Film Noir
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- DirectorJohn HustonStarsHumphrey BogartMary AstorGladys GeorgeSan Francisco private detective Sam Spade takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a gorgeous liar and their quest for a priceless statuette, with the stakes rising after his partner is murdered.Not my cup of tea
Despite its reputation, nominations and awards, this film was boring to me. And I did not like the girls either.
7/10 - DirectorBilly WilderStarsFred MacMurrayBarbara StanwyckEdward G. RobinsonA Los Angeles insurance representative lets an alluring housewife seduce him into a scheme of insurance fraud and murder that arouses the suspicion of his colleague, an insurance investigator.Overrated
This film noir is nominated for seven Oscars, considered one of the best in the genre, and even one of the best movies overall. It is undisputedly good film, but I wouldn't place it so high. The story is very good, but quite predictable, and the performances of the leading actors weren't convincing enough to me. It's like they didn't know their lines by heart, as they struggled too much. Maybe it's just me, but I simply didn't buy it. Wilder, on the other hand, nailed it as usual.
7/10 - DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsCary GrantIngrid BergmanClaude RainsThe daughter of a convicted German spy is asked by American agents to gather information on a ring of German scientists in South America. How far will she have to go to ingratiate herself with them?Mediocre Hitchcock...
6/10 - DirectorHoward HawksStarsHumphrey BogartLauren BacallJohn RidgelyPrivate detective Philip Marlowe is hired by a wealthy family. Before the complex case is over, he's seen murder, blackmail and what might be love.Nothing Special
Except for Humphrey Bogart, who expectedly nailed his role, this is just an average Film-Noir. It is considered one of the best movies of all time, but I honestly cannot understand why.
6/10 - DirectorCarol ReedStarsOrson WellesJoseph CottenAlida ValliPulp novelist Holly Martins travels to shadowy, postwar Vienna, only to find himself investigating the mysterious death of an old friend, Harry Lime.True masterpiece
From today's perspective, this story is nothing special, even though it is a bit ahead of its time. Acting, music, directing, everything's good, but not that much to put this movie in ranks with the best accomplishments of all times. What makes this movie so special is one of the most deserved Best Cinematography Academy Awards in movie history. Although this movie is from the ancient 1949, cadres, angles, the play of light and shadow are still fascinating even today. Especially at the very end of the movie where grand finale in sewers and epilogue at graveyard left me breathless. In the endless sea of Hollywood hyper-production, it is good to see such a masterpiece every now and then and remind yourself why movies are considered to be a form of art.
10/10 - DirectorJohn HustonStarsSterling HaydenLouis CalhernJean HagenA major heist goes off as planned, but then double crosses, bad luck and solid police work cause everything to unravel.I think both movies mentioned above are in fact inspired by this Huston's classic. Detailed story about planning, executing and consequences of big heist, with very realistic and believable characters and their mutual relations. Veteran actor Sam Jaffe, who's born in 19th century and started his career in 1916, is particularly prominent in role of criminal mastermind, for which he was Oscar nominated. Movie is well designed and realized, everything is in place and everything works properly, but personally I can not see what's so special about it to be considered one of the best movies of all time. I have no objections at all, but nothing has impressed me either. Great movie for Sunday afternoon, but I wouldn't watch it again I certainly disagree with the opinion that it is mandatory watch for every true movie fan.
