Noirvember 2022 - 30 days of film noir

[Gwanum]

Murder My Sweet (1944) 1/2

[lemonski]

Case S:
The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945)
George Sanders, Ella Raines, Geraldine Fitzgerald
Dir: Robert Siodmak

Mentioned in no less than 8 reference books, the writers must have been sniffing printers ink to call The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry film noir; still, it's a compulsively watchable melodrama that veers towards a satisfyingly noir-bleak third act before being forced off the rails by the Hays Express. George Sanders plays against type as a meek fabric designer romanced by Ella Raines. Lucky George.

[Travis]

Miller's Crossing (1990)

[Al_The_Strange]

Taxi Driver (1976)
UHD

Travis Bickle--God's lonely man--likes to work long nights. He's been up and down all over the city. He works any place, any time. This ex-marine cab driver drives through the filth and scum of the city in search of simple human connection, but faced with rejection and disillusionment, he inevitably decides that something has to be done about the social evils he sees all around him.

I'm pretty certain it's been about 20 years since the first time I gave this film a shot, understanding its reputation as a classic and vaguely aware of the famous "are you looking at me?" line. A 20-year-old me didn't really care for the film. Not enough explosions I guess. But over the last ten years or so, it's become one of my top 20 favorites and I find myself rewatching it often. Even read the script by Paul Schrader--hot dang, it reads like a novel and it's great.

What keeps me coming back is the focus on character. Robert DeNiro delivers the performance of a lifetime, painting Travis as a socially-awkward loner we can relate to and care about. One thing that helps in this film are the voice-overs--it offers introspection in character voice that can't be shown on-screen, and this is the best use of VO that I'm aware of. Other films tend to over-use and abuse VOs in stupid ways, usually telling and showing at the same time. This film is one of the few exceptions where the VO shows more than it tells, and it genuinely adds dimension to the story and character.

It is an important element because sticking close to the character allows the audience to follow him into the dark heart of the city. New York is like a character in its own way, but if it was a person, it'd be a drunk hobo who pulls a knife on you and curses you out. Sketchy neighborhoods, awash in red or green neon lights, seem to always crush down on the character(s), to the point where it takes a toll on mental and physical health. Accentuating the scuzzy, gritty visuals is Bernard Herrmann's score (his last before passing away in '75). It's a type of jazz that swings from emotionally dramatic swells to sultry romance, and it fits the movie perfectly.

Against this backdrop, the story proceeds along a downward spiral towards a gruesome finale. It's easy to see the character's trajectory towards extremism, but there are other layers to the story if you chose to pull it back some. I sense social themes surrounding the disparity in social classes. It seems like every time I view the film there are more details I find that I previously missed, and there are always new things to think about. It does a solid job of presenting many interesting story pieces that connect and paint a compelling (albeit cynical) picture.

There are other impressive talents worth noting. Martin Scorsese directed this like a boss, of course. Jodie Foster, only a child then, handled this film like a champ. Cybill Shepard and Albert Brooks pull their weight just fine, but for whatever reason I love watching Peter Boyle giving out his wisdom as the Wizard. Barely recognized Harvey Keitel as the pimp.

The film is an experience that I admire more and more with each viewing.

10/10

-----------------------------------

Cases Closed: 12

[Show spoiler]11/02: Killer's Kiss 8/10
* 11/05: High Sierra 8/10
11/11: Raging Bull 8/10
* 11/11: Nighthawks 7/10
* 11/11: Angels With Dirty Faces 8/10
11/11: Branded to Kill 9/10
* 11/15: House of Games 8/10
11/15: Wild Things 8/10
* 11/17: The Grifters 7/10
11/18: Lost Highway 8/10
11/19: Mulholland Drive 10/10

11/22: Taxi Driver 10/10

DA Challenge: 11

[Show spoiler]Angels With Dirty Faces
Branded to Kill
The Grifters
High Sierra
Killer's Kiss
Lost Highway
Mulholland Drive
Nighthawks
Raging Bull
Taxi Driver
Wild Things

* = First time to the crime scene
Purple = The bright neon lights of 4K

[kingdoxie]

The Spiral Staircase ⭐⭐⭐½

More Gothic melodrama than film noir...it does come to a satisfying conclusion.

[Gwanum]

No Man of Her Own (1950) 1/2

99 River Street (1953)

[kingdoxie]

Hidden Fear ⭐⭐⭐

[odguitar]

Naked Alibi



Pretty good! Anytime a noir can have Sterling Hayden or Gloria Grahame it's a win, and this one has both. It's got the same border town noir feel as Touch of Evil, and while not as good as that one, is definitely worth the time.

3.5/5

[odguitar]

The Brothers Rico



An interesting movie about the mafia and man trying to go straight. The Family and a family often do not and cannot go hand in hand, as is such here. A bit more family drama and talky than your typical noir, but not in a bad way.

4/5

[Gwanum]

The Raging Tide (1951)

Singapore (1947) 1/2

[Al_The_Strange]

The Usual Suspects (1995)
Blu-Ray

A group of unsavory characters are rounded up for an interrogation concerning a major heist masterminded by a powerful crime lord. OR IS IT?!

Didn't think much of this film when I first saw it many years ago. Re-evaluating it now, I see that I didn't give it enough of a chance, and it's very likely I'll have to upgrade this to 4K someday.

The film is really snappy. Almost ridiculously so. Maybe it's Bryan Singer's trademark or something, but most scenes are staged in interesting ways that are visually unique and kind of cool to behold. You can see it in the opening hook, where we see a guy light a whole book of matches, then he drops it in some gas and a line of fire creeps across a boat deck. Then somebody urinates on it and stops the fire. Okay, this film has my attention now, good job.

Funnily enough, the rest of the film goes in this same fashion of showing us something, then pulling the rug and revealing more and more until we reach a real whopper of a revelation. It's a really cool plotline full of twists that will keep you guessing, and there's enough rich detail to the film to rediscover details on rewatches. The film boasts a wonderful ensemble cast and a fairly sharp script. I'm glad I gave it another shot this time around.

8/10

-----------------------------------

Cases Closed: 13

[Show spoiler]11/02: Killer's Kiss 8/10
* 11/05: High Sierra 8/10
11/11: Raging Bull 8/10
* 11/11: Nighthawks 7/10
* 11/11: Angels With Dirty Faces 8/10
11/11: Branded to Kill 9/10
* 11/15: House of Games 8/10
11/15: Wild Things 8/10
* 11/17: The Grifters 7/10
11/18: Lost Highway 8/10
11/19: Mulholland Drive 10/10
11/22: Taxi Driver 10/10

11/23: The Usual Suspects 8/10

DA Challenge: 12

[Show spoiler]Angels With Dirty Faces
Branded to Kill
The Grifters
High Sierra
Killer's Kiss
Lost Highway
Mulholland Drive
Nighthawks
Raging Bull
Taxi Driver
The Usual Suspects
Wild Things

* = First time to the crime scene
Purple = The bright neon lights of 4K

[Al_The_Strange]

Brick (2005)
Blu-Ray

A high-school student is found dead near a tunnel, and a savvy loner takes it upon himself to do some sleuthing.

Though not apparent to me at first glance, this is the same plotline as The Maltese Falcon reinterpreted in a modern LA surbubia. The change in scenery comes with a change in lingo and a different approach to the social structure the characters exist in, and the result comes off as quirky and cool. When it first came out, I just saw it as a kind of offbeat indie flick--who would have thought this Rian Johnson guy would go anywhere?

The film runs rather slowly, with a fair amount of quietness, but there are interesting things that keep it unique. I kind of like the weird way some scenes are staged, like when Brandon grabs a guy's straw to get his attention, or how he just stands there when a car drives towards him and we see his hand come within inches of its passing door. The whole feature is washed in a cool blue hue, which certainly offsets the sunshine that should be present in most scenes. The script is full of interesting idiosyncrasies, and the cast is decent. Certainly one of the more interesting mystery films of the 00s, and perhaps a fair precursor to Knives Out.

8/10

-----------------------------------

Cases Closed: 14

[Show spoiler]11/02: Killer's Kiss 8/10
* 11/05: High Sierra 8/10
11/11: Raging Bull 8/10
* 11/11: Nighthawks 7/10
* 11/11: Angels With Dirty Faces 8/10
11/11: Branded to Kill 9/10
* 11/15: House of Games 8/10
11/15: Wild Things 8/10
* 11/17: The Grifters 7/10
11/18: Lost Highway 8/10
11/19: Mulholland Drive 10/10
11/22: Taxi Driver 10/10
11/23: The Usual Suspects 8/10

11/24: Brick 8/10

DA Challenge: 13

[Show spoiler]Angels With Dirty Faces
Branded to Kill
Brick
The Grifters
High Sierra
Killer's Kiss
Lost Highway
Mulholland Drive
Nighthawks
Raging Bull
Taxi Driver
The Usual Suspects
Wild Things

* = First time to the crime scene
Purple = The bright neon lights of 4K

[lemonski]

Case C:
Carancho (2010)
Ricardo Darín, Martina Gusman
Dir: Pablo Trapero

Neo-noir this time - a gritty, sometimes harrowing and hard to watch thriller, set in Buenos Aires in the world of ambulance chasing insurance fraudsters. Sosa (Darín) is a struck-off lawyer working for a company of low-lifes who clip the ticket on the insurance claims of car accident victims; at the scene of a faked hit and run he meets Luján (Gusman), a drug-addicted paramedic doctor. Darín and Gusman are terrific, they bring a quiet tenderness to the relationship between these two fundamentally broken people. The rest of the film will make you feel like you've spent 2 days in ER.

