Noirvember 2022 - 30 days of film noir - Page 8 - Blu-ray Forum

odguitar · 11-26-2022, 03:36 AM

I Want to Live!

This noir feature a woman criminal front and center, and isn't afraid to get down and dirty. Susan Hayward plays Barbara Graham in the true story about a woman who is a prostitute and petty criminal who ends up being accused of murder and facing the death penalty. Hayward ended up winning the Oscar for this and I'm not surprised or upset about it. I wasn't expecting it to go all the way with the ending but boy does it, really fantastic and I'm interested in checking out more of Hayward's work.

4/5

Gwanum · 11-26-2022, 04:50 AM

Alias Nick Beal (1949)

1/2

The Crooked Way (1949)

Travis · 11-26-2022, 10:35 AM

The Big Heat (1953)

1/2

A must. Cases don’t get much better than this.

Travis · 11-26-2022, 02:44 PM

Dressed to Kill (1980)

1/2

Had it a 4/5. Moved it to 3.5/5. Maybe because I just rewatched Carrie last month. Opening scene, ending scene, and score are too familiar. Was De Palma just paying homage or tribute to Carrie?

Al_The_Strange · 11-26-2022, 03:07 PM

The Chase (1966)
Blu-Ray

A prisoner is on the loose and people in a Southern town get really freaked out by it.

I totally mixed this up with the 1946 film of the same title, which appears to be more overtly film noir. But I see a couple of sources that list the '66 film as a neo noir, so I'm adding it to the docket anyway. Will plan to see the 40s film someday though, since it sounds a bit more intriguing.

The best feature about the '66 film is its cast, which boasts the talents of Robert Redford and Jane Fonda in the midst of their respective career upswings, and a well-established Marlon Brando. The film is well-shot, well-scored, and well-written and everything. I gotta say though, I only found it interesting in bursts. Narrative momentum sputters throughout the first half, and it's probably a bit too talky at times.

All that being said, the focus on failing values and social decay are surprisingly poignant, and I have a feeling that mulling over these cynical themes might prompt re-evaluation. At fist glance, I think the film is mostly alright.

6/10

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

Cases Closed: 16

[Show spoiler]

* 11/26: The Chase (1966) 6/10

DA Challenge: 15

[Show spoiler]

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

Al_The_Strange · 11-26-2022, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis

[Show spoiler]

Dressed to Kill (1980)

1/2

Had it a 4/5. Moved it to 3.5/5. Maybe because I just rewatched Carrie last month. Opening scene, ending scene, and score are too familiar. Was De Palma just paying homage or tribute to Carrie?

My opinion on this one has gone back and forth. I wound up ordering the UHD and I plan on re-evaluating it when it comes in. I'm curious if I'll have the same impression or not.

Al_The_Strange · 11-26-2022, 05:46 PM

I feel like this is a stretch, but I see a few articles pegging this as neo-noir. I needed something for the I's. Needed something new-ish for the monthly 30-year challenge. Or heck, maybe I just got the Blu-Rays in and needed to give them a spin.

Infernal Affairs (Mou Gaan Dou) (2002)
Blu-Ray

A cop goes undercover and infiltrates the mafia, and a gang member becomes a mole in the police department.

This film didn't really jive with me the first couple of times I watched it. It starts off so weird, with the credits overlaid on top of weird CGI Buddhas and epic-sounding music. I swear it's gearing up for a grand wuxia adventure, but after a few scenes with cops in Buddhist temples, it quickly segues into the cool, blue, modern cat-and-mouse game, and remains there for the rest of the picture. While the concept of "eternal hell" is an interesting one, I still feel like there's a huge disconnect between the weird credit sequence and the rest of the movie.

The film's style would have probably seemed really hip and cool by 2002 standards--it often pushes jump cuts with flashbacks (some in black-and-white), slow-motion (some smooth, some not-so-smooth), and tons of cross-fades. I thought it was a little much at first glance, but I have to admit that it's not nearly as obnoxious as other films. I wouldn't call it smooth or subtle, but most of the movie runs on a pretty solid balance between style and substance.

And it's not exactly an action-packed movie, especially when compared to something like SPL (which, I gotta say, I think is a grade "cooler" and slicker, but probably wouldn't have existed without IA to begin with). However, IA is sustained by a healthy amount of twists and dramatic tension thanks to its intruiging premise and its focus on moral ambiguity.