7,5/10 - DirectorBilly WilderStarsWilliam HoldenGloria SwansonErich von StroheimA screenwriter develops a dangerous relationship with a faded film star determined to make a triumphant return."This movie deserves all the accolades it has gotten here, as well as Maltin's four stars. It certainly ranks up there as one of Hollywood's greatest achievements. Seeing it again only reinforces my opinion that William Holden was one of the truly great actors of the last century. Gloria Swanson, however, steals every scene she's in; you can't turn away from watching her, even though she makes you really uncomfortable - it's like watching a train wreck. I don't know if the black & white was an economic or an artistic choice, but the film would never have been as effective in color. The opening shot - the floating, dead body of Joe Gillis, eyes wide open, shot looking up from the bottom of the pool - is one of the great shots, and an unforgettable opener, matched perfectly by the unforgettable closing closeup of Norma Desmond. To have Cecil B. DeMille actually play himself was an inspired touch. Throw in Eric von Stroheim and you have an unbeatable combination. Truly one the all-time must-see films, although I don't know how to classify it - film noir? black comedy? Hollywood fable ? horror story? psychodrama? Who cares; just see it." - Robert D. Ruplenas
8,5/10 - DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsFarley GrangerRobert WalkerRuth RomanA psychopathic man tries to forcibly persuade a tennis star to agree to his theory that two strangers can get away with murder by submitting to his plan to kill the other's most-hated person.Hitchcock gave his best to turn this not so great story into great movie. Acting is very good, especially Robert walker who played his role to perfection. Directing is great and movie had Best Cinematography Oscar nomination. Some scenes are work of genius. Scene when Walker pops balloon with cigarette, heads turning left and right in ridiculous pace while only Walker's head is still fixating our main character, scream in the tunnel, party choking scene, those are just some of moments that will definitely carve into your memory. Perfect Hitchcock atmosphere, but although movie presents its story strongly from the beginning to the end, story itself is, in my opinion, lousy developed. Plot idea is fantastic, but in second part of the movie main characters start to draw illogical moves that are incompatible with basic plot. What looked like beginning of great mystery thriller suddenly turns into psychological drama. Unexpected and unwanted direction of story that begins to lose its meaning, but drama opens the door for actors to show their skills so great directing and acting still cover for screenplay flaws. But, in third part of the movie things go south and movie becomes crime action. It had potential to end with some awesome mindfak twist (I had few ideas), but instead we got dumb, illogical and unconvincing denouement that flushes this potential masterpiece down to mediocre crime story. Still, six would do injustice to fantastic camera, directing and first part of the movie, so I have to compromise and rate it
8/10 - DirectorCharles LaughtonStarsRobert MitchumShelley WintersLillian GishA self-proclaimed preacher marries a gullible widow whose young children are reluctant to tell him where their real dad hid the $10,000 he'd stolen in a robbery.Nice movie
I am not saying that the movie is bad. It has its qualities and it is quite watchable and somewhat enjoyable. But calling it excellent, a masterpiece and one of the best movies of all time is really terrible overprizing.
7/10 - DirectorOrson WellesStarsCharlton HestonOrson WellesJanet LeighA stark, perverse story of murder, kidnapping and police corruption in a Mexican border town.A movie that takes time to settle in your soul, but once it does you won't regret it
If I rated this movie last night, right after I saw it, I would rate it lower for sure. This is not cheap entertainment that gives you instant satisfaction. While I was watching it, it was a bit tiring and at times even boring. But today I cannot get it out of my mind. The story is well designed not to entertain, but to, using Film-Noir atmosphere, penetrate in depths of the human soul and touch its evil side. Many movies are made with this theme, but those are mostly action or thriller movies, while this one is, in my opinion, drama. I do not want to comment on Heston's performance as I don't like him too much, but Orson Welles, beside writing a great story and directing the movie in which almost every shot is work of art, did excellent job in role of aging inspector who, driven by great trauma from his past and with not a little help of alcohol, slowly moves more and more to the dark side, until he is completely lost. In main female role is beautiful Janet Leigh, whom you surely know from Hitchcock's "Psycho".
8/10 - DirectorFrank MillerQuentin TarantinoRobert RodriguezStarsMickey RourkeClive OwenBruce WillisAn exploration of the dark and miserable Basin City and three of its residents, all of whom are caught up in violent corruption."Sin City" is a neo-noir omnibus of four stories adapted from the comics of Frank Miller, directed by Rodriguez, Miller and Tarantino. Camera and directing mimic the style of comics. The film is in black-and-white technique, but some details are highlighted with bright colors (red blood, red lipstick, red dress, red sneakers, yellow monstrous blood and the like) whose contrast leaves a powerful impression and enhances the story. The cast is fantastic and packed with sexy (un)dressed beautiful women. Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, Carla Gugino, Josh Hartnett, Rutger Hauer, Michael Madsen, Frank Miller (writer, producer, director and actor in this movie), Brittany Murphy, Clive Owen, Mickey Rourke, Elijah Wood,... Such a team gathered in the same movie is quite promising. When you see Jessica Alba dancing on the stage of striptease bar you'll completely forgot about Salma Hayek's performance in "From Dusk till Dawn", and her chemistry with Bruce Willis is fascinating. An unforgettable experience that can be repeated many times. In my opinion, this is one of the greatest movies of all time.
