***Official 1st Annual HTF January Winter Crime Challenge*** (1 Viewer)

[Tim Tucker]

Sick of dancing sugarplums? Tired of interminable cheery music? Ready to start throwing nutcrackers on to the fire? Are you starting to think Scrooge was right after all? Is Pottersville starting to look like a lot more fun than Bedford Falls? Then get that saccharine taste out of your mouth with the 1st Annual (hopefully) HTF Winter Crime Challenge, and put some murder and mayhem back into your life!

Though the original scope for this challenge was to be classic film noir and gangster films (and I hope that those genres will still be strongly represented), all types of crime films are eligible: film noir, proto noir, neo noir, gangster films, detective films, caper films, police procedurals… if you can make a case for it, it’s in.

And now the rules (which should be familiar to participants of the HTF Scary Movie Challenge):

1. Watch 13 crime films before midnight on January 31, 2008 (use your own time zone to set the ending time).

2. Two of the above must be new discoveries, movies you’ve never seen before. The point of this is to see those few movies you’ve always meant to see, but never got around to. I recommend more than two, but two is the minimum to pat yourself on the head and say you completed the challenge. Please specify new discoveries in your film list by making them bold, adding asterisks, different colors, etc.

3. Come here and discuss them.

To make the Challenge a bit easier, here is a link to some extensive lists of film noir and related movies to choose from:

Film Noir: They Shot Dark Pictures, Didn’t They?

And by coincidence, TCM’s Star of the Month is James Cagney, so here’s a list of all his gangster/crime movies playing in January. All times EST.

January 2

8:00 PM Sinner’s Holiday (1930)
9:15 PM The Public Enemy (1931)
10:45 PM White Heat (1949)
1:45 AM The Roaring Twenties (1939)
3:45 AM Smart Money (1931)
5:15 AM The Doorway to Hell (1930)

January 3

9:15 AM City for Conquest (1940)

January 9

8:00 PM The Mayor of Hell (1933)
9:45 PM Each Dawn I Die (1939)
11:30 PM Angels With Dirty Faces (1938)
1:15 AM G-Men (1935)
2:45 AM Blonde Crazy (1931)
4:15 AM He Was Her Man (1934)

January 16

2:00 AM Love Me or Leave Me (1955)
4:15 AM Taxi! (1932)

January 17

6:45 AM Picture Snatcher (1933)

January 30

8:00 PM Lady Killer (1933)

 

[Tim Tucker]

First time viewing in RED.

1. The Violent Years (1956) (MST3K version)
2. Behind That Curtain (1929)
3. The Sinister Urge (1960) (MST3K version)
4. Born Reckless (1930)
5. Up the River (1930)
6. Little Caesar (1931)
7. The Public Enemy (1931)
8. M (1931)
9. The Maltese Falcon (1931)
10. The Black Camel (1931)
11. Kitten with a Whip (1964) (MST3K version)
12. Eran Trece (Charlie Chan Carries On) (1931)
13. Charlie Chan's Chance (1932) (recreation)
14. Scarface (1932)
15. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)

 

[Malcolm R]

First time viewings are BOLD.

I think I'll use letter grades this time.

1. Heist B
2. Bullets or Ballots B+
3. A Slight Case of Murder A-
4. Murder, My Sweet C+
5. Reservoir Dogs C-
6. Double Indemnity B+
7. Rush Hour 3 B
8. Shoot 'Em Up B-
9. War C+
10. Shooter A-
11. The Public Enemy (1931) B
12. The Thin Man A
13. Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) A
14. The Petrified Forest (1936) C+

 

[TravisR]

Considering I've never gotten around to watching the bulk of the Fox film noir series (yet I've owned them for years), I guess it would be a good time to get watching them.

And while I wouldn't count it as part of this challenge, Turner Classic Movies also has the Martin Scorsese-produced documentary on Val Lewton on January 14 at 8 PM.

 

[Michael Elliott]

It's funny but I've never really understood the term "film noir" but if you look at those Val Lewton films then everything that is considered "noir" can be found in them.

I got started around 1am last night and watched a "B" noir from Columbia called THE KILLER THAT STALKED NEW YORK and was really disappointed in this one. I'll post my review later though.

