub.
Rocky's memorable confrontation with Castro, after Castro tries to frame him the second time.
(http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz337/cigarjoe/CD2.jpg)
Cutie Darlene who shows lots of skin while almost constantly sunbathing on a lounger in the trailer park.
A nice twist.
I'll give this one a 10/10. This needs a DVD release, please!
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I'll give this one a 10/10. This needs a DVD release, please!
It's coming (I'm guessing from VCI, who brought out The Prowler after its restoration-and-rerelease).
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One week to go! http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReview/paleflower.htm
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Revisited Killer's Kiss (1955) director Stanley Kubric, with Frank Silvera as sleazy dime-a-dance hall owner Vincent Rapallo, Jamie Smith as boxer Davey Gordon, Irene Kane as ballroom taxi dancer Gloria Price and Jerry Jarrett as Albert (the fight manager). Could very well be the quintessential New York Noir, from the opening scenes of the old Pennsylvania Station, the decadence of Times Square to the industrial alleys and rooftops of lower Manhattan, it speaks volumes of what can be accomplished in a short film on a shoe string using real locations, and of the talent of Kubric as a director, writter, cinematographer, and editor.
The story is basically, a prize fighter falls for the taxi dancer he peeps on from across the air shaft in his apartment house, juxtaposed cuts of him fighting a loosing bout in the ring and her fighting off the advances of her horny boss establish the dynamics of the story. He comes to her rescue after Rapallo accosts Gloria in her apartment, and they hit it off. Exchanging hard luck stories they decide to take a vacation from the city and to travel West to Seattle to a horse farm that Davey's uncle owns.
Davey needs his money from his last fight and Gloria needs her paycheck. They arrange with Davey's manager to meet at the ballroom. All goes hay-wire and the events that propel the story to a memorable conclusion are started in motion.
Definitely on the A-list with another 10/10.
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One week to go! http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReview/paleflower.htm
Here's blu-ray.com's review
http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Pale-Flower-Blu-ray/20815/ (http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Pale-Flower-Blu-ray/20815/)
I bought way too many movies lately - I took advantage of that amazon sale - and I didn't even realize that Pale Flower, Alien and Aliens came out so soon. Good thing I pre-orded West.
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The Gambler and the Lady (1952) a Hammer Film Noir directed by Patrick Jenkins and Terence Fisher with Dane Clark, Kathleen Byron, Naomi Chance, Meredith Edwards, Anthony Forwood, Eric Pohlmann, and Enzo Coticchia. Imdb says: A social-climbing American with a business in illegal gambling falls in love with a blue blood, but gangsters and a jealous ex-girlfriend stand in the way of happiness. Pretty much sums it up, its mildly amusing, but barely noir-ish the best sequence is right before the titles. 6/10
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Revisited Killer's Kiss (1955) director Stanley Kubric, with Frank Silvera as sleazy dime-a-dance hall owner Vincent Rapallo, Jamie Smith as boxer Davey Gordon, Irene Kane as ballroom taxi dancer Gloria Price and Jerry Jarrett as Albert (the fight manager). Could very well be the quintessential New York Noir, from the opening scenes of the old Pennsylvania Station, the decadence of Times Square to the industrial alleys and rooftops of lower Manhattan, it speaks volumes of what can be accomplished in a short film on a shoe string using real locations, and of the talent of Kubric as a director, writter, cinematographer, and editor.
The story is basically, a prize fighter falls for the taxi dancer he peeps on from across the air shaft in his apartment house, juxtaposed cuts of him fighting a loosing bout in the ring and her fighting off the advances of her horny boss establish the dynamics of the story. He comes to her rescue after Rapallo accosts Gloria in her apartment, and they hit it off. Exchanging hard luck stories they decide to take a vacation from the city and to travel West to Seattle to a horse farm that Davey's uncle owns.
Davey needs his money from his last fight and Gloria needs her paycheck. They arrange with Davey's manager to meet at the ballroom. All goes hay-wire and the events that propel the story to a memorable conclusion are started in motion.
Definitely on the A-list with another 10/10.
Interestingly, Criterion is bringing out The Killing on DVD and BD and will be including Killer's Kiss as an extra.
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This is the first I've heard that. Great news.
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Just announced this week. Apparently Killer's Kiss, on the BD, will also be in 1080p.
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On TMC today caught most of these or parts but seen most before with one surprize.
Escape In The Desert (1945) A remake of The Petrified Forest, Nazi spies infiltrate a hotel in the American Southwest with.Dir: Edward A. Blatt Cast: Jean Sullivan,Philip Dorn, Irene Manning. Edward A. Blatt. Philip Dorn, Helmut Dantine, Jean Sullivan, Alan Hale. Lot of obvious painted backdrop studio shots Never seen before, 5/10
Petrified Forest, The (1936) D: Archie Mayo. Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, Dick Foran, Humphrey Bogart, Genevieve Tobin, Charley Grapewin, Porter Hall. Drags until Bogart shows up the Leslie Howard/Bette Davis romance is a snoozer. Bogart is Duke Mantee, escaped gangster, who holds writer Howard, dreamer Davis, and others hostage at roadside restaurant in Arizona. Seen parts but never the whole 6/10
The Killers (1946) D: Robert Siodmak. Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O'Brien, Albert Dekker, Sam Levene, Virginia Christine, William Conrad, Charles McGraw. Ex-fighter found murdered, subsequent investigation. Story told in flash back. Great stylized cinematography with outstanding cast, excellent 10/10
Where Danger Lives (1950) D: John Farrow. Robert Mitchum, Faith Domergue, Claude Rains, Maureen O'Sullivan. Mitchum falls for suicidal Domergue who leads him on thinking that she is Claude Rains’ daughter rather than his young wife. A confrontation leads to a fight with Rains landing blows from a fire place poker on Mitchum’s noggin before Mitchum lands a blow that knocks Rains out. Mitchum suffering from a concussion leaves the living room and Domergue finishes Rains off smothering him with a pillow. She lets Mitchum think that he killed Rains and the two flee towards Mexico Atmospheric, stylized not a bad Noir though Domergue doesn’t quite gel in the part . 7/10
His Kind Of Woman (1951 D: John Farrow. Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, Vincent Price, Tim Holt, Raymond Burr, Charles McGraw, Marjorie Reynolds, Jim Backus. Mitchum blindly goes to Mexico for a payoff of 50 grand, discovers he's the soon-to-be-dead chump whose identity will help deported gangster Burr re-enter the country. Only saw part of it but Vincent Price is a hoot as a ham actor (I’m sure it wasn’t much of a stretch for him) Only caught the beginning and bits and pieces before I had chores to do. This has a huge write up in the Encyclopedia of American Film Noir will have to revist.
The Big Sleep (1946) D: Howard Hawks. Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, John Ridgely, Martha Vickers, Louis Jean Heydt, Regis Toomey, Peggy Knudsen, Dorothy Malone, Bob Steele, Elisha Cook, Jr. Raymond Chandler's first novel; detective Philip Marlowe (Bogart) becomes involved with wealthy Bacall and her uncontrollable little sister Vickers. Its ok but Bogart & Bacall are Bogart & Bacall and not Marlow & Sternwood. Caught this from after the first hour mark to the end, my least favorite Big Screen Marlowe, so far, but I haven’t seen the Brasher Doubloon yet 6.5/10
Crime in the Streets (1956) D: Donald Siegel. James Whitmore, John Cassavetes, Sal Mineo, Mark Rydell, Virginia Gregg, Denise Alexander, Will Kuluva, Peter Votrian, Malcolm Atterbury. Draggy drama of angry, alienated youth Cassavetes, who conspires to commit murder. Cassavetes always reminds me of a demented Jerry Lewis, saw just the end of this studio bound film boring, 5/10
Side Street (1950) D: Anthony Mann. Farley Granger, Cathy O'Donnell, James Craig, Paul Kelly, Edmon Ryan, Paul Harvey, Jean Hagen, Charles McGraw, Adele Jergens, Harry Bellaver, Whit Bissell. Part-time mailman Granger impulsively stealing $30,000 of blackmail money from a ring led by a crooked lawer, and finding himself caught between the crooks and the cops.
Holy Shit another great NYC Noir that I've never heard of, this one with the benefit of a big budget that Kubrick didn’t have for the “Killers Kiss”. Great atmospheric location shots juxtaposed with seedy apartment interiors. A highlight is the grand finale cab vs. cop cruiser chase, through the narrow, deserted, Sunday morning streets of lower Manhattan, the high angle overhead shots make look like rats running around an elaborate maze, equals the chase in McQueen’s “Bullitt “ in a different way. 10/10
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Moonrise (1948) Director: Frank Borzage with Dane Clark, Gail Russell, Ethel Barrymore, Allyn Joslyn, Rex Ingram, Harry Morgan, Harry Carey Jr, and Lloyd Bridges. A Republic Pictures entry into the dark side, Noir comes to Dog Patch, the hills run black, actually for a studio set bound film its got its moments. The hanging of the leads father in the rain segues into a crying baby with a shadow of a doll hanging by a cord looming across the crib. A bit crude but effective. One particularly nice sequence is when Dane Clark confronts mute Harry Morgan and bumps a hanging overhead shaded light bulb the subsequent swinging shadows are reminiscent of the trading post kerosene lamp in Once Upon a Time in the West.
Story is essentially, boy grows up (Clark) with taunts from other children about the hanging of his father which continue from bankers son Bridges into adulthood. At a backwoods dance Bridges again taunts Clark, they fight, Bridges picks up rock and hits Clark who wrestles it away and kills Bridges with it. Clark hides body in swamp and rejoins dance and Gail Russell. Clark is afraid to notify the police and Russell tries to influence him to admit his guilt, but he runs away.
A bit too corn-pone, Clark is not a convincing hillbilly, it drags a bit , but is mildly entertaining, with some interesting characters i.e., the sheriff Allyn Joslyn, and the coon hound handler Houseley Stevenson who are actually more interesting than the leads. Night of the Hunter traveling in the same holler is way better 6.5/10
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Moonrise (1948) A bit too corn-pone, Clark is not a convincing hillbilly, it drags a bit , but is mildly entertaining, with some interesting characters i.e., the sheriff Allyn Joslyn, and the coon hound handler Houseley Stevenson who are actually more interesting than the leads. Night of the Hunter traveling in the same holler is way better 6.5/10
Yep, that's the way I remember it. A bit of a disappointment, I was expecting more out of the leads.
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Hell's Island (1955) director Phil Karlson, with John Payne, Mary Murphy, Eduardo Noriega, Francis L. Sullivan, Arnold Moss, and Paul Picerni, Payne an ex DA from LA is an employee of a Casino in Vegas he is approached by Barzland to go to a Caribbean Island to recover a precious ruby that Barzland suspects Murphy, Payne's ex-girlfriend is hiding. Once torch carrying Payne is told about Murphy's involvement he's all set to go. So begins this obviously studio bound color Noir that despite those two detractions isn't all that bad with a few twists along the way. Murphy is a cute and ruthless femme fatale. 7/10
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Pickup on South Street (1953) I saw this a couple of times some decades ago (dubbed on tv) but this time (on a big screen and undubbed) I liked it even more. The pace is just about perfect (82' running time: why films nowadays must be 2h long?), the love story is not an encumbrance because it reflects on the plot development, the actors give great performances (W., Peters and Ritter) with some great dialogues. Minor complaints about Richard Kiley: he's good but something is missing in his performance. The score is remarkable. 8\10
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Pickup on South Street (1953) I saw this a couple of times some decades ago (dubbed on tv) but this time (on a big screen and undubbed) I liked it even more. The pace is just about perfect (82' running time: why films nowadays must be 2h long?), the love story is not an encumbrance because it reflects on the plot development, the actors give great performances (W., Peters and Ritter) with some great dialogues. Minor complaints about Richard Kiley: he's good but something is missing in his performance. The score is remarkable. 8\10
I like it a lot also, it's a bit of a puzzle to me why Fuller never quite reaches this visual caliber of Film Noir again, I'm leaning towards the demise of the whole studio apparatus and the reliance on package deals that put various creative elements together that obviously don't match up to what was well done before in part by pure rote. The caliber of acting talent in Fuller's later noirs doesn't quite match this and the Bamboo Curtain, Shock Corridor is good in some sequences with some powerful acting but in others not so much and not because of anything controllable, it was a victim of the restraints of the times.
The TV market and the use of Color probably also influenced the decline of the stylistic dark noir's.
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Shock Corridor isn't that bad, is it? I should watch it again though.
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Shock Corridor isn't that bad, is it? I should watch it again though.
Its just not the same visual stylistic noir feel.
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Fallen Angel (1945) Only complaints about it are I don't like Dana Andrews : I find him depressing. And the murderer comes unexpected, yes, and so all the more incredible. For the rest this is nothing short of perfect, the plot constantly kept my expectations on a wrong track, great dialogues (especially between Andrews and Darnell: I am probably the only person around thinking more of her as an actress than as a looker. Alice Faye is nothing special and older but I take her over her) and of course great photography and direction. I give it 9\10 only because it was my first vision and I don't know how I would react to a second one being aware of the plot. The critic commenting in the italian dvd says that Faye was imposed on Preminger by the production. I think she's perfect for the part as anybody else in this movie (with the exception, as said, of Andrews).
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Fallen Angel (1945) Only complaints about it are I don't like Dana Andrews : I find him depressing.
Why is that a bad thing?
I like the film too, but a lot of interest goes out of it once Darnell leaves the picture. Not because she's so much better looking than either Faye or Bickford (although she is); she just has better lines and delivers them better than the others do (on that we probably agree). This is a Preminger, right? As I remember, there are also some impressive camera movements in evidence.
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Why is that a bad thing?
Not a bad thing if it didn't happen in every movie he's in. He never laughs or smile, or at least I can't remember him doing anything like that. That is rather a minus for an actor.
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It makes him a good noir actor, though.
Point taken, his range is rather limited, and now that I think of it the only films I like him in are his noirs and his war films. He's a bit of a mope in, for example, The Best Years of Our Lives. And I can't imagine him in a comedy. Still, I'd rather have him as the lead in a crime flick than just about anybody (except, maybe, Conte or Cochran).
Fallen Angle continued here: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg150627#msg150627 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg150627#msg150627)
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According to a poster over at criterionforum.org, this recent exchange transpired in Sony's Ask the Experts column:
Q: I’ve really enjoyed the first two Columbia film noir box sets - thanks for making them available. Can we expect a third film noir volume soon? Or perhaps some noir in the Classics by Request program??
A: Thanks for your feedback. We are indeed working on the next volume of Noir titles, and it will be a big one! Keep checking back for updates and more details to come. As for Screen Classics by Request, we’ll be adding some great Noir titles there too! Currently you can pick up New Orleans Uncensored, Pickup Alley, The Long Haul just some of Columbia’s under -the -radar noir, and next month the little-known but exciting Key Witness. We’ve got noir covered!.
Great news!
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O0
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Cause for Alarm (1951) The funny thing for the italian viewer is that this couldn't have happened in Italy because:
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
1) the postman would have given back the letter without any lind of objection
2) the letter wouldn't have been sent back because of insufficient postage because that would have to be payed by the addressee.
Anyway it is a sunny thriller, which in the central part is very effective. 7\10
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Laura (1944) The great asset of the movie is Clifton Webb in a perfect character played perfectly: an Oscar-worthy performance. I like the ambiguity of his relationship to the girl: he loves her and he is jealous but probably he's not able to possess her sexually (of course that couldn't be made plain in those times, exactly as Webb's own real life tendencies). The plot is so-so (I am 100% sure Caspary took some inspiration from Van Dine's The Canary Murder Case) but it is not important, at least until the protagonist reappears. The classic tune always bored me after the first 10 notes. 7\10
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The Blue Gardenia (1953) A minor Lang, with a song better than Laura's and a plot with a gimmick reminding me again of Van Dine's Canary (the record)! The plot actually is very poor, but I liked the sequence of Burr's (another gay like Webb in real life) courting of Francis. 6\10
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http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews51/kiss_me_deadly.htm
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Private Hell 36 (1954) Director: Don Siegel with Ida Lupino, Steve Cochran, Howard Duff, Dean Jagger, and Dorothy Malone, entertaining but you know whats gonna happen miles ahead of when it does, another not very noir-ish film with a twist at the end. Watch it for Lupino. 6/10
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Private Hell 36 (1954) Watch it for Lupino. 6/10
If that is the only reason I ain't gonna watch it.
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If that is the only reason I ain't gonna watch it.
Lol, Ok.
His Kind Of Woman (1951 D: John Farrow. Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, Vincent Price, Tim Holt, Raymond Burr, Charles McGraw, Marjorie Reynolds, Jim Backus. Mitchum blindly goes to Mexico for a payoff of 50 grand, discovers he's the soon-to-be-dead chump whose identity will help deported gangster Burr re-enter the country. Only saw part of it but Vincent Price is a hoot as a ham actor (I’m sure it wasn’t much of a stretch for him) Only caught the beginning and bits and pieces before I had chores to do. This has a huge write up in the Encyclopedia of American Film Noir will have to revist.
Ok watched it through , It SUCKS didn't like it much at all, and Price gets truly irritating no wonder I sort of tuned it out the first go round. 2/10, now I'll have to check out WTF the Encyclopedia of American Film Noir devoted a few pages to.
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The Man From Cairo (1953) Directed by Edoardo Anton and Ray Enright with George Raft, Gianna Maria Canale, Leonardo Scavino, Alfredo Varelli, Mino Doro, Massimo Serato, and Richard McNamara. A US, Italian, English noir, Mike Canelli (Raft), the man from Cairo, is passing through Algiers and in a case of mistaken identity is taken for an American PI that the French Gov sends to solve a mystery of war-time theft of $100,000,000 national gold buried somewhere in the nearby desert. Everyone involved assumes he's working for the French government through a mole in the national security apparatus. Canale is a big gal she's no waif but she is shapely. It could have used a bit more outside locations or more varied and interesting sets, as it is it seems way too studio bound and the studio sets all blend into the same look along with the actors, no real standouts opposite Raft, too bad the premise was good. A nice finale with a steam engine and a final denouement on a train. 6/10
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Joe, good job, you've come up with one I've never seen--and one I've never even heard of. However, I'm allergic to George Raft, so I probably won't be seeking this out. I appreciate the info, though. O0
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The Man From Cairo (1953) Directed by Edoardo Anton and Ray Enright
I presume the italian director's name was put there only for reasons of state subsidies for co-productions.
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I presume the italian director's name was put there only for reasons of state subsidies for co-productions.
Possibly, but the entire crew was also Italian.
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Dramma nella Kasbah is the original title for "The Man From Cairo" O0
Any way it was doubled on the "Forgotten Noir" disk with Mask Of The Dragon(1951) dir by Sam Newfield, with Richard Travis, Sheila Ryan, Sid Melton, Michael Whalen, Lyle Talbot, Dee Tatum, and Terry Newell. Not very noir at all with cheesy organ music for a sound track and a character that looked like Odd Job from Goldfinger, but the IMDb search doesn't confirm that.
Story, a US soldier and partner in a detective agency agrees to take a jade dragon to an LA collector, He's killed upon arrival to the states and his partner & his secretary investigate. Its almost a comedy unintentionally, 5/10.
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Possibly, but the entire crew was also Italian.
That means little, as the same went for The Last Man of Earth, which was directed by the american.
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T Men (1947) Dir by Anthony Mann, with Charles McGraw, Dennis O'Keefe, Mary Meade, Alfred Ryder , Wallace Ford, and June Lockhart. The story is basically two Treasury agents O'Brien (O'Keef) and Genaro Ryder) infiltrate a counterfeiting ring with good paper using their raided plates as the bait. Its a good procedural type of Noir, I'll give it a 7/10.
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Holy Anthony Mann! Check out TCM's schedule for Thursday, June 30 (Times in EST):
9:45 AM
78 min
Tall Target, The (1951)
A detective tries to prevent the assassination of President Lincoln during a train ride.
D: Anthony Mann. Dick Powell, Paula Raymond, Adolphe Menjou, Marshall Thompson, Ruby Dee, Will Geer. Gripping suspense as detective Powell follows tip that Abraham Lincoln is going to be assassinated during 1861 train ride. Interestingly, Powell's character is named John Kennedy!
11:15 AM
59 min
Follow Me Quietly (1949)
Police track a mysterious killer nicknamed "The Judge."
D: Richard Fleischer. William Lundigan, Dorothy Patrick, Jeff Corey, Nestor Paiva, Charles D. Brown, Paul Guilfoyle. Solid little film noir about police manhunt for self-righteous psychopathic killer called The Judge. Packs style and substance into just 59 minutes.
b
12:30 PM
66 min
Two O'Clock Courage (1945)
An amnesiac discovers he's wanted for murder.
D: Anthony Mann. Tom Conway, Ann Rutherford, Richard Lane, Lester Matthews, Roland Drew, Bettejane (Jane) Greer. Conway wakes up on a street corner with amnesia and finds himself the top suspect in a murder case, joins with cabbie Rutherford to solve mystery. Routine effort which looks and sounds like a typical SAINT or FALCON entry, but is actually a remake of a 1936 film, TWO IN THE DARK.
1:45 PM
73 min
Desperate (1947)
An innocent trucker takes it on the lam when he's accused of robbery.
D: Anthony Mann. Steve Brodie, Audrey Long, Raymond Burr, Douglas Fowley, William Challee, Jason Robards, Sr. An honest truck driver is victimized by racketeers and forced to flee with his wife. Well-made little film noir, if not as good as director Mann's follow-ups (RAW DEAL, T-MEN, etc.). Also shown in computer-colored version.
3:00 PM
90 min
Black Book, The (1949)
Opponents plot to bring down Robespierre during the French Revolution.
D: Anthony Mann. Robert Cummings, Arlene Dahl, Richard Hart, Richard Basehart, Arnold Moss, Beulah Bondi. Vivid costume drama set during French Revolution, with valuable diary eluding both sides of battle. Moss is particularly good as the elegantly, eloquently evil Foucher. Stunningly photographed by John Alton; every shot is a painting!
4:30 PM
96 min
Border Incident (1949)
Police try to crack down on the illegal immigration racket.
D: Anthony Mann. Ricardo Montalban, George Murphy, Howard da Silva, Teresa Celli, Charles McGraw. Tension-packed story of U.S. agents cracking down on smuggling of immigrants across Texas-Mexico border. Well directed, and uncompromisingly violent.
6:15 PM
Devil's Doorway (1950)
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House of Strangers (1949) Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz, with Richard Conte, Susan Hayward, Edward G. Robinson, Luther Adler, Paul Valentine, and Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
Didn't know what to expect from this Noir, since I'd never heard of it. It was actually a quite good family drama Noir, with a story told mostly in flashback about an Italian patriarch with four sons who originally ran a barbershop and parlayed that into a money lending bank on NYC'sLower East Side. With the passage of new banking laws the Monetti bank is in trouble and lawyer son Conte ends up in jail doing seven years for trying to bribe a juror while the other three brothers reopen the bank and cut out the old man. Robinson is quite convincing as Monetti.
Conte is almost consumed with hate while in prison but love interest Hayward is the antidote and is very good in this film playing a high-class dame and they mutually fall in love at first sight. A nicely done denouement that keeps you guessing. No big set pieces or outstanding action sequences but above average. 8.5/10
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Holy Anthony Mann! Check out TCM's schedule for Thursday, June 30 (Times in EST):
Managed to catch some of Border Incident. Have always wanted to watch it because of the John Alton cinematography. From what I saw, seemed like he did as good a job on this as on his other two Anthony Mann outings. Was strange to watch a film noir without an urban setting.
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Managed to catch some of Border Incident. Have always wanted to watch it because of the John Alton cinematography. From what I saw, seemed like he did as good a job on this as on his other two Anthony Mann outings. Was strange to watch a film noir without an urban setting.
I count 6 collaborations between Mann and Alton. Are you disallowing the non-noir films? Or are you just talking about the other Mann-Altons that you've seen?
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Yes, I was referring to the noir ones only. However, I guess I should have included "He Walked by Night" as well, even though Mann isn't credited.
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The Tall Target(1951) directed by Anthony Mann a very noirish film about an attempt to assassinate President elect Abraham Lincoln on his journey to Washington DC. The film stars, Dick Powell, Paula Raymond, Adolphe Menjou, Marshall Thompson, Ruby Dee, Richard Rober, Leif Erickson, and Will Geer. All the action takes place on the train journey between New York City (probably actually Weehawken NJ) and Washington DC. Dick Powell plays a discredited NYC detective tries in the face of disbelief to foil the assassins, who hate the President's policies. Paula Raymond a Southern Belle ,married to West pointer Marshall Thompson, with Ruby Dee as her maid. Menjou plays a Poughkeepsie militia colonel riding on the train. The film keeps you guessing who is involved with the plot and who is not. This will remind those who are familiar with Film Noir of "The Narrow Margin".
This film is very well done and I can't believe it isn't more well known, A gem from Mann 10/10
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The Grand Central Murder (1942) Dir: S. Sylvan Simon, with an ensemble cast of Van Heflin, Patricia Dane, and about 12 others.
Synopsis from Imdb:
A convict being escorted in for retrial escapes at Grand Central and threatens his old girlfriend (Dane)on the phone. She flees for her new beau's private railcar at the same station. When she is then found murdered the cops round up a motley group of suspects including the escapee, several guys feeling sore at the way the gold-digging broad had treated them, some jealous dames, and a private eye (Hefiln) already on the case.
This has got some great Grand Central Terminal rail sequences and an interesting method of murder. The majority of the film is told in flashback as different suspects tell their stories. 7/10
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Joe, how did you see that one?
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By complete accident, "The Grand Central Murder" was on TCM yesterday morning
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Huh. I get the impression that the film is rather tongue-in-cheek. Did you find it so?
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saw "Station West" on TCM. how about a Western noir!
Did you like it? Looking it up on IMDb, it seems to have a great noir cast: Powell and Greer, of course, but also Aggie Morehead, Steve Brodie, Raymond Burr, and even Regis Toomey! The synopsis makes it sound pretty good, too: "Dick Powell stars as Haven, a government private investigator assigned to investigate the murders of two cavalrymen. Travelling incognito, Haven arrives in a small frontier outpost, where saloon singer Charlie controls all illegal activities. After making short work of Charlie's burly henchman, Haven gets a job at her gambling emporium, biding his time and gathering evidence against the gorgeous crime chieftain. Cast as a philosophical bartender, Burl Ives is afforded at least one opportunity to sing."
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Huh. I get the impression that the film is rather tongue-in-cheek. Did you find it so?
Yes it was sort of a hybrid-noir similar to "The Thin Man" series
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Did you like it? Looking it up on IMDb, it seems to have a great noir cast: Powell and Greer, of course, but also Aggie Morehead, Steve Brodie, Raymond Burr, and even Regis Toomey! The synopsis makes it sound pretty good, too: "Dick Powell stars as Haven, a government private investigator assigned to investigate the murders of two cavalrymen. Travelling incognito, Haven arrives in a small frontier outpost, where saloon singer Charlie controls all illegal activities. After making short work of Charlie's burly henchman, Haven gets a job at her gambling emporium, biding his time and gathering evidence against the gorgeous crime chieftain. Cast as a philosophical bartender, Burl Ives is afforded at least one opportunity to sing."
That sounded like a good one.
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Murder My Sweet/Farewell My Lovely
Watched this today, I too, even though I haven't read the book in years, was wondering why they deviated so much from the plot. I'll agree that in seeing it again that O"Halloran is the superior Malloy, thought I do like the "Pepper's Ghost" entrance of Malloy that is employed in this interpretation, the Richards film is superior and I believe more faithful to the book.
This version ties up the loose ends in a beach house rather than on the gambling ship and the Burnette character is absent. It also has a lame epilogue catering to the female audience.
Powell is great as Marlowe pretty much as I pictured him in my minds eye as I remember the book (Mitchum was just a tad too old and a tad too iconic, unfortunately), and I'll go with Rampling also she had a devious look in her eyes, Trevor wasn't as believable to me she played it a bit to "upper crust", all in all though, I prefer all the rest of the actors in the Richards version. 8/10 agreed.
OK reviving this discussion.
For clarification and ease I'll abbreviate the film titles FML = Farewell My Lovely, and MMS = Murder My Sweet
Just finished reading Chandler's "Farewell My Lovely" and with the recent viewings of both films fresh in my mind I have to admit that they both deviate from the novel quite a bit in different areas.
Moose Malloy gets more memorable screen time in FML he becomes an almost sympathetic character in FML you end up caring for the dumb lug, less so in MMS. In the novel you barely get the character at all, which is reflected in MMS.
The character Ann Riordan is eliminated entirely from FML. The most likely reason being Mitchum's age, he's portrayed as a Marlowe in his declining years.
The whole scenario of how Marlowe finds Jessie Florian in FML is not in the book what is in the book is the hotel, and a clerk finds Florian with a City Directory.
The whole flashback sequence with the temporarily blinded Marlowe is a fabrication in MMS. But the hint of the love affair with Riordan is in the novel.
In novel there are two cops that Marlowe has to deal with Nulty, of LAPD and Randal of the Bay City Police in FML they are combined into just Nulty played by Ireland, in MYS the main cop is Randal.
Amthor in the novel is a psychic, in FML he becomes a she and a notorious LA madam and Amthor's and Dr, Sonderborg's sequences in the novel are combined into the same house, in MMS I think he's still a psychic but the way its played out in the novel is much more elaborately detailed and memorable than what is in the film. Interestingly there is a second big bruiser in the novel a henchman of Amthor called The Indian.
In the novel there are two ships off shore one is a whorehouse ship, one is a gambling ship. In FML there is only one ship, in MMS no ship.
In the novel the final denouement between Malloy and Velma takes place in Marlowe's apartment, she puts five bullets in him and escapes. In MMS it takes place in a beach house and Malloy and Velma kill each other and Marlowe is temporarily blinded by a close gunshot. In FML it takes place in Brunette's office on the gambling ship
and Malloy and Velma both die too.
In the novel Velma disappears again, becomes a brunette and is singing in a band again like what she used to do a Florian's but she is finally spotted by a cop back east who approaches her in the dressing room and confronts her, she guns him down then kills herself.
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Caged (1950) Dir by John Cromwell with Eleanor Parker, Agnes Moorehead, Ellen Corby, Jane Darwell and many others, sort of a very noirish prison drama with an extremely dark ending. For what it was a 7/10
Imdb synopsis:
Frightened 19-year-old Marie Allen gets sent to an Illinois penitentiary for being an accomplice in an armed robbery. A sympathetic warden tries to help, but her efforts are subverted by cruel matron Evelyn Harper. Marie's harsh experiences turn her from doe-eyed innocent to hard-nosed con.
On TCM the other night.
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August 16th can't get here soon enough: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews8/killing.htm
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I wish I could pre-order The Killing for 20 during the B&N sale.
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I wish I could pre-order The Killing for 20 during the B&N sale.
I hear ya. However, you could wait for the next sale (November?) and order it then.
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That's what I was planning to do.
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On the other hand, $24.99 (amazon's current price) for 2 Kubrick films in high def is a pretty reasonable price point.
More praise for this release: http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Killing-and-Killers-Kiss-Blu-ray/21865/#Review
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That's a solid price. I'd pick it up if I didn't just drop 140 on the B&N sale.
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Woman In The Window (1944) director Fritz Lang, with Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Raymond Massey, Edmund Breon, and Dan Duryea.
Professor Wanley (Robinson) and his friends obsess about a portrait of a woman in the window next to their men's club. Wanley just happens to meet the woman while admiring her portrait, and finds himself in her apartment when her boyfriend bursts in and attacks Wanley. During their confrontation Wanley is getting choked to the point of unconsciousness when he manages to stab him to death.
So beings the story of cover-up and blackmail. Its a bit of a lighthearted noir than most, if I had to choose between this and "Scarlet Street" I'd go with the latter. 7/10
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Potentially very interesting:
http://www.tcm.com/this-month/movie-news.html?id=412909&name=The-Maltese-Touch-of-Evil-Film-Noir-and-Potential-Criticism
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thedgitalbits.com is reporting this for release on September 20:
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer: The Complete Series on DVD only. Mike Hammer is the late-1950s series starring Darren McGavin. It'll be a 12-disc set (SRP $89.95).
UPDATE: amazon is offering it for $61.99.
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thedgitalbits.com is reporting this for release on September 20:
UPDATE: amazon is offering it for $61.99.
I hope I can check it out on Netfix ;-)
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Mister Buddwing (1966) Director, Delbert Mann, with James Garner as Mister Buddwing, Jean Simmons as The Blonde, Suzanne Pleshette as Fiddle, Katharine Ross as Janet, and Angela Lansbury as Gloria. (It begins with a POV camera portrayal we see the sky and tree branches, then Central Park as our perspective changes, then we see hands searching finding clues, we don't see who we are until we enter the Plaza Hotel and look in a mirror). A well-dressed man (Garner) wakes up on a bench in New York's Central Park, with no idea of who he is, or how he got there. All he can find in his pockets are a train schedule, a couple of drug capsules, and a piece of paper with a phone number on it. On his right hand: a ring with a cracked stone; engraved on the inside of the band is the inscription, "From G.V." Armed with these meager clues, the man, adopting the name "Buddwing" (inspired by a passing Budweiser beer truck and a plane flying overhead), sets out to learn his true identity. Along the way, he encounters a variety of people, including three different women (Simmons, Pleshette, Ross) who each reminds him in some way of someone named "Grace." With each of the three women he meets he has flashbacks to his life with Grace at different stages of their relationship. Great New York locations abound, the Plaza Hotel, The Queensboro Bridge, Times Square Arcades, and a excellent crap game sequence in Harlem.