Quite famously, this film was remade into The Departed, which seemed like such hot stuff in '06 and certainly had my attention back then. On a second look, it didn't really hold up for me personally. IA, however, might be growing on me with each new viewing. Will have to find time for the sequels.

7/10

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

Cases Closed: 17

[Show spoiler]

11/26: Infernal Affairs 7/10

DA Challenge: 16

[Show spoiler]

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

Al_The_Strange · 11-26-2022, 07:53 PM

Double Indemnity (1944)
UHD

Walter visits a lady's house wanting to talk to her about her ~~extended automobile warranty~~ insurance. They get the hots for each other and decide to murder her husband for that sweet double indemnity money. Boy that escalated fast, didn't it?

In the booklet for the Criterion disc, the write-up describes the film as "the Platonic ideal of the classic film noir." It's easy to see why because the film has it all: it has the morally gray protagonist, a villainous femme fatale, a diabolical murder plot, hard-edged dialogue and voice-over (courtesy of Raymond Chandler nonetheless), and cinematography that toys around with light and shadow for dramatic effects (with big emphasis on nighttime scenes). When I first started breaking into the genre, this was one of the first films I experienced (alongside with The Maltese Falcon and The Third Man), and it remains one of the most essential titles because of its concise craftmanship, sharp writing quality, and iconic elements that cement the genre's most common tropes.

It's a film worth admiring, visually and otherwise. I can't say it captivates me the whole time, but there are chunks where the tension is palpable largely because the plan is always in danger of unraveling over small slip-ups or big betrayals. The cast is generally fine, but Barbara Stanwyck is memorably salacious and devious, offering a definitive performance of a classic femme fatale. I have no gripes about Fred MacMurray though, he manages to exude some grit in his delivery. What I like about his story though, as I've observed with many of the neo-noirs I recently explored, is that he's a pretty normal guy caught up in an unusual situation that plunges him into darkness. There are no crooked cops or dastardly gangsters in the film, it's just normal people in desperation, and I think there's something relatable about that approach.

There is palpable chemistry between the leads. Something about their initial meeting is compelling, and I feel like there has to be a version of this story out there where the same scene could set up a porno. It definitely would have if the guy was a plumber or pizza delivery man--why not an insurance man? Seriously though, it's like the noir equivalent of a meet-cute, and it works subtly as the inciting incident. It's as if the film's premise is more like "man meets woman and it all goes to hell from that point on."

The only reason I don't rate the film higher is that it doesn't speak to me personally on any really deep level. For me, it's a good film, plain and simple, and I can see why it's considered one of the best classics.

8/10

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

Cases Closed: 18

[Show spoiler]

11/26: Double Indemnity 8/10

DA Challenge: 17

[Show spoiler]

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

kingdoxie · 11-26-2022, 08:13 PM

Trouble1.jpg

I Love Trouble ⭐⭐⭐

Almost a straight rip-off of Murder, My Sweet.

u2popmofo · 11-27-2022, 01:47 AM

Night Moves

The Maltese Falcon

Gwanum · 11-27-2022, 06:06 AM

Double Indemnity (1944)

Shakedown (1950)

lemonski · 11-27-2022, 08:51 AM

Case M:
The Maltese Falcon (1931)
Ricardo Cortez, Bebe Daniels, Una Merkel
Dir: Roy Del Ruth

It's difficult to judge this film fairly in the shadow of John Huston's magnificent 1941 remake, but this pre-code version of Dashiell Hammett's novel is very entertaining in it's own right. It's much lighter in tone than the 1941 film, the humour less cynical, and is most definitely racier. Bebe Daniels is great as the femme fatale Ruth Wonderly (and IMO does a better job than Mary Astor), but Ricardo Cortez is a bit too much of a smug lightweight to be Sam Spade - and who can compete with Bogart? Dudley Digges and Otto Matieson are fine in the roles more famously played by Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre, but inevitably come off as off-brand products you'd pick up at the supermarket - perfectly adequate but not quite the real thing.

kingdoxie · 11-27-2022, 12:25 PM

Reckless.jpg

The Reckless Moment ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Shares the same basic premise as Mildred Pierce: a mama trying to protect her teen daughter. The daughter's broke bum 'art dealer' is a cad but she doesn't see him for what he is, mama does and tries to warn him off. That night the girl and cad have a secret meeting in the boat house and after realizing his real intentions and a short fight, he accidentally falls over a busted railing and winds up dead. Mama finds him the next morning and disposes of the body, not telling the daughter. Thinking all is clear, the family goes about it's business.

