Category: Neo-noir

The Killers: A slick Lee Marvin and a quirky Clu Gulager are fantastic together in Don Siegel’s Technicolor Noir

The Killers (1964), directed by Don Siegel, is the second film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's eponymous short story. The film features Lee Marvin, Clu Gulager, Angie Dickinson and Ronald Reagan in his final film role. "I approve of larceny; homicide is against my principles" That's Ronald Reagan talking to his lieutenants- sitting on a big … Continue reading The Killers: A slick Lee Marvin and a quirky Clu Gulager are fantastic together in Don Siegel’s Technicolor Noir →

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Get Carter: Michael Caine’s iconic star turn and Roy Budd’s pulsating score powers this classic British Crime drama

Get Carter(1971), written & directed by Mike Hodges, and starring Michael Caine as the amoral titular gangster, is a gritty & nihilistic British crime Drama. It was not well received upon its release, but it's now revered as one of the greatest British films ever made. "Pint of Bitter..... in a thin glass" One of … Continue reading Get Carter: Michael Caine’s iconic star turn and Roy Budd’s pulsating score powers this classic British Crime drama →

No Way Out: Kevin Costner caught in a deadly ‘ménage à trois’ with Sean Young and Gene Hackman in this thrilling, Neo-Noir take on ‘The Big Clock’

No Way Out(1987) is director, Roger Donaldson's adaptation of Kenneth’s Fearing’s suspense novel, The Big Clock. The film set amidst the political intrigue of Washington features Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman, Sean Young and Will Patton in pivotal roles I love movies which has unique opening sequences; i love movies which sets up its plot economically and … Continue reading No Way Out: Kevin Costner caught in a deadly ‘ménage à trois’ with Sean Young and Gene Hackman in this thrilling, Neo-Noir take on ‘The Big Clock’ →

Point Blank: John Boorman’s avant-garde Noir masterpiece gave Lee Marvin his most iconic role

John Boorman's Point Blank(1967) is one of the greatest and most unusual crime\noir thrillers ever made. Apart from being an extraordinary hybrid of American and European film sensibilities, the film also provided Lee Marvin with his most iconic role. 1960s was the decade of revisionism in American society and American cinema. Every movie genre was … Continue reading Point Blank: John Boorman’s avant-garde Noir masterpiece gave Lee Marvin his most iconic role →

Chinatown: Nicholson is great, