Official Film Noir on Blu-ray Thread

[Le Samourai]

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Gilda.../91882/#Review 'Gilda' blu ray review.

[Lonely and Blu]

Thanks for putting this together, Mifune.

[HyperRealist]

The Salton Sea (2002) needs to be on BD.

[colbyw]

Originally Posted by kaseaver

I put together a list of neo-noir titles from IMDB with user rating of 7.4 or higher, excluding those with minimal votes and "transition" titles like Cape Fear (1962). You can see the IMDB list here: http://www.imdb.com/keyword/neo-noir...e_type=feature

The total number is 95, and 79 are available on Region A BD. The average rating of the 79 is 7.9 and the average year is 1993. For the 16 not on BD, the average rating is 7.6 and the average year is 1987. So older, less popular titles tend not to be on BD - makes sense. Still, I was surprised at what I saw when looking at individual titles not on BD.

Mulholland Drive 2004 David Lynch 8.0
Barton Fink 1991 Coen Br. 7.8
25th Hour 2002 Spike Lee 7.8
Friends of Eddie Coyle 1973 Peter Yates 7.7
The Long Goodbye 1973 Robert Altman 7.7
Prince of the City 1981 Sidney Lumet 7.7
Lost Highway 1997 David Lynch 7.7
Munich 2005 Steven Spielberg 7.7
Charley Varrick 1973 Don Siegel 7.6
A Simple Plan 1998 Sam Rami 7.6
The Man Who Wasn't There 2001 Coen Br. 7.6
Point Blank 1967 John Boorman 7.5
Atlantic City 1980 Louis Malle 7.5
Witness 1985 Peter Weir 7.5
Eraserhead 1977 David Lynch 7.4
Dead Ringers 1988 David Cronenberg 7.4

I don't know about you all, but I'd buy any of these day one. Can't say the same about many of those on BD with similar ratings.

The only thing I can surmise, aside from contract/rights problems, is that some of these directors tend to be independent/somewhat less than mainstream. The titles with similar popularity on BD tend to be from big studios with big name actors.

I'd be interested in your thoughts on these missing titles.

I would kill for "Atlantic City" and "The Long Goodbye" to have a criterion release, and I truly believe they are coming eventually... I would add "Bound", "Blood Simple", and "House of Games" to your list. Damn, I love film noir!

[NYGiants Fan]

First of all, thanks to the OP for starting this thread. So nice to see a thread that has actually stayed on track and not gotten into name-calling and opinion-bashing.

Thoughts on the movie 'Glengarry Glen Ross". I would consider to this to be almost the very definition of film noir. Granted, nobody dies, no gun play, but the rain soaked neon ambience and the double-crossing and back-stabbing really makes this a no-brainer. Thoughts?

[Mad Dad]

Originally Posted by AlexHarvey

It has been said that film noir is not a genre, but rather a style.

Perhaps the best example of a noir film is " Double Indemnity." To quote Eddie Muller, " If I had one movie to show people....to explain what noir is....it's Double Indemnity." Fred MacMurray's character sums up the style quite nicely in his confession...." I killed him for the money....and for a woman. I didn't get the money and I didn't get the woman."

In complete agreement that "Double Indemnity" is the ultimate example of film noir. It's just too bad that once you've seen it, there's nothing that can top it.

Regarding neo-noir, I would really like to see an alternate black n white version of the films included on discs (that is, if the filmmakers did in fact intend to pay homage to the original film noir style).

[MifuneFan]

You can get Olive's catalog of film noir titles for just $14 each at deepdiscount.com with the code SHAMROCK. This is good for today only.

http://www.deepdiscount.com/olive-fi...viewType/list/

Titles include:

Big Combo, The
Body and Soul
Champion
City that Never Sleeps
Crashout
Cry Vengeance
Dark Mirror
Double Life, The
Enforcer, The
File on Thelma Jordon, The
Force of Evil
Hell's Half Acre
Hoodlum Empire
Kiss Tommorow Goodbye
Plunder Road
Ruthless
Secret Beyond the Door
Strangers in the Night
The Big Combo

They also have the Film Noir boxset for $42 after coupon. It's currently $79 on Amazon

[jetthead]

Originally Posted by Le Samourai

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Gilda.../91882/#Review 'Gilda' blu ray review.

My copy should hopefully be here by the end of the week. I'm so excited!

[noirjunkie]

I know this has been discussed on other areas of the site, but Point Blank (1967), which is a classic neo-noir, is coming on July 8.

[GoldMotel]

For anyone who likes neo-noirs, the Veronica Mars movie is coming out on Friday at participating AMC theaters.

[The Great Owl]

The new Twilight Time Blu-ray release, All the King's Men (1949), is often discussed in noir circles.

[kaseaver]

"I would kill for "Atlantic City" and "The Long Goodbye" to have a criterion release, and I truly believe they are coming eventually... I would add "Bound", "Blood Simple", and "House of Games" to your list."