10/10 - DirectorFrank MillerRobert RodriguezStarsMickey RourkeJessica AlbaJosh BrolinSome of Sin City's most hard-boiled citizens cross paths with a few of its more reviled inhabitants."A Dame to Kill For" is in every way a copy of "Sin City", just telling a different story. The same team is "behind the camera", and in front of it part of the actors from the first movie reprise their roles, enriched with some other big names, such as Joseph Gordon-Levitt, magnificent Eva Green, Ray Liotta i Christopher Meloni. The only disappointment is recasting of Dwight, although Josh Brolin did a very good job. I consider "Sin City" one of the greatest movies of all time, so it could be assumed that this is a ten too. But it doesn't work like that. A perfect ten, in addition to quality in all aspects, must have something of its own, characteristic, something that stands out from the mass, which will be remembered and that will resist tooth of time. This movie, however good, is a copy of the first one that does not bring anything new and, even if it does not fall into oblivion, it will be remembered as a copy. Extremely good, maybe even as good as the original, but still a copy. I think its bad ratings are not based on objective quality, but on the disappointment of the spectators who expected to be blown away in the way that the first film did. But the same people who was amazed by "Sin City" in 2005 can hardly be amazed ten years later by exactly the same things. If they came out in reverse order it is possible that the ratings would be reversed too. Personally, I think that the film is top-notch in every way, but the effect of "already seen" affects me too, so I have to distance it from the original.
8,5/10 - DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsBob HoskinsChristopher LloydJoanna CassidyWhen a cartoon rabbit is accused of murder, he enlists the help of a burnt out private investigator to prove his innocence."I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way."
The animated rabbit is accused of killing a man and he is to be punished by "deleting" sentence. His beautiful animated wife and a human private detective are trying to solve this case and save the rabbit and the whole animated world from destruction.
For me, this noir-mystery-comedy-thriller to this day remains the best movie that combines live action and animated film. I saw it countless times, never found a flaw, and I could count the qualities until the day after tomorrow. The story is simple but well-written, the combination of the noir atmosphere and the atmosphere of short cartoons is captivating, and one-liners are hilarious. This is the only film in which Disney and Warner characters appear together on the screen, and there are also several characters from other studios. The film has several parallels to "Chinatown" and "Back to the Future", and it parodies or pays homage to many more iconic movies and characters. It is full of awesome details that you have no chance to notice all during just one viewing, and for some it is necessary to watch the movie in slow motion because they are put in single frames.
What fascinates me most about this movie is that computer animation wasn't used at all. Everything was done old-school and 326 animators hand-drawn over a million drawings, of which nearly one hundred thousand frames were used in the movie. With 70 million dollars invested, this is the most expensive film of the 80's. It had six Academy Awards nominations, out of which it won three. I must also mention the excellent music by Alan Silvestri (Fandango, Cat's Eye, Back to the Future franchise, Predator, Young Guns II, The Bodyguard, Judgment Night, Forrest Gump, Judge Dredd, Identity, Van Helsing, Night at the Museum, Captain America, The Avengers).
I recommend this movie to everyone, and if you end up amazed like me, you can find tons of interesting trivia online. I just spent a couple of hours reading interesting things about this movie and rewinding the movie to find the details I'm reading about.
10/10 - DirectorJacques TourneurStarsRobert MitchumJane GreerKirk DouglasA private eye escapes his past to run a gas station in a small town, but his past catches up with him. Now he must return to the big city world of danger, corruption, double crosses, and duplicitous dames.Not my cup of tea
It is considered to be one of the best achievements in film noir genre, and it can be found near the top of many lists of the best films of all time. I can not explain why exactly, but to me it was slightly boring, although I can not deny its many qualities.
7/10 - DirectorScott DerricksonStarsCraig ShefferNicholas TurturroJames RemarA shady police detective becomes embroiled in a strange world of murder, sadism and madness after being assigned a murder investigation against a madman known only as "The Engineer".Why don't you visit us, Joe?
