December 2008

  • The Letdown: Hitch-Hiker

    By cobwebsandstrange on 12/26/08 4:11am
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    After reading a synopsis of any film, I generally feel that I have the ability to deduce the quality of that movie. That apparently isn’t true.

    The basic premise to The Hitch-Hiker sounds intriguing. And in-fact it’s at least partially true. The script writer borrowed some current headlines and come up with the basic frame of the narration. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out.

    What’s even more surprising is that the person who directed this, Ida Lupino, fared better on a number of other features – both in front of and behind the camera. And perhaps her story is as interesting as the film is – after all, she was the only female director working in Hollywood during the ‘50s.

    But back to the film.

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  • 'The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of . . .'

    By nerdyspice on 12/22/08 6:36pm
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    It was 1941 and the term Film Noir as applicable to film had yet to be coined but this dimly lit, visually deliberate, character study starring Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor as the definitive Private Eye/Femme Fatale duo, laid quite a blueprint for such things. So perfect was the pitch and so evocative it was of all things that would soon become Noir, that in 1955 while writing Panorama du Film Noir Américain, the seminal treatise of the sub-genre, that authors Raymond Borde and Etienne Chaumeton dubbed it the original Film Noir. This was not by any means the first adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's calculating detective novel, but as many have said, Noir is not to be looked upon as a genre per se, but as a style.

    And what style we see here. Humphrey Bogart is quite possibly the most cool-as-ice he has ever been as detective Sam Spade, which by all accounts is saying quite a bit.

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  • Scarring

    By cobwebsandstrange on 12/22/08 4:29am
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    It’s always shocking to find a film so deep with good writing, good acting, beautiful camera work and enough surprises to keep you wide-eyed, but remains largely unknown.

    That’s pretty much the back story for The Scar released in 1948.

    Coming not all too long after World War II, there is an air of intrigue about the entire film. It’s not spy related, but there are some characters whose identities become intertwined and eventually overlap.

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  • Sinatra the Killer

    By cobwebsandstrange on 12/21/08 5:09am
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    When a viewer is accustomed to seeing an actor in one role, it’s sometimes jarring to watch a movie where that actor plays a drastically different character.

    Suddnely gives the viewer that feeling twice, but still turns out to be a well written, acted and produced film.

    One of my favorite movies is Dr. Strangelove, directed by Stanley Kubrick. In the film General Jack D. Ripper becomes obsessed with the safety of his bodily fluids at throws the nation into a nuclear war with its enemies. Playing such an iconic part, it’s surprising that Sterling Hayden didn’t achieve wide spread fame. He did, however, turn in a strong performance in Suddenly as the do-right copper who tries to save the day.

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  • Film Archives and More

    By cobwebsandstrange on 12/20/08 10:45pm
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    There are endless sites by which to get your daily entertainment from all over the interweb and most of them host content that in one way or another, disregards some copyright laws. You probably have gotten over the initial conscience guided decisions to not sample at least some of these sites, but battling your inner voice has just become a bit easier. Archive.org is one for abiding by all federal and international copyright laws.

    You can find music, film and a host of images. But now you’re probably asking what does this hafta do with gangsters, hit men, bank robberies and striking femme fatales? Well, the Archive hosts a section strictly dedicated to Noir.

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  • Jack Palance Makes Everything Alright

    By cobwebsandstrange on 12/15/08 6:15am
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    Elia Kazan is known for two things: making movies and ratting folks out to HUAC. We’re only gonna talk about the first thing here.

    The 1950 film Panic in the Streets was Kazan’s first of many successes during the decade and also in some ways presaged On the Water Front which would be released a scant four years later. A character in Panic at one point even utters the phrase, “We’ve already combed the water front.” But both films involve the docks in various ways and here Kazan seemed to work out the scenery and different ways to play with the physical nature of that space.

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  • Robert Mitchum: Noir Bad Boy

    By artchick on 12/14/08 10:23pm
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    Robert Mitchum, bad boy extraordinaire, was the quintessential noir protagonist, both onscreen and off. This talented actor also appeared in lots of westerns and war movies, but with his sultry good looks and devil-may-care attitude, he really stood out in his many noirs.

    In one of the most famous noirs ever made, Out of the Past (1947), he portrayed Jeff Bailey, a jaded private eye who gets drawn into a shady frameup involving beautiful femme fatale Kathie Moffat, played by Jane Greer, and moneyed mobster Whit Sterling, played by Kirk Douglas. Jeff ends up falling for Kathie in Acapulco, only to find out she was really Whit’s moll all along.

    Interestingly, fans sometimes confused Mitchum with Kirk Douglas, perhaps because they were both tall, macho, cleft-chinned leading men.

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  • Stuck in the Quicksand

    By cobwebsandstrange on 12/14/08 1:52am
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    While watching Quicksand, it’s really difficult to be conscious of the fact that the lead is being played by a thirty year old Mickey Rooney. After all of the musicals and rather light hearted fare, Rooney landed the lead role of mechanic Danny Brady in this 1950 feature.

    Within the first five minutes or so of the film the female lead, who is obviously going to drag Rooney down towards damnation, enters, makes a date with him and snidely responds to various questions. It’s pretty much all down hill from there.

    What transpires during this film really is aimed at making the point that women can cause a great deal of trouble, leaving a man with nothing to show. And that’s all accurately played out.

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  • 'B' Noir: Detour

    By cobwebsandstrange on 12/13/08 2:14am
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    Detour seems to be a perverse moral tale. It doesn’t teach that one should act responsibly, it shows that regardless of one’s intent, the worst possible outcome will undoubtedly be the result.

    Al Roberts (Tom Neal) is just looking for a ride when he’s picked up by flamboyant gambler, Charles Haskell. While Roberts takes a turn driving the convertible, it begins to rain, necessitating a stop to put the roof up. Soon Roberts discovers that his companion is dead. Unfortunately, this isn’t the last bit of bad luck for the hitch hiker.

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  • The Asphalt Jungle

    By artchick on 12/10/08 1:51am
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    Right from its famous long-continuity opening shot, John Huston’s 1950 (some say 1949) suspense masterpiece The Asphalt Jungle seethes with the urban grit, snappy dialogue, and moody lighting that make it one of the all-time best films noir.

    And since the caper planning scene from this glorious flick is starkly depicted on the header of our new Noir Movies blog, I thought an Asphalt Jungle post would make a great first article.

    Can you guess what movie will be featured next? (Hint: The dangerous blonde femme fatale over on the right of our blog header, played by Lana Turner, is from that movie, another of my noir favorites. OK, it's pretty obvious to noir fans... The Postman Always Rings Twice.

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