Very surreal film Noir-ish in style, I would call it a Near-Noir it would fit in a list of those darker, sleazier, Black & White Films of the Fifties and Sixties that didn't necessarily have a crime angle involved, films like "Requiem For a Heavyweight", "Somebody Up There Likes Me", "Marty", "A Streecar Named Desire", "The Fugitive Kind", "On The Waterfront", "The Hustler", "Baby Doll", "Walk on the Wild Side", "Anatomy of a Murder", "To Kill a Mockingbird", "The Defiant Ones", "Your Cheatin' Heart", "I Want to Live!", "A Face in the Crowd ", etc., etc. I should start a new thread on these.
Two interesting past and future character actor appearances in it, first one was the 2nd cab driver, Billy Halop from the old Dead End Kids. The second is the lady dice player who is played by Nichelle Nichols, the lovely Lt. Uhura of Star Trek. I like it, 7.5-8/10
Just watched this. Interesting, but no masterpiece. And not a "noir" to my way of thinking (although it begins with a noir premise and uses some noir techniques). The idea of using the three women he meets to not only trigger the flashbacks but also to have them stand-in for the wife--whom we never meet--at different stages in their relationship is a conceit I don't remember seeing before. As you say, the Manhattan locations (circa 64-65) were cool, but I really got a kick out of the fact that the solution to the guy's problem was to be found in Mt. Kisco. Ha!
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not a noir but a near noir ;)
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Ossessione (1943) The Visconti's debut it is still the best version of The Postman Always Rings Twice. I don't like Girotti (no relationship to Terence Hill): too slick for the part. But Clara Calamai, whatever you may think of Turner and Lange, is by far the sexiest of the three. There's a lot of gay not so (sub-) text (of course, being a Visconti) that I don't think was in the other two versions, as far as I can remember. 8\10
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Ossessione (1943) There's a lot of gay not so (sub-) text.
You will go on about this. Ossessione indeed!
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You will go on about this. Ossessione indeed!
:o Apparently you didn't watch the movie. Or maybe you haven't found yet any written statement by some critic to produce here. But the fact that Gino and lo Spagnolo have a homosexual relationship is undeniable. And the fact that Gino is bisexual is reinforced by the scene at the Ferrara's public garden when he is accosted by a man with the excuse of lighting him a cigarette.
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titoli, if you had a sense of humor, you'd have realized I was only needling you.
The Killing (1956) - 8/10. First Blu-ray viewing. The quintessential heist-gone-wrong flick with the quintessential film noir cast: Sterling Hayden, Elisha Cook Jr., Marie Windsor, Coleen Gray, Jay C. Flippen, Vince Edwards, Jay Adler, Timothy Carey, Joe Turkel, Dorthy Adams . . . In a new interview on the disc, producer James Harris confirms that Kubrick was responsible for the casting (with the exception of Edwards, who was Harris's friend). Kubrick went to movies and he knew who to go after. He also knew enough to get Lucien Ballard for the photography and Jim Thompson for adapting the source novel (in another interview extra, Thompson's biographer explains how Kubrick screwed Thompson out of his proper screen credit). The thing that attracted Kubrick and Harris to the material was the way the story was told, so the shuffled chronology was retained even against later objections by the studio (there was a last-minute attempt, quickly adandoned, to re-order the story in linear form). Somebody get Tarantino on the horn--In 1956, Harris-Kubrick were able to organize their time-displaced scenes without the use of chapter headings!
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titoli, if you had a sense of humor, you'd have realized I was only needling you.
So you haven't watched the movie...
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I have watched the movie, but it's been a while. What you are saying about it may be true. I'm just pointing out that you're the guy who didn't want to acknowledge the gay subtext in X-Men. I've never had a problem seeing a gay subtext when it's warranted.
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Nice article on my fave femme fatale, here: http://www.criminalelement.com/blogs/2011/08/noirs-hard-luck-ladies-peggie-castle
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Nice article on my fave femme fatale, here: http://www.criminalelement.com/blogs/2011/08/noirs-hard-luck-ladies-peggie-castle
Nice article.
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A Question for Noir heads, any one recall any Film Noirs that featured gangsters in Zoot Suits. This style of clothing was popularized by Mexican-Americans, African Americans, and Italian Americans during the late 1930s and 1940s.
I can't think of a single period film that displayed that style of clothing. I CAN remember "The Zoot Cat" a 1944 one-reel animated cartoon, and possibly Tex Avery's "Wolfie" character in "Red Hot Riding Hood" may have worn a Zoot Suit. There may have been musicals that featured them but I don't watch many musicals.
More recent depictions:
Who Framed Rodger Rabbit had the Toon patrol in zoot suits & Jim Carey in The Mask wears one.
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I have watched the movie, but it's been a while. What you are saying about it may be true. I'm just pointing out that you're the guy who didn't want to acknowledge the gay subtext in X-Men. I've never had a problem seeing a gay subtext when it's warranted.
Warranted by whom? And by what? In X-Men the presumed gay subtext was warranted by the fact that you should have known something about the biography of the actors. I didn't know anything about it and so this completely eluded me. In Ossessione you don't need to know anything about V.'s personal sexual preferences to read between the lines of the dialogues, of situations (the night in bed together, the fact that the Spaniard goes looking again for Gino). And this is not even a "subtext"; it is the clear text of a subplot. What you should know maybe is that in 1943 censorship wouldn't allow something more explicit.
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A Question for Noir heads, any one recall any Film Noirs that featured gangsters in Zoot Suits. This style of clothing was popularized by Mexican-Americans, African Americans, and Italian Americans during the late 1930s and 1940s.
I can't think of a single period film that displayed that style of clothing. I CAN remember "The Zoot Cat" a 1944 one-reel animated cartoon, and possibly Tex Avery's "Wolfie" character in "Red Hot Riding Hood" may have worn a Zoot Suit. There may have been musicals that featured them but I don't watch many musicals.
More recent depictions:
Who Framed Rodger Rabbit had the Toon patrol in zoot suits & Jim Carey in The Mask wears one.
examples
Cab Calloway Geechy Joe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyuRT-ExzuQ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyuRT-ExzuQ)
A Zoot Suit With a Reet Pleat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zKP-_oIADg&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zKP-_oIADg&feature=related)
Tex Avery's "Oh Wolfy": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtcJ7gvJP0Q&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtcJ7gvJP0Q&feature=related)
Zoot Cat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6Gwdj0C6S4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6Gwdj0C6S4)
Jim Carey in The Mask: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNEAnDrx3UE&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNEAnDrx3UE&feature=related)
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They Drive By Night (1940) dir Raoul Walsh, with George Raft, Humphrey Bogart, Ida Lupino, Ann Sheridan, and Alan Hale. Two wildcat truckers, brothers Joe and Paul Fabrini (Raft & Bogart) struggling to make it in the hauling business. First half of the film is mostly about their trials and tribulations, triumphs and failures. Joe meets redhead waitress Cassi (Ann Sheridan) and they eventually hit it off. After Bogart looses his arm in a wreck Raft goes to work for his old friend Joe Carlson (Hale) as a traffic manager. Complications ensue when Carlson's wife Lana (Ida Lupino) an old flame of Joe's starts to come on to him. Ida looks pretty good in this one, Raft & Bogart and Sheridan are entertaining. 7/10
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Zoot suits: all the videos by Kid Creole, 80's stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UWU2X7fk_8&feature=related
They are notable for the non zoot (thank god) suits of the coconuts.
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Panic In The Streets (1950) Dir Elia Kazan with Richard Widmark, Paul Douglas, Barbara Bel Geddes, Jack Palance, Zero Mostel and the sleazy underbelly of New Orleans on a re-watch, a classic 10/10 O0 O0 O0
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I was listing for drinksanddestroy some of my favorite Noirs and he was asking me how come I didn't list some of the obvious ones. Thinking about it now, I tend to like the ones dealing with the sleazy underbelly of society and the decaying locals inhabited and associated with it much more than the high society noirs except where they intermingle. The advent of the use of the lighter handheld movie cameras developed during WW2 enabled directors to have to option to go out to and into real life locations giving the post WW2 noirs a grittier look "Panic In The Streets", "Crime Wave", "Cry Danger", and "Appointment with Danger" for examples.
These films strike an almost nostalgic cord in me because I can still remember that look of the real everyday world from my childhood.
That said, there were still some outstanding studio bound noirs that achieved incredible realistic looks with studio sound stage sets, lighting, and matte painting backdrops, i.e., "The Phantom Lady", "The Killers", "The Set Up", "the Narrow Margin", "The Big Heat", and "Scarlet Street" .
I can still enjoy "Laura", "Gilda", "The Big Sleep", "Murder My Sweet" and others more for the excellent performances than the sets.
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One thing I noticed as a result of the Memorable Lines thread is that I tend to get the most enjoyment out of the noirs with snappy patter. So my top three faves are now Double Indemnity, Out of the Past, and Murder, My Sweet. But I also prize the ones that provide an unrelentingly bleak view of the lives of their characters, so I fill out my top 10 with Criss Cross, In a Lonely Place, the Killers, the Prowler, and Angel Face (which has one of the greatest pay-offs in cinema history). Then there are the ones with interesting plots: The Big Sleep, Strangers on a Train.
Several popular films, which are often referred to as films noirs, I disqualify: Sunset Boulevard, Sweet Smell of Success, Night of the Hunter, etc. Those seem to belong to other categories (except for NotH, which is sui generis).
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(http://movie-poster.allsubs.org/posters/209/Jitterbugs_1943_big_poster.jpg)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKQfDNw5ZNI
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Stanlio & Olio in Zoot Suits O0.
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The Racket (1951) Dir. John Cromwell, with Robert Mitchum, Robert Ryan, Lizabeth Scott, William Talman, and William Conrad. Decent crime/gangster Noir that pits a crooked political system against a few honest cops, bet you can't guess who wins, lol. Nothing outstanding, and the Hayes Code makes it predictable. Scott puts in a nice turn as night club chanteuse, entertaining. 7/10
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What's this crap?
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/511RW65DYPL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
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What's this crap?
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/511RW65DYPL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
a musical
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a musical
Saw it?
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Saw it?
when it was on cable TV, I wasn't impressed.
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Shark (1969) The last 15 minutes reveal it as a noir with all the mandatory ingredients. Until then you have an adventure movie, rather, and not quite so brilliant in spite of the unusual locales (Sudan): Fuller doesn't make most of it, probably because of lack of funds. Reynolds is good, the other ones are immemorable. The italian dvd includes this:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118004/
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http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews54/the_breaking_point.htm
Some people seem to like this. I watched it this weekend and didn't think it was all that. The hero-who-takes-the-dodgy-job-to-save-his-boat routine is used twice, making the second time less interesting than it should be, and the Pat Neal character never really pays off as she should. The "haunting ending" seems a bit tacked on.
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I saw bits of that. and it didn't impress me much.
I might join the party and list my favorites (US 1941-59). I'm not going to count Sunset Blvd, Ace in the Hole, Leave Her to Heaven and Sweet Smell of Success.
01 In a Lonely Place
02 Out of the Past
03 Double Indemnity
04 They Live By Night
05 The Big Sleep
06 The Killing
07 Kiss Me Deadly
08 The Asphalt Jungle
09 Murder, My Sweet
10 The Big Heat
11 On Dangerous Ground
12 Touch of Evil
13 Crime Wave
14 Nightfall
15 The Big Steal
16 Where Danger Lives
17 Decoy
18 The Killers
19 Odds Against Tomorrow
20 The Set-Up
21 Act of Violence
22 Detour
23 Border Incident
24 The Narrow Margin
25 The Lady From Shanghai
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Saw Fallen Angel (1945) on TCM on their Linda Darnell "Summer Under The Stars" day as Hurricane Irene was bearing down, a gloomy night and a great turn by Darnell as a femme fatale 9/10
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Moontide (1942) More a routine love story with Noir-ish lighting than anything else, OK performances by Gabon, Lupino, and Raines, looks all set bound but the sets are not very interesting, nothing I'd recommend to hard core Noir lovers. 6.5/10
The Live By Night(1949) Dir Nicholas Ray, with Farley Granger, Cathy O'Donnell, Howard Da Silva, Jay C. Flippen, Helen Craig, and Will Wright. This Noir balances better the romance and Noir elements than Moontide did, it has some great sequences with the three main male leads. Granger is Kid Bowie, Howard Da Silva is One-Eye Chickamaw, overly sensitive about having only one eye, goes ballistic everytime a radio announcer calls him One-Eye, lol, and , Jay C. Flippen is T Dub the older wiser con, O'Donnell is young "hillbilly" Keehie.
The three cons break out of prison and begin a spree of bank jobs, Bowie finds love with Keechie (Chickamaw's niece) at Chickamaw's brothers place where the gang is hidingout till the heat is off. The gang eventually splits up with the loot and Keechie leaves with Bowie, they get married at a marriage mill and try to lead a normal life but the gang drags him back to pull another job, which goes to shit. Da Silva has a great close up as One-Eyed Chickamaw.
This is sort of a very loose riff on Bonnie & Clyde. 8/10
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Niagara (1953) Dir. Henry Hathaway with Marilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotton, Jean Peters, Max Showalter. Monroe & Cotton couple with serious marital problems after two years who are staying in a honeymoon cottage in Niagara Falls, Canada. Cotten may think they are there to rekindle their relationship, but Marilyn is meeting secretly with her lover and they are plotting to murder him. Jean Peters and Max Showalter are another couple on a delayed honeymoon who by default are intwined in the intrigue and are entertaining.
Great juxtaposition in the cinematography between the beauty and the ominous power of Niagara Falls which looms over the film. The falls and there heavy rush of water provide a tangible impression that events are in motion, unstoppable, and the results will be inevitable. The more traditional Noir archetypes of dark shadows thrown by window blinds and shutters are equally effective here when shot in color.
Marilyn as the gorgeous femme fatale is an inferno, driving her neurotic husband insane with both the innuendo of her denial of intimate affections and indications of infidelity causing rages of jealousy.
The film acts also as almost a seemless travelogue for Niagara Falls as the two couples visit all the tourist highlights of note.
Its probably one the best of the color Film Noir. 9/10
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The Locket (1946) Not bad thriller, though you know how it is gonna end, and that end is little credible (the woman's crisis). Even Mitchum's demise could have got a better treatment, at least planting the doubt it wasn't a suicide. 6\10
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The Hoodlum (1951) This a has a great opening title sequence and the whole story is told in a flashback. Directed by Max Nosseck. Lawrence Tierney is an ex-con Vincent Lubeck who gets paroled after 5 years when the pleads of his mother are heard by the parole board. Once out he goes to work for his younger brother Johnny in a service station. Honest work doesn't set well with him but his brothers girl Rosa talks Johnny into giving a second chance she also talks with Tierney and sparks begin to ignite between them. While working the station he begins to scheme about the bank across the street and the armored car that services it while also making time with one of the banks employees. He also semi-forces himself on his brothers not entirely Innocent girlfriend who comes to visit him after hours. He's not a nice guy.
They pull off the heist & get away in a funeral prosession but the gang turns on Vincent grabbing all the loot. Everything goes haywire, naturally. There is a good scene near the end where his dying mother tells him she should have let him rot in jail. Another good sequence is where his brother Johnny wants to finish off Vincent himself back at the stink of the City Dump where they grew up as kids, which brings us back to the title sequence. Entertaining enough for what it is 6.5/10.
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Call Northside 777 (1948) Directed by Henry Hathaway with James Stewart, Richard Conte, Lee J. Cobb, & Helen Walker. Based on a true story, a man, Conte, is accused of killing a cop by an eye witness who ran a speakeasy in the 30's, he's convicted and sent up for life, his mother washes floors for 11 years and saves enough money to run a Chicago Times newspaper add offering a reward to who ever can identify the real killer.
This interests the newspaper to assign Stewart to write a story about the add, which in turn, after Stewart interviews Conte's mother, starts Stewart on a crusade to refute the dubious eye witness testimony. This is an entertaining story supposedly filmed where ever possible at the actual Chicago locations where the events took place. Lots of great interior and exterior location shots around Chicago give the film a very gritty feel.
Another top notch noir from the Fox Film Noir Collection 10/10
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NOTICE
We are going to try and organize the Film Noir Discussion thread a little better try and limit this thread from now on to more generalized topics on Noir hopefully i.e, announcements, books, website links etc., etc., and create a New Topic for each Film title so we can keep all film discussion together.
So if you want to discuss a film first check the Index to see if it has a link, If it has a post in the old Film-Noir Discussion/DVD Review Thread follow the discussion (through links) as it jumps through the hyperspace wormhole to the last post that doesn't have a "continuation of discussion link (cod) and post your thoughts there.
Like the example in the post just below this one on The Big Steal titoli had made short blurb on it and I quoted his and posted an expanded review.
Eventually we'll try and get them all together chronologically when we have time.