The fifth part of the "Hellraiser" franchise rather stands out from its predecessors. "Dimension Films" has decided to save money for writing the original script by using a horror scenario unrelated to this franchise that they already own and just add Barker's Cenobites. This turned out to be a great move because the story is much more complex than before and brings the original and interesting combination of Neo-noir mystery and horror. The whole atmosphere is a total mindfuck, the camera and the directing are great, and the movie could have been a masterpiece of the genre, if it only had a higher budget. At times I had the impression that I was watching a cheap remake of a really top movie. Objectively, "Inferno" probably does not deserve such a high rating, but I just can not help feeling its potential, unrealized only because of financial reasons. And that's why I am rating it eight for effort.
8/10 - DirectorFrank MillerStarsGabriel MachtSamuel L. JacksonScarlett JohanssonRookie cop Denny Colt returns from the beyond as The Spirit, a hero whose mission is to fight against the bad forces in Central City.Very hot babes in a very bad movie
Since I loved "Sin City", I had substantial expectations from "The Spirit". Unfortunately, despite being adapted by Frank Miller and in a similar style, the movie is a complete failure. It's not worth the time I would spend criticizing it.
4/10 - DirectorSean BranneyStarsStephen BlackehartAutumn WendelP.J. KingBased on the H. P. Lovecraft story of the same name, a folklorist investigates reports of unusual creatures in Vermont only to uncover more than he bargained forTrue Lovecraft
This black and white SF mystery is in every aspect designed to conjure up the experience of reading Lovecraft. Lovecraft is respected both with the story and atmosphere, which makes the film one of the rare true adaptations of this great horror-fantasy author. Its style resembles Film Noir quite a lot, and only quality of the picture breaks down the illusion that you are watching a movie from the first half of the last century. Even the opening and the ending credits are archaic. This is an independent low-budget film, produced by "The H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society". Despite the low budget and unknown actors, the film is very well shot and acted, and the lack of money for quality CGI is offset by excellent directorial tricks that are, at least for my taste, far more effective in intimidating than the technically costly, but essentially cheap CGI explicitness. Unfortunately, towards the end, they decided to break the tension, gradually built with quality hints, by an explicit depiction of extraterrestrial beings. But even that did not turn out to be so bad to completely spoil the experience, although I would personally prefer if they have abstained from this move. Overall, I am very pleased and I would like to see more of such adaptations of my favorite authors in the future. The only thing from this century with which I could compare it, on the basis of personal experience, is the video game "Undying" by Clive Barker from 2001. If you played it and liked it, you will probably like "The Whisperer in Darkness". If you did not, and you like this movie, you should try out the excellent interactive horror of my favorite video game.
7/10 - DirectorNicholas RayStarsHumphrey BogartGloria GrahameFrank LovejoyA potentially violent screenwriter is a murder suspect until his lovely neighbor clears him. However, she soon starts to have her doubts."I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I lived a few weeks while she loved me."
Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Grahame are breathtaking in this tragic noir romance. Bogart very convincingly presented the role of an explosive and violent, but essentially positive man, sincerely in love. Perhaps because the character of the eccentric screenwriter Dixon is the role most similar to real-life Bogart's, as actress Louise Brooks stated in her essay "Humphrey and Bogey." On the other hand, at first glance an ice queen, Gloria Grahame perfectly portrays the soul of a woman at the same time madly in love and mortally frightened by the same man. The film does not bring us much action, but relies mostly on the characterization of the pair and the development of their relationship, as well as on the building of simultaneously romantic and very tense mysterious atmosphere. The result is mesmerizing and charged with diverse, often conflicting emotions. The overall impression reminded me a bit of Hitchcock's classic "Rebecca". A warm recommendation.