Enter James Mason, playing a small time hood/loan shark. For some reason unexplained, the cad boyfriend used the girl's racy love letters as collateral for a loan. Now Mason and his partner are going to blackmail mama for $5000 to keep silent about the love letters. Over the course of several days of mama trying to raise the money (husband is overseas on an engineering job and can't be reached) and several meetings, Mason is falling in love with her and decides to just drop the blackmail altogether. Mason's partner, silent and unseen to this point, doesn't have such a soft heart and meets mama in the boat house for a showdown. Mason finds out, shows up and a fight ensues and someone else winds up dead. With about two minutes left in the film and knowing the Hays Code, I'm wondering how all this is going to get wrapped up...but in true film noir fashion it does.

Al_The_Strange · 11-27-2022, 05:03 PM

Private Property (1960)
Blu-Ray

A pair of poor, violent hoodlums wander into the rich neighborhoods of California, where they squat in a home and secretly conspire to seduce the lady next door.

The film is pretty messed-up--its premise is the kind of fundamental transgression that makes A Clockwork Orange, Last House on the Left, or I Spit On Your Grave so sordid. Unlike those films, however, PP keeps things rather tame, opting to threaten violence and violation without having to show it in graphic detail. This is likely by necessity, because I imagine the same story released in the 80s or 00s wouldn't hold back. There is a certain class to PP, because in the same vein as Hitchcock's Psycho, the black-and-white photography and cinematic style goes a long way to mask the budgetary constraints and the poignant subject matter.

This film straddles a fine line in its pathos with its focus on the two scumbag protagonists. It helps a lot that Corey Allen and Warren Oates deliver believable performances that emphasize the common hungers and struggles of low-class individuals. They also share a comaraderie that feels like a variation of George and Lennie from Of Mice and Men. However, we are often reminded that these men are dangerous, so the picture remains consistently tense.

This is a re-evaluation for me since I wasn't sure if this clicked or not the first time around. The film's definitely a keeper though, if for no other reason than its history--unable to find proper distribution, the film was largely unseen in the US and was considered "lost" for 30 years. It is films like this that makes me feel gratified to be a Blu-Ray collector, because it is a fascinating hidden gem.

8/10

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

Cases Closed: 19

[Show spoiler]

11/27: Private Property (1960) 8/10

DA Challenge: 18

[Show spoiler]

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

kingdoxie · 11-27-2022, 08:22 PM

Deep Cover ⭐⭐⭐⭐

odguitar · 11-28-2022, 12:41 AM

Kiss Me Deadly

What a fascinating film. A private investigator gets wrapped up in this insane mystery after picking up a female hitchhiker. I was not expecting the ending going that far, but it really landed with me, especially for a 50s movie. You can see the influence this had on both the French New Wave and several iconic films with an object not to be toyed with (Pulp Fiction's breifcase and Repo Man's Chevy Malibu spring to mind immediately).

4.5/5

odguitar · 11-28-2022, 12:44 AM

The Hitch-Hiker

I guess I had a thing for hitch-hiker's recently, huh? This is an incredible noir, very short but very sweet. The acting triumvirate that anchors the film is fantastic here, especially the titular hitch-hiker William Talman. Ida Lupino's direction is truly special, I wish she had worked in a studio system that would've allowed her to do more work because the handful she was able to do are breathtakingly well done.

4/5

u2popmofo · 11-28-2022, 01:51 AM

Murder, My Sweet

Miller's Crossing

Gwanum · 11-28-2022, 04:00 AM

Road House (1948)

Al_The_Strange · 11-28-2022, 07:10 PM

~~King of Comedy II: Revenge of the Taxi Driver (2019)~~

Joker (2019)
UHD

Arthur Fleck is a struggling clown who aspires to be a stand-up comedian. Living with his mother in a crummy apartment in the trash-ridden hoods of Gotham City, Arthur descends into madness as he constantly faces rejection, cruelty, and alienation. Disillusionment eventually compels him to murder, lead an uprising, and rise as one of the city's most notorious villains. OR IS IT?!