If there is no link then start a new topic on the film in Off-Topic Discussion and have at it
Thanks,
cigar joe
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The Big Steal (1949) Of course this is not a noir, but apparently somebody considers it to be, so here we are. This is one of the best chase movies I saw, it starts at 110 and keeps it until the end. The end is a little awkward, overcomplicated and the episode of the mexican road workers idiotic. Still is vert enjoyable. 8\10
The 1.5 minute Noir- Your right this isn't very Noir, in fact the only Noir-ish lighting occurs at the end during a fight scene (and that's because Jane Greer knocked over a light, lol) and lasts a bit over a minute. Its mostly a chase film and a very good one, and aside from the processed shots with front and rear projections its pretty exciting stuff as the various factions race along the roads around Veracruz Mexico. The second unit shots of the cars what looks like a 1930's Chevy Coupe, and a 40's Plymouth are very exciting as they bob and weave almost out of control, pedal to the metal.
(http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz337/cigarjoe/TBSteel.jpg)
Directed by Don Siegel, and stars Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, William Bendix, Ramon Navarro and Patric Knowles. The story is quite ridiculous especially after the opening sequence between Bendix & Mitchum, when you get to the end, you say WTF? Even the Czar of Noir calls this a Romantic Comedy/noir (my emphasis) lol. Its more a crime/chase than anything else. Problems with filming occurred because of Mitchum's marijuana bust and his days in jail.
Biggest Disappointment - Jane Greer
Now Jane Greer made this just two years after "Out Of The Past" and she looks frumpy, 10 years older, with a lot of miles on her, especially noticeable are the bags under her eyes, and her hair looks terrible too. It may be because she was pregnant during filming but she just doesn't look good.
Greer in the Big Steal Greer in Out Of The Past
(http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz337/cigarjoe/JG1.jpg) (http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz337/cigarjoe/OOTP.jpg)
What's to like?
The Chase footage
Great Mexican Locations
Mitchum & Bendix
Special Features include an adequate commentary by Richard B. Jewell and through out that commentary he mentions how much the original script was changed to appease the censors, jettisoning fight and sexual scenes between Mitchum & Greer.
If somebody could find that original script this may make an exciting remake, but only if you could replicate Mexico of the 40-50's perhaps rewrite it to what ever now is the most undeveloped Latin American country.
I won't go quite as high as titoli and give it a 7/10
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The Killers (1964) I saw it first in the early 70's (but probably I'm wrong there, it seems that this got a circulation visa in 1978. The dubbing though seems like it was done in the '60's. I'm curious about the vicissitudes of the movie in Italy) in a cinema and was amazed. I saw it again twice on tv and was amazed again. Today I watched it again on a big screen (but, alas, the italian dvd is fullscreen) and, again, this is still one of my favourite movies. Still I give it only a 9\10 because I don't like Cassavetes, especially in the beginning (his grins while driving are ridiculous) though I like him when he discovers the truth. And I don't like Gulager, who tries his best to portray a nevrotic individual besieged by tics and with sudden violence eruptions but who, to me, looks rather nerdy, especially as he mostly seen shoulder to shoulder with the real thing. I also think that the racing sequence is too long).
I don't recall ever seeing this film, so I watched it tonight, interesting retelling of the story, now I'll have to go back and watch the original version again, and possibly search out Hemingway's short story. I won't give it as high a rating as titoli, though. Aside from Marvin, Akins, and Dickinson I really didn't like any of the characters.
Cassavetes again looks like a demented Jerry Lewis grinning and slightly cross-eyed. I just can't take his character seriously. The racing sequences are way too long (but I'm not a racing fan so it may be different strokes for different folks) and TV production values pale this film in comparison to the 46 version. Again for me the look of the stylized Noir lighting and sets just puts the original in another class, its worth a look to see Ronald Reagan playing a crook entertaining 7/10.
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Cassavetes again looks like a demented Jerry Lewis grinning and slightly cross-eyed.
You nailed it. BTW I have always considered Cassavetes a mediocre actor. And not so an interesting director.
But what makes me give this movie the high rating is Marvin: his best performance ever?
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But what makes me give this movie the high rating is Marvin: his best performance ever?
This or the one in Point Blank.
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This or the one in Point Blank.
Seen it a couple of times, even in a theatre, and always found it boring after a good start (if I remember well, until Vernon's dive). And anyway I don't think Marvin is as good as here. I'd rather go for Comancheros as contender.
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And anyway I don't think Marvin is as good as here. I'd rather go for Comancheros as contender.
Where he's in a supporting role? You're changing the rules in the middle of the game.
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Where he's in a supporting role? You're changing the rules in the middle of the game.
I haven't seen Cat Ballou, though. Never found the guts to, I'll admit it.
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That's a comic performance, obviously. It's been a long time since I've seen it, but my recollection is that the role is not unlike the one he had in Paint Your Wagon.
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I don't recall ever seeing this film, so I watched it tonight, interesting retelling of the story, now I'll have to go back and watch the original version again, and possibly search out Hemingway's short story.
A not particular in-depth discussion of the three versions forms a chapter of this:
(http://ca.pbsstatic.com/l/88/2988/9780440302988.jpg)
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Something to ponder:
It seems like, and dj & I touched briefly upon it at an El station on last weeks Leone OUTIA locations tour, that Film Noir is largely in the eyes/mind of the beholder. Once you get past a core group of Noir Films that most folks agree upon the fringe element films of Noir get quite sketchy. Some films have the expressionistic lighting but are not of the Crime or Thriller Genre while some that barely do are included because they are Crime/Thrillers.
Cases in point "The Big Steal", "The Lineup", "5 Against The House", "Murder By Contract" all considered Noirs but not very visually Noir.
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Just saw this posted on another board:
TCM and Sony are promising an early 2012 debut for "Columbia Film Noir Classics III'' a followup to DVD sets issued by Sony at retail in 2009 and 2010. This one includes "My Name is Julia Ross'' (1949) with George Macreadfy and Nina Foch; Mickey Rooney and Dianne Foster in "Drive a Crooked Road'' (1955), Broderick Crawford in "The Mob'' (1951), "Tight Spot'' (1955) starring Ginger Rogers and Brian Keith and "The Burglar'' (1956) with Dan Duryea and Jayne Mansfield.
Yes, yes, yes! Tight Spot, the only one I've seen, isn't very good (almost a TV episode), but the others I've been long waiting for, especially The Burglar.
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Just saw this posted on another board:Yes, yes, yes! Tight Spot, the only one I've seen, isn't very good (almost a TV episode), but the others I've been long waiting for, especially The Burglar.
Good news.
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More exciting news (as reported at The Digital Bits):
Twilight Time has Inferno (1953, Robert Ryan) in its plans for an eventual release. There's no date set as yet, however. More concrete Twilight Time news, however, comes in the form of the announcement that the specialty label has struck a deal with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment to license and release classic films from the Sony-owned Columbia Pictures library in high-definition Blu-ray editions. In line with Twilight Time's innovative limited series concept, just 3000 units of each title will be produced, aimed at the collector/classic film aficionado market, and available exclusively online through www.screenarchives.com, the largest U.S. independent distributor of specialty soundtracks. The November 8th Blu-ray debut of director Cy Enfield's and special effects master Ray Harryhausen's 1961 science fiction/fantasy classic, Mysterious Island, will be followed by a new release on the first Tuesday of each month. Some of the other titles planned for the near future (through the early part of 2012) are Picnic, Bell Book and Candle, Pal Joey, Bite the Bullet, Major Dundee, and The Big Heat. Meanwhile, in the label's regular series of Fox DVD releases on the second Tuesday of the month, My Cousin Rachel (1952, Olivia De Havilland) was released on September 13th and Stagecoach (1966, Bing Crosby) is planned for October 11th. In the pipeline also are The Left Hand of God (1955, Humphrey Bogart) and Rapture (1965, Dean Stockwell).
Inferno, a good film in color (and sometimes 3D), can be considered a Near Noir. And if I'm reading that info right, we're going to be getting a Blu-ray of The Big Heat.
The biggest news, though, is the coming Blu-ray release of Major Dundee (this should probably go in the Dundee thread, but, oh well). Not only is the disc itself news, but the fact that it will be released by TT in a limited run means it will surely be priced at 39.99 plus a shipping charge. In other words, well beyond Groggy's financial means. By the time he gets his Blu-ray act together, the disc will only be available from collectors markets for 10 times its original price. I'm gonna enjoy all the more having my copy, knowing Groggy has forever missed his chance. Do things get anymore noir than that?
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The Big Combo (1955) 9/10 upon third viewing (after a lot of Noirs under the belt that previous) gets better each viewing.
The Scar (Hollow Triumph) (1948) another John Alton lit & photographed Noir looks great, story was OK, will review later look for it in Film Noir Index, 7/10
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Mask Of Dimitrios (1944) 7/10 will review later O0
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will review later O0
Looking forward to it.
Where'd you see it?
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Mask Of Dimitrios TCM 8PM last night.
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And here it is:
Quote
...Why would Macek and Basinger fail to recognize Joe is changed by Ann? Why would they believe Ann accommodates herself to Joe instead of the other way around? Both authors’ views are based on a hardboiled framework for interpreting film noir. Accordingly, they analyze Ann in terms of Joe, because he’s the central character and he’s a tough guy. In fact, however, both Ann and Pat convince Joe to do as they wish. Pat stops Joe from seeking revenge on Rick. Ann gets Joe to be decent to the hunted man.
Furthermore, it’s right that Joe does what the women want. The fine person he was as a kid is still within him as a man. He was a poor boy, and those life circumstances were a raw deal. But when Ann tells Joe about everyone’s “daily fight,” she profoundly affects him. She gets even deeper under his skin.
After Fantail calls him a “jerk,” Joe says, thinking of Ann, “Called that a lot lately. Much better language.” Joe’s love for Ann and her influence on him are what change him into a different man. On the ship he tells Pat he wants to “start fresh, decent.” As Pat listens to Joe talk about having “a business…a house…[and] kids,” she realizes his dreams are meant for Ann. (In a moment Pat reveals to Joe that “Ann’s with Rick!”)
When Joe sends Ann away after they spend the night together, she thinks he prefers Pat. So until he rescues her, she doesn’t know how much he loves her. Dying in her arms, he tells her not to cry, “I got my breath of fresh air. You….” Joe knew he’d changed the way Ann wanted, which is why Pat sees there’s “a kind of happiness on his face.”
Macek and Basinger’s views fail because to interpret Raw Deal, based on what really happens, requires jettisoning a hardboiled framework.
Macek finds faults with Raw Deal when he contrasts it to a normative ideal of film noir, which he derives from a hardboiled framework. He says, “The ironic narration provided by Pat develops the romantic undercurrent evident in many noir films. It remains for the true noir film to debase any sense of pity or love that may be present, replacing it with a tough, cynical nature.”
Similarly, Robert Ottoson complains, “The only thing that keeps Raw Deal from being an exemplary film noir is its soft center. The love that O’Keefe has for Hunt is not only far-fetched, but Hunt’s excessive moralizing is not in keeping with the film’s overall quality of brutality and pessimism” (A Reference Guide to the American Film Noir, 1940-1958).
Although there’s no happy ending in Raw Deal, the love story is a deal-breaker for Macek and Ottoson, preventing it from being “true” or “exemplary” film noir.
Yet “moralizing” is an inaccurate term to describe Ann’s criticisms of Joe at the state park and outside the lodge. Furthermore, it’s the agonizing romantic triangle that makes Raw Deal so extremely noir. Joe’s physical conflict with Rick (and his henchmen, like Fantail) comes in a distant second to Joe’s emotional struggles with Ann and Pat. Indeed, the film packs a greater wallop by showing Joe’s repudiation of “a tough, cynical nature.”
Macek, Basinger, Ottoson, and many others still today, hold fast to a hardboiled framework about film noir. Raw Deal is a far better film than strict adherents to a hardboiled framework are able to acknowledge. Through a crime and love story that is the equal in its adultness with the best of French poetic realism, not to mention American film noir, Raw Deal shows the heart-wrenching despair men and women endure and the soul-deadening compromises they give in to. Not only the extraordinary visual style but also the exceptionally tense interplay of mature romantic relationships place Raw Deal among the best cinema, as well as film noir.
Wow! Who is this guy?
Just watched a DVD of this last night, the guy is spot on, but I never read any of the above mistaken analysis' of it and what he says is exactly the way to see it. Its a great Noir and Alton again delivers that "sewerscope" cinematography. Raw Deal 10/10
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More exciting news (as reported at The Digital Bits):
Inferno, a good film in color (and sometimes 3D), can be considered a Near Noir. And if I'm reading that info right, we're going to be getting a Blu-ray of The Big Heat.
The biggest news, though, is the coming Blu-ray release of Major Dundee (this should probably go in the Dundee thread, but, oh well). Not only is the disc itself news, but the fact that it will be released by TT in a limited run means it will surely be priced at 39.99 plus a shipping charge. In other words, well beyond Groggy's financial means. By the time he gets his Blu-ray act together, the disc will only be available from collectors markets for 10 times its original price. I'm gonna enjoy all the more having my copy, knowing Groggy has forever missed his chance. Do things get anymore noir than that?
Just saw this post. Great news about Major Dundee and The Big Heat :) (not a horror fan so won't be picking up Inferno)
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Just watched a DVD of this last night, the guy is spot on, but I never read any of the above mistaken analysis' of it and what he says is exactly the way to see it. Its a great Noir and Alton again delivers that "sewerscope" cinematography. Raw Deal 10/10
What DVD did you watch? I have the Sony Music one (reviewed here http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdreviews15/raw_deal_dvd_review.htm) and wish the print quality was better to fully appreciate those Alton images.
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What DVD did you watch?
Raw Deal was a Sonny "Gangsters Guns & Floozies" Collection DVD, bare bones with no commentary, picked it up used for $4 could definitely use a better release. Probably the same one you have.
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Yup, same one.
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Sweet Smell of Success (1957) Saw it on Friday courtesy of TCM, its very good excellent in fact . Lancaster and Curtis are superb in their roles as sleazy columnist and press agent respectively. The New York of the fifties is captured perfectly. I'll have to own this one and it looks like the criterion release is the way to go. 10/10
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(http://i2.cdiscount.com/pdt/1/7/3/1/f/3700173213173.jpg)
He Walked By Night (1948)
This movie is divided in 2: on the one hand you have the police procedural part which is boring as hell, on the other you have the real noir part featuring Basehart, even photographically different from the other. The underground tunnel part anticipates the third man of a year (but I seem to remember that something similar was made already in a mabuse. but maybe i'm wrong). So all in all I give it 6\10.
I agree the police procedural is very slow, and the true noir is better, the DVD copy I saw was very poor, it seemed pale. A higher contrast release is needed, I'll give it a 6.5/10 an extra .5 for John Alton's cinematography.
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Saw it on Friday courtesy of TCM, its very good excellent in fact . Lancaster and Curtis are superb in their roles as sleazy columnist and press agent respectively. The New York of the fifties is captured perfectly. I'll have to own this one and it looks like the criterion release is the way to go. 10/10
I saw it too a quarter of century ago. I have this dvd:
(http://www.lafeltrinelli.it/static/images-5/l/887/1872887.jpg)
and I guess you don't need criterion.
BTW, the title is Sweet Smell of Success.
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I saw it too a quarter of century ago. I have this dvd:
(http://www.lafeltrinelli.it/static/images-5/l/887/1872887.jpg)
and I guess you don't need criterion.
BTW, the title is Sweet Smell of Success.
The Criterion was 1/2 off so I picked it up yesterday O0
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The Criterion was 1/2 off so I picked it up yesterday O0
The blu-ray looks fabulous. O0
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I count 6 collaborations between Mann and Alton.
One of the wonderful partnerships in cinema.
1947: T-Men
1948: Raw Deal
1948: He Waked by Night (Mann uncredited)
1949: Border Incident
1949: Reign of Terror
1950: Devil's Doorway
Has anyone seen the last two of these? "Reign of Terror" apparently looks and feels like a film noir except is set during the French Revolution, while "Devil's Doorway" is a western.
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Devil's Doorway has a very noirish photography. And is a very good western. Probably underrated nowadays.
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"Reign of Terror" apparently looks and feels like a film noir except is set during the French Revolution
I'd say it looks like a noir but doesn't feel like one. There is no substitute for cars, guns, fedoras, and all that goes with a 20th Century urban environment. Others feel differently about the matter.
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They both sound like ones to watch.
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The blu-ray looks fabulous. O0
Indeed it does. The booklet with the excerpt from MacKendrick's book made me go out and by the whole book. It's a very interesting read in places.
Considering the great dialogue throughout, it's fascinating how MacKendrick talks about Sweet Smell of Success needing to be able to work at its fundamental level without reliance on dialogue.
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Noirs Today!!!
Film Noir "The Window" on TCM today at 7:15 AM in about 1/2 hour.
"Lightning Strikes Twice" at 12PM
"Down Three Dark Streets" at 3:15 PM
"Sweet Smell of Success" at 8PM
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Noirs Today!!!
Film Noir "The Window" on TCM today at 7:15 AM in about 1/2 hour.