8,5/10 - DirectorRobert SiodmakStarsBurt LancasterAva GardnerEdmond O'BrienHit men kill an unresisting victim, and investigator Reardon uncovers his past involvement with beautiful, deadly Kitty Collins."If there's one thing in this world I hate, it's a double-crossing dame"
Burt Lancaster's debut film is considered one of the best noir films, was nominated for four Academy Awards, and has 100% at Rotten Tomatoes. At the time, the film was so popular that cinemas worked 0-24 to meet demand. It is based on a short story by Ernest Hemingway, who was extremely pleased with the film after the private screening. A classic story of robbery, murder and double-crossing, told in an unusual way. It starts with the murder of the main character, and then, through a series of flashbacks, it nonlinearly unravels the story. Ava Gardner did not leave a special impression on me in the role of femme fatale, and Edmond O'Brien in the role of the investigator is a pale copy of Bogart. Although I can't say that their performances are bad, none of the entire cast left a memorable impression on me, and the story itself is a noir cliché, so I can't go over
7/10 - DirectorRobert AldrichStarsRalph MeekerAlbert DekkerPaul StewartA doomed female hitchhiker pulls Mike Hammer into a deadly whirlpool of intrigue, revolving around a mysterious "great whatsit"."I'd rather have the blues than what I've got"
A phenomenal song and the only thing in this film that left a stronger impression on me. I must also praise Ralph Meeker's performance in the lead role, as well as the strong anti-nuclear message that the film sends. I am aware of the objective qualities of this film and the impact it has had on many films and directors to this day, and I can roughly imagine what effect it had on the audience at the time, but it just doesn't work for me. From the beginning to the end, it didn't really hold my attention for a moment and, apart from the aforementioned Nat 'King' Cole song, it left me completely indifferent.
6/10
Fun fact - Albert Dekker and Jack Lambert both play in "The Killers," the last noir I watched just a few days ago, and play very similar roles to these in "Kiss Me Deadly." - DirectorPaul SchraderStarsDennis HopperPenelope Ann MillerEric BogosianIn a twisted 1950's where everyone does magic, a private detective investigates a murder case without it."If God doesn't strike down Hollywood, then he owes Sodom and Gomorrah an apology!"
In a world where magic is a part of everyday life, a private detective who refuses to use magic tries to solve a murder, while a corrupt senator organizes a witch hunt, including public burnings.
An unusual fantasy-noir, with a dose of humor that seriously flirts with comedy, comes from the pen of Joseph Dougherty, as a sequel to "Cast a Deadly Spell" (1991), but apart from the basic premise, two films have nothing in common and, although the author is the same, the story is much weaker, and the whole film is worse in every aspect. Dennis Hopper replaces Fred Ward in the lead role, but although I appreciate him as an actor, he did not suit me as a detective Harry Phillip Lovecraft. Penelope Ann Miller is just a pale shadow of Julianne Moore, and the only actor who made some impression in this movie is Julian Sands, although it's not one of his better ones either.
Still, the interesting use of magic and acceptable effects, pleasant music, and a light relaxed atmosphere (which should not fit with mystery, noir, and thriller as genre determinants) make "Witch Hunt" a decent pastime for one viewing.
6/10 - DirectorOtto PremingerRouben MamoulianStarsGene TierneyDana AndrewsClifton WebbA police detective falls in love with the woman whose murder he is investigating."Murder is my favorite crime."
A police inspector investigates the mysterious murder of a young woman and, as he snoops around her apartment and talks to people from her environment, the better he gets to know her, the more he falls in love with her. This unusual premise sounds very interesting, and Dana Andrews is very good in the role of an obsessed detective. Through the questioning of people close to the victim, this morbidly romantic film noir shows the decadence of the high society of that time and works quite well as a study of eccentric and pathetic characters. Among them, especially stand out the characters played by Clifton Webb and Vincent Price, who considered this film his best. The film deservedly won an Oscar for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, and it also has a pretty good soundtrack. But the story itself did not leave quite an impression on me. The "Whodunit" mystery is characterized by a multitude of unexpected twists, as well as seemingly confusing but intelligent and effective ways in which the investigator more or less subtly leads the killer to reveal himself. "Laura" of course also contains these elements, but I was neither intrigued by the way the inspector handles the case, nor were I surprised by the twists. Moreover, for the most part, they were predictable and even naive. When you watch a crime mystery, top cinematography, interesting characters, and good acting are in vain, if you know from the very beginning who the killer is ...
7/10 - DirectorJohn M. StahlStarsGene TierneyCornel WildeJeanne CrainA writer falls in love with a young socialite and they're soon married, but her obsessive love for him threatens to be the undoing of them both as well as everyone around them.Colour Noir
The obsessively possessive psycho-woman leads the chosen man into marriage after only a few days of knowing, and then does her best to have him all to herself. She wants his attention twenty-four hours a day and, in order to separate him from all other people, she is ready and capable of anything, even the unthinkable.