Some comic-book properties lend themselves to the noir genre with surprising ease. Given its roots in 40s pulp comics, Batman stuff often times dips into the noir aesthetic, usually for looks, but after all these decades the property has divulged into so many directions and interpretations that a neo-noir approach was probably inevitable (and we have that with '22's The Batman, which I might watch later). 2019's Joker seemed to fly in from the left field though, just a few years after the Justice League disaster and around the same time Marvel wrapped up Phase Three, and it just seemed highly unorthodox to present a villain's origin story with zero focus on blockbuster spectacle and action. Disconnected from the DCEU and with no immediate plans for sequels, Joker seems to exist for its own sake (at least for now--I just learned that a sequel might be in the works and this might start off a DC Black universe--but how cool would it be if we wind up with a bunch more prestige-level neo-noirs out of this?). Despite the film's provocative and controversial subject matter, it is ultimately a refreshing break from a market over-saturated with superheroes.

I wouldn't blame anybody for accusing Joker of being a knock-off though--it very blatantly wears its influences on its sleeves, riffing off of the broad story strokes of Scorsese's The King of Comedy and Taxi Driver. The latter probably speaks to me the most--there is something gut-wrenching about the scuzzy street scenes and the way Gotham is shown as a cruel, heartless society. What keeps me continuously invested is the focus on character, and the focus is quite pointed throughout the film. It makes for an often somber experience, and I think the film does a first-rate job of eliciting sympathy for the character.

The film is one of the slickest I've seen in the last few years--the photography is first-rate, remarkably vivid and sharp. The editing is concise. The whole film presents itself so well, I wouldn't blame anybody for calling it Oscar bait either. Joaquin Phoenix deserved Best Actor imo--I could call it a performance of a lifetime, but it seems like all this guy's performances are performances of a lifetime--he set the bar high and cleared it anyway, and it's quite amazing. The supporting cast is solid too. The film's script is pretty pointed, but still retains a level of character to make it work. Hildur Guðnadóttir's score, mostly strings and ominous percussion, is fittingly gloomy and emotional.

Given all these elements and the type of storytelling it is, I find myself viewing it as its own thing rather than as a comic-book movie. The Joker becoming Batman's ultimate nemesis rarely comes to mind while watching this, because for 99% of it I'm just invested in the character's transformation in a seemingly realistic world. It's also rather impressive that after all previous incarnations of the character, this film manages to make the Joker even more iconic and culturally relevant. I don't even know which one I'd call better, Joaquin or Heath Ledger, they're both scary AF.

9/10

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

Cases Closed: 20

[Show spoiler]

11/28: Joker

DA Challenge: 19

[Show spoiler]

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

View Poll Results: Which film noir would you like to see get a UHD release next?
The Big Sleep	3	8.57%
The Maltese Falcon	6	17.14%
Out of the Past	9	25.71%
Pickup on South Street	3	8.57%
Strangers on a Train	3	8.57%
Sunset Boulevard	11	31.43%
Voters: 35. You may not vote on this poll

11-26-2022, 03:36 AM	#141
odguitar Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Jul 2015 Location:Long Island 4K collection:272 Blu-ray collection:1365 DVD collection:32	Case File I I Want to Live! This noir feature a woman criminal front and center, and isn't afraid to get down and dirty. Susan Hayward plays Barbara Graham in the true story about a woman who is a prostitute and petty criminal who ends up being accused of murder and facing the death penalty. Hayward ended up winning the Oscar for this and I'm not surprised or upset about it. I wasn't expecting it to go all the way with the ending but boy does it, really fantastic and I'm interested in checking out more of Hayward's work. 4/5

11-26-2022, 03:07 PM	#145
Al_The_Strange Blu-ray Prince Top contributor Member since:Apr 2009 Location:Out there...past them trees... Home Theater Gallery:126 4K collection:631 Blu-ray collection:4207 DVD collection:777 Digital collection:506 Blu-ray reviews: 132 Trading Score:32	The Chase (1966) Blu-Ray A prisoner is on the loose and people in a Southern town get really freaked out by it. I totally mixed this up with the 1946 film of the same title, which appears to be more overtly film noir. But I see a couple of sources that list the '66 film as a neo noir, so I'm adding it to the docket anyway. Will plan to see the 40s film someday though, since it sounds a bit more intriguing. The best feature about the '66 film is its cast, which boasts the talents of Robert Redford and Jane Fonda in the midst of their respective career upswings, and a well-established Marlon Brando. The film is well-shot, well-scored, and well-written and everything. I gotta say though, I only found it interesting in bursts. Narrative momentum sputters throughout the first half, and it's probably a bit too talky at times. All that being said, the focus on failing values and social decay are surprisingly poignant, and I have a feeling that mulling over these cynical themes might prompt re-evaluation. At fist glance, I think the film is mostly alright. 6/10 ----------------------------------- Cases Closed: 16 [Show spoiler] * 11/26: The Chase (1966) 6/10 DA Challenge: 15 [Show spoiler] * = First time to the crime scene Purple = The bright neon lights of 4K Last edited by Al_The_Strange; 11-26-2022 at 05:51 PM.