"Lightning Strikes Twice" at 12PM
"Down Three Dark Streets" at 3:15 PM
"Sweet Smell of Success" at 8PM
Thanks for the info O0
I had set my dvr to record some TCM movies today, but after I saw your info, I set it to record almost the entire day. Generally, I record every movie (that i haven't yet seen) if it says the genre is a "Western," "Drama," "Thriller," or "Action/Adventure" (the only genres I like). So today, I have it set to record every one except for one (Invitation, playing from 1:45 - 3:15; it says that's a "Romance." ::))
TCM is the greatest thing to ever happen in the history of television :) :) :) :) :) :)
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Thanks for the info O0
I had set my dvr to record some TCM movies today, but after I saw your info, I set it to record almost the entire day. Generally, I record every movie (that i haven't yet seen) if it says the genre is a "Western," "Drama," "Thriller," or "Action/Adventure" (the only genres I like). So today, I have it set to record every one except for one (Invitation, playing from 1:45 - 3:15; it says that's a "Romance." ::))
TCM is the greatest thing to ever happen in the history of television :) :) :) :) :) :)
Its a very good resource O0
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Its a very good resource O0
The greatest!
FMC does not broadcast in hd, and is only Fox stuff, so not nearly the spectacular collection of TCM. AMC has commercials and shows everything in 16:9, so the aspect ratio is screwed up. The premium channels show all new stuff. Encore Westerns really disappoints me (IT shows everything in 4:3, so I pretty much can't watch any movies post-1950 or 1960 cuz they'd be pan n' scanned. And they often shows tv shows, which I am not interested in, and generally show bad movies, and the same ones over and over.
TCM is BEAUTIFUL! AWESOME MOVIES all the time, in hd and original aspect ratio. (I also enjoy watching the Robert Osbourne pieces, though I never watch the pre-shows till after I watch the movie, cuz I never wanna know ANYTHING about the plot beforehand). And I get to see so many movies that are unavailable on any other format. I LOOOOVVVVVEEEE TCM! This may seem like a useless post to y'all, but when you love someone, you never tire of describing every aspect of them. Precisely how and why every part of them is so beautiful and so much better than anyone else. Well my love is TCM. YYYYYEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!
Funny, TCM (along with to a far lesser extent, TNT and TBS), is the only worthwhile thing that vile thing known as Ted Turner did in his life ;)
TCM IS AWESOME!!!
p.s. I have not had any caffeine yet this morning
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Dark City - The Film Noir by Spencer Selby published by McFarland Classics 1997 The book is broken down into an Introduction then 25 notable Film Noir which are themselves broken down into two parts for each film, a detailed plot summery and an interpretive essay, then a filmography of close to 500 films noir with their credits and a basic story line. So far I've waded through 12 of the notable "films noir". Here are the 25:
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Double Indemnity (1944)
The Woman In The Window (1944)
Laura (1944)
Detour (1945)
Scarlet Street (1945)
Gilda (1946)
The Killers (1946)
Undercurrent (1946)
The Man I Love (1946)
Brute Force (1947)
The Unsuspected (1947)
Out Of The Past (1947)
Criss Cross (1949)
Caught (1949)
The Reckless Moment (1949)
The File On Thelma Jordon (1949)
D.O.A. (1950)
In A Lonely Place (1950)
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950)
Dark City (1950)
Ace In The Hole (1951)
Detective Story (1951)
The Big Combo (1956)
Whether they are notable or not is debatable, my personal list would jettison The Maltese Falcon, Undercurrent (which was atrocious), Brute Force which is a prison picture (they are all basically the same) and Dark City, I haven't seen The Man I Love, The Unsuspected, Caught, The Reckless Moment, Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, or The File on Thelma Jordon. In a Lonely Place I'm sort of ambivalent about.
The best part of the book is the Films Noir listing, and the Appendixes, the Off Genre and Other Films Noir (some of these I personally call Near Noirs) and the Chronology of Film Noir which goes from 1940-1959.
Its a good way to keep track of what you've seen my total film noir viewing is 138.
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Dark City - The Film Noir by Spencer Selby published by McFarland Classics 1997
That must be a reprint. The book was originally published in 1984.
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Whether they are notable or not is debatable, my personal list would jettison The Maltese Falcon, Undercurrent (which was atrocious), Brute Force which is a prison picture (they are all basically the same) and Dark City, I haven't seen The Man I Love, The Unsuspected, Caught, The Reckless Moment, Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, or The File on Thelma Jordon. In a Lonely Place I'm sort of ambivalent about.
The Man I Love (w/ Ida Lupino) should probably be considered a straight drama rather than a noir; The Unsuspected starts out well, then gets sillier and sillier (the basic plot was reused on TV--in a Perry Mason episode, for one, but I think it was repackaged several times); The Unsuspected does have a lot of cool noir photography; Caught is a woman's picture, not bad, with Robert Ryan and James Mason, but not, IMHO, a noir; The Reckless Moment, another one with Mason, could be considered a noir: it's not really nasty enough, though, and character motivations seem, at times, to beggar belief; The File on Thelma Jordan is a solid noir, with Barbara Stanwyck leading Wendell Corey up the garden path--can't wait to see this one again. I've never seen Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, but I understand it's a gangster picture, which, to my mind, disqualifies it as a noir.
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That must be a reprint. The book was originally published in 1984.
You are right just checked its a reprint.
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The Man I Love (w/ Ida Lupino) should probably be considered a straight drama rather than a noir; The Unsuspected starts out well, then gets sillier and sillier (the basic plot was reused on TV--in a Perry Mason episode, for one, but I think it was repackaged several times); The Unsuspected does have a lot of cool noir photography; Caught is a woman's picture, not bad, with Robert Ryan and James Mason, but not, IMHO, a noir; The Reckless Moment, another one with Mason, could be considered a noir: it's not really nasty enough, though, and character motivations seem, at times, to beggar belief; The File on Thelma Jordan is a solid noir, with Barbara Stanwyck leading Wendell Corey up the garden path--can't wait to see this one again. I've never seen Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, but I understand it's a gangster picture, which, to my mind, disqualifies it as a noir.
Ok, thanks, But I just don't understand Selby's criterior in picking 25 notable films noir seems a bit arbitrary especially after reading your descriptions of those I haven't seen.
I think this is always going to be a problem with Noir's and the classification of them, one author/person is going to emphasize the alienation & obsession of the characters another the lighting and style, still others the diegetic world the story enfolds in.
I feel about the same way that you do about Gangster films with Prison Films (of course they are dark that are in a prison, lol).
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A heads up, Red Light & White Heat back to back starting at 6:00AM TCM Tomorrow! Wednesday. O0 O0 O0
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Flaxy Martin (1949) caught parts of this will have to re-watch, with Virginia Mayo, Zachary Scott, Dorothy Malone, and Elisha Cook Jr.
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TCM has films noir starting at 8:00PM tonight Saturday "Out Of The Past" and followed by another at 12PM "While the City Sleeps" O0 O0 O0
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For 16 January:
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, The Film Foundation and Turner Classic Movies partner on the third collection in the series, Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics III. In this volume, five films, fully restored and remastered, are showcased featuring My Name is Julia Ross, The Mob, Tight Spot, Drive a Crooked Road and The Burglar.
Film Noir Classics III hurls you into a shadowy world of hit men, kidnappers, corrupt cops, bank robbers, mob informers, femme fatales and hard-luck losers starting with Nina Foch as an unemployed secretary lured to an isolated mansion by insidious characters in MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS (1945). In one of his most dynamic roles, Broderick Crawford plays a police detective who goes undercover as a dock worker in New Orleans to expose THE MOB (1951). Ginger Rogers, cast against type, is a tough, uncooperative witness in a criminal case threatened by her association with gangsters in TIGHT SPOT (1955). In DRIVE A CROOKED ROAD (1964), Mickey Rooney gives a fine, underrated performance as a race car enthusiast blackmailed into driving the getaway car at a bank robbery. Based on a pulp fiction novel by David Goodis, THE BURGLAR (1957) stars Dan Duryea as a cunning jewel thief who recruits Jayne Mansfield, Mickey Shaughnessy and Peter Capell for one final heist before retiring.
Presented for the first time on DVD, the five restored and remastered films included in Film Noir Classics III represent key films in the genre by such masters of the form as Joseph H. Lewis, Phil Karlson and Robert Parrish."
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Seen any of them yet dj?
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I comment on that earlier in the thread (go back 2 pages). The one I've seen, Tight Spot, isn't very good. But the others are new to me and promise to be better.
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thanks
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The People Against O'Hara. Savant makes the case for and against it being a noir: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3748peop.html
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The People Against O'Hara. Savant makes the case for and against it being a noir: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3748peop.html
I just watched Detective Story (watching it I remember seeing it before long ago) another ensemble film and was surprised that it is listed as a noir in Selby. I suppose the case can be made for Douglas being the classic obsessed character, and the subject matter of the abortion doctor is pretty dark, but there is negligible noir lighting and camera angles. I guess a not visually noir noir, ;-)
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You should read Savant's piece linked above as it includes a pretty good understanding of what constitutes film noir. I haven't seen Detective Story, but it doesn't sound like it qualifies as a noir on any grounds.
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The Steel Trap (1952 Director: Andrew L. Stone, with Joseph Cotten, Teresa Wright and Jonathan Hale. The story is about an obsessed bank executive who steals cash from a vault and hightails it with his wife (who doesn't know what he's done) towards Brazil over a long weekend, with various procedural obstacles put in his way the film is entertaining but not very Noir. Some nice shots of TWA Connies taking off and landing held my interest for personal reasons. 7/10
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Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, The Film Foundation and Turner Classic Movies partner on the third collection in the series, Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics III. In this volume, five films, fully restored and remastered, are showcased featuring My Name is Julia Ross, The Mob, Tight Spot, Drive a Crooked Road and The Burglar.
Weirdly, amazon is still not showing this. TCM's website has it, and says it's shipping 14 Feb. But they aren't offering much of a discount. I sure hope this isn't an exclusive release.
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Weirdly, amazon is still not showing this. TCM's website has it, and says it's shipping 14 Feb. But they aren't offering much of a discount. I sure hope this isn't an exclusive release.
Agreed and there is some comment on problems with "backorders" on Back Alley Forums:
http://www.backalleynoir.com/showthread.php?11-Upcoming-Noir-DVDs&p=9878&viewfull=1#post9878 (http://www.backalleynoir.com/showthread.php?11-Upcoming-Noir-DVDs&p=9878&viewfull=1#post9878)
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Thanks, CJ. According to a post at that link, there's a promotion code (TCMNOIR20) which takes 20% off. But with shipping, the cost is still $40.99 (and maybe they add sales tax on top of that?).
That thread also had some other useful news: the Warner Archive has just released 4 Bogarts, including the very-noir "Conflict". At some point I'll probably be getting that.
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Here's a useful site, run by a guy who obviously has a lot of time on his hands: http://reelsf.com/
CJ and D&D, one of these years we're gonna have to saddle up and take a ride out to Frisco.....
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Here's a useful site, run by a guy who obviously has a lot of time on his hands: http://reelsf.com/
CJ and D&D, one of these years we're gonna have to saddle up and take a ride out to Frisco.....
We gotta go to to Almeria first ;)
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Here's a useful site, run by a guy who obviously has a lot of time on his hands: http://reelsf.com/
CJ and D&D, one of these years we're gonna have to saddle up and take a ride out to Frisco.....
Cool Site O0
We could probably do the same for NYC & New York State Noir locations, ^-^
I know where the police station in "The Window" is, Bogards Night Club location from "Sweet Smell of Success", the Bank hold up site in "Odds Against Tomorrow".
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Well, NY has so many, once you start, the project would consume your whole life.
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Well, NY has so many, once you start, the project would consume your whole life.
I believe film noir does consume cj's whole life ;)
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The man who produced the GBU timeline? Naaaahhhh.
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I believe film noir does consume cj's whole life ;)
I'm definitely on a Film Noir kick lately, I've sort of exhausted the Western run I was on (for about 4 years) I started getting diminishing returns on Westerns, think I've seen most of the best ones.
Noirs I've only seen maybe 150 + or - Selby lists almost 500, but I doubt there are that many Hard Core Noirs, this "Blackout" book I'm reading may put me on to a few more
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I'm definitely on a Film Noir kick lately, I've sort of exhausted the Western run I was on (for about 4 years) I started getting diminishing returns on Westerns, think I've seen most of the best ones.
Noirs I've only seen maybe 150 + or - Selby lists almost 500, but I doubt there are that many Hard Core Noirs, this "Blackout" book I'm reading may put me on to a few more
Considering that Westerns aren't made anymore, I've made peace with the fact that the day will come when I'll have no more good ones to watch :(
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I'm definitely on a Film Noir kick lately, I've sort of exhausted the Western run I was on (for about 4 years) I started getting diminishing returns on Westerns, think I've seen most of the best ones.
Noirs I've only seen maybe 150 + or - Selby lists almost 500, but I doubt there are that many Hard Core Noirs, this "Blackout" book I'm reading may put me on to a few more
I presume I've seen as many (or maybe even more) western (american ones, I mean) as you but I don't have the impression that I've seen most of the good ones. I think that many good ones are hard to get, that's all. And there's a lot of passable stuff which makes good watching though not ranking in the 8\10-10\10 range.
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I presume I've seen as many (or maybe even more) western (american ones, I mean) as you but I don't have the impression that I've seen most of the good ones. I think that many good ones are hard to get, that's all. And there's a lot of passable stuff which makes good watching though not ranking in the 8\10-10\10 range.
For a while there every time I'd read a good recommendation for a Western and tracked it down I've been disappointed, they are watchable, but tedious. But I'd be open to suggestions on GOOD ones. O0 O0
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O, to be in Seattle this month: http://www.siff.net/cinema/seriesDetail.aspx?FID=268
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O, to be in Seattle this month: http://www.siff.net/cinema/seriesDetail.aspx?FID=268
We need this in NYC O0
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We need this in NYC O0
Instead of waiting for someone else to do it, maybe you should MAKE festivals, cj? How much would it cost to rent a local upstate theater on a weekday to play a few of your dvd's? if you advertise it by posting the info on some of the message boards you are a member of, you don't think you can get enuogh noir fans to come and at least recoup the cost of renting the theater? You can speak for a few minutes before and/or after each movie, so you can officially call it a "festival." :)
And Of course, I'll jump run out and refill the popcorn whenever necessary ;)
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Instead of waiting for someone else to do it, maybe you should MAKE festivals, cj? How much would it cost to rent a local upstate theater on a weekday to play a few of your dvd's? if you advertise it by posting the info on some of the message boards you are a member of, you don't think you can get enuogh noir fans to come and at least recoup the cost of renting the theater? You can speak for a few minutes before and/or after each movie, so you can officially call it a "festival." :)
And Of course, I'll jump run out and refill the popcorn whenever necessary ;)
I don't think its all that simple, I think you have to pay who ever still owns the rights for a public showing, so it would be the theater and the owners of the rights.
You da lawyer, find out the legal aspects. There is a theater called Upstate Films in Rhinebeck , that shows a lot of foreign and off the beaten track films about a mile from the Amtrak Station in Rinecliff.
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http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews56/columbia_film_noir_classics_III_.htm
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http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Scarlet-Street-Blu-ray/34566/#Review
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Never heard of this one, but it sounds great: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3788vice.html
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Never heard of this one, but it sounds great: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3788vice.html
yea I'll probably give that one a shot.
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Ordered the Columbia Classics Film Noir Collection 3 from TCM. Even after the discount that brought the set down to 35.99, when adding on shipping and sales tax for NY state the final price was $45. I guess that's still only $9 a film, so, given what MOD discs are going for, a bargain. Now I just hope TCM ships my order promptly. Really looking forward to seeing some of those flicks.
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http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/blu-ray_reviews56/scarlet_street_blu-ray.htm
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So, even though I pre-ordered the new noir set (exclusive to TCM) before the supposed release date of 2/14, on that date TCM showed my order status as "backordered." Now they're showing a shipping date of 2/27. What a bunch of clowns.
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Noir Film Locations a new tour in the making I feel. . .
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/02/movies/MoviesFeatures/02city.html?pagewanted=all (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/02/movies/MoviesFeatures/02city.html?pagewanted=all)
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New site found Film Noir.net will add to index also:
http://filmsnoir.net/ (http://filmsnoir.net/)
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Ok, I'm continuing the discussion on DETOUR here. (The previous post on DETOUR was here http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145275#msg145275 . cj: at the end of that post, perhaps you wanna post a link to this? Thanks O0 )
This was one of the stranger films I have seen. I imagine it's the type that some people just love and others just think it's terribly strange. (As usual), I'm in the latter category.
SPOILER ALERT
This movie has a great premise for a noir but completely falls off the table at the end. Yeah, I get the idea promoted by some that this whole flashback was really Al's imagination and/or what he wants us to believe, and that that final "arrest" is probably not actually happening anywhere other than in his own mind. It gives us the idea that whether or not he is actually arrested, this dude will always be imprisoned in/by his own mind. But still, I did not find the ending satisfactory.
An unsourced sentence on Wikipedia says that the ending was to satisfy the Hays Code, which did not allow murderers to get away free http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detour_%281945_film%29#Censorship Maybe that's true, but I don't know whether I am comfortable giving a free pass to what is IMO a bad ending, just cuz of the Hays Code. I wish they had been able to still find a satisfactory ending. Maybe have him walking down a highway alone, (trying to thumb a lift?) and a cop car starts getting close to him (maybe with sirens flashing?) and then the movie ends. Who knows; maybe the cop is actually arresting him for the murders, or maybe just for hitchhiking. That would emphasize the point that he'll forever have to live paranoid of what will happen, and from his perspective,. it's always the worst.