This film is considered a color noir and that paradox aroused my curiosity. I could hardly wait to see how they pulled it off and I have to admit that I was quite disappointed when I realized I was watching a classic melodrama of its time. Morbid, yes, and with a touch of thriller, but still only a melodrama. Cornel Wilde seemed stiff to me, Gene Tierney has amazing eyes, and Vincent Price is Vincent Price, I like him too much to be objective. Its story is unusual and interesting, and it deservedly won the Oscar for color cinematography, and yet, possibly because I had different expectations, the general impression that the film left on me was rather weak.
7/10 - DirectorMichael CurtizStarsJoan CrawfordJack CarsonZachary ScottA hard-working mother inches towards disaster as she divorces her husband and starts a successful restaurant business to support her spoiled daughter."It's your fault I'm the way I am."
Although it is also Film-Noir, this film is primarily a drama (I would dare say a melodrama) about how motherly love can ruin a child. Joan Crawford deservedly won the Oscar for the role of Mildred Pierce, a single mother, a strong, capable and ambitious woman, whose strength to achieve everything she intends is given by her obsessive love for her daughter, whom she extremely spoiled and made a self-centered monster. It's not a masterpiece, but I expected a certain level from the author of "Casablanca" and "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and I'm not disappointed. It is worth watching.
7,5/10 - DirectorEdward DmytrykStarsDick PowellClaire TrevorAnne ShirleyAfter being hired to find an ex-con's former girlfriend, Philip Marlowe is drawn into a deeply complex web of mystery and deceit."Farewell, My Lovely"
... is the title of Raymond Chandler's novel, the second in a series of stories about private detective Philip Marlowe, after which this film was made. For the film, this name was changed so that the audience would not think that it was a musical, for which the main actor Dick Powell was known until then. Although a really atypical choice, especially for us accustomed to classic "tough guy" detectives such as, say, Bogart, Powell excellently portrayed the role of a cynical former policeman involved in an unbreakable web of intrigue.
"Murder, My Sweet" is a film noir classic, a story of intrigue, blackmail and murder of above-average complexity, spiced with intelligently designed dialogues and witty, cynical and unusually descriptive narration, fast-paced and with many twists. Unusually for this genre, the film has a surreal, almost David Lynch moments. However, all this in the film that lasts only the standard ninety minutes was somehow too much for me, too fast and cluttered, which is why I did not manage to sink into the story and empathize with the characters, so it did not leave a particular impression on me.
7,5/10 - DirectorTay GarnettStarsLana TurnerJohn GarfieldCecil KellawayA married woman and a drifter fall in love and then plot to murder her husband.Quintessential noir?!
I haven't read the book, so I can't say whether the blame lies with the author James M. Cain, or the screenwriters adapted the novel badly. There is almost no characterization, except that based on the moves characters make, it can be concluded that their intelligence is not their strong point, and I will not even comment on Lana Turner's acting. The story is so over the top that it looks more like a black humor melodrama than a noir, and the unconvincing plots and twists follow one after the other until you get dizzy. However, that makes it quite fun, and it is technically well made, so it's worth a look.
6/10 - DirectorAlexander MackendrickStarsBurt LancasterTony CurtisSusan HarrisonPowerful but unethical Broadway columnist J.J. Hunsecker coerces unscrupulous press agent Sidney Falco into breaking up his sister's romance with a jazz musician."Don't do anything I wouldn't do! That gives you a lot of leeway..."
Burt Lancaster is a New York columnist, whose word is heard far and wide, whose advertisement everyone wants, and whose criticism they fear. But so much power has caused him a god complex, which never works out for good. Tony Curtis plays a petty press agent who would stop at nothing to please the famous columnist and with his help feel the "sweet smell of success". When the columnist's younger sister falls in love with a club's jazz musician, the two start a series of plots and blackmail in order to separate them.
This late noir, from the late fifties, instead of murders and private detectives, shows us how journalists and PR agents, arrogant, unscrupulous, greedy and possessive, alter destinies as they see fit. Superb black-and-white cinematography and directing build a tense and dark atmosphere of noir, which with the fast pace of the film holds the attention from beginning to end. But the story itself is so melodramatically told and acted out, that the film eventually left a bland overall impression.
