*** 3rd Annual HTF Noirvember Movie Challenge*** (1 Viewer)

[dana martin]

Third times a Charm!

If you survived the ***Official 24th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge 2023*** and are up for another challenge, time for more dark streets, way to much cigarette smoke, some people of questionable morals, and others in rough spots with no way out. Join the fun.


Same as last year

1. Watch as many Noir/ Western Noir/ Neo-Noir-Themed films, etc. from midnight Noirvember 1, 2023 throught the month of Noirvember 2023 (the start of the Holiday Season) (use your own time zone to set the ending time).

2. Theatrically released films and short features count as 1 point each. Running times are irrelevant.

3. Two of the films, et. al. should 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. Please specify new discoveries in your film list by making them bold, adding asterisks, different colors, etc.

4. Come here and talk about 'em. ( this is the best part )

5. There is an uber-category, the Heavy Smoker/ Femme Fatale for those who wish to put all of the rest of us to shame. This is the heavyweight division. These people, if they choose to accept the challenge, must view 24 Noir/ Western Noir/ Neo-Noir themed movies before dawn on Nov. 25th. Ten new discoveries are recommended for this one. The rest of us will bow down in awed reverence to these HTF members. The bragging rights will be awesome and long lived. What movies qualify?



Film Critic, Roger Ebert’s A Guide to Film Noir Genre

Film noir is . . .

1. A French term meaning "black film," or film of the night, inspired by the Series Noir, a line of cheap paperbacks that translated hard-boiled American crime authors and found a popular audience in France.

2. A movie which at no time misleads you into thinking there is going to be a happy ending.

3. Locations that reek of the night, of shadows, of alleys, of the back doors of fancy places, of apartment buildings with a high turnover rate, of taxi drivers and bartenders who have seen it all.

4. Cigarettes. Everybody in film noir is always smoking, as if to say, "On top of everything else, I've been assigned to get through three packs today." The best smoking movie of all time is "Out of the Past," in which Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas smoke furiously at each other. At one point, Mitchum enters a room, Douglas extends a pack and says, "Cigarette?" and Mitchum, holding up his hand, says, "Smoking."

5. Women who would just as soon kill you as love you, and vice versa.

6. For women: low necklines, floppy hats, mascara, lipstick, dressing rooms, boudoirs, calling the doorman by his first name, high heels, red dresses, elbowlength gloves, mixing drinks, having gangsters as boyfriends, having soft spots for alcoholic private eyes, wanting a lot of someone else's women, sprawling dead on the floor with every limb meticulously arranged and every hair in place.

7. For men: fedoras, suits and ties, shabby residential hotels with a neon sign blinking through the window, buying yourself a drink out of the office bottle, cars with running boards, all-night diners, protecting kids who shouldn't be playing with the big guys, being on first-name terms with homicide cops, knowing a lot of people whose descriptions end in "ies," such as bookies, newsies, junkies, alkys, jockeys and cabbies.

8. Movies either shot in black and white, or feeling like they were.

9. Relationships in which love is only the final flop card in the poker game of death.

10. The most American film genre, because no society could have created a world so filled with doom, fate, fear and betrayal, unless it were essentially naive and optimistic.

Been a great year since the last, with lots of new releases all around to discuss,

And a link http://www.filmnoirfoundation.org/home.html

For more information



HTF Threads about Film Noir

https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/film-noir-on-blu-ray.338427/

https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/10-all-time-favorite-film-noirs.376695/

https://www.hometheaterforum.com/co...oir-post-1970-on-blu-ray.376621/#post-5145692

 

[HawksFord]

1.
The Big Caper (1957) NEW — This was one of the October Noir Alley presentations. I quite liked this modest caper film with James Gregory and Rory Calhoun. Rather than focusing on the mechanics of the caper, the emphasis is on the disparate personalities in the gang, and there are some strange dynamics at work.
3.5 out of 5

 

[Malcolm R]

Are any of the Hitchcock films considered noir? I have quite a few of his on disc that I've not watched.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Are any of the Hitchcock films considered noir? I have quite a few of his on disc that I've not watched.