 

[SteveGon]

My list:

An Obsession ***1/2
Attack the Gas Station **
Autumn ***
Big Bang Love, Juvenile A ***
Cause for Alarm **1/2
Convoy Busters ***
The Depression of Detective Downs ***
Eastern Promises ***
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai ***1/2
The Limey ***1/2
Mario's Story ***
The Marquise of O ***1/2
Miami Blues ***1/2
Out of the Past ****
Rats: A Sin City Yarn ***
Sonatine ***
The State Witness ***
Stray Dog ****
Superfly ***
Suture ***
Thief ***
The Thin Man ****
The 1000 Eyes of Dr. Mabuse ***
3:10 to Yuma *1/2
To Rob a Thief ***
Wiseguys Vs. Zombies **1/2
Yo-Yo Girl Cop ***

 

[Chucky P]

First Time Viewings In BOLD

January 4
1. Zodiac (2007) (4.5/5)
January 5
2. Skidoo (1968) (2.5/5)
3. Goodfellas (1990) (5/5)
January 6
4. The Petrified Forest (1936) (4.5/5)
January 9
5. L.A. Confidential (1997) (5/5)
Janaury 17
6. The Night of the Hunter (1955)
January 19
7. The Ladykillers (2004) (3/5)
January 29
8. The Lady Vanishes (1938) (5/5)
9. Crook's Tour (1941) (3.5/5)
January 30
10. Little Caesar (1931) (4/5)
January 31
11. The Public Enemy (1931) (5/5)
12. Die 3groschenoper (AKA The Threepenny Opera) (1931) (5/5)
13. Scarface (1932) (5/5)

 

[Greg Layton]

I'm in... and coincidentally enough, we watched our first film after the ball dropped last night. I introduced Reservoir Dogs (1992) to my wife, who had seen all of the QT movies except for that one. While looking at the IMDB entry for the movie, it saddened me to realize that Mr. Blue (Eddie Bunker), Nice Guy Eddie (Chris Penn), and Joe (Lawrence Tierney) are no longer with us.

Winter Crime Challenge 2008
First-Time Viewings are in Bold

001) 01/01/2008 - Reservoir Dogs (1992) :star::star::star: 1/2
002) 01/02/2008 - Dark Passage (1947) :star::star::star:
003) 01/04/2008 - White Heat (1949) :star::star::star: 1/2
004) 01/06/2008 - The Thin Man (1934) :star::star::star:
005) 01/13/2008 - Key Largo (1948) :star::star: 1/2
006) 01/15/2008 - The Bank Dick (1940) :star::star::star: 1/2
007) 01/17/2008 - His Girl Friday (1940) :star::star::star::star:
008) 01/26/2008 - Taxi (1932) :star: 1/2

---------------
Viewing Method
DVD: 6
TV: 2
HD DVD:

 

[PatW]

January Winter Crime Challenge - 26 seen

Movies in bold - seen for the first time

1/2 Catch Me If You Can (2002) :star: :star: :star: :star:
1/3 Collateral (2004) :star: :star: :star: :star:
1/3 White Heat ( 1949) :star: :star: :star: :star:
1/4 Fargo (1996) :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:
1/6 Roaring Twenties (1939) :star: :star: :star: :star:
1/6 History of Violence (2005) :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:
1/7 City For Conquest (1940) :star: :star: :star: :star: 1/2
1/7 Eastern Promises (2007) :star: :star: :star: :star: 1/2
1/10 G-Men (1935) :star: :star: :star: :star:
1/13 Larceny Inc. (1942) :star: :star: :star: :star:
1/13 Skidoo (1968) :star:
1/14 Goodfellas (1990) :star: :star: :star: :star: 1/2
1/14 Mayor of Hell (1933) :star: :star: :star:
1/14 Each Dawn I Die (1939) :star: :star: :star: 1/2
1/15 Tequila Sunrise (1988) :star: :star: :star: 1/2
1/17 The Last Gangster (1937) :star: :star: :star: 1/2
1/18 Rebecca (1940) :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:
1/22 Johnny Eager (1942) :star: :star: :star: 1/2
1/23 Zodiac (2007) :star: :star: :star: :star: 1/2
1/23 Shadow of a Doubt (1943) :star: :star: :star: :star:
1/24 Saboteur (1942) :star: :star: :star: :star:
1/24 Marked Woman (1937) :star: :star: :star: :star:
1/25 Laura (1944) :star: :star: :star: :star: 1/2
1/26 People Against O'Hara (1951) :star: :star: :star: 1/2
1/29 Sin City (2005) :star: :star: :star: :star:
1/30 Lady Killer (1933) :star: :star: :star: 1/2

 

[SteveGon]

Rats: A Sin City Yarn (2004)

Viewed 1/1/2008 (first viewing)

A war criminal's past catches up with him in this well done, fan-made short based on a Frank Miller story.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Eastern Promises (2007)

Viewed 1/1/2008 (first viewing)

David Cronenberg's latest has a dour Russian chauffeur falling for the midwife who has damning evidence against the crime family he works for.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Yo-Yo Girl Cop (2006)

Viewed 1/1/2008 (first viewing)

A teenaged girl is forced by the cops to ferret out student terrorists at a college. Her weapon: a yo-yo!
Fun J-thriller.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:

 

[Ruz-El]

I'm in! This well be my place holder. I'll be lucky to get in 13 though, I'm trying to knock off that ford At fox set.

