So, I’m in a Noir mood again. Any recommendations for good Film-Noir movie or TV shows? Bonus points for unusual variations on it, like sci-fi Noir.
Off the top of my head, I can think of Sin City, LA Confidential, a number of Garibalid-centric episodes of Babylon 5, and “Detective Story” from The Animatrix.
You’ve probably seen Brick, right? It’s noir-ish enough, I suppose, and all the major players are in high school.
Double Indemnity or Sunset Boulevard are both the epitome of noir.
A sci-fi flick with noir style is The Day The Earth Stood Still.
TV? Veronica Mars is *Buffy *meets James M. Cain.
Otherwise, some essential Noir films are Out of the Past, Detour, Double Indemnity, Raw Deal.
Variations: Leave Her to Heaven is Technicolor Noir; Cat People is Horror Noir; Johnny Guitar is Western Noir Lesbian Opera.
I came in just to recommend Brick as an interesting modern variation of noir, but DataZak beat me to it. Let me just second that, and add a recommendation for Touch of Evil as quintessential film noir.
*Brick *is fun, but it’s faux Noir; pomo-faux Noir, in fact. It’s a joke about Noir. I say see it, but see some *real *Noir first.
I love The Maltese Falcon. It’s often argued that noir started with this one. Classic Bogart.
Just re-watched that one this week. You could go even older and start with M, if you have the stomach for a somewhat talky, subtitled movie.
Blade Runner
The Grifters
and for a fun twist watch Danny Boyle’s Millions
It is a twist because it is an extremely ‘bright’ movie. The scenes are very bright. Even those in an attic at night. It works, it really works and it is a good movie.
Dead Man Don’t Wear Plaid
Interesting list.
Would you try that one again, lissener?
John Dahl’s movies Red Rock West and The Last Seduction are good contemporary examples. I particularly recommend The Last Seduction.
I liked Polanski’s Chinatown, even with the disappointing ending. I remember seeing its sequel The Two Jakes, but don’t remember anything about it.
Here are a few more:
The Big Sleep, which has an incomprehensible plot but is a good crime movie nonetheless - with Bogart and Bacall.
The Big Heat, which made Ebert’s list of “The Great Movies,” I think. Another quintessential film noir
Kiss of Death, with Richard Widmark as the bad guy. Definite restraining-order material. David Caruso starred in the remake.
I asked this very same question once upon a time and got this list of recommendations.
I highly recommend The Big Sleep, Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, and (for a laugh) Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid.
One might suspect I’m a Bogart fan, but I deny it since I haven’t finished Sahara.
A couple of old threads [thread=388401]here[/thread] and [thread=365831]here[/thread] on film noir with a pretty comprehensive listing of noir.
Stranger
I saw a modern Hungarian film the other day which could be classed as noir . Called Kontroll it is set on the Budapest metro system and is a mixture of crime, romance and the supernatural. Very enjoyable.
**The Asphalt Jungle ** (1950; Sterling Hayden, Marilyn Monroe)
**The Sweet Smell of Success ** (1957; Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis)
I’m not certain if *The Sweet Smell of Success * is conventionally considered to be a film noir, but I think it certainly has the requisite atmosphere and soundtrack.
Avoiding the obvious choices I’ll go for:
Angel Heart - fantasy noir from a really great novel.
Lantana - Aussie crime thriller with the last twist you would ever imagine.
Gumshoe - British kind of comedy noir.
The original Cape Fear but the remake is an able substitute.
Body Heat - which has the smartest smartass script of any movie I know.
Two Hands - another Aussie job with Brian Brown and young Heath Ledger.
There are lots of recent movies that borrow many noir ideas to good effect. Things like 28 Days Later, Dog Soldiers and Children of Men