Yes!

 

[Michael Elliott]

The Girl in the Kremlin (1957) * 1/2

It turns out Stalin is alive and has had plastic surgery to change his appearance. Agent Steve Anderson (Lex Barker) and a woman (Zsa Zsa Gabor) go undercover to try and track him down. The woman has a twin sister in Russia that she is trying to save as well.

I'm guessing this will probably be the worse film I watch this month but I didn't hate it as much as some of the reviews on Letterboxd. I think the biggest problem is that director Russell Birdwell was just trying to get the film done on time and within budget and he didn't worry too much about anything else. For a thriller there's just no thrills, no suspense or anything else for that matter. The story itself is just way too routine and there's not a single character that's interesting.

The film is a must see, however, due to the opening ten-minutes, which are just downright bizarre. A group of women are brought into a chamber where they are pushed around. Stalin then picks one woman who will then be held down and her head shaved. This was obviously working on certain memories of WWII and the entire sequence is just bizarre.

 

[dana martin]

Are any of the Hitchcock films considered noir? I have quite a few of his on disc that I've not watched.

Absolutely, ever hear of a film named Notorious, something called Vertigo, possibly North by Northwest, maybe even The Wrong Man, and apparently it's been rumored that he filmed one in 3D!




Day 2: 2 Noirvember 2023

4. Body and Soul (Olive Films) First Time Viewing
The Enterprise Studios (Release Date Nov 9, 1947) Director: Robert Rossen, Director of Photography: James Wong Howe

5. Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (Warner Archive Collection) First Time Viewing
Bert E. Friedlob Productions (Release Date Sep 13, 1956) Director: Fritz Lang, Director of Photography: William Snyder

Damn, what a Double feature

Body and Soul
When amateur boxer Charley Davis (John Garfield) wins his first big match, he attracts the interest of small-time promoter Quinn (William Conrad). After Davis' father (Art Smith) is accidentally killed, Davis throws himself into his new career despite the protests of his mother (Anne Revere). A natural, Davis quickly climbs the boxing ladder where he eventually meets opportunistic promoter Roberts (Lloyd Gough), who introduces him to some unsavory elements.
Highest Possible Recommendation

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
Novelist Tom Garrett (Dana Andrews) and publisher Austin Spencer (Sidney Blackmer) intend to show how lawyer Roy Thompson (Philip Bourneuf) has been using circumstantial evidence in capital punishment trials. They concoct a scheme in which flimsy evidence will point to Garrett as a murder suspect, but Spencer will exonerate him at the end. Meanwhile, they keep the plan a secret from Spencer's daughter, Susan (Joan Fontaine), who is engaged to Garrett. However, the trial doesn't go as planned.
Highest Possible Recommendation

 

[HawksFord]

2.
Deception (1946) NEW — I’m surprised I haven’t seen this one before. It’s another Noir Alley presentation that I saved on the DVR. Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, and Claude Rains star in this love triangle set against the world of classical music. Davis and Rains are outstanding, but Henreid’s character could have used a bit more development. We thought the ending dragged a little but the final scene, with Davis’ at her expressive best, made it worthwhile.
****

 

[Michael Elliott]

Apology for Murder (1945) ***

Kenny Blake (Hugh Beaumont) is a reporter who falls for a woman (Ann Savage) who turns out to be married. She convinces the reporter to help murder her rich husband and after the deed things start to fall apart.

This PRC film is a rip-off of DOUBLE INDEMNITY and apparently Paramount sued them or at least threatened. I've read two different things. There's no question that this isn't in the same league as that film and there's also no question that this isn't a great film but I found it to be entertaining. At just 65-minutes there's some fun to be had here including Beaumont and Savage. I thought they were both very good in their roles and especially Savage. She gives a very similar performance here as in DETOUR and I might actually prefer her here. Charles D. Brown is also wonderful in his supporting role as the reporter's boss.

Midnight Manhunt (1945) **

One gangster (George Zucco) kills another gangsters but before the man dies he wanders off into a wax museum. Once there a reporter (Ann Savage) finds his body and wants to hide it so she can do a story but soon another reporter (WIlliam Gargan) is on location.