If you mean the list of missing titles, Bound is out from Olive and Blood Simple from MGM.
House of Games rates 7.3 on imdb and didn't make the cut, but I agree great film.

I have read discussion regarding Criterion upgrading DVD titles that Criterion needs to have inventory fall to a certain point before it will upgrade.

[kaseaver]

Speaking of Criterion, just noticed The Killers is out of stock at Amazon and 3 other outlets. A few new and used copies are going for premium prices on ebay. Could an upgrade be in the works?

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by kaseaver

Speaking of Criterion, just noticed The Killers is out of stock at Amazon and 3 other outlets. A few new and used copies are going for premium prices on ebay. Could an upgrade be in the works?

The Killers is still on sale at the Criterion website. I bought it last month, and it's quite an amazing DVD package. I hope that an upgrade to Blu-ray is forthcoming, though.

[Scarface32]

I only read the first page but... Why no mention of "Retro Noir", you just mention classic "Film Noir" and "Neo-Noir"

[GoldMotel]

Originally Posted by Scarface32

I only read the first page but... Why no mention of "Retro Noir", you just mention classic "Film Noir" and "Neo-Noir"

Retro-Noir is defined as a modern noir film that takes place in the 1940s and 1950s. As the film is not actually made in the 1940s/1950s (the time period of classic noir), it is considered a neo-noir, which is a balloon term for all noir films made after the 1959/1960.

There are so many subgenres of neo-noirs, we'd have to make many more lists of we went that route.

[Scarface32]

Originally Posted by GoldMotel

Retro-Noir is defined as a modern noir film that takes place in the 1940s and 1950s. As the film is not actually made in the 1940s/1950s (the time period of classic noir), it is considered a neo-noir, which is a balloon term for all noir films made after the 1959/1960.

There are so many subgenres of neo-noirs, we'd have to make many more lists of we went that route.

Retro Noir and Neo Noir have different styles though. Retro Noir follows the detectives, whereas Neo Noir follows the criminals. So for example, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a Retro Noir, whereas The Usual Suspects is a Neo Noir.

However, there is no mention of Retro, and your posts suggests you don't even fully grasp the concept of Retro Noir.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Scarface32

I only read the first page but... Why no mention of "Retro Noir", you just mention classic "Film Noir" and "Neo-Noir"

Neo-Noir is basically the term currently being used for anything not in the Classic Film Noir period as it is the most commonly referred to classification belies Classic. It can be considered a Modern Noir category, and I might just change it to that to encompass all the different noirs that were developed. As you can see, the Neo-noir category does contain several films that can be further classified as Retro Noir. As GoldMotel says, there are many different sub-genres of Noir, especially in the later periods, so I didn't see the need to further break it down.

If you want to give your own definition of Retro Noir, or Retro vs Neo, I'll be happy to add it to the thread. However, I'd say your definition of Neo Noir only following criminals isn't the traditional interpretation of the genre. Neo noir is usually applied to films with noir elements, but with updated themes as well (color, technology, etc..)

[GoldMotel]

Originally Posted by Scarface32

Retro Noir and Neo Noir have different styles though. Retro Noir follows the detectives, whereas Neo Noir follows the criminals. So for example, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a Retro Noir, whereas The Usual Suspects is a Neo Noir.

However, there is no mention of Retro, and your posts suggests you don't even fully grasp the concept of Retro Noir.

While I fully understand the differences between Retro and Neo Noir, as MifuneFan said, most academics use the blanket term "neo-noir" to encompass noir films makes after the classic noir period, regardless of style.

Retro Noir is really a sub-genre of a sub-genre, such as Tech Noir or Psycho Noir.

[Scarface32]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

If you want to give your own definition of Retro Noir, or Retro vs Neo, I'll be happy to add it to the thread. However, I'd say your definition of Neo Noir only following criminals isn't the traditional interpretation of the genre. Neo noir is usually applied to films with noir elements, but with updated themes as well (color, technology, etc..)

Well, as I'm sure you know, Film Noir follows certain style choices, such as shooting night for night and day for day (no artificial lighting to make a shot done at night look like day, or a shot done at day look like night). The story also follows the point of view of the detective. (The term "Film Noir" wasn't even used until later, people didn't set out to make a noir, they set out to make a detective story).

And Retro Noir tries to emulate this, including having the story shown from the point of view of the detective. Retro Noirs can also incorporate color and special effects (an example as mentioned, Roger Rabbit. Both special effects and color).

Retro Noirs can be period pieces, but that's not a rule set in stone. Chinatown may have some 1940s flair to it, but with elements of the time period it was shot (1970s).

Neo Noir doesn't JUST follow the criminals, that was just an over simplistic example of the difference. Neo Noir can also add elements of Sci-Fi, such as the movie Blade Runner.


As a side note: Film Noir ended in 1958, exactly. Touch of Evil is the last Noir, making the definitive year 1958.