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Post by Erik Rupp on Sept 26, 2009 22:10:21 GMT -5
I'm a big fan of Film Noir, and thought I'd bring up a few titles that are among the best in the genre/movement.
The Asphalt Jungle The Big Sleep Murder, My Sweet The Third Man Raw Deal (John Alton's cinematography is phenomenal) Out of the Past Criss Cross The Dark Corner D.O.A. Double Indemnity I Wake Up Screaming Kansas City Confidential The Killing Kiss of Death Naked City Night and the City Panic in the Streets Pickup on South Street The Street With No Name T-Men This Gun For Hire Touch of Evil Where the Sidewalk Ends White Heat
There is a wide range of styles within Film Noir, and those titles reflect that.
One aspect of Film Noir that is particularly fascinating is the creative use of shadows and camera angles. Films Noir usually have a different look than other films of that era. John Alton really may have been the best of the Noir cinematographers, and the amazing thing is that he did a lot of the work (pre planning camera and lighting angles) in his head - and very quickly. He was one of the fastest cinematographers in the business, and yet his work looked meticulously done. Just watch Raw Deal and see what I mean.
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Post by Bob Forsythe on Oct 7, 2009 21:12:20 GMT -5
I'd add The Maltese Falcon and Key Largo and question including The Asphalt Jungle.
I'm not a huge fan of Film Noir. As you wrote, the cinematography was often great, but I think too often plot and story line were sacrificed in favor of camera angles and lighting to the point that directors concentrated on them while not bothering with the story line that makes a movie great.
=Bob
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Post by Erik Rupp on Oct 13, 2009 23:16:18 GMT -5
Bob, I've got to disagree with your assessments of plot/story line. The cinematography was usually great because they were hiding the low budget sets! They didn't want the movies to look cheap and distract from the story line.
I'd also recommend giving the Asphalt Jungle another view. It really is a great movie (and it gets a little better with repeated viewing).
One other thing that was fairly common (although not present in all films noir) was the self-destructive protagonist basically creating his own downfall. His own foibles would do him in. Films noir did not follow the typical convention and give the audiences happy endings. It's actually an exception when you get a truly happy ending in a film noir. And the dialogue in films noir was usually fantastic - snappy one liners, witty phrases, and great banter back and forth between the characters. Check out some of the movies I listed, there's some really good stuff there (and I HIGHLY recommend Double Indemnity - GREAT movie).
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Post by Bob Forsythe on Oct 24, 2009 22:28:43 GMT -5
Bob, I've got to disagree with your assessments of plot/story line. The cinematography was usually great because they were hiding the low budget sets! They didn't want the movies to look cheap and distract from the story line. I'd also recommend giving the Asphalt Jungle another view. It really is a great movie (and it gets a little better with repeated viewing). One other thing that was fairly common (although not present in all films noir) was the self-destructive protagonist basically creating his own downfall. His own foibles would do him in. Films noir did not follow the typical convention and give the audiences happy endings. It's actually an exception when you get a truly happy ending in a film noir. And the dialogue in films noir was usually fantastic - snappy one liners, witty phrases, and great banter back and forth between the characters. Check out some of the movies I listed, there's some really good stuff there (and I HIGHLY recommend Double Indemnity - GREAT movie). I like a lot of what John Houston did, but Asphalt Jungle is not one of my favorites. And Double Indemnity is a film that I do not consider one of Billy Wilder's best. One thing to remember about me - I was a teenager in the mid to late '60s and watched a ton of Film Noire late at night (WCBS) out of NYC would have the "Late, Late Show" that ran from Midnight to 6 am every Saturday, so I watched all those movies quite often. A lot of them bored me to death. I loved watching the Bogart movies and some others, but in general, I preferred newer stuff or films like "The Devil's Disciple", "Elmer Gantry" and war movies. Doesn't mean your love of Film Noire is wrong - just means that tastes in film differ. =Bob
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Post by Erik Rupp on Nov 4, 2009 23:38:40 GMT -5
One film noir that's really interesting is The Killing.
Stanley Kubrick edited the thing twice. First he did it his way - non linear, with flashbacks, flash forwards, and everything leading to the ending. Then at the studio's request he re-edited it as a linear time movie, but he didn't like it, so he told the studio guys that his first edit was what they were going to get and they went ahead and released it.
It's a good story, with some good acting, but the style and flair that Kubrick showed in just his second feature film was pretty impressive.
It's considered to be one of the classics of Film Noir, and with good reason.
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sean
Newbie
Posts: 16
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Post by sean on Nov 14, 2009 15:55:38 GMT -5
What is film noir?
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Post by hokeyboy on Nov 26, 2009 0:39:04 GMT -5
I'm a big fan of Film Noir, and thought I'd bring up a few titles that are among the best in the genre/movement. The Asphalt Jungle The Big Sleep Murder, My Sweet The Third Man Raw Deal (John Alton's cinematography is phenomenal) Out of the Past Criss Cross The Dark Corner D.O.A. Double Indemnity I Wake Up Screaming Kansas City Confidential The Killing Kiss of Death Naked City Night and the City Panic in the Streets Pickup on South Street The Street With No Name T-Men This Gun For Hire Touch of Evil Where the Sidewalk Ends White Heat There is a wide range of styles within Film Noir, and those titles reflect that. Can't leave out GUN CRAZY, a sick tale of noir obsession. Fritz Lang had two noir classics with Edward G. Robinson: SCARLET STREET and THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW, both are MUST SEES noirs. Anything by Jules Dassin in his prime (you mention THE NAKED CITY and NIGHT IN THE CITY, but don't forget RAFIFI and BRUTE FORCE). ACT OF VIOLENCE is also a longtime favorite. Also, I'd easily say WHITE HEAT -- while a fantastic picture -- isn't noir but really a 30s/40s Warner gangster picture.
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