This Poverty Row film mixes just about every genre possible. Comedy. Reporter drama. Gangster. You've got some noir elements as well as the "old dark house" stuff. The biggest problem with the film is that it seems the screenplay was written very quickly and without too much thought on what type of film they wanted to do. It's incredibly uneven throughout and the story just never adds up to anything good. Gargan was also rather forgettable in the lead role but it was fun seeing Savage play a good girl instead of a villain. The film also features Leo Gorcey and George E. Stone.

 

[JasonRoer]

OK. So I might give this a go. I'm a bit burned out from the Horror Movie Challenge, however, I can definitely see getting in more than enough for this challenge.

I have plenty of films I'd like to re-watch in this genre, lots of Hitchcock for example, not to mention plenty of films I haven't yet had the time for.

I'm away next week on holiday, so I could likely catch a flick or two on the plane there and back, but that would be about it. I'd probably have time for a few before I leave as well. And then of course, I'd have the second half of the month to catch up.

 

[dana martin]

OK. So I might give this a go. I'm a bit burned out from the Horror Movie Challenge, however, I can definitely see getting in more than enough for this challenge.

I have plenty of films I'd like to re-watch in this genre, lots of Hitchcock for example, not to mention plenty of films I haven't yet had the time for.

I'm away next week on holiday, so I could likely catch a flick or two on the plane there and back, but that would be about it. I'd probably have time for a few before I leave as well. And then of course, I'd have the second half of the month to catch up.

I always end up taking the week of Thanksgiving for family vacation so that's why I front load

 

[JasonRoer]

My wife is visiting our daughter down in LA starting tonight. I think I'm going to do a double feature tonight of Blade Runner (my favorite movie in any genre) and Dark City Director's Cut, which I've only seen once. I loved Dark City when it originally came out and saw it a few times. I learned there was a director's cut of Dark City before its release from none other then Rufus Sewel when I ran into him at a party back in 2006. Jeez, that party was a long time ago. How time marches on, yeah?

I'm officially growing excited about Noirvember now. I'd recently wanted to watch Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049 again, as well as The Terminator (was chomping for some tech noir). I've also been itching to watch Sunset Blvd, a bunch of Hitchcock, and a bunch of Bogart flicks. So that all fits in nicely with this challenge.

Of course, I'll fill in the blanks with recommendations I find on here. Looking forward to it!

 

[compson]

Indicator Columbia Noir #5

1. Dead Reckoning, 1947*
2. Knock On Any Door, 1949*
3. Tokyo Joe, 1949*
4. Sirocco, 1951*
5. The Family Secret, 1951*
6. The Harder They Fall, 1956*

*first time viewing

Five Bogart movies and a ringer

Spoiler: Comments

In DEAD RECKONING (1947), returning army captain Bogart searches for a missing war buddy and uncovers a dark past with gamblers, a beautiful night club singer (Lizabeth Scott), and an old murder charge. Bogart narrates noir-style, amid shadows aplenty. This one’s a lot of fun.

Bogart plays a lawyer defending a young man (John Derek) accused of murder in KNOCK ON ANY DOOR (1949). In his opening statement at trial, Bogart recounts his client’s increasingly criminal past, which we see in flashback. We then see the trial through conclusion as the movie builds to a hard-hitting, if not entirely believable, climax. (The legal inaccuracies may drive lawyers in the audience to distraction.) This was director Nicholas Ray’s third movie, and it’s a social conscience picture, explicitly indicting society and surroundings for criminal behavior.

In TOKYO JOE (1949), Bogart returns to Tokyo, where he owned a gambling parlor before the war, and seeks to reclaim the now former wife he previously walked out on. He starts a cargo airline with a shady Japanese partner. Complications ensue in this low-key but engaging suspense drama.