Sure, you can argue that the ending as is is still pretty ambiguous, cuz we don't really know why he's being arrested, and whether it was only in his imagination. But I just felt the movie fell off the table and was really unsatisfactory.
And I couldn't stand Ann Savage's performance. Sure, she is supposed to be playing a nasty bitch, but it takes talent to play someone like that, while not being grating to the viewer. Anyone can be an annoying villain, but the great performances are those that can make us feel that Al is annoyed and being abused by this woman, without actually wanting to tear our own hair out every time she opens her mouth, which is what I felt like doing. (Reminds me of the actress who played the Gene Hackman character's wife in Bonnie and Clyde: couldn't she have found a way to project to the audience that she was a hysterical bitch, without ruining every scene she was in and making us want to stuff our ears every time she opened her mouth?)
There are some people who are specifically big noir fans and love noirs for noir's sake; ie. even if it's a story that they wouldn't like as a non-noir drama, they'd love it when done in the noir style, cuz they simply love noir.
Then there are others who are simply big fans of drama; whether the drama is a noir or not is not a plus nor a minus, and they judge the film by the same standards either way; and if it's the sort of movie they'd find pretty lame if it were not a noir, they don't enjoy it one bit better if its done as a proper noir.
If you are in the first category, you may love this movie.
I am in the second category, and therefore, I found the ending very disappointing.
Therefore, if I have to rate the movie (which I hate doing ;)) I agree with those here that are giving it in the 6.5 range
p.s. The picture quality is beyond awful. The color often switches back and forth between a very weird bluish tinged b/w, and a more "normal looking" b/w. But I guess you can't expect much better from a 1945 film that is in the public domain.
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An unsourced sentence on Wikipedia says that the ending was to satisfy the Hays Code, which did not allow murderers to get away free http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detour_%281945_film%29#Censorship
I doubt very much whether the makers of Detour submitted their film to the Breen office for approval.
UPDATE: I was wrong. Detour's MPAA certificate number is 11048 (check here if you'd like to see for yourself: http://members.chello.nl/~a.degreef/Filmnummers.html ).
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(http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz337/cigarjoe/Blackout-1.jpg)
Blackout: World War II and the Origins of Film Noir by Sheri Chinen Biesen (Oct 19, 2005), and its given me some new insight into what I'm trying to quantify. I suggest everyone read it. Some quotes from the book below.
A number of elements all came together into what The New York Times tagged the "red meat crime cycle" (before French critics coined the term Film Noir) at the onset of WWII. "The PCA' s lapses in code enforcement, the Office of Censorship banning "un-American" Hollywood gangsters but condoning of depictions of war related atrocities, and the Office of War Information's regulation of screen stories depicting the combat front or domestic home front to promote the war effort---all of these developments complicated WWII censorship and encouraged hard-boiled film adaptations that initially reformed gangsters and promoted patriotic crime." Pictures were filmed with "tremendous studio rationing of lighting, electricity, film stock, and set materials" in an uncharacteristically dark urban Los Angeles basin in response to wartime blackouts.
The first Noir where all of the elements came together was Double Indemnity, and along with other wartime productions such as The Phantom Lady and, Murder My Sweet represented some of the most expressionistic, stylistically black phase of film noir (what I'm calling the *Hard Core Noirs*). "The noir aesthetic evolved from the wartime constraints on film making practices. Brooding, often brutal realism was conveyed in low lit images recycled sets (disguised by shadows, smoke, artificial fog, and rain), tarped studio back lots, or enclosed sound stages.
In the post war period film makers redefined noir realism having more flexibility in location shooting and lighting. Wartime Noir created a psychological atmosphere that in many ways marked a response to an increasingly realistic and understandable anxiety---about war, shortages, changing gender roles, and "a world gone mad"---that was distinctive from the later postwar paranoia about the bomb, the cold war, HUAC, and the blacklist which was more intrinsic to the late 40's and 50's Noir pictures." (lighter grayer or Films Gris, *Soft Core Noir*)
And you can see this in the films. Wilder's Double Indemnity is darker in visual style than 1950's Sunset Boulevard, Fritz Langs Ministry of Fear and Scarlett Street are darker than The Big Heat (1953). But there are some exceptions Aldrich's *Kiss Me Deadly*(1955) and Lewis' *The Big Combo*(1955) are pretty dark, but the general trend outlined in the book is distinctive and sort of explains the reason for the range in the pallet of Films Noir.
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Sounds like an interesting book, and doubtless it has some interesting things to say, but when I see this kind of B.S. I lose a lot of interest:
Wartime Noir created a psychological atmosphere that in many ways marked a response to an increasingly realistic and understandable anxiety---about war, shortages, changing gender roles, and "a world gone mad"---that was distinctive from the later postwar paranoia about the bomb, the cold war, HUAC, and the blacklist which was more intrinsic to the late 40's and 50's Noir pictures."
Film noir is and always has been escapist entertainment. People don't watch it to see "a response to an increasingly realistic and understandable anxiety." They watch it to divert themselves from the hum-drum pattern of their daily lives. If people are worried about something, they go to comedies or musicals--things that take their minds off human suffering. Noir, which features human anxiety and suffering, is entertaining only to people who are realitively free of such things.
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Sounds like an interesting book, and doubtless it has some interesting things to say, but when I see this kind of B.S. I lose a lot of interest:
Film noir is and always has been escapist entertainment. People don't watch it to see "a response to an increasingly realistic and understandable anxiety." They watch it to divert themselves from the hum-drum pattern of their daily lives. If people are worried about something, they go to comedies or musicals--things that take their minds off human suffering. Noir, which features human anxiety and suffering, is entertaining only to people who are realitively free of such things.
It's only healthy to try and break the mythology of How Film Noir Was Born and that kind of psychologization over all. But unlike speaking about the general atmosphere, speaking about the "anxiety" of the film makers makes some sense: I think you can find traces of this in several noirs. But why people watch them I cannot say. I can only say that I personally want movies to have some content in addition to the dark alleys and femme fatales.
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I can only say that I personally want movies to have some content in addition to the dark alleys and femme fatales.
agreed O0
p.s. isn't it "femmes fatale"? ;)
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Why aren't femme fatales/ femmes fatale "content"? They certainly were for Wagner, for Chrétien de Troyes, for Virgil. In fact, they've been some of the best content in literature ever.
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http://somecamerunning.typepad.com/some_came_running/2012/02/the-black-book-versus-reign-of-terror.html
The guy has me convinced. My order for the Sony has been placed.
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Sounds like an interesting book, and doubtless it has some interesting things to say, but when I see this kind of B.S. I lose a lot of interest:
Film noir is and always has been escapist entertainment. People don't watch it to see "a response to an increasingly realistic and understandable anxiety." They watch it to divert themselves from the hum-drum pattern of their daily lives. If people are worried about something, they go to comedies or musicals--things that take their minds off human suffering. Noir, which features human anxiety and suffering, is entertaining only to people who are realitively free of such things.
Now for sure, but...
You gotta read the book, films are escapist, but the book makes clear that during WWII, there was no escaping the WWII newsreels shown at the theaters along with the films, which were the only "Visual" news of the war and that in you face reality of violence opened the door to the weakening of the Hayes Code, and opened the door to Noir.
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Why aren't femme fatales/ femmes fatale "content"? They certainly were for Wagner, for Chrétien de Troyes, for Virgil. In fact, they've been some of the best content in literature ever.
They certainly can be. I only used them as an example of film noir's genre conventions. So basically what I wanted to say with my last sentence in the earlier post was: "I personally want movies to have some content in addition to genre conventions".
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I'll go along, provided "content" isn't limited to what is "socially relevant" at the moment of creation. When I enjoy Hamlet the first question that occurs to me is not, How does this play operate as a response to the politics of the Tudor court? I'm more likely to think about the issue of divided loyalties (whether to serve a living or a dead king), or about the ethic of revenge. Similarly, when I enjoy Double Indemnity I don't spend a moment on What did the impact of WW2 have on this picture?, Or, What does this film express about the changing role of women in 1943? Instead, I'm more likely to think about the issue of divided loyalties (whether to serve appetites or remain true to a principled friend) or on the ethics of murder-for-gain. Those are issues that are of unvarying interest and are not period-specific.
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I can only say that I personally want movies to have some content in addition to the dark alleys and femme fatales.
I am glad you wrote that, cuz that point gets to the heart of some of the discussions I have had here RE: film noir (including this point whoch I made on the recent discussion of DETOUR here http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=11172.msg154685#msg154685 )
You have what I'll call the "First Category" of fans, true noir fans who love noir for the sake of noir, and when a movie has the appropriate grittiness and dark alleys and shadows and femmes fatale, and low angles and the right lighting, they love the movie as a great noir, even if it's not a very interesting story. Then you have a "second category" of fan, the type of person who loves dramas, whether it's in the noir style or not. For this "Second Category" a noir may be an intersting style of Drama, but overall they care most about it being a good drama, rather than focusing so heavily on the noir aspects of it. So for this "Second category" a movie that is not a very compelling otherwise, won't be improved by the fact that it does the noir elements spectacularly. On the flip side, the "First category" of fan loves a movie just for being a great Noir; but when there is a movie that is a great story and wonderful but doesn't do its noir elements so well, he won't like it cuz it failed at its attempt at Noir.
I am certainly from the Second Category. That's why I didn't find films like THE SET-UP, ACT OF VIOLENCE, and DETOUR all that compelling, while I'd bet that FIRST CATEGORY fans like cj loved it. On the other hand, my all-time favorite noir is Ace in the Hole, which really has no visual elements of noir and therefore First Category noir fans many not like it as much. (dj even complained that the main chartacter's actions weren't what you'd expect from a noir character!)
So while many people say they love film noir, they are often coming at it from different angles: those who love noir for noir's sake, apart from their general enjoyment of dramas; and those whose love of noir is just included in their love of all great dramas, and therefore want to see the same elements in a noir as they would of a non-noir drama.
IMO, films like DETOUR and THE SET-UP are a great way to determine if you are from the first category or the second, cuz I think those films only work well if your focus is specifically on the films' "noir-ness."
Maybe I am oversimplifying things, and of course everyone has elements of both, and may not fit perfectly/exclusively into one category or another. But I think this distinction is a useful one. For those in the Second Category, noirs are a style of the Drama genre; for those in the First Category, noirs are almost like another genre.
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Detour:
http://outofthepast.libsyn.com/webpage/episode_29_detour (http://outofthepast.libsyn.com/webpage/episode_29_detour)
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Detour:
http://outofthepast.libsyn.com/webpage/episode_29_detour (http://outofthepast.libsyn.com/webpage/episode_29_detour)
This seems the salient point:
Clute and Edwards argue that the film should be granted a far greater measure of technical mastery, that the so-called flubs purposefully call attention to the very cinematic means used to construct the narrative.In this optic, the film is not good despite its "flubs" but great because of them; they render it a self-conscious noir meta-narrative--a film about the making of noir films.
Instead of going the meta-narrative route, though, why not simply say that the "flubs" are appropriate for a film using an unreliable narrator?
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Conflict (1945) 7/10. 2nd viewing. Bogey discovers that murdering his wife puts him in a lonely place. Obviously, given the Code, Bogart was never going to get away with it, but it is interesting to see how he gets tripped up. Sydney Greenstreet and Alexis Smith are also in the picture.
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Interesting "musical" breakdown of D.O.A. here:
http://www.runmovies.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71:doa&catid=38:vintage-scores (http://www.runmovies.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71:doa&catid=38:vintage-scores)
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Wow, nice find! O0
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Savant on Columbia Noir 3: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3737noir3.html
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As per my order of Columbia Noir 3, TCM is now telling me to expect shipment around 20 March. What bastards!
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Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics III in da house!
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Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics III in da house!
'bout time
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Yeah, I'm never ordering directly from TCM again.
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Watched The Burglar (1957) last weekend and loved it. Here's a pretty thorough piece on it: http://members.boardhost.com/mrvalentine/msg/1330884149.html
One thing none of the posters noticed, apparently, are the bits that inspired Melville. There are some shots in this I definitely remember seeing in Le Doulos. Also, there's the matter of the bizzare score, mentioned in one of the comments above as distracting. It is that--but is that a sign of ineptitude on the filmmakers' part, or were they intentionally going for a Brechtian alienation effect? Each viewer will have to make up his or her own mind.
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Watched The Burglar (1957) last weekend and loved it. Here's a pretty thorough piece on it: http://members.boardhost.com/mrvalentine/msg/1330884149.html
One thing none of the posters noticed, apparently, are the bits that inspired Melville. There are some shots in this I definitely remember seeing in Le Doulos. Also, there's the matter of the bizzare score, mentioned in one of the comments above as distracting. It is that--but is that a sign of ineptitude on the filmmakers' part, or were they intentionally going for a Brechtian alienation effect? Each viewer will have to make up his or her own mind.
So you've watched two of the collection altogether so far?
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Actually, I've watched Drive a Crooked Road also. It's well made, but the plot isn't much: Mickey Rooney gets vamped by Dianne Foster into driving a getaway car for gangster Kevin McCarthy (similar to the plot of Don Siegel's The Killers). The usual double-crosses are involved. Also, Foster, who makes a very credible femme fatale, gets a conscience and starts to worry about taking advantage of Rooney, which almost ruins it for me. I like my femme fatales pitiless. There's some nice photography featuring Malibu and Palm Springs, but I can only go a 7 out of 10 on this.
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CJ, this might be of interest to you: http://blogs.princeton.edu/paw/2012/03/park_51_examine.html
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CJ, this might be of interest to you: http://blogs.princeton.edu/paw/2012/03/park_51_examine.html
Thanks I blogged my two cents. O0
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I cannot wait! http://www.wbshop.com/product/code/1000285441.do
Joe, check out the accompanying clip.
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Nice O0
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Women In Danger DVD set: http://shop.tcm.com/women-in-danger-1950s-thrillers-dvd/detail.php?p=369635
I won't be buying this from TCM, but I'll probably snag a copy from another vendor. I've seen only one of these--Woman In Hiding (Ida Lupino menaced by homicidal hubby Stephen McNally) which has its good points, although it has one gigantic plot problem (why must Ida go into hiding when she can just go to the police?). This is often considered a noir (it's listed in Shelby), and has a pretty thrilling climax. Don't know anything about the others, but I'm always up for another Crawford film.
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Two with Lyle Bettger, the New Swine Find of 1950.
Union Station (1950) 6/10. Lyle's got a plan: kidnap a blind heiress and shake down her old man for $100,000. His only mistake: choosing Union Station as his frequent rendevous point, the province of one William Holden, railroad cop! Bill is soon on the case, thanks to sharp-eyed Nancy Olsen who notices Lyle carrying iron and acting suspicious. In this town the railroad police seem to be a division of the city cops, so Barry Fitzgerald quickly arrives with reinforcements (the exact setting is obscured, but it could be Chicago--there's one unintentionally funny sequence where a baddie is stampeded to death in a stockyard!). Jan Sterling is in the picture, as Lyle's moll, but when she becomes a liability, Lyle unceremoniously kicks her to the curb--literally. Then there's the exciting final chase, beneath the station, through the power generating plant, down the airshaft, into the "city tunnel" (a well-lit soundstage). Wounded, on the run, clutching a bag with his ill-gotten gains, Lyle is oblivious when the lid pops and money starts pouring out (Were you watching, Stanley?). The message of the film is clear: don't mess with Railroad Cop!
No Man of Her Own (1950) 10/10. Not really a noir--call it a woman's picture with noir trimmings. Barbara Stanwyck is in NY, broke, pregnant, and jilted by Lyle Bettger. Lyle's all heart: he buys her a rail ticket back to San Francisco. Turns out to be the best thing he could have done, though. On the train she meets a kind couple her own age who are also expecting, and when the train crashes and the couple are killed, Barbara is mistakenly identified as the dead man's wife. Turns out the guy was from money, and since the family hadn't yet met the wife, it's easy for Barbara to go on pretending she's the mother of the family's heir. She's no grifter, though; Barbara is doing it for da chile. Her new brother-in-law (John Lund in Handsome-Block-of-Wood mode) has his suspicions, but he soon succumbs to Barbara's charms. Things are going swimmingly--and then Bad Penny Lyle turns up. It's not long before several people have a motive for murder. Referring to Lyle at the end, a police detective remarks, "He must have been quite a guy. Everyone who knew him wanted him dead." The rock-solid plot is derived from a novel by William Irish (Cornell Woolrich).