11-26-2022, 05:46 PM	#147
Al_The_Strange Blu-ray Prince Top contributor Member since:Apr 2009 Location:Out there...past them trees... Home Theater Gallery:126 4K collection:631 Blu-ray collection:4207 DVD collection:777 Digital collection:506 Blu-ray reviews: 132 Trading Score:32	I feel like this is a stretch, but I see a few articles pegging this as neo-noir. I needed something for the I's. Needed something new-ish for the monthly 30-year challenge. Or heck, maybe I just got the Blu-Rays in and needed to give them a spin. Infernal Affairs (Mou Gaan Dou) (2002) Blu-Ray A cop goes undercover and infiltrates the mafia, and a gang member becomes a mole in the police department. This film didn't really jive with me the first couple of times I watched it. It starts off so weird, with the credits overlaid on top of weird CGI Buddhas and epic-sounding music. I swear it's gearing up for a grand wuxia adventure, but after a few scenes with cops in Buddhist temples, it quickly segues into the cool, blue, modern cat-and-mouse game, and remains there for the rest of the picture. While the concept of "eternal hell" is an interesting one, I still feel like there's a huge disconnect between the weird credit sequence and the rest of the movie. The film's style would have probably seemed really hip and cool by 2002 standards--it often pushes jump cuts with flashbacks (some in black-and-white), slow-motion (some smooth, some not-so-smooth), and tons of cross-fades. I thought it was a little much at first glance, but I have to admit that it's not nearly as obnoxious as other films. I wouldn't call it smooth or subtle, but most of the movie runs on a pretty solid balance between style and substance. And it's not exactly an action-packed movie, especially when compared to something like SPL (which, I gotta say, I think is a grade "cooler" and slicker, but probably wouldn't have existed without IA to begin with). However, IA is sustained by a healthy amount of twists and dramatic tension thanks to its intruiging premise and its focus on moral ambiguity. Quite famously, this film was remade into The Departed, which seemed like such hot stuff in '06 and certainly had my attention back then. On a second look, it didn't really hold up for me personally. IA, however, might be growing on me with each new viewing. Will have to find time for the sequels. 7/10 ----------------------------------- Cases Closed: 17 [Show spoiler] 11/26: Infernal Affairs 7/10 DA Challenge: 16 [Show spoiler] * = First time to the crime scene Purple = The bright neon lights of 4K Last edited by Al_The_Strange; 11-26-2022 at 05:51 PM.