7/10 - DirectorRaoul WalshStarsJames CagneyVirginia MayoEdmond O'BrienA psychopathic criminal with a mother complex makes a daring break from prison and leads his old gang in a chemical plant payroll heist."Made it, Ma! Top of the world!"
Cody Jarrett is the leader of a notorious gang, which leaves a trail of corpses in its robberies. After a job that went south, he confesses to a smaller crime at the other end of the country, in order to be convicted for it and thus gain an alibi for a crime that would bring him the death penalty. A detective who has been trying to get on his tail for years sends an "undercover" agent to be his cellmate, hoping to get hold of evidence that would throw Cody out of the game once and for all.
Essentially a combination of a heist movie and prison drama, this classic also contains elements of noir (dark black and white photography and the inevitable femme fatale), a train robbery that irresistibly resembles those from westerns, car chases, brutal violence, and a certain dose of raw humor. "White Heat" is fast-paced, with numerous subplots and twists. The performance of the gangster film's veteran, James Cagney, is a character study of a psychotic leader, whose criminal mastermind the police did not live up to, but whose Oedipus complex and excessive self-confidence, through epileptic seizures, will eventually lead him to madness and death.
8,5/10 - DirectorWalter HillStarsMichael ParéDiane LaneRick MoranisA mercenary is hired to rescue his ex-girlfriend, a singer who has been kidnapped by a motorcycle gang.A dystopian neo-noir that compensates for a bad script with a great atmosphere and music
The place and time of this story are undefined. It is an alternative dimension that combines cars from the fifties, with the image and music of the eighties, the ambience of "Dark City" and the atmosphere that resembles the movies "The Warriors" and "West Side Story".
During the concert, a motorcycle gang, led by Raven (Willem Dafoe), kidnaps rock singer Ellen Aim (Diane Lane) directly from the stage. Her boyfriend and manager (Rick Moranis) hires her ex-boyfriend, a mercenary soldier (Michael Paré), to rescue her.
The story is a linear cliché - good guys, bad guys, femme fatale, he still loves his ex, she still loves him, but they are not destined, he is a one-man-army antihero, blah-blah. The good guys smash the bad guys, save the damsel in distress and our hero rides out into the night. A romance that doesn't touch you emotionally, predictable action, and two-dimensional characters that throw out shabby phrases.
And yet, the film has everything I wanted to experience as a teenager, even in front of a movie screen. Awesome cars with the pedal to the metal, wicked motorcyclists, rock music, macho guys in leather, which I dreamed to be, and the nightlife I wanted to live. As kids, we were very fond of this film, so even now, when I am able to see it objectively, I cannot resist the rush of nostalgia.
And of course, I have to mention the main trump card of "Streets of Fire" - the music. The whole soundtrack is great, but the only two songs by the studio band Fire Inc, formed especially for this occasion, "Nowhere Fast" and "Tonight Is What It Means to Be Young" became hit classics of the genre.
7/10 - DirectorStanley KubrickStarsSterling HaydenColeen GrayVince EdwardsCrook Johnny Clay assembles a five-man team to plan and execute a daring racetrack robbery."None of these men are criminals in the usual sense"
Kubrick's third film tells us the story of the racetrack robbery, detailed planning, and successful execution, which ends ingloriously. You could say this black and white noir is the "Ocean's Eleven" of the fifties. In fact, "The Killing" is the film that inspired the original "Ocean's Eleven" as well as many other iconic films, including Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs" (1992). With its non-linear flow from different perspectives, it confused the audience of the time, and it did not do particularly well back then, but it was appreciated by filmmakers and secured Kubrick the direction of "Paths of Glory" (1957).
Many consider this film to be Kubrick's first masterpiece. Perfectionist that he was, Kubrick paid attention to every detail in this film, and the script is impeccably precise and the film superbly shot, but even though I love Kubrick, it didn't leave a particular impression on me. Maybe the movie has aged badly, maybe I've seen too many movies and I can't put myself in the perspective of the fifties, when this was something new and exciting, but with all the objective qualities, the overall impression was quite unimpressive. Except for the unforgettable ending, which is simultaneously hilarious and tragic and, I suppose, represents a lesson that crime does not pay.
7/10