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This might be fun as a rental, but no way am I dropping 20 bucks on it: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3849raid.html
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(http://i40.tinypic.com/wv67bb.png)
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(http://i40.tinypic.com/wv67bb.png)
O0
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Down Three Dark Streets (1954) - 7/10. When an FBI agent is killed, his supervisor (Broderick Crawford) takes over his caseload. Reasoning that the killing is tied up with one of the open cases, Crawford is doubly keen to solve each investigation quickly. The first case involves a killer-on-the-run with girlfriend Martha Hyer as Crawford's only lead. The second case is about an interstate hot car ring (huh?) headed by a very evil Claude Akins. The third case is one of extortion: widow Ruth Roman keeps getting calls threatening the safety of her daughter unless she pays off. Given that Roman is billed as Broderick's co-star, it's kinda obvious that this is going to develop into the main thread of the film. This is further confirmed by the presence in the thread of the movie's most interesting supporting characters: Jay Adler as a creepy uncle, and Casey Adams (aka Max Showalter) as an even creepier friend-of-the-family. There are lots of cool LA location shots (of many places that doubtless no longer exist), and a solid climax at the Hollywood sign. The film tries to move toward exploitation territory by showing first Hyer and then Roman in very attractive lingerie (there's even a moment suggesting Jay Adler is a voyeur). Ooooh, those filthy 50s!
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Down Three Dark Streets (1954) - 7/10. When an FBI agent is killed, his supervisor (Broderick Crawford) takes over his caseload. Reasoning that the killing is tied up with one of the open cases, Crawford is doubly keen to solve each investigation quickly. The first case involves a killer-on-the-run with girlfriend Martha Hyer as Crawford's only lead. The second case is about an interstate hot car ring (huh?) headed by a very evil Claude Akins. The third case is one of extortion: widow Ruth Roman keeps getting calls threatening the safety of her daughter unless she pays off. Given that Roman is billed as Broderick's co-star, it's kinda obvious that this is going to develop into the main thread of the film. This is further confirmed by the presence in the thread of the movie's most interesting supporting characters: Jay Adler as a creepy uncle, and Casey Adams (aka Max Showalter) as an even creepier friend-of-the-family. There are lots of cool LA location shots (of many places that doubtless no longer exist), and a solid climax at the Hollywood sign. The film tries to move toward exploitation territory by showing first Hyer and then Roman in very attractive lingerie (there's even a moment suggesting Jay Adler is a voyeur). Ooooh, those filthy 50s!
I didn't like this movie all that much (I'd rate it a 6/10), but watching Ruth Roman is always a wonderful experience. She seems really sweet :)
An unrelated note on Ruth Roman: When Strangers on a Train on TCM, I recall that Robert Osbourne (the TCM host) mentioned that Hitchcock didn't want Roman in that movie, and only used her cuz the studio forced him to (I see something similar on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strangers_on_a_Train_%28film%29#Cast )
I have to agree with Jack Warner and disagree with Hitchcock: IMO, Roman was terrific in that movie -- one of the best parts of an overrated movie
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I didn't like this movie all that much (I'd rate it a 6/10), but watching Ruth Roman is always a wonderful experience. She seems really sweet :)
And stacked.
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Down Three Dark Streets (1954) - 7/10. When an FBI agent is killed, his supervisor (Broderick Crawford) takes over his caseload. Reasoning that the killing is tied up with one of the open cases, Crawford is doubly keen to solve each investigation quickly. The first case involves a killer-on-the-run with girlfriend Martha Hyer as Crawford's only lead. The second case is about an interstate hot car ring (huh?) headed by a very evil Claude Akins. The third case is one of extortion: widow Ruth Roman keeps getting calls threatening the safety of her daughter unless she pays off. Given that Roman is billed as Broderick's co-star, it's kinda obvious that this is going to develop into the main thread of the film. This is further confirmed by the presence in the thread of the movie's most interesting supporting characters: Jay Adler as a creepy uncle, and Casey Adams (aka Max Showalter) as an even creepier friend-of-the-family. There are lots of cool LA location shots (of many places that doubtless no longer exist), and a solid climax at the Hollywood sign. The film tries to move toward exploitation territory by showing first Hyer and then Roman in very attractive lingerie (there's even a moment suggesting Jay Adler is a voyeur). Ooooh, those filthy 50s!
I reviewed this someplace on this thread, its one of the ones we must have missed, its not showing up in a search but I found it
http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg147579#msg147579 (http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg147579#msg147579)
Down Three Dark Streets (1954) directed by Arnold Laven with Broderick Crawford, Ruth Roman, Martha Hyer, Marisa Pavan, Max Showalter (Niagara), Kenneth Tobey, Gene Reynolds, and William Johnstone.
Sort of a police procedural, quasi-documentary, stars Broderick Crawford as FBI Agent John Ripley.When fellow G-man Zack Stewart is murdered, Ripley takes over the trio of cases Stewart had been working on assuming one of them will reveal his killer. This one is also entertaining but its a bit fuzzy in logic with the motives of the actual murderer the connection of why he killed the FBI man and his girlfriend? or whatever she was is never connected. Martha Hyer is a cute mobsters girlfriend.
It does have some great location shots of LA and the streetcar system and ends up at a great set piece at the base of the iconic HOLLYWOOD sign.
Entertaining, but the lack of connection explained above drops this to a 7/10
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Martha Stewart, who played the murder victim in In A Lonely Place, has died. http://www.altfg.com/blog/movie/martha-stewart-death/
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And stacked.
Forgive my ignorance -- and I have much ignorance when it comes to lingo -- but I don't believe I've ever heard that term...
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Forgive my ignorance -- and I have much ignorance when it comes to lingo -- but I don't believe I've ever heard that term...
Stacked as in pancakes, a short stack = flat chested, get the picture? ;)
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Stacked as in pancakes, a short stack = flat chested, get the picture? ;)
o well, she's still beautiful.... And I prefer flat to fake tits. (But for some reason I prefer a nose job to really bad nose; is that contradictory?)
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o well, she's still beautiful....
He's not saying Roman is short-stacked, he's just expanding the vocabulary (as in "stacked" vs. "a short stack"). Roman is amply endowed, as I'm sure Joe will admit.
I agree with you on fake boobs, though. Keep things natural, come what may.
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He's not saying Roman is short-stacked, he's just expanding the vocabulary (as in "stacked" vs. "a short stack"). Roman is amply endowed, as I'm sure Joe will admit.
That paragraph went TOTALLY over my head
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Interesting Op-ed piece in today's NYT:
April 12, 2012
Sam Spade at Starbucks
By DAVID BROOKS
If you attend a certain sort of conference, hang out at a certain sort of coffee shop or visit a certain sort of university, you’ve probably run into some of these wonderful young people who are doing good. Typically, they’ve spent a year studying abroad. They’ve traveled in the poorer regions of the world. Now they have devoted themselves to a purpose larger than self.
Often they are bursting with enthusiasm for some social entrepreneurship project: making a cheap water-purification system, starting a company that will empower Rwandan women by selling their crafts in boutiques around the world.
These people are refreshingly uncynical. Their hip service ethos is setting the moral tone for the age. Idealistic and uplifting, their worldview is spread by enlightened advertising campaigns, from Bennetton years ago to everything Apple has ever done.
It’s hard not to feel inspired by all these idealists, but their service religion does have some shortcomings. In the first place, many of these social entrepreneurs think they can evade politics. They have little faith in the political process and believe that real change happens on the ground beneath it.
That’s a delusion. You can cram all the nongovernmental organizations you want into a country, but if there is no rule of law and if the ruling class is predatory then your achievements won’t add up to much.
Furthermore, important issues always spark disagreement. Unless there is a healthy political process to resolve disputes, the ensuing hatred and conflict will destroy everything the altruists are trying to build.
There’s little social progress without political progress. Unfortunately, many of today’s young activists are really good at thinking locally and globally, but not as good at thinking nationally and regionally.
Second, the prevailing service religion underestimates the problem of disorder. Many of the activists talk as if the world can be healed if we could only insert more care, compassion and resources into it.
History is not kind to this assumption. Most poverty and suffering — whether in a country, a family or a person — flows from disorganization. A stable social order is an artificial accomplishment, the result of an accumulation of habits, hectoring, moral stricture and physical coercion. Once order is dissolved, it takes hard measures to restore it.
Yet one rarely hears social entrepreneurs talk about professional policing, honest courts or strict standards of behavior; it’s more uplifting to talk about microloans and sustainable agriculture.
In short, there’s only so much good you can do unless you are willing to confront corruption, venality and disorder head-on. So if I could, presumptuously, recommend a reading list to help these activists fill in the gaps in the prevailing service ethos, I’d start with the novels of Dashiell Hammett or Raymond Chandler, or at least the movies based on them.
The noir heroes like Sam Spade in “The Maltese Falcon” served as models for a generation of Americans, and they put the focus squarely on venality, corruption and disorder and how you should behave in the face of it.
A noir hero is a moral realist. He assumes that everybody is dappled with virtue and vice, especially himself. He makes no social-class distinction and only provisional moral distinctions between the private eyes like himself and the criminals he pursues. The assumption in a Hammett book is that the good guy has a spotty past, does spotty things and that the private eye and the criminal are two sides to the same personality.
He (or she — the women in these stories follow the same code) adopts a layered personality. He hardens himself on the outside in order to protect whatever is left of the finer self within.
He is reticent, allergic to self-righteousness and appears unfeeling, but he is motivated by a disillusioned sense of honor. The world often rewards the wrong things, but each job comes with obligations and even if everything is decaying you should still take pride in your work. Under the cynical mask, there is still a basic sense of good order, that crime should be punished and bad behavior shouldn’t go uncorrected. He knows he’s not going to be uplifted by his work; that to tackle the hard jobs he’ll have to risk coarsening himself, but he doggedly plows ahead.
This worldview had a huge influence as a generation confronted crime, corruption, fascism and communism. I’m not sure I can see today’s social entrepreneurs wearing fedoras and trench coats. But noir’s moral realism would be a nice supplement to today’s prevailing ethos. It would fold some hardheadedness in with today’s service mentality. It would focus attention on the core issues: order and rule of law. And it would be necessary. Contemporary Washington, not to mention parts of the developing world, may be less seedy than the cities in the noir stories, but they are equally laced with self-deception and self-dealing.
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A shame I can't be in SF in May (why can't these kinds of things wait for the summer?): http://roxie.com/events/details.cfm?eventID=E5E5072D-1143-DBB3-C6AF978DD134E5FD
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A shame I can't be in SF in May (why can't these kinds of things wait for the summer?): http://roxie.com/events/details.cfm?eventID=E5E5072D-1143-DBB3-C6AF978DD134E5FD
cool
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RE: that op-ed dj posted:
I think David Brooks is such a jackass. This article may indeed be enjoyable to hardcore noir fans, having the noir world referenced. But as for the substance, it's the typical Brooks nonsense.
I particularly despise Brooks because the Times puts him up there as the supposed conservative dissenter, when he in fact is nothing more than a moderate AT BEST, and an idiot at that. So that's the plan: put a bumbling fool up there, who advocates half of the liberals' ideals, and spends the other half of his time criticizing real conservatives; and then proclaim that THIS IS THE CONSERVATIVE. Brilliant ::)
But I digress....
Yeah, I wish more people were like Samuel Spade, and less were like David Brooks ;)
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I'd rather that type of conservative than a lunatic like Pat Buchanan or Ron Paul.
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I'd rather that type of conservative than a lunatic like Pat Buchanan or Ron Paul.
I don't see how you can put Buchanan and Paul in the same sentence; their views are polar opposites. Are you just naming them as two conservatives you think are lunatics, though they have no relation to each other?
Buchanan is a racist, a xenophobe, and a protectionist. Protectionism is completely antithetical to the free market, and therefore is actually very non-conservative view. Paul is a free trader and supports free immigration, 2 things that Buchanan would find heretical. (Personally, I think some of Paul's views on foreign policy are naive and dangerous, but on economics and regulation, I pretty much agree with him 100%).
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Yeah, I wish more people were like Samuel Spade, and less were like David Brooks ;)
So, even though you don't like David Brooks, you liked this particular piece?
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http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdreviews14/the-big-heat.htm
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CJ, here's some fun, you can either play spot-the-clip or just enjoy the ride: http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/short-film-watch-dans-lombre-film-noir-in-the-shadow-fabrice-mathieu.php
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CJ, here's some fun, you can either play spot-the-clip or just enjoy the ride: http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/short-film-watch-dans-lombre-film-noir-in-the-shadow-fabrice-mathieu.php
Its great I've seen it ;)
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Savant on The Big Heat blu: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3872heat.html
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REMINDER RE: FILM NOIR THREADS
It seems that no one but cj and me have been creating threads for noirs, so just a reminder:
if you see a noir that does not have its own thread in the Film Noir Index, please create a thread for it. If the film has a "thread" which is just a link-a-thon to a few posts in this Film Noir Discussion Thread, then you should still create a proper thread for it (and in the first post in your new thread, just provide a link to those old posts). We'd like to eventually have a thread for every film noir, and that's not going to happen if it's only cj and me that are creating 'em. This Film Noir Discussion Thread should only be used for more general discussions about Film Noir (like books or magazines suggestions, definitions and history of noir, etc.), and not for discussions about specific movies.
Once you have created a new thread for a noir, send cj a PM with the link to that thread, and he will add it to the Film Noir Index O0
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Hmmmmmmmmmmm. http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/dvd_reviews57/women_in_danger.htm
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Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/dvd_reviews57/film_noir_double_feature.htm
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Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/dvd_reviews57/the_big_caper.htm
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HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!! http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews15/double_indemnity_dvd_review.htm
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They look good.
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HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!! http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews15/double_indemnity_dvd_review.htm
Definitely one to get.
Masters of Cinema seriously rock. The only other BD I have from them is "Touch of Evil" which was seriously incredible in terms of restoration and also in their covering of all bases by including 5 different versions.
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Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/dvd_reviews57/the_big_caper.htm
This is a straightforward caper movie; I don't think this is considered a noir.
As the reviewer cited by Beaver says, this movie "loses its grip and falls away on the home strait to deliver less than it initially promises." In my brief review of it in the RTLMYS thread here http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=7645.msg151968#msg151968 I wrote "This is one of those movies that just pisses me off cuz it has really solid potential and then just falls off the table." I rated it a 6.4/10.
This has some great material that can be used for a re-make. But they should keep the 50's suburbia setting.
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sterling hayden as toothpick sucking, tough as nails detective.
timothy carey, the world's freakest, so far over the top he goes underneath the wire junkie / sex feind. scheduling allowed
them 3 weeks, but they shot crimewave in just 13 days
nobody holds a candle to timothy cary's twisted, insane drug- fueled ready to go off any second time bomb dude. :o
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_uuj81OyVgg/TV3GKCqGNuI/AAAAAAAAB0M/n4OzhqJvKus/s1600/crimewave1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://krelllabs.blogspot.com/2011/02/riding-wave.html&usg=__2sxRWctBM-IxRECIMaG7Sb3Cc_I=&h=482&w=640&sz=112&hl=en&start=10&zoom=1&tbnid=3NTRRHC9RyY7CM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&ei=bkT_T6L2BKnn0gHXvrW4Bg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dtimothy%2Bcary%2Bcrimewave%2B1954%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1
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sterling hayden as a "sado ~ masacot," toothpick sucking tough as nails ( what else ? ) detective.
timothy cary, the world's freakest, so far over the top he goes underneath junkie / sex feind. scheduling allowed
them 3 weeks but they shot crimewave in just 13 days
DVD will
assure 2 movies in one. downtown seedy LA circa 1954 / people caught in the movie unaware of being filmed
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_Wave_(1954_film)
nobody holds a candle to timothy cary's twisted, insane drug- fueled ready to go off any second time bomb dude. :o
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_uuj81OyVgg/TV3GKCqGNuI/AAAAAAAAB0M/n4OzhqJvKus/s1600/crimewave1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://krelllabs.blogspot.com/2011/02/riding-wave.html&usg=__2sxRWctBM-IxRECIMaG7Sb3Cc_I=&h=482&w=640&sz=112&hl=en&start=10&zoom=1&tbnid=3NTRRHC9RyY7CM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&ei=bkT_T6L2BKnn0gHXvrW4Bg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dtimothy%2Bcary%2Bcrimewave%2B1954%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1
yea Carey is a lot of fun to watch O0
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He was great in Head.
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He was great in Head.
Dave, were talking about the world's greatest sinner here ! O0
good character actors plus good music is the wax that keeps us watching
the stars, lol
timothy carey was the jimi hendrix of weirdness. as joe says " fun to watch ".
http://celebslists.com/3729-timothy-carey.html
fun is sooo important as it's been out of style lately. i'll pay hard cash for fun !
entertain me m-i-s-t-e-r carey, lol http://celebslists.com/3729-timothy-carey.html
carey's performance from " head " http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=59tqOXH6lwU
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He was also good in Paths of Glory
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He was also good in Paths of Glory
brando gets carey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk6EN_e0Nv4&feature=related
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The Brothers Rico (1957) Director, Phil Karlson with Richard Conte, Dianne Foster, Larry Gates, James Darren, Argentina Brunetti,
Paul Picerni, and Rudy Bond. An entertaining Noir using the "you can't just quit the mob and expect to have everything come out smelling like roses" storyline. Doesn't quite have the great sets and locations of "Nightfall" but Conte keeps it interesting in this tale of a brother trusting in the mob and trying to save his siblings.
