The Film Noir Thread

Thanks CTiT for resurfacing this JOHN-O thread; didn’t know it was here on TC.

The Big Heat (1953) is memorable to me not only as classic film noir, but for another reason. Through a friend, my wife and I got to visit Glenn Ford in 2003 at his Beverly Hills home on 911 Oxford Way. Glenn was always one of my favorite actors, and it was very gracious of him to see us, given the ill health that he was in (he passed away only three years later at age 90). During the introductions, Glenn quipped, “Glad you survived your suicide, Tom!” By sheer coincidence, my first and last names are the same as the corrupt cop who committed suicide in the opening scene of this movie, and Glenn was pointedly referring to my apparently bad aim.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V52AeJibEOY

-Tom

A great choice TikiTomD and Fritz Lang's "The Big Heat" is one of the classic Noir's.

[ Edited by: Chuck Tatum is Tiki 2011-06-23 01:51 ]

Just picked up Kansas City Confidential but haven't watched it yet. I can't seem to tear myself away from L.A. Noire.

On 2011-06-23 00:10, ErkNoLikeFire wrote:
Just picked up Kansas City Confidential but haven't watched it yet. I can't seem to tear myself away from L.A. Noire.

I picked up the Blu-Ray of "Kansas City Confidential" also, it has been a while since I caught it on TCM
and I have not watched it on disc yet also, Eric.

Lets compare notes when you get around to watching it.

Easily my favorite sci-fi tech noir film is Blade Runner (1982). However, Gattaca (1997), starring Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurmond and Jude Law, is a close second. It has a strong noir feel to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeJlaIc8Fs0&feature=related

-Tom

How about "Dark City"?

CTiT, Dark City (1998) definitely makes my list. It drips noir in its visual dreariness, though the ending is a bit more hopeful than the usual noir classic.

I really think Kiefer Sutherland was channeling Peter Lorre in "Dark City"
And with classic Noir themes of the protagonist who has no memory of the crime,murder,femme fatale etc.

I Have He Ran All the Way (1951) on in the background, Seems to be a decent noir style thriller. Good tense scene of John Garfield trying to evade the cops by blending in at a public pool.

If you're like me, you can appreciate Los Angeles Film Noir for documenting LA architecture that no longer exists. Check out this period footage of Downtown LA's Bunker Hill in the 1940's...

http://www.archive.org/details/ADriveThroughBunkerHillAndDowntownLosAngelesCa.1940s

It blew my mind !!

Yes John, I always pay attention to the locales in movies shot in LA

Finally watched Kansas City Confidential. Great movie! A rail thin, sweaty Jack Elam and a ferret eyed Lee Van Cliff. I wish the masks used in the heist were in the film more, but that would have gone against the plot. The blu ray looks amazing. You can really feel the heat and desperation.

Also watched Kona Coast (1968) with Richard Boone. It has that Ocean's Eleven feel of let's make a movie to write off our vacation. Also reminds me of the Big Lebowski in that the plot only exists to display the characters. It does have the noir hints of rain soaked streets and heavy dialog, just with Richard Boone in short shorts.

Caught Kona Coast on TCM a few months back, very cheesy, Boones shorts really stood out, imagine
Clint Eastwood in a Dirty Harry movie wearing Tennis shorts the whole time....

I'm trying not too....

A Place in the Sun is a good, almost campy, film noir movie complete with a luau dinner scene and Hawaiian band. George Stevens directed it and it stars Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift and Shelley Winters. It won 6 Academy Awards.
Because of the plot twist I would guess the movie was considered risque' when it came out in 1951.

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/116198/Place-in-the-Sun-A-Movie-Clip-Call-For-You-George.html

Sorry Lori, but "A Place in the Sun" is not "Noir"
it is one of Montgomery Clift's better roles though.

On 2013-03-13 11:51, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
Sorry Lori, but "A Place in the Sun" is not "Noir"
it is one of Montgomery Clift's better roles though.

If you Google 'A Place in the Sun film noir' it comes up that it has been shown in several film noir film festivals and is referenced in film noir websites.

On 2013-03-13 11:51, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
Sorry Lori, but "A Place in the Sun" is not "Noir"
it is one of Montgomery Clift's better roles though.

I can see where you're coming from though. Most noir films age better than A Place in the Sun. We were laughing at some of the dramatic elements of the movie.
Clift's character can be defined as "stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations."