[bonehica]

Watched



Case Files:

#:
A: Address Unknown - 1944 (Menzies)
B: (A) Bullet is Waiting - 1954 (Farrow)
C: Crossfire - 1947 (Dmytryk)
D: Dark Passage - 1947 (Daves)
E: Elevator to the Gallows - 1958 (Malle)
F: Force of Evil - 1948 (Polonsky)
G: The Glass Key - 1942 (Heisler)
H: The Hitch-Hiker - 1953 (Lupino)
I: In a Lonely Place - 1950 (Ray)
J: Johnny O'Clock - 1947 (Rossen)
K: The Killing - 1956 (Kubrick)
L: Laura - 1944 (Premminger)
M: Ministry of Fear - 1944 (Lang)
N: Nightmare Alley - 1947 (Goulding)
O: On Dangerous Ground - 1951 (Ray)
P: Pitfall - 1948 (De Toth)
Q:
R:
S: Scarlet Street - 1945 (Lang)
T:
U:
V:
W: Where the Sidewalk Ends - 1950 (Premminger)
X:
Y:
Z:

[kingdoxie]

Conflict.jpg

Conflict ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bogart plays against type as a man that murders his wife because he covets his wife's much younger sister. Sidney Greenstreet also plays against type as a friend of the family/psychiatrist that suspects foul play when Bogart slips up with one little detail; a complicated plot to expose Bogart ensues.

[Al_The_Strange]

Fight Club (1999)
Blu-Ray



Sorry chumps, I do not talk about Fight Club. Them's the first two rules.

10/10

-----------------------------------

Cases Closed: 15

[Show spoiler]11/02: Killer's Kiss 8/10
* 11/05: High Sierra 8/10
11/11: Raging Bull 8/10
* 11/11: Nighthawks 7/10
* 11/11: Angels With Dirty Faces 8/10
11/11: Branded to Kill 9/10
* 11/15: House of Games 8/10
11/15: Wild Things 8/10
* 11/17: The Grifters 7/10
11/18: Lost Highway 8/10
11/19: Mulholland Drive 10/10
11/22: Taxi Driver 10/10
11/23: The Usual Suspects 8/10
11/24: Brick 8/10

11/25: Fight Club 10/10

DA Challenge: 14

[Show spoiler]Angels With Dirty Faces
Branded to Kill
Brick
Fight Club
The Grifters
High Sierra
Killer's Kiss
Lost Highway
Mulholland Drive
Nighthawks
Raging Bull
Taxi Driver
The Usual Suspects
Wild Things

* = First time to the crime scene
Purple = The bright neon lights of 4K

[Travis]

Blue Velvet (1986)

Lynch’s movies get better with each viewing. After watching some Twin Peaks this month, this was a perfect Neo-Noir choice.

[lemonski]

Case L:
Loophole (1954)
Barry Sullivan, Dorothy Malone, Charles McGraw
Dir: Harold D. Schuster

A sneaky heist leaves a bank teller short $49,000 in his cash drawer; accused of the theft, his life descends into a spiral as he tries to find the perpetrator. Despite being soft-boiled and not very dark, this is a pretty enjoyable film. Sullivan and Malone make for a likeable husband and wife team, and McGraw is great as an over-eager insurance investigator on their trail. It's fun to see quite a bit of 1954 Los Angeles (including a visit to the Malibu beach house featured in Kiss Me Deadly), and apart from a few plot-driven coincidences and a less than stellar ending, it's very much a worthwhile journey.

1/2

[bonehica]

Watched



Case Files:

#:
A: Address Unknown - 1944 (Menzies)
B: (A) Bullet is Waiting - 1954 (Farrow)
C: Crossfire - 1947 (Dmytryk)
D: Dark Passage - 1947 (Daves)
E: Elevator to the Gallows - 1958 (Malle)
F: Force of Evil - 1948 (Polonsky)
G: The Glass Key - 1942 (Heisler)
H: The Hitch-Hiker - 1953 (Lupino)
I: In a Lonely Place - 1950 (Ray)
J: Johnny O'Clock - 1947 (Rossen)
K: The Killing - 1956 (Kubrick)
L: Laura - 1944 (Premminger)
M: Ministry of Fear - 1944 (Lang)
N: Nightmare Alley - 1947 (Goulding)
O: On Dangerous Ground - 1951 (Ray)
P: Pitfall - 1948 (De Toth)
Q:
R:
S: Scarlet Street - 1945 (Lang)
T:
U:
V: Violent Saturday - 1955 (Fleischer)
W: Where the Sidewalk Ends - 1950 (Premminger)
X:
Y:
Z:

[odguitar]

The Unsuspected



Cool noir that blends the elements of the genre with murder mystery. Directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Claude Rains, Joan Caulfield, and Constance Bennett, this one surprised me. The mystery is fun, Claude Rains eats this role up (especially in the final scene), a d there's some stunning shots in this.

3.5/5