I wanted to see this ever since I read about it in O'Shaolan's book. I think is perfect except for the children double byline and the finale. I have no gripe against the sets and the locations. The ma and grandma speak a perfect italian which is unlikely, as nobody speaks it in italy too in daily life. Anyway Conte says to his wife, correctly, "capisci" instead of the wrong, but usual in Hollywood movies, "capisce"?
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I wanted to see this ever since I read about it in O'Shaolan's book. I think is perfect except for the children double byline and the finale.
The end really sinks it. It's like the filmmakers got tired of the whole thing and wanted to wind it up as quickly as possible.
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I think I'll read the Simenon's source if I'll have the chance. I don't think they took the finale from him.
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There was a remake:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068570/
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Universal Dark Crimes collection: http://shop.tcm.com/detail.php?p=382488
Too late for me as I already bought R2 PAL versions of these years ago, but maybe y'all'll be interested.
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Savant reviews the new Olive Films collection:
http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s4026noir.html (http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s4026noir.html)
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Savant reviews the new Olive Films collection:
http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s4026noir.html (http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s4026noir.html)
they are not worth $89.95 though :(
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Maybe we could form a gang to procure Blu-Ray money. 8)
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Maybe we could form a gang to procure Blu-Ray money. 8)
Appointment With Danger & Union Station are really the only good ones
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And even those aren't all that.
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And even those aren't all that.
agreed
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agreed
aren't you the one who gave Union Station "10/10 on locations alone"? Have you since come to your senses? ;)
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Wasn't that what they call "hyperbole"?
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aren't you the one who gave Union Station "10/10 on locations alone"? Have you since come to your senses? ;)
its still a 10/10 on locations alone 7/10 in the word of noir
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its still a 10/10 on locations alone 7/10 in the word of noir
saying that eg. A) "the locations are a 10/10, but the movie overall is a 7/10"; is very different than saying B) "the movie gets a rating of 10/10, just because if its great locations"
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Beaver finally gets around to this one: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/dvd_reviews_58/three_strangers.htm
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Beaver finally gets around to this one: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/dvd_reviews_58/three_strangers.htm
Looks interesting O0
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http://shop.tcm.com/glenn-ford-undercover-crimes-dvd/detail.php?p=434142&v=tcm_vault-collection
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http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s4049dark.html
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http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s4049dark.html
I like Phantom Lady the others not so much
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TONIGHT -- Thursday night 1/17/13 -- is "Noir City" night with Eddie Muller on TCM http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/544373|0/Noir-City-with-Eddie-Muller-1-17.html
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TONIGHT -- Thursday night 1/17/13 -- is "Noir City" night with Eddie Muller on TCM http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/544373|0/Noir-City-with-Eddie-Muller-1-17.html
great
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I am not sure why the link isn't working; if you want read Muller's brief article and rundown on the 4 movies that will be showing, just go to the home page at tcm.com and the link will be on the left side of the page
cuz I love y'all so much, I'll just copy and paste it here:
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A NIGHT IN NOIR CITY
I was thrilled, of course, to be asked by the good folks at TCM to program and co-host a night of noir with the redoubtable Robert Osborne. My elation was tempered somewhat by the realization that I could only choose four films! Out of the literally hundreds of bold and brooding crime dramas I've screened and written about during the past fourteen years--only FOUR! A challenge, to say the least. In the end, I opted to make "A Night in Noir City" an extension of the "rescue, restoration and revival" work I do as head of the Film Noir Foundation, a grassroots non-profit that raises funds to protect and preserve at-risk exemplars of film noir--which I consider to be Hollywood's only truly organic artistic movement.
So rather than present familiar classics of the genre, like Double Indemnity (1944) or Out of the Past (1947), I went with more obscure, but in my opinion no less deserving, choices. It's my hope that prime-time exposure on TCM will shine a fresh light on these terrific, often overlooked, gems.
CRY DANGER (1951)
The Film Noir Foundation, along with our colleagues at the UCLA Film & Television Archive, recently restored this Dick Powell thriller. Powell had a special way with a wisecrack, and was also one of the most astute independent producers in the business. Cry Danger was his film all the way, and he showed off his savvy by hiring wondrous wiseacre Bill Bowers to pen the original screenplay, and giving Oscar®-winning editor Robert Parrish his first directing gig. Sure, noir is supposed to be dark and nihilistic, but a great cast spewing Bowers' dynamite dialogue proves it can be incredibly fun as well. I dedicate this showing to the late, great Nancy Mysel, who supervised the restoration of this film, a project we both savored.
99 RIVER STREET (1953)
I'm a huge fan of rugged and razor-sharp 1950's paperback crime fiction--and this is about as close as anyone ever came to hurling it onto the screen, unabashed and undiluted. John Payne is terrific as a bitter ex-boxer turned cabbie Ernie Driscoll, whose wayward wife leads him into all sorts of nefariousness in nocturnal New York. Director Phil Karlson perfected his slam-bang style right here; to me, this is his signature film. The highlight: Evelyn Keyes, typically cast as the good girl, turning up the heat in a pair of jaw-dropping set pieces.
TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY (1951)
When I first encountered this exceptional film more than a decade ago, I declared it "Gun Crazy [1950] scripted by John Steinbeck." A minor masterpiece in the filmography of the virtually forgotten Felix Feist, this is one of the best "love on the lam" tales in all noir. Steve Cochran--the Elvis of Noir--is perfect as a vulnerable ex-con who falls hard for bruised "taxi dancer" Ruth Roman (as a blonde! And never better!). Thwarted passions, a dank hotel room, a dirty cop--a gunshot! And suddenly our luckless lovers are fugitives fleeing cross-country. It's high time for this fantastic film to finally come out of hiding and get the recognition it deserves.
THE BREAKING POINT (1950)
Many cineastes point to 1950 as perhaps the finest year ever for American movies (Sunset Boulevard, All About Eve, In a Lonely Place, The Asphalt Jungle, and many more)--but this breathtaking adaptation of Hemingway's To Have and Have Not stands equally with all those classics. John Garfield gives the most personal and self-revelatory performance of his career as a fishing boat captain who gets in too deep when he bends the law to keep his business afloat. The film was shunned--by its own studio--because of Garfield's troubles with the House Un-American Activities Committee, and in the following years copyright entanglements with the Hemingway estate kept it from earning the reputation is deserves. Insightful script (by Ranald MacDougall), brilliant performances from the entire cast (no one can be singled out, they're all superb), and Michael Curtiz's most compelling direction--and yes, I'm not forgetting Casablanca (1942) and Robin Hood (1938) and Mildred Pierce (1945) and many others. The Breaking Point truly is that good.
by Eddie Muller
-Eddie Muller produces and hosts NOIR CITY: The San Francisco Film Noir Festival, the world's largest noir retrospective. As president of the Film Noir Foundation, he has been instrumental in "rescuing America's noir heritage," restoring and preserving such classics as The Prowler (1951) and Cry Danger (1951). In 2011 he presented a month-long series of rare noir at the Cinematheque Française in Paris. He's provided commentary for more than two dozen DVDs. His novel, The Distance, earned the Best First Novel Award from the Private Eye Writers of America. Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star, which he cowrote with the actor, was a 2007 national bestseller. He was a guest programmer and presenter at the 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, and will be again in 2013.
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I like the fact that, as he says, he is introducing audiences to lesser-known titles, rather than showing the well-known classics like Double Indemnity and Out of the Past that every noir fan will have already seen.
Of the four that will be showing, I have only seen 99 River Street, and frankly, I didn't think it was all that good (As I recall, I gave it a 6.5/10 rating when I saw it).
I'll be setting my dvr
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p.s. we've created individual threads for every film noir, so the post viewing-discussion of a movie should in that movie's own thread; you can find 'em all in the Film Noir Index.
Happy viewing and blogging!
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What thread should we use when doing comparisons? As in, "I like 99 River Street and Cry Danger, Tomorrow Is Another Day and The Breaking Point not so much."
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Robert Osborne: "What's your favorite film noir movie?"
Muller: In a Lonely Place -- which a lot of people don't even consider to be film noir! -- but I just think that's an absolute masterpiece.
Osborne: Out of the Past is it for me.
Muller: Well that's definitive. I would say that's the definitive film noir, [though] not necessarily my favorite.
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Robert Osborne: "What's your favorite film noir movie?"
Muller: In a Lonely Place -- which a lot of people don't even consider to be film noir! -- but I just think that's an absolute masterpiece.
Osborne: Out of the Past is it for me.
Muller: Well that'sdefinitive. I would say that's the definitive film noir, [though] not necessarily my favorite.
For me off the top of my head probably either The Narrow Margin, The Big Combo, or Kiss of Death
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For me off the top of my head probably either The Narrow Margin, The Big Combo, or Kiss of Death
for me, the clear #1 is Ace in the Hole, (which, as I've discused extesively in the past, I dont even think its noir in any way shape or form) that movie is one of my 10 non-Westerns ever (I split my "lists" between Westerns and non-Westerns).
After that, my 3 faves are probably, in order: Out of the Past, Sunset Blvd., and In a Lonely Place.
A small notch below is The Woman in the Window, The Postman Always Rings Twice
As far as neo-noirs go, I loved Body Heat
I thought The Narrow Margin was a terrible movie
Kiss of Death was a decent movie, I think I gave it a 7.5/10 when I saw it
It has what is perhaps Richard Widmark's most famous performance, his most famous scene, and one of the most famous scenes in noir history, when he throws the senior in the wheelchair down the stairs. And it has what is probably Victor Mature's second most famous role, (after My Darling Clementine) But overall, I didn't think the movie was a classic
I haven't seen The Big Combo yet
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Robert Osborne: "What's your favorite film noir movie?"
Muller: In a Lonely Place -- which a lot of people don't even consider to be film noir! -- but I just think that's an absolute masterpiece.
This is so lazy on Osborne's part. Muller's Top 25 have been up on the web for years: http://www.eddiemuller.com/top25noir.html
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This is so lazy on Osborne's part. Muller's Top 25 have been up on the web for years: http://www.eddiemuller.com/top25noir.html
and I am sure he knew the answer already and had discussed it with Muller. The purpose of these discussions before/after a movie are for the audience's sake, for people who haven't read Muller's list
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After watching the "Night in Noir City" program with Eddie Muller, here are my ratings for the 4 movies (I've previously seen one one, 99 River Street)
Cry Danger 6/10
99 River Street 7.5/10
Tomorrow is Another Day 7.5/10
The Breaking Point 7.5/10
I discussed each film more extensively in its individual thread.
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Noir City 2013 comes to Seattle! http://www.siff.net/cinema/seriesDetail.aspx?FID=326
I've always wanted to see High Tide. The 3D noirs could be fun. Repeat Performance is more Twilight Zone than noir, but I haven't seen it for 30 years (it was on TV one afternoon) and the new restored print could be worth checking out. Oh well, it doesn't matter anyway, I'm not around to go!
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LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN (1945) BLU-RAY - May 14th
Twilight Time is bringing this out, so the production run (by contract) is limited to 3,000 units. When they're gone, they're gone. I have seen the restored Technicolor version of this film, and the colors are electric. I'll be getting a copy for sure.
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Conflict (1945) Though the beginning is too talky and the end predictable, what's in between, based on rather worn tricks, keeps your attention mainly because Bogart is at his best ( I saw the movie dubbed: so I can't judge about Greenstreet's performance). Probably you wouldn't want to watch it again, but it's worth a look. 7\10
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Conflict (1945) Though the beginning is too talky and the end predictable, what's in between, based on rather worn tricks, keeps your attention mainly because Bogart is at his best ( I saw the movie dubbed: so I can't judge about Greenstreet's performance). Probably you wouldn't want to watch it again, but it's worth a look. 7\10
I think I've seen it but it's been a while or it didn't make an impression.
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Lang's Ministry of Fear on Blu: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/dvdreviews32/ministry_of_fear.htm
Definitely intend to get a copy.
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Conflict (1945) Though the beginning is too talky and the end predictable, what's in between, based on rather worn tricks, keeps your attention mainly because Bogart is at his best ( I saw the movie dubbed: so I can't judge about Greenstreet's performance). Probably you wouldn't want to watch it again, but it's worth a look. 7\10
when you see noir that doesn't have its own thread in the Noir Index... then create one! (and email the the link to CJ who will add it to the index). That way, we'll have threads for every noir, not just the ones that CJ or I see ;)
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At the beginning of WWII the New York Times tagged an assortment of comparable themed films that were released by Hollywood as belonging to a “red meat crime cycle” (before French critics coined the term Film Noir), in retrospect it was probably the more realistic catch all term for the films we all love.
I’m coming around to this view, we have have this:
Films Noir to Soleil, films of the sun, those sun baked, filled with light Noirs, and all the spectrum between, with your typical alienated and obsessive characters, that also run in quality from excellent to poor on a vertical axis, think say on the Noir Pole the difference between The Crooked Way (excellent) and Storm Warning (eh)
On the Soleil Pole, Detour, Jeopardy, & The Hitch-Hiker (good to excellent) and say the The Scarf (eh).
In the Middle you have the rest shot in traditional Hollywood style with linear storylines.
My latest thoughts in graphic mode 8)
(http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz337/cigarjoe/Noirgraph_zps298e075e.jpg)
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I think that basically every black n' white crime drama made during the noir period (roughly from The Maltese Falcon till the late 50's) has now just been called a noir.
Take one movie I just saw, The Lineup (1958). It's a crime drama from that period (albeit the end of that period), in the bright sunshine, no particularly "dark, shady" stuff in the noir sense. There's this one very early scene inside the apartment of a murder victim, the apartment looks like a typical "noir" crummy apartment, rickety bed, paint peeling, dingy room with one light bulb, etc. But other than that, there is nothing at all that should be called "noir" or "red meat" or whatever. If the exact same movie had been made ten years later, nobody would even think to call it a "neo noir." There's nothing 'noir" about it. Ditto with my favorite example of phony noir, Ace in the Hole," one of the greatest movies of all-time but IMO no more a noir than is A Fistful of Dollars.
Of course, not every noir has to have as much clearly shadowy scenes/stylistics as, say, I wake Up Screaming, Where the Sidewalk Ends, or Murder, My Sweet;. I can accept the idea that some noirs take place in bright sunshine, but they have noir characteristics in areas other than the visuals, for example, Cry Danger. It clearly has something stylistically, in the characters and settings, that distinguishes it fro other crime dramas.
But that's the point: there should be something to distinguish it from other crime dramas, and that "something" can't simply be the fact that the movie was made during the 40's or 50's. (To the extent that labels do mean anything and are worth discussing and defining) If just about every black n' white crime drama from the 40's and 50's is going to be called "noir," that would render the term meaningless.
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How about an alternate proposal: let's say a noir should be clearly a noir, "you shouldn't have to call it a noir, it should call itself," so to speak; it should be blatant, like Murder, My Sweet or Where the Sidewalk Ends. As for the others, they should be called "noir influenced" or "semi noir," referred to in the same way that people refer to No Country for Old Men, Red Rock West or Blood Simple as a "Western"
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You are right there is nothing visually Noir about The Lineup
You obviously are not understanding the above, New York Times tagged an assortment of comparable themed "B" films as belonging to a “red meat crime cycle” there was no NOIR
Again.......At the beginning of WWII the New York Times tagged an assortment of comparable themed films that were released by Hollywood as belonging to a “red meat crime cycle” (before French critics coined the term Film Noir for the films of this cycle that were stylistically dark and in doing so saddled us with the term Film Noir ), in retrospect “red meat crime cycle” was probably the more realistic catch all term for all these cheap crime films light to dark.
The Times was calling them all just "crime" films, "red meat" signifying cheap "B" films, from Ace In The Hole to The Wrong Man light to dark, so EVERY cheap
black n' white crime drama from the 40's and 50's is going to be called a part of the RED MEAT CRIME CYCLE. So we are essentially on the same page.
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CJ, can you name a black-and-white crime drama from the 40's or 50's that is not a noir?
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CJ, can you name a black-and-white crime drama from the 40's or 50's that is not a noir?
Confidence Girl is one.
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Confidence Girl is one.
I've never heard of that movie (I see that it only has 36 votes on IMDB, so it must be one of those impossible-to-find movies).
It seems to me that just about every crime drama of the Noir Period (roughly '41 - '59) is labeled a "noir."
Many of the so-called "sun baked noirs" of the 50's would just be called "crime dramas" if they were released in a later time period; they would not be called "neo noirs." eg. The Lineup (1958) and Suddenly (1954) would not be called "neo noirs" if they were made in 1980.
So basically, any crime drama of the 40's and 50's is called "noir," but later films are only called "neo noir" if it has real noir visual characteristics.
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I've never heard of that movie (I see that it only has 36 votes on IMDB, so it must be one of those impossible-to-find movies).
It seems to me that just about every crime drama of the Noir Period (roughly '41 - '59) is labeled a "noir."
Many of the so-called "sun baked noirs" of the 50's would just be called "crime dramas" if they were released in a later time period; they would not be