A Place in the Sun, has none of the criteria of Noir, style or story really
it is firmly in place with the other Melodrama's George Stevens has made
such as "Giant" but he was known for Adventure & Comedy films more so til the early 50s

"Something to Live For" (1952) is probably the closest
George Stevens got to a Noir style film

Here's what I compiled as Tiki Connections In Film Noir from thoughout TC and from South Seas Cinema:

HELL'S HALF ACRE (1954) REPUBLIC
Finally coming out in DVD/Blu-ray. One true Film Noir set in the Pacific.
We all have to check out Don the Beachcomber in Waikiki scene.
BLUE GARDENIA (1953) WARNER
We all know about the tiki bar scene w Nat King Cole
BROTHERS RICO, THE (1957) COLUMBIA
Only tiki connection here is Richard Conte’s cool tiki in his cool mid-
century bachelor pad.
MYSTERY STREETS (1950) MGM
Female body washes ashore in New England. A pregnant prostitute who worked
at the “Grass Skirt” a local tiki bar. Haven’t seen it yet, can’t wait to
get it. Anybody seen it? You have it, Bongo Fury?
SECRET FURY (1950) RKO
Only tiki connection here is an exterior where Claudette Colbert walks in
front of a “Tahitian” neon sign with bamboo. Similar to Jimmy Stewart
runs in front of the “Bamboo Room” in IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE
WHERE DANGER LIVES (1950) RKO
Robert Mitchum in a tiki bar called “Pogo Pete’s”
PETER GUNN (1958-61) NBC
TV film noir in episode titled “Scuba” a deep see diver has a cool tiki
bachelor pad

Here's a still of Jan Sterling in MYSTERY STREETS:

I now see one can get this film in the 10 Volume Film Noir Classic Collection DVD pack. Too much for me to buy, you Film Noir lovers buy it and report on the tikiness of this film, if you don't mind please.

Also please all, add or subtract to the list and by all means comment or question.
I have a question; how about CRIME AGAINST JOE or A KISS BEFORE DYING both with the Pogo Pogo club of Tucson Az. film noir?

Also in reference to earlier posts on this thread, the book “Hawaii in the Movies 1898-1957” was written by the late Robert Schmitt who was a founding member of the South Seas Cinema Society. This work of his as well as his later research on the subject formed a major contribution to our main movie list found on southseascinema.org. Thanks Bob you will be missed.

[ Edited by: creativenative 2013-03-13 13:48 ]

one that i've seen only mentioned in passing here is "Out of The Past"..one of my favorite noirs..love the images of both LA and SF...as well as some of what lake tahoe looked like before development hit it....love kirk douglas's house on the lake...

"A KISS BEFORE DYING" 1956, falls in the Noir category, but not a good one in my opinion
and more akin to a B-Movie version of Hitchcock
(it does have the pregnant girlfriend who falls victim to murder plot, as "A Place in the Sun" shares.

"CRIME AGAINST JOE" falls to conventional crime drama story wise, but due to the low budget has the
cinematography style of Noir.

Both films have the protagonists as WW2 veteran's, changed from their time in the war.

[ Edited by: Atomic Tiki Punk 2013-03-13 15:15 ]

A buddy of mine was talking about how Citizen Kane, while not a Noir film, introduced a lot of the techniques and styles found in Noir films that came after it. I haven't seen it in years and will grab a copy soon, but I was curious if this was a something others thought about Kane as well.

Citizen Kane introduced completely new editing, cinematography & narrative techniques
that would influence movies up to today, which is one of the reasons it is considered a masterpiece.

Noir City: Hollywood, 15th Annual Festival Of Film Noir
Presented in collaboration with the Film Noir Foundation
April 5 - 21, 2013

The American Cinematheque and the Film Noir Foundation return April 5 - 21 with the 15th annual Festival of Film Noir. Gumshoes, Shady Dames and Murderous mobsters converge for three weeks of dark tales of jaded gumshoes, femmes fatale and menacing heavies in gloriously gritty black and white. These evenings at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood (plus a special program of 3-D noir at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica) round up the form's usual suspects as well as rarely screened gems, including the Foundation's new 35mm restorations of HIGH TIDE (1947), REPEAT PERFORMANCE (1947) and TRY AND GET ME! (1950). Whether you're a noir novice or well-acquainted with this post-war demimonde of crime and (occasionally) punishment, Noir City is well worth a visit.

Series programmed by Eddie Muller, Alan K. Rode and Gwen Deglise. Program notes by John Hagelston.

Like Film Noir Los Angeles on Facebook!

The complete list of films can be found here:
http://www.americancinemathequecalendar.com/content/noir-city-hollywood-15th-annual-festival-of-film-noir

Some very good movies on TCM tonight
Starting at 5pm PST, 8pm EST

The Asphalt Jungle(1950)
Crossfire (1947)
Out of the Past (1947)

At 12:15am PST
Naked City (1948)

A nice mix of Hard boiled crime & Noir cinema.

First movie night at the Atomic Tiki Lounge & Theater this evening
with guests John-O, Doug Horne, Stacey "Happy Chi" AKA "Candy Snatcher" of the Ding Dong Devils
hosted by Jungle Ginger & myself.

