Film noir

[srboone]

I watched Laura for the first time last night. WOW!!!! I keep thinking of the opportuntiies I've had over the last 30 years to watch it and passed...

[Theli]

I watched Laura for the first time last night. WOW!!!! I keep thinking of the opportuntiies I've had over the last 30 years to watch it and passed...

Better late than never! I'm glad you liked it. Maybe if you have the time you can join us in exploring some film noir in the future.

[bugen]

I know it's late notice, but anyone interested in some noir this evening?

[Tommy]

Possibly....

[Tommy]

Kiss Me Deadly?

[bugen]

Works for me--that's one I've been saving.

[Tommy]

I watched Laura for the first time last night. WOW!!!! I keep thinking of the opportuntiies I've had over the last 30 years to watch it and passed...

I just saw this post, I watch Laura as often as I possibly can, terrific film!

[bugen]

Kiss Me Deadly - Directed by Robert Aldrich, written by A.I. Bezzerides (screenplay), Mickey Spillane (novel)

“First you find a little thread. The little thread leads you to a string. The string leads you to a rope, and from the rope you hang by the neck.”

At the film’s opening, Mike Hammer is driving his sports car down a highway at night when he’s waylaid by an under-clothed female hitchhiker who causes him to swerve to avoid her and damages his car. As the two drive off she tries to calm her hysteria while he scowls and bawls her out. Their drive is interrupted, she's tortured to death and both are returned to his car with Mike unconscious, after which he wakes in a hospital room. Despite police warnings, Hammer can't let the situation go and starts digging into the mystery.

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This thing has badass noir written all over it--this time almost every element of the story revolves directly around the character of Mike Hammer. Played here by Ralph Meeker, the handsome investigator has women throwing themselves at him all film long while he carelessly disregards them and goes about his mission.

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And he’s an incredible fighter, often disabling foes with a single blow. When a straight up, one-shot dispatch isn’t on the menu, he’s got no problem slapping people silly ‘till he gets the information he needs.

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As the super-bad Hammer looms larger and larger over the course of the movie, growing from Private Detective to Epic Detective, the narrative itself is not to be outdone as the key to a mysterious box cries out for a lock. As the esteemed Dr. Emmett Brown might say, “when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you’re gonna see some serious shit.”

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This one somehow flew a bit under the radar for being such a spectacular film. While perhaps a bit light on that cut-‘em-up dialogue compared to other majors, our private investigator Hammer is a man’s man and as hard as the hard-boiled come.

Catapulting itself near the top of the film noir list, Kiss Me Deadly is required viewing.

“You’re never around when I need you.”
“You never need me when I’m around.”

5- stars

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[Theli]

Solid movie, it's been a while since I'd watched it. Sorry I missed out. Woulda been fun! I've read Spillane's I, The Jury, the first Hammer novel, and it was really good too. Just no nonsense double fisted crime fiction. I ended up watching Harvey, featuring James Stewart as a man whose best friend is an invisible 6'3.5" talking rabbit with my girlfriend last night. Not noir at all, but a damn good movie!

I did catch up on a movie I'd really wanted to watch recently. Hard to say if it is noir or not. The Honeymoon Killers. Surprisingly dark and gritty, yet also realistic and not overdone. I quite liked it. The cinematography and dialogue didn't strike me as film noir, but the themes definitely did.

[Tommy]

I miss noir night

[Theli]

It has been a while. Maybe we can get one together next week?

Haven't seen Andrew around lately.

[bugen]

He's still here and would love to join you guys for another noir night! Been away from the boards for a while, but looking forward to coming back!

[Theli]

Welcome back my friend!

Let's plan a night to watch something.

[Tommy]

I'm trying to think of something really good, you guys have any suggestions? Do we need to stick to noir or can we shake it up a bit? I'm fine with noir but just floating the idea....

[Theli]

I don't have a strong opinion either way. I will say I do have a large collection of film noir PVRed from TCM that I still need to watch. I also have a wide selection of horror and crime films (others too) in my collection that could use a rewatch.