11-26-2022, 07:53 PM	#148
Al_The_Strange Blu-ray Prince Top contributor Member since:Apr 2009 Location:Out there...past them trees... Home Theater Gallery:126 4K collection:631 Blu-ray collection:4207 DVD collection:777 Digital collection:506 Blu-ray reviews: 132 Trading Score:32	Double Indemnity (1944) UHD Walter visits a lady's house wanting to talk to her about her ~~extended automobile warranty~~ insurance. They get the hots for each other and decide to murder her husband for that sweet double indemnity money. Boy that escalated fast, didn't it? In the booklet for the Criterion disc, the write-up describes the film as "the Platonic ideal of the classic film noir." It's easy to see why because the film has it all: it has the morally gray protagonist, a villainous femme fatale, a diabolical murder plot, hard-edged dialogue and voice-over (courtesy of Raymond Chandler nonetheless), and cinematography that toys around with light and shadow for dramatic effects (with big emphasis on nighttime scenes). When I first started breaking into the genre, this was one of the first films I experienced (alongside with The Maltese Falcon and The Third Man), and it remains one of the most essential titles because of its concise craftmanship, sharp writing quality, and iconic elements that cement the genre's most common tropes. It's a film worth admiring, visually and otherwise. I can't say it captivates me the whole time, but there are chunks where the tension is palpable largely because the plan is always in danger of unraveling over small slip-ups or big betrayals. The cast is generally fine, but Barbara Stanwyck is memorably salacious and devious, offering a definitive performance of a classic femme fatale. I have no gripes about Fred MacMurray though, he manages to exude some grit in his delivery. What I like about his story though, as I've observed with many of the neo-noirs I recently explored, is that he's a pretty normal guy caught up in an unusual situation that plunges him into darkness. There are no crooked cops or dastardly gangsters in the film, it's just normal people in desperation, and I think there's something relatable about that approach. There is palpable chemistry between the leads. Something about their initial meeting is compelling, and I feel like there has to be a version of this story out there where the same scene could set up a porno. It definitely would have if the guy was a plumber or pizza delivery man--why not an insurance man? Seriously though, it's like the noir equivalent of a meet-cute, and it works subtly as the inciting incident. It's as if the film's premise is more like "man meets woman and it all goes to hell from that point on." The only reason I don't rate the film higher is that it doesn't speak to me personally on any really deep level. For me, it's a good film, plain and simple, and I can see why it's considered one of the best classics. 8/10 ----------------------------------- Cases Closed: 18 [Show spoiler] 11/26: Double Indemnity 8/10 DA Challenge: 17 [Show spoiler] * = First time to the crime scene Purple = The bright neon lights of 4K Last edited by Al_The_Strange; 11-26-2022 at 07:58 PM.

11-26-2022, 04:50 AM	#142
Gwanum Member Member since:Aug 2021	Alias Nick Beal (1949) 1/2 The Crooked Way (1949)

11-26-2022, 10:35 AM	#143
Travis Blu-ray King Top contributor Member since:Nov 2008 Location:On the sofa Home Theater Gallery:33 4K collection:80 Blu-ray collection:1990 DVD collection:251 iTunes collection:7 Blu-ray reviews:4 Trading Score:14	The Big Heat (1953) 1/2 A must. Cases don’t get much better than this.

11-26-2022, 02:44 PM	#144
Travis Blu-ray King Top contributor Member since:Nov 2008 Location:On the sofa Home Theater Gallery:33 4K collection:80 Blu-ray collection:1990 DVD collection:251 iTunes collection:7 Blu-ray reviews:4 Trading Score:14	Dressed to Kill (1980) 1/2 Had it a 4/5. Moved it to 3.5/5. Maybe because I just rewatched Carrie last month. Opening scene, ending scene, and score are too familiar. Was De Palma just paying homage or tribute to Carrie?

11-26-2022, 08:13 PM	#149
kingdoxie Blu-ray Champion Top contributor Member since:Jul 2015 Location:99 River Street 4K collection:339 Blu-ray collection:1558 DVD collection:39 Blu-ray reviews: 35 Trading Score:3	Trouble1.jpg I Love Trouble ⭐⭐⭐ Almost a straight rip-off of Murder, My Sweet.

11-27-2022, 01:47 AM	#150
u2popmofo Special Member Member since:Jul 2018 Location:Utah 4K collection:195 Blu-ray collection:890 DVD collection:40 Trading Score:1	Night Moves The Maltese Falcon

11-27-2022, 06:06 AM	#151
Gwanum Member Member since:Aug 2021	Double Indemnity (1944) Shakedown (1950)

11-27-2022, 08:51 AM	#152
lemonski Blu-ray Guru Top contributor Member since:Sep 2007 4K collection:175 Blu-ray collection:2218 Trading Score:5	Case M: The Maltese Falcon (1931) Ricardo Cortez, Bebe Daniels, Una Merkel Dir: Roy Del Ruth It's difficult to judge this film fairly in the shadow of John Huston's magnificent 1941 remake, but this pre-code version of Dashiell Hammett's novel is very entertaining in it's own right. It's much lighter in tone than the 1941 film, the humour less cynical, and is most definitely racier. Bebe Daniels is great as the femme fatale Ruth Wonderly (and IMO does a better job than Mary Astor), but Ricardo Cortez is a bit too much of a smug lightweight to be Sam Spade - and who can compete with Bogart? Dudley Digges and Otto Matieson are fine in the roles more famously played by Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre, but inevitably come off as off-brand products you'd pick up at the supermarket - perfectly adequate but not quite the real thing.

