Of the classic era, I thought "Double Indemnity" would be really gripping but I found the performances to be as overbaked as the script.
It's been years since I saw "The Third Man" but Orson Welles as Harry Lime = a good look.
i thought ???Double Indemnity??? was very good over all until around the last 25 minutes or so where it starts to unravel and kind of slows down a bit.
Trevor Howard (Major Calloway) in ???The Third Man??? was quite good, even better then Orson Welles, I guess in the original Graham Greene novella the story is actually told through his perspective???
thanks for all the great suggestions, im gonna check for many of these titles. so little time!
"This Gun For Hire": Alan Ladd is one of my favorite actors in crime flicks from the 40s. He's an inspiration for short guys like me. Veronica Lake was smoking hot, too. Co-sign on "He Walked By Night". "D.O.A." and "The Narrow Margin" are cool, too. I agree that the narrating voice overs in many of these films are annoying, though. I have been lucky to meet and talk with a lot of these actresses, some of which like Beverly Garland who recently died, in these movies via annual film screenings at places like the Egyptian Theater. "Elevator To The Gallows" (Miles Davis soundtrack) is in my Q. I can't wait to see that one.
Anyone ride for Altman's "The Long Goodbye"? Not my favorite of his films but I dug seeing Elliot Gould in his prime.
It was OK, but it was one of the better 70s noir revival movies, many of which I don't like (I mean, the whole reason why film critics back when called it "noir" was because of the darkness and shadows. Color kills it.), based on Raymond Chandler, etc. books. Elliot Gould is hillarious, though. I like it when he asks the gatekeeper dude to do lame celebrity impressions, does The Jazz Singer in the interrogation room, "well, home is where the heart is...".
Double Indemnity has a special place in my heart because my friends and I watched that thing so many times we memorized entire scenes. I also like Detour just because of the complete hopelessness of the entire thing.
Third Man is just one of the best movies ever, although not a noir. It has all the images and styles of one.
My favorite noir overall has to be Sunset Boulevard. The story is excellent, the acting is great, etc. It's just the best made film out of all of the ones I've seen and I've seen dozens and dozens of them.
I missed this thread because of my truck drivin' job, but with the 100+ films mentioned, nobody said THE BIG COMBO?
Shit is top 10 all-time noir. Joseph Lewis direction (of "Gun Crazy" fame) and a top-notch cast. Great dialogue and the most crucial element to a classic noir, cinematography by the master: John Alton.
Available as a budget DVD, too - like $6 or something from Amazon.
if you watch rififi (which is really good), view le circle rouge after it. it's a loose remake that jean peirre melville did in the 70's. jhonnie to is shooting a version of that story right now.
watched Anthony Mann's SIDE STREET a few nights back. While the narrative, characters, and performances have some overwrought aspects that have dated poorly, for the most part it's a decent little thriller.
and when it comes to on-location NYC shooting, it's damn near -- especially the last 15 mins or so.
Comments
i thought ???Double Indemnity??? was very good over all until around the last 25 minutes or so where it starts to unravel and kind of slows down a bit.
Trevor Howard (Major Calloway) in ???The Third Man??? was quite good, even better then Orson Welles, I guess in the original Graham Greene novella the story is actually told through his perspective???
thanks for all the great suggestions, im gonna check for many of these titles. so little time!
It was OK, but it was one of the better 70s noir revival movies, many of which I don't like (I mean, the whole reason why film critics back when called it "noir" was because of the darkness and shadows. Color kills it.), based on Raymond Chandler, etc. books. Elliot Gould is hillarious, though. I like it when he asks the gatekeeper dude to do lame celebrity impressions, does The Jazz Singer in the interrogation room, "well, home is where the heart is...".
I rewatch this one every few years. great film! Night Moves channels a bit of the same sad-sack 70s neo-noir vibe.
I ride for Marlow's neighbors.
Third Man is just one of the best movies ever, although not a noir. It has all the images and styles of one.
My favorite noir overall has to be Sunset Boulevard. The story is excellent, the acting is great, etc. It's just the best made film out of all of the ones I've seen and I've seen dozens and dozens of them.
I missed this thread because of my truck drivin' job, but with
the 100+ films mentioned, nobody said THE BIG COMBO?
Shit is top 10 all-time noir. Joseph Lewis direction (of "Gun Crazy" fame)
and a top-notch cast. Great dialogue and the most crucial element to a classic
noir, cinematography by the master: John Alton.
Available as a budget DVD, too - like $6 or something from Amazon.
big time
Just saw this. Definitely one of the best I've seen.
Also good recently:
The Public Enemy
Born to Kill
The Naked City
Angel Face
Pretty good:
Little Caesar
The Set-Up
and when it comes to on-location NYC shooting, it's damn near