In SIROCCO (1951), Bogart plays an American in Damascus in 1925, running guns to Syrians opposing colonial French forces in the Great Syrian Revolt. He develops a mutual attraction with the girlfriend of a French colonel (played by that well-known Frenchman by way of the Bronx, Lee J. Cobb), who, not surprisingly, takes a dim view of both Bogart’s occupation and preoccupation. The movie doesn’t take sides in the conflict between Syria and the French, and unlike in Casablanca, Bogart here really is amoral. The third act provides unusual complexity and an unexpected conclusion.

Strangely, this Bogart collection includes THE FAMILY SECRET (1951), which Bogart isn’t in. It’s a good movie, though. John Derek plays a young man who lives with his parents and works in his father’s law office, and who, unseen by witnesses, kills his best friend in a fight. In a move that would result in disbarment in real life, his father (Lee J. Cobb), assisted by Derek, defends another man accused of the killing. If you can get past the implausibility of it all, the movie maintains its tension through the trial to a satisfying conclusion. It also offers a view of an earlier time, at least as portrayed in the movies: Derek sexually harasses his female assistant, the Black help pour coffee from a silver service set into fine china cups, and people smoke with abandon.

THE HARDER THEY FALL (1956), adapted from a novel by Budd Schulberg, is a roundhouse punch aimed at professional boxing. Bogart plays an out-of-work sports columnist who signs on to promote a crooked boxing club’s glass-jawed fighter. Rod Steiger owns the club and leaves the scenery chewed to pieces. There’s no finesse in this would-be knock-out punch, but it’s an enjoyable trip back in time to see Hollywood go after what was then a big business. This was Bogart’s last movie. He knew he wasn’t well but had not yet been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, which took his life a year after the movie was released.

 

[Malcolm R]

The Criminal (1960)

Immediately after being paroled from his latest sentence, career criminal Johnny Bannion organizes a heist of a local racetrack. However, he's double-crossed and ends up back in the big house, but not before he hides the cash. Lots of folks are pretty interested in the cash and will try many ways to try and get the information out of Johnny, including kidnapping his best girl.

Reportedly banned in a number of countries for its violence, which I found pretty tame by modern standards, the film held my interest but seemed relatively simplistic in plot. Assuming there's a grain of truth in the script, it's a pretty interesting portrayal of interpersonal relationships inside a prison between the inmates, the guards, and the administrators, all seemingly with different/shifting loyalties. (Kino Blu-Ray)

 

[Suzanne.S]

I'm going to get started tomorrow. The Arkadin, our local microcinema is doing a double feature of Double Indemnity and Detour. And then the Hi-Pointe is showing Leave Her to Heaven on Sunday morning. I'm looking forward to seeing all on the big screen. So stop and say hi if you are here in St. Louis.

 

[dana martin]

Day 3: 3 Noirvember 2023

6. Flamingo Road (Warner Archive Collection) First Time Viewing
Michael Curtiz Productions (Release Date April 28, 1949) Director: Michael Curtiz, Director of Photography: Ted D. McCord

Dancer Lane Bellamy (Joan Crawford) tours with a carnival, but is deserted in Boldon City when they flee to avoid their debts. Deputy Fielding Carlisle (Zachary Scott) arrives and, secretly smitten with her, helps Lane find employment as a waitress. However, scheming Sheriff Titus Semple's (Sydney Greenstreet) ambitious plans for Fielding to become a rep in the state legislature do not include his dating an itinerant woman, so he runs her out of town. Lane seeks revenge, but at what cost?

 

[HawksFord]

3.
Casque d’or (1952) NEW — Is it noir? It was on Noir Alley last month, so I’m counting it. This French film is set in Paris around 1900. An ex-con, now carpenter, gets pulled back into the criminal world because of a woman (Simone Signoret). The criminal gang has their own peculiar code of honor which plays into the events of the story. The ending is very powerful.

 

[JasonRoer]

I was on call for a while yesterday, so I managed to catch a couple films prior to my late-night double feature. I'm on a call for a while today as well, so I'm sure I'll see a few more.

