Twilight Time Discussion Thread

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by LPMA

Does anyone have noir/neo-noir recommendations for titles that are part of the sale?

Where the Sidewalk Ends and Kiss of Death are essential noir. House of Bamboo is also good.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by LPMA

Does anyone have noir/neo-noir recommendations for titles that are part of the sale?

The Big Heat is a must
The Boston Strangler - not exactly noir, but it sort of compliments the genre
Cutter's Way - as much a searing character piece as a neo-noir
The Detective - like Boston Strangler, not a noir but it goes to some dark places
Devil in a Blue Dress - one of the best neo-noirs ever
House of Bamboo - one of the best looking 50s Scope films
The Crimson Kimono
Kiss of Death

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by Aclea

The Big Heat is a must
The Boston Strangler - not exactly noir, but it sort of compliments the genre
Cutter's Way - as much a searing character piece as a neo-noir
The Detective - like Boston Strangler, not a noir but it goes to some dark places
Devil in a Blue Dress - one of the best neo-noirs ever
House of Bamboo - one of the best looking 50s Scope films
The Crimson Kimono
Kiss of Death

I’d also like to add Violent Saturday to the list of recommendations.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by Aclea

The Big Heat is a must
The Boston Strangler - not exactly noir, but it sort of compliments the genre
Cutter's Way - as much a searing character piece as a neo-noir
The Detective - like Boston Strangler, not a noir but it goes to some dark places
Devil in a Blue Dress - one of the best neo-noirs ever
House of Bamboo - one of the best looking 50s Scope films
The Crimson Kimono
Kiss of Death

Sheesh! How could I forget The Big Heat? Definitely essential, possibly the number one of all film noirs.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

I’d also like to add Violent Saturday to the list of recommendations.

Excellent call - one I missed in the sale listing.

[SeanJoyce]

Kiss of Death, Where the Sidewalk Ends and The Big Heat are the 3 essentials...those are "desert island" films noir right there, top 20-30 stuff.

Cutter's Way knocked me on my ass. One of my best blind buys of the last decade.

House of Bamboo and Violent Saturday come strongly recommended, and along with Bad Day at Black Rock, make for an amazing "mid-50s Cinemascope" noir afternoon.

Inferno, a venerated "film noir meets survival picture" movie, is too highly-priced for my liking even though I'm sure it's worth every penny.

[koberulz]

The correct plural is 'films noirs'.

[latehong]

Originally Posted by LPMA

Does anyone have noir/neo-noir recommendations for titles that are part of the sale?

Romeo is Bleeding. Lena Olin, one of the most over the top femme fatales in this genre, beats the shit out of pathetic Gary Oldman. Can't say it's a must or classic, but fun like hell.

[Baltix]

Exodus is OOP now on SAE but still available on TT.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by koberulz

The correct plural is 'films noirs'.

Actually, it's "films noir".

[koberulz]

No, it isn't.

[AKORIS]

Originally Posted by koberulz

The correct plural is 'films noirs'.

Originally Posted by jayembee

Actually, it's "films noir".

Originally Posted by koberulz

No, it isn't.

[SeanJoyce]

Originally Posted by koberulz

No, it isn't.

Actually, there's no agreed-upon definition of the plural of "film noir".

But we can keep riding this carousel if you insist...you seem to enjoy it.

[Rory]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

House of Bamboo and Violent Saturday come strongly recommended, and along with Bad Day at Black Rock, make for an amazing "mid-50s Cinemascope" noir afternoon.

The beautiful use of CinemaScope and the pictorial nature of the Japanese location make it hard for me to consider House of Bamboo film noir. The script is the problem. It's too much like an old-style '30s gangster movie.

[belcherman]

Speaking of films noir, I’ll submit Who’ll Stop the Rain as a worthy neo-noir. It has the classic elements: post-war disillusionment, a femme fatale, gangsters and crooked cops.

[Namuhana]

I've ordered the following today, which brings my Twilight Time collection up to five:

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by Rory

The beautiful use of CinemaScope and the pictorial nature of the Japanese location make it hard for me to consider House of Bamboo film noir. The script is the problem. It's too much like an old-style '30s gangster movie.

I’d also submit that Violent Saturday is more of a straight crime film than a noir.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by koberulz

No, it isn't.

Film noir is a French term and in French films noirs is correct pluralization. But because it’s now become a term commonly used in English and become sort of a “borrowed” phrase, films noir would be more accurate (or at least less awkward) in English.

[Rory]

Originally Posted by belcherman

I’d also submit that Violent Saturday is more of a straight crime film than a noir.

Well, Victor Mature being in it and the general brooding nature of the proceedings make it easier for me to accept it being called film noir, but...

I have a hard time looking at anything shot in color, and especially if it is also in CinemaScope, as real film noir.

For me, a film noir movie is a black and white film of a certain style and story nature. Anything else is just film noir-like.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

Film noir is a French term and in French films noirs is correct pluralization. But because it’s now become a term commonly used in English and become sort of a “borrowed” phrase, films noir would be more accurate (or at least less awkward) in English.

Merriam-Webster lists films noir, film noirs and films noirs as acceptable plurals of film noir. While I prefer the first, I can understand where a case could be made for the second. The third form, films noirs, just seems stupid to me.

Anyway, it seems there are as many differences of opinion as to the correct plural form of film noir as there are for what actually defines a film noir. For now, I’ll go with Justice Stewart’s definition of pornography.