After a BBQ dinner & cocktails

Tonight's Show: The high Def version of "Hell's Half Acre" from 1954

Synopsis: A woman who believes her missing husband is in prison in Hawaii on a murder charge travels there to see if it actually is him. However, he escapes before she sees him, when he hears that his current girlfriend has been murdered. The wife searches the slum area of Honolulu known as Hell's Half Acre for him, he searches for his girlfriend's killer, and his gangland associates are looking for the two of them.

Directed by
John H. Auer

Writing credits
Steve Fisher

Cast (in credits order)
Wendell Corey ... Chet Chester

Evelyn Keyes ... Donna Williams

Elsa Lanchester ... Lida O'Reilly

Marie Windsor ... Rose
Nancy Gates ... Sally Lee
Leonard Strong ... Ippy
Jesse White ... Tubby Otis

Keye Luke ... Police Chief Dan
Philip Ahn ... Roger Kong
Robert Shield ... Frank
Clair Widenaar ... Jamison
Robert Costa ... 'Slim' Novak

Of note: Filmed in Waikiki and the Don the Beachcomber in Waikiki
Don the Beachcomber was the technical advisor
Cinematography by John L. Russell (Psycho)

Technical review: a restored version in hi-def cleaned up mono sound, grain from the original
film stock and a bit of flashing along the left edge of the screen
this is the same version recently screened at "Grauman's Chinese Theater" some weeks back
over all the best I have ever seen this movie.

I will now let John,Doug,Stacey add their thoughts......

Well even though "Out of the Past" seems to straddle two genres, it gets my vote for best noir flick if only because of the cast. Mitchum invented cool long before McQueen inherited the mantle and Kirk Douglas was sharp as a tack. Jane Greer's sexy-turns-deadly narcissistic femme fatale is my all-time favorite in that role.

Just my 2 cents.

Also, I wonder how many bands could be described as "noir"? My #1 vote there would be the late great Mark Sandman and "Morphine". I'm trying desperately to fit their music into the home tiki cave. It's not really a bad fit actually. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spNffzYNWQE

If you have the TCM channel "Out of the Past" is on tonight at 6:45pm PST
This is one of the very best examples of Film Noir for those of you not that familiar
with the genre & a treat for those who are true fans.

Out of the Past (1947)

Director: Jacques Tourneur
Writer: Daniel Mainwaring (screenplay)
Stars: Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, Kirk Douglas

On right now if you have the TCM channel

The premiere of some of Hammer Films Noir
(Yes! Hammer Films made Noir)

Starting with "Blackout" & later tonight "Man Bait","Stolen Face","The Unholy Four
ending with the controversial "Never Take Candy From a Stranger" (while not true Noir, still has the visual flair
of many Noir films)

These have not been televised here in the USA for a very long time (if at all for some of them)
and were just made available on Disc here as well.

http://www.tcm.com/schedule/

Check out this great website for more Noir
http://americanfilmnoir.com/afn.html

[ Edited by: Atomic Tiki Punk 2014-06-16 17:52 ]

I am a huge Lizabeth Scott fan and Stolen Face is really good, I liked it a lot.
Thank you for posting about these movies being on TCM.

:) :) :)

Hey folks! need your Noir fix tonight?

Well tune into the TCM channel at 7:15pm(PST) 10:15(EST) for:

"This Gun for Hire"

This Gun for Hire is a 1942 film noir, directed by Frank Tuttle
and based on the novel A Gun for Sale by Graham Greene.
The film stars Veronica Lake, Robert Preston, Laird Cregar, and Alan Ladd

At 9:00pm (PST) 12:pm (EST)

"The Blue Dahlia"

1946 film noir, directed by George Marshall and written by Raymond Chandler.
The film marks the third pairing of stars Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake.

[ Edited by: Atomic Tiki Punk 2014-08-31 15:52 ]

Hey Noir fans!
A couple of must sees on TCM today, set the DVR!

Starting at 3:15pm (PST) 6:15 (EST)

"The Sniper" 1952
(A sniper kills young brunettes as the police attempt to
grapple with the psychology of the unknown assailant.)

Directed by Edward Dmytryk, written by Harry Brown, and based on a story by Edna and Edward Anhalt.
The film features Adolphe Menjou, Arthur Franz, Gerald Mohr, Marie Windsor

This rare & little seen gem, using a semi-documentary style & filmed in San Francisco
This film marks Dmytryk's return to directing after he had first been named to the Hollywood blacklist
and had a jail term for contempt of Congress.

Producer Stanley Kramer was the first to hire him again as a director.
He was "required to direct Adolphe Menjou, one of the most virulent Red-baiters of the HUAC hearings."

At 7:30pm (PST) 10:30 (EST)

"The Asphalt Jungle" 1950

Directed by John Huston. The caper film is based on the 1949 novel of the same name by W. R. Burnett
and stars an ensemble cast including Sterling Hayden, Jean Hagen, Sam Jaffe, Louis Calhern, James Whitmore,
and, in a minor but key role, Marilyn Monroe.

A major heist goes off as planned, until bad luck and double crosses cause everything to unravel.