This is a reasonably good little noir, undeservedly dismissed by both IMDB voters and in Michael Keaney's Film Noir Guide.
A noir it is, Lelie Brooks is excellent as the ruthless, perversely alluring socially climbing sexpot.
The archive.org version is of good quality.
Thursday 28 February 2013
Sunday 17 February 2013
Saturday 16 February 2013
My Beautiful Laundrette (UK, 1985)
Contrived, overrated and undeservedly lauded as an early in-yer-face gay liberation film.
That said, there's a clear directorial 'something' here; the nightclub scenes in particular offer an interesting glimpse of mid-80's London.
Of its time, difficult to see how some aspects of this movie would be acceptable in today's PC dictatorship.
That said, there's a clear directorial 'something' here; the nightclub scenes in particular offer an interesting glimpse of mid-80's London.
Of its time, difficult to see how some aspects of this movie would be acceptable in today's PC dictatorship.
Inner Sanctum (US, 1948)
A flimsy enough noir-ish piece, perked up somewhat by the presence of Lee Patrick, who also appears in The Maltese Falcon. The opening scene of the movie is its 'noirest' and there's an interesting variation on it later on.
A public domain film, legally viewable online.
A public domain film, legally viewable online.
Bullhead (BE/NL, 2011)
Rising star Matthias Schoenaerts puts in another intense toughguy performance (cf Rust and Bone) in what is again an original, complex and interesting and by times brutal movie. There is, despite the subject matter and general downbeat tone, some notably poetic quotidian visuals.
Leave her to Heaven (US, 1945)
An overrated and slightly boring film, sometimes classified as a noir. It's in bright techicolor.
Zero Dark Thirty (US, 2012)
As expected, it's a patriotic pro-American film, and also good drama.
Unpleasant aspects of the op aren't shied away from, but there's no mistaking the message here.
Unpleasant aspects of the op aren't shied away from, but there's no mistaking the message here.
The Chase (US, 1946)
Another reasonable noir - and definitely a noir, with some interesting plot manipulation going on.
Yes, it's on archive.org.
Peter Lorre, one of the faces of noir, is once again magnificent as the Boss's henchman.
Yes, it's on archive.org.
Peter Lorre, one of the faces of noir, is once again magnificent as the Boss's henchman.
Gangster Squad (US, 2012)
A reasonable action movie with some bits in it which seem unlikely, and it's a tad formulaic.
The movie recounts a hitsquad of handpicked policemen recruited to dish out some of the 'ol extrajudiciary killings
in crime-ridden 1950's LA.
The costumes and sets/props are good and the Gosling/Penn pairing works pretty well, as one would expect.
The costumes and sets/props are good and the Gosling/Penn pairing works pretty well, as one would expect.
The Amazing Mr X (US, 1948)
A noir-ish drama in which a manipulative conman spiritualist preys upon local rich woman
including one whose husband is recently deceased. But is he really dead?
It's not a bad, short little noir; picture quality on archive.org isn't the greatest, which is a shame as it's almost entirely filmed by night, at locations near the sea.
Special mention to Lynn Bari as lead female Christine, whose beautiful voice alone is worth watching the movie for.
It's not a bad, short little noir; picture quality on archive.org isn't the greatest, which is a shame as it's almost entirely filmed by night, at locations near the sea.
Special mention to Lynn Bari as lead female Christine, whose beautiful voice alone is worth watching the movie for.
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