1. Midnight Manhunt - 2.5 out of 5, new
Reading through the thread, I saw this and Strangers in the Night and figured since I'd never seen either, I'd give them a go. For Midnight Manhunt, I agree with Michael regarding the genre mash-up. It was one of the draws for me to watch it in the first place. I was curious to see how it all fit together. Well, it wasn't terrible, though I won't be re-watching this one. The humor worked for the most part. But it was a kitchen sink film that only cleaned a few dishes.

2. Strangers in the Night 3.5 out of 5 , new
This was fantastic. I enjoyed the performances and the overall atmosphere of the film. Virginia Grey was easy on the eyes, and she played the role very well as a female doctor in a time when that was more than a little irregular. I enjoyed the plot, though I worked it out rather quickly. Still, it was briskly paced and just well done all around the board. I will absolutely give this one a go again. I had to watch it on my laptop, so I'd like to see it in my home theater someday.

3. Blade Runner - 5 out of 5
As noted in a previous post, this is my favorite film. It isn't just because of the story, which I love, but additionally it's for the rich details embedded in nearly every frame. It's cinematic perfection for me. I have watched the film countless times and will still see something new in the background from time to time. The score by Vangelis is mesmerizing, and I often play it while writing patient notes. I even have the actual album (remember those giant platters?).

4. Dark City Director's Cut - 4.5 out of 5
The overall concept grabbed me right away, although I thought the narration at the very beginning in the theatrical release was simply ridiculous - giving away the entire mystery in the first minute of a movie is flat out stupid. Thankfully that was removed for the director's cut, and it's this version of the film that MUST be seen by those who have never watched the movie. The story involves a man waking up in a bathtub with no memory of who or where he is. He stumbles out of the bathtub and looks around the room to find clues as to what is happening to him and who he might be. This is the first mystery of the film. The second mystery is what is happening to his world, and who the people drained of color in their skin truly are.

The moody atmosphere and driving score really add so much to this film and are perfectly suited. I loved Roger Ebert's commentary track on the original disc and have listened to it multiple times. I enjoyed his perspective on the movie. As noted in a previous post, I met Rufus Sewel at a party many years ago. Nice fella. I told him how much I loved Dark City, and we have a lovely conversation about this film.

 

[HawksFord]

4.
Experiment in Terror (1962) NEW — Another Noir Alley presentation that we’ve been saving for November. I expected to like this one more than I did. It’s directed by Blake Edwards, stars Lee Remick and Glenn Ford, and is based on a novel by The Gordons. While it had some nice moments and some great shots of San Francisco, the pacing felt off to me. It never had the level of tension that I wanted. My wife disagreed and give it slightly higher marks.
* * *

 

[Michael Elliott]

Side Street (1949) ***

Joe Norson (Farley Granger) has lost his business, is working part time and he has a baby on the way. With the fear of failure all over him he decides to steal a couple hundred dollars. After the theft he begins to feel bad so he wants to give it back but soon he realizes the theft was for $30k in cash and he has crossed the wrong people.

SIDE STREET is a tough little noir from director Anthony Mann and it features some wonderful cinematography by Joseph Ruttenberg. The film was shot all around New York City, which is a major plus because the large buildings just seem like an additional character that is hanging over these people as they try to stay alive.

The film opens and closes with the narrator telling us that "people can be stupid and do stupid things" and I honestly wondered if this was added to the movie after they originally screened it. I say that because the Granger characters does A LOT of stupid things here. So many that in any other film I might count it against the movie BUT... I think that was the point. This guy isn't a criminal so when he acts like one he immediately gets into danger and keeps making a bad move and making things worse.

Granger was excellent as were supporting players James Craig, Charles McGraw and Paul Kelly.

 

[Malcolm R]

Mystery Street (1950) 1/2

A rich, married man has been canoodling with a brassy blonde at a Cape Cod night club. When he tries to ghost her, she will not be ignored. Unfortunately this relentlessness becomes her undoing. The case grabs the interest of a local detective who enlists the help of a Harvard doctor to perform forensic analysis. They very nearly pin the crime on the wrong man, but after careful analysis of the evidence, and overcoming interference by a greedy, conniving landlady, they are able to achieve true justice.

