Film Noir Tournament (1 Viewer)

[SteveGon]

List updated. We're up to 25.
I guess I'm the only one that's seen T-Men and Raw Deal? After Dark My Sweet? :frowning:

 

[Elizabeth S]

I'll nominate "After Dark My Sweet".

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Rob, Notorious had already been nominated but I threw it out. Seems more like an espionage flick than a noir. Don't know about Rebecca. I think I'll keep it in for some variation.

Steve, it's your tourney and I will not have a problem with whatever your decision is!
However, for purposes of discussion, I would point out that the filmsite.org website, discussing "noir" films, lists both Notorious and Rebecca under the definition of "Menaced-Women Noirs" (click here for more info).
I agree that neither of them are your "typical" film noir films, but they do have many of the traits associated with "film noir".

 

[SteveGon]

Rob, I realize that. I elected to keep Rebecca for the sake of variety, but I'd like to stick primarily with the films that really define noir. As with Key Largo, I may stick Notorious back in if we have a problem reaching 32.
Any opinion on the validity of Se7en, The Usual Suspects, and The Spanish Prisoner? I'm still mulling over those...

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Any opinion on the validity of Se7en, The Usual Suspects, and The Spanish Prisoner?

I would say no to Se7en, but wouldn't have a problem with The Usual Suspects.

:b re The Spanish Prisoner.

 

[Ric Bagoly]

Nominate-
Reservoir Dogs

 

[Justin Doring]

For the record, while not a film noir proper, I would say that The Big Lebowski is certainly a film noir of sorts, as the homages to that genre are unmistakable. Its inclusion in this tournament would be quite welcome, in my opinion, for the sake of diversity. Of course this is not my tournament so I can only offer my opinion, but having a broader definition of what constitutes the genre is not necessarily a bad thing. If one wanted to be a literal purist, only black and white films would be eligible. Of course this misses the point of what most of film noir is in my opinion.

 

[Henry Gale]

Nominate:
Deadly Is the Female (1949) a.k.a. Gun Crazy

I guess I'm the only one that's seen T-Men and Raw Deal?

I've seen 'em, I own 'em, and I'd be glad to second them. Or is it nominate them?

 

[Jim_K]

Since you're going for hard-line pure Noir you shouldn't include these.
I noticed my previous nom (Shadow of a Doubt) got nixed. Its one of the few pure film-noirs that Hitchcock made. Needless to say I don't agree with the decision to cut it. But whatever, its your tournament.
Nominate:
The Set-up
Sorry Wrong Number
Third
Kiss of Death (1946)

 

[SteveGon]

I've seen 'em, I own 'em, and I'd be glad to second them. Or is it nominate them?

Consider them nominated. Same with After Dark My Sweet.
Jim, you convinced me. I'll put Shadow of a Doubt on the list. That's one I had to think about. I haven't seen it for awhile so I wasn't sure. Sorry, Wrong Number is another one I haven't seen in ages so I can't really make up my mind on that one. Refresh my memory?
List updated.

 

[SteveGon]

Here's an updated list of noms:
Nominations
After Dark My Sweet
Call Northside 777*
Dead Again*
Detour*
Force of Evil*
The Grifters*
Gun Crazy (1949)
High and Low
Insomnia* (1997)
The Killers (1964)
Killer's Kiss
Kiss Me Deadly
Leave Her to Heaven*
The Long Goodbye
Mildred Pierce
The Naked City*
99 River Street
Ossessione
Raw Deal
Rebecca
Red Rock West*
The Set-up
T-Men
Films marked with an asterisk have been seconded and are in need of a third.
Still thinking about Reservoir Dogs and awaiting some clarification on Sorry, Wrong Number.
Only five slots open!

 

[Bill J]

In my opinion, Reservoir Dogs doesn't fit the profile. I wouldn't really consider it dark and doesn't really contain any strong "investigative" qualities (at least in a classic sense).

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Yes, I agree with Bill re Reservoir Dogs.
(no reflection on the greatness of the movie, though!)

 

[Jeff_A]

Third: The Naked City

 

[Jim_K]

Whats to think about? Reservoir Dogs is not Noir.
Sorry Wrong Number - bed-ridden hypochondriac/heiress Barbara Stanwyck overhears a phone call plot that her weak husband Burt Lancaster plans to kill her.
Its got all the earmarks of Noir from Expressionistic lighting, moral corruption, guilt, paranoia, an atmosphere of menace, fatalistic ideology, seedy characters, etc.
trust me its as Noir as you can get.

 

[george kaplan]

Sorry Wrong Number is definitely noir.

I'm going to nominate the following films, some of which I can not believe have not yet been nominated in a noir tourney:

This Gun For Hire

The Blue Dahlia

Dark Passage

They Won't Believe Me

Dial M For Murder (although I LOVE Hitchcock, I don't consider most of his films to be film noir, but this would be an exception).

Those first two at least, should definitely be in this tournament.

 

[SteveGon]

Updated - four slots open!

Sorry, Wrong Number is on the noms list. I'll try to scrounge up a copy somewhere. Reservoir Dogs is out. I also added Dead Reckoning to the noms list - just picked up the DVD the other day. A good, but not great, noir.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Second:
Insomnia
The Long Goodby
As an aside, I would have put Rebecca in the gothic category, if I was forced to classify.

 

[SteveGon]

Okay, this seems to have slowed to a crawl. But we only need to fill four more slots so two more noms, two more seconds, and two more thirds for everyone.
I'm gonna go cry now. Once again, I bowled three crappy-ass games. Well, that 2-7-10 split I picked up was mighty impressive. Never underestimate the power of pure luck!

 

[Ric Bagoly]

Keep those nominations coming, folks!
Remember,
1) Nominate only Black And White Films (If not you'll be frowned upon)
2) DON'T Nominate anything made after 1960 (Absolute Sin)
Enjoy!