NOIR/CRIME CHALLENGE 2008, FIRST TIME VIEWINGS IN BLUE

01 - 01/05 - CRUISING 4/5
02 - 01/05 - THE LODGER 3.5/5
03 - 01/06 - HANGOVER SQUARE 3.5/5
04 - 01/06 - ROAD TO PERDITION 3/5
05 - 01/10 - THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES 4/5
06 - 01/10 - THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES 3.5/5
07 - 01/11 - SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE VOICE OF TERROR 3/5
08 - 01/11 - SHERLOCK HOLMES & THE SECRET WEAPON 2.5/5
09 - 01/12 - SHERLOCK HOLMES IN WASHINGTON 2.5/5
10 - 01/12 - SHERLOCK HOLMES FACES DEATH 2.5/5
11 - 01/13 - SHERLOCK HOLMES IN THE SPIDER WOMAN 3/5
12 - 01/13 - SHERLOCK HOLMES IN THE SCARLET CLAW 2.5/5
13 - 01/13 - SHERLOCK HOLMES IN THE PEARL OF DEATH 2/5
14 - 01/13 - SHERLOCK HOLMES IN THE HOUSE OF FEAR 1/5
15 - 01/13 - SHERLOCK HOLMES IN THE WOMAN IN GREEN 3/5
16 - 01/13 - SHERLOCK HOLMES IN PURSUIT TO ALGIERS 3.5/5
17 - 01/14 - SHERLOCK HOLMES IN TERROR BY NIGHT 2/5
18 - 01/14 - SHERLOCK HOLMES IN DRESSED TO KILL 2/5
19 - 01/17 - HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES 4/5
20 - 01/19 - ANATOMY OF A MURDER 3/5
21 - 01/20 - BUCKTOWN 3/5
22 - 01/20 - NIGHT AND THE CITY 3.5/5
23 - 01/20 - THE HITCH-HIKER 4/5
24 - 01/20 - EASTERN PROMISES 4/5
25 - 01/25 - PICK-UP ON SOUTH STREET 4/5
26 - 01/25 - THE NAKED KISS 4.5/5
27 - 01/26 - THE HONEYMOON KILLERS 3/5
28 - 01/26 - DISTURBIA 2/5
29 - 01/27 - CRISS CROSS 3.5/5
30 - 01/27 - FOLLOW ME QUIETLY 4/5
31 - 01/27 - RATED X 2/5
32 - 01/27 - SCARLET STREET 4/5
33 - 01/27 - BOOMERANG 4/5
34 - 01/27 - HE WALKED BY NIGHT 3.5/5
35 - 01/29 - DR. MABUSE THE GAMBLER 4/5
36 - 01/29 - DETECTIVE STORY 4/5
37 - 01/29 - KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL 4/5
38 - 01/29 - THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION - 5/5
39 - 01/30 - THE TESTAMENT OF DR. MABUSE - 5/5
40 - 01/30 - UNDYING MONSTER 2/5

 

[Michael Elliott]

01 Killer That Stalked New York, The (1950) :star::star:

B-budget noir about a female diamond smuggler (Evelyn Keyes) who is trying to sneak some priceless diamonds into NYC from Cuba. While the police are tracking her down they learn that the woman also has smallpox, which threatens the entire city. The story here is a very interesting one but sadly the film never manages to do anything with it. The film really doesn't know if it wants to settle on the diamond story or the smallpox one and the two really don't mix well together. The biggest problem is the direction, which is also all over the place. With a story like this you'd expect some sort of tension or suspense but none never happens. Keyes is pretty good in her role but the screenplay really doesn't do her any justice as our feelings for her character are never really made clear. Charles Korvin, William Bishop and Dorothy Malone round out the cast. The ending is pretty good and picks the film up a bit but that's about all there is.

 

[Greg Layton]

002) Dark Passage (1947) :star::star::star:

We watched Dark Passage for the first time tonight. It stars Humphrey Bogart as a fugitive desperately trying to clear his name and Lauren Bacall as the woman who finds him on the side of the road. Thanks to a plot twist, we don't actually see Bogart's face until past the hour mark in the movie. That first hour makes for some nifty camera work as most of the action takes place in a first-person perspective. There are a couple of memorable supporting roles, here (the restaurant owner and the cab driver,) but Bogart & Bacall's chemistry is the real story.