11-27-2022, 12:25 PM	#153
kingdoxie Blu-ray Champion Top contributor Member since:Jul 2015 Location:99 River Street 4K collection:339 Blu-ray collection:1558 DVD collection:39 Blu-ray reviews: 35 Trading Score:3	Reckless.jpg The Reckless Moment ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Shares the same basic premise as Mildred Pierce: a mama trying to protect her teen daughter. The daughter's broke bum 'art dealer' is a cad but she doesn't see him for what he is, mama does and tries to warn him off. That night the girl and cad have a secret meeting in the boat house and after realizing his real intentions and a short fight, he accidentally falls over a busted railing and winds up dead. Mama finds him the next morning and disposes of the body, not telling the daughter. Thinking all is clear, the family goes about it's business. Enter James Mason, playing a small time hood/loan shark. For some reason unexplained, the cad boyfriend used the girl's racy love letters as collateral for a loan. Now Mason and his partner are going to blackmail mama for $5000 to keep silent about the love letters. Over the course of several days of mama trying to raise the money (husband is overseas on an engineering job and can't be reached) and several meetings, Mason is falling in love with her and decides to just drop the blackmail altogether. Mason's partner, silent and unseen to this point, doesn't have such a soft heart and meets mama in the boat house for a showdown. Mason finds out, shows up and a fight ensues and someone else winds up dead. With about two minutes left in the film and knowing the Hays Code, I'm wondering how all this is going to get wrapped up...but in true film noir fashion it does.

11-27-2022, 05:03 PM	#154
Al_The_Strange Blu-ray Prince Top contributor Member since:Apr 2009 Location:Out there...past them trees... Home Theater Gallery:126 4K collection:631 Blu-ray collection:4207 DVD collection:777 Digital collection:506 Blu-ray reviews: 132 Trading Score:32	Private Property (1960) Blu-Ray A pair of poor, violent hoodlums wander into the rich neighborhoods of California, where they squat in a home and secretly conspire to seduce the lady next door. The film is pretty messed-up--its premise is the kind of fundamental transgression that makes A Clockwork Orange, Last House on the Left, or I Spit On Your Grave so sordid. Unlike those films, however, PP keeps things rather tame, opting to threaten violence and violation without having to show it in graphic detail. This is likely by necessity, because I imagine the same story released in the 80s or 00s wouldn't hold back. There is a certain class to PP, because in the same vein as Hitchcock's Psycho, the black-and-white photography and cinematic style goes a long way to mask the budgetary constraints and the poignant subject matter. This film straddles a fine line in its pathos with its focus on the two scumbag protagonists. It helps a lot that Corey Allen and Warren Oates deliver believable performances that emphasize the common hungers and struggles of low-class individuals. They also share a comaraderie that feels like a variation of George and Lennie from Of Mice and Men. However, we are often reminded that these men are dangerous, so the picture remains consistently tense. This is a re-evaluation for me since I wasn't sure if this clicked or not the first time around. The film's definitely a keeper though, if for no other reason than its history--unable to find proper distribution, the film was largely unseen in the US and was considered "lost" for 30 years. It is films like this that makes me feel gratified to be a Blu-Ray collector, because it is a fascinating hidden gem. 8/10 ----------------------------------- Cases Closed: 19 [Show spoiler] 11/27: Private Property (1960) 8/10 DA Challenge: 18 [Show spoiler] * = First time to the crime scene Purple = The bright neon lights of 4K Last edited by Al_The_Strange; 11-27-2022 at 05:36 PM.

11-27-2022, 08:22 PM	#155
kingdoxie Blu-ray Champion Top contributor Member since:Jul 2015 Location:99 River Street 4K collection:339 Blu-ray collection:1558 DVD collection:39 Blu-ray reviews: 35 Trading Score:3	Neo Noir Sunday Deep Cover ⭐⭐⭐⭐

11-28-2022, 12:41 AM	#156
odguitar Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Jul 2015 Location:Long Island 4K collection:272 Blu-ray collection:1365 DVD collection:32	Case File K Kiss Me Deadly What a fascinating film. A private investigator gets wrapped up in this insane mystery after picking up a female hitchhiker. I was not expecting the ending going that far, but it really landed with me, especially for a 50s movie. You can see the influence this had on both the French New Wave and several iconic films with an object not to be toyed with (Pulp Fiction's breifcase and Repo Man's Chevy Malibu spring to mind immediately). 4.5/5