What an entertaining film! Beautifully shot, tightly written, and with a couple of really wonderful performances from a young Ricardo Montalban as Detective Moralas, and Elsa Lanchester who practically steals the film as the nosy landlady, Mrs. Smerrling. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing, but sadly was apparently not a success at the box office. The description on the box calls it a CSI-noir, as it delves into early forensic procedures for crime solving to find the true perpetrator rather than simply pinning the crime on the most convenient patsy at-hand. (DVD)

Oh, and I want one of those grass skirt dancing lamps shown in the opening scenes.

 

[dana martin]

Day 4: 4 Noirvember 2023

Triple Threat - Noir + Color + CinemaScope

7. Violent Saturday (Twilight Time) First Time Viewing
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp. (Release Date Apr 1955) Director: Richard Fleischer, Director of Photography: Charles G. Clarke

8. The River's Edge (Twilight Time) First Time Viewing
Elmcrest Productions, Inc. (Release Date 11 Apr 1957) Director: Allan Dwan, Director of Photography: Harold Lipstein

9. Party Girl (Warner Archive Collection) First Time Viewing
Euterpe Productions, Inc. (Release Date 28 Oct 1958) Director: Nicholas Ray, Director of Photography: Robert J. Bronner

Violent Saturday
For the residents of a small mining town, the weekend begins like any other in their respective lives. Shelley Martin (Victor Mature) is a man who yearns for his son's respect. Boyd Fairchild (Richard Egan), a cuckold, still loves his wife. Bank manager Harry Reeves (Tommy Noonan) is a voyeur, while librarian Elsie Braden (Sylvia Sidney) is a thief. But when a gang of criminals led by the vicious Harper (Stephen McNally) holds up the town's bank, all of their lives change dramatically.

While onscreen all of your attention is focused on Lee Marvin's character working in perfect A hole mode, ruthless, and in another bit part is Earnest Borgnine as an Amish Farmer opposed to violence, to the point of not taking up arms to protect his family, but the showdown is at the farm where the finale takes place. Fleisher does a good job of ratching up the tension while filling in side stories in the film, it breezes by in 90 min, Clarke's images are georgous to look at.
Highly Recommended

The River's Edge
Former hunting guide Ben Cameron (Anthony Quinn), now a rancher, struggles with his new profession and with keeping his feisty younger wife, ex-convict Meg (Debra Paget), distracted. Frustrated by the difficulties of ranch life, Meg quarrels constantly with Ben. When Meg's former criminal partner, Nardo Denning (Ray Milland) -- who turned her in to avoid arrest -- shows up at the ranch, Ben unknowingly allows the pair to go off, sparking a series of threatening events.

Another Color Scope 20th Century Fox, go at Color Noir. Debra is easy on the eyes, but is still drawn to Milland's character, till realicing how much he has changed. Cameron is backed in a corner to help the two, but for a price, and that price keeps going up as the film progresses. there were locations in this i belive that my have been used in Inferno with Robert Ryan, but i could be wrong,Dwan does a better at bringing this closer to what one considers the noir elements. But the showdowns between Quinn and Milland are worth the price of admission.
Highly Reccomended

Party Girl
Deft lawyer Thomas Farrell (Robert Taylor) has found himself a role successfully defending the crooked goons of crime boss Rico Angelo (Lee J. Cobb). When Thomas meets glamorous dancer Vicki Gaye (Cyd Charisse), he falls in love with her. Vicki makes Thomas realize that he should stop representing criminals, and he tries to break ties with Angelo. However, the mobster will not let Thomas free and kidnaps Vicki in order to keep the lawyer in his employ.

MGM rounds out the scope persentations, Director Ray takes a period piece and sprinkles noir elements along the way, along with shocasing a few dance numbers from Cyd Charisse. Cobb's (Rico) behaves a lot like De Niro's Capone in The Untouchables. John Ireland also shines as one of the henchmen who starts this yarn off, no real shadows, bright and colorfull during Prohibition in the United States in Chicago, WAC disc is gorgeous.
Highly Reccomended