 

[Michael Elliott]

I liked DARK PASSAGE the first time I watched it but I tried rewatching it a few years ago and barely got through it. Ed Wood ripped the film off with JAIL BAIT, which I might try to watch this month.


Another heads up for people but TCM is showing Otto Preminger's SKIDOO Friday at 2am as part of their TCM Underground series. This film has a pretty notorious history and deals with a group of gangster taking on those hippies.

 

[PatW]

Catch Me If You Can (2002) :star: :star: :star: :star:

Very entertaining Spielberg directed crime caper based on a true story.

Young Frank Abagnale Jr. runs away from home at 16 after finding out that his parents are divorcing. Unable to choose, he begins a life of crime by forging and passing bad checks and posing as a pilot, doctor and a prosecuting attorney. He is pursued relentlessly by FBI agent Carl Hanratty. Along the way they both develop a respect for each other.

Both Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks play their respective roles superbly. DiCaprio is one of a few actors that could probably play a 12 year old let alone a 16 year old and be quite believable. He is totally believable in the role. Tom Hanks was also excellent as the relentless agent. This story in a way is laughable and incredulous if I didn't know that it was based on a true story. Fun movie.

 

[RyanAn]

Place holder

 

[PatW]

Collateral (2004) :star: :star: :star: :star:

A cab driver finds himself and his vehicle taken hostage by a hitman who was hired to eliminate 5 people before they can appear in front of the grand jury and give testimony against a drug cartel.

Tom Cruise has mostly been relegated to playing hero types or at least likable characters. He plays against type here for his character is a cold blooded killer and Tom pulls it off quite well. In fact I think I prefer him in this type of role rather than some of the others that he's done. This role is meaty and protrays a different side to his talent. Jamie Foxx was great as the cab driver who had the misforture of picking up Tom.
This is a well crafted movie that comes to a satisfying conclusion. Michael Mann never fails to disappoint.


White Heat (1949) :star: :star: :star: :star:

James Cagney plays Cody Jarrett a ruthless criminal who arranges to spend time in prison in another state for a crime he didn't commit. This way he can avoid death row. Undercover cop Hank Fallon shares a cell with Jarrett in order to find out information about a train heist and the location of the money.

This is Cagney at his best playing a role that he's familiar with. Not too many actors can play a gangster like Cagney can. Edmund O'Brien was also excellent as the undercover cop. He seemed to be able to hold his own against Cagney's scenery chewing. The rest of the supporting characters were great. This is a pretty good gangster flick.

 

[PatW]

Fargo (1996) :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:

Classic Coen brothers flick based on a true story and set in Minnesota. Everything here is perfect from the acting, soundtrack, directing and especially cinematography. The all white scene with the lone truck coming toward the camera was just awesome. The script was just brilliant. You got to know these characters, quirks and all and like them or at least some of them. This movie is on my top ten favourites of all time. Great stuff.

 

[Michael Elliott]

02 Doorway to Hell, The (1930) :star::star:1/2

Early gangster picture from Warner tells the rise and fall of Louie Ricarno (Lew Ayres) who started up a beer racket before retiring yet he gets back in after his youngest brother is killed by rival gangs. This film suffers from some technical issues like many films from this era in terms of sound recording but overall it's a pretty entertaining little film, although it's been forgotten today due to Little Caesar and The Public Enemy, which were released the following year. There's plenty of action and tough talk but Ayres is really the wrong guy for the lead. For starters, he looks like a kid so he never comes off too threatening and whenever he pushes the other gangster around it just makes them look like wimps. Ayres also comes off laughable during the scenes where he's trying to show outrage and anger. James Cagney steals the film as Ayres' sidekick and he's his typical, high energy self. Dwight Frye also has a small role here, which was the first of his career.

03 Public Enemy, The (1931) :star::star::star:1/2

James Cagney stars as a guy who grew up poor but quickly works his way up the criminal ladder. I think this is the best of all the early gangster pictures, although the film still has a few flaws. Even the flaws can't stand in the way of all the action, drama and laughs the film has going for it. I never really gave much credit to Wellman but since I've been watching countless films of his I paid closer attention to little details here that would later show up in others films of his. The way he takes the camera off the action is what really stood out and this gimmick always works for the director. It's used here when the man at the piano is shot and moving the camera off the action makes for more drama and works a lot better than if we had seen the shooting. Jean Harlow and Mae Clarke are both great in their roles but there's no denying that this is Cagney's picture from start to finish. This is certainly one of the greatest performances out there as Cagney's free and easy acting makes for a very memorable role. The way Cagney just seems to float within the scene adds to the fun. There are countless great scenes in the film including the grapefruit scene but my favorite is the one where Cagney is dressed in black walking towards the camera in the rain.

 

[John Bryant]

Placeholder!