11-28-2022, 12:44 AM	#157
odguitar Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Jul 2015 Location:Long Island 4K collection:272 Blu-ray collection:1365 DVD collection:32	Case File H The Hitch-Hiker I guess I had a thing for hitch-hiker's recently, huh? This is an incredible noir, very short but very sweet. The acting triumvirate that anchors the film is fantastic here, especially the titular hitch-hiker William Talman. Ida Lupino's direction is truly special, I wish she had worked in a studio system that would've allowed her to do more work because the handful she was able to do are breathtakingly well done. 4/5

11-28-2022, 01:51 AM	#158
u2popmofo Special Member Member since:Jul 2018 Location:Utah 4K collection:195 Blu-ray collection:890 DVD collection:40 Trading Score:1	Murder, My Sweet Miller's Crossing

11-28-2022, 04:00 AM	#159
Gwanum Member Member since:Aug 2021	Road House (1948)

11-28-2022, 07:10 PM	#160
Al_The_Strange Blu-ray Prince Top contributor Member since:Apr 2009 Location:Out there...past them trees... Home Theater Gallery:126 4K collection:631 Blu-ray collection:4207 DVD collection:777 Digital collection:506 Blu-ray reviews: 132 Trading Score:32	~~King of Comedy II: Revenge of the Taxi Driver (2019)~~ Joker (2019) UHD Arthur Fleck is a struggling clown who aspires to be a stand-up comedian. Living with his mother in a crummy apartment in the trash-ridden hoods of Gotham City, Arthur descends into madness as he constantly faces rejection, cruelty, and alienation. Disillusionment eventually compels him to murder, lead an uprising, and rise as one of the city's most notorious villains. OR IS IT?! Some comic-book properties lend themselves to the noir genre with surprising ease. Given its roots in 40s pulp comics, Batman stuff often times dips into the noir aesthetic, usually for looks, but after all these decades the property has divulged into so many directions and interpretations that a neo-noir approach was probably inevitable (and we have that with '22's The Batman, which I might watch later). 2019's Joker seemed to fly in from the left field though, just a few years after the Justice League disaster and around the same time Marvel wrapped up Phase Three, and it just seemed highly unorthodox to present a villain's origin story with zero focus on blockbuster spectacle and action. Disconnected from the DCEU and with no immediate plans for sequels, Joker seems to exist for its own sake (at least for now--I just learned that a sequel might be in the works and this might start off a DC Black universe--but how cool would it be if we wind up with a bunch more prestige-level neo-noirs out of this?). Despite the film's provocative and controversial subject matter, it is ultimately a refreshing break from a market over-saturated with superheroes. I wouldn't blame anybody for accusing Joker of being a knock-off though--it very blatantly wears its influences on its sleeves, riffing off of the broad story strokes of Scorsese's The King of Comedy and Taxi Driver. The latter probably speaks to me the most--there is something gut-wrenching about the scuzzy street scenes and the way Gotham is shown as a cruel, heartless society. What keeps me continuously invested is the focus on character, and the focus is quite pointed throughout the film. It makes for an often somber experience, and I think the film does a first-rate job of eliciting sympathy for the character. The film is one of the slickest I've seen in the last few years--the photography is first-rate, remarkably vivid and sharp. The editing is concise. The whole film presents itself so well, I wouldn't blame anybody for calling it Oscar bait either. Joaquin Phoenix deserved Best Actor imo--I could call it a performance of a lifetime, but it seems like all this guy's performances are performances of a lifetime--he set the bar high and cleared it anyway, and it's quite amazing. The supporting cast is solid too. The film's script is pretty pointed, but still retains a level of character to make it work. Hildur Guðnadóttir's score, mostly strings and ominous percussion, is fittingly gloomy and emotional. Given all these elements and the type of storytelling it is, I find myself viewing it as its own thing rather than as a comic-book movie. The Joker becoming Batman's ultimate nemesis rarely comes to mind while watching this, because for 99% of it I'm just invested in the character's transformation in a seemingly realistic world. It's also rather impressive that after all previous incarnations of the character, this film manages to make the Joker even more iconic and culturally relevant. I don't even know which one I'd call better, Joaquin or Heath Ledger, they're both scary AF. 9/10 ----------------------------------- Cases Closed: 20 [Show spoiler] 11/28: Joker DA Challenge: 19 [Show spoiler] * = First time to the crime scene Purple = The bright neon lights of 4K

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Best Blu-ray Movie Deals