Film-Noir Discussion/DVD Review Thread

[Dust Devil]

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.)

[T.H.]

I'm not a fan of Mildred Pierce but that's ridiculous. They remake everything. It needs to stop.

[dave jenkins]

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.

[dave jenkins]

Blu-ray.com reviews Region B Le Cercle Rouge: http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Le-cercle-rouge-Blu-ray/11183/#Review

[titoli]

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

[dave jenkins]

Yeah, but on account of Ella, I give it a "6."

[titoli]

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. 

[titoli]

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.

[dave jenkins]

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.

[dave jenkins]

711 Ocean Drive! Yeah! http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews52/711_ocean_drive.htm

[cigar joe]

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.

[T.H.]

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.

[dave jenkins]

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.

[dave jenkins]

According to legend, this is where it all began: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_reviews52/stranger_on_the_third_floor.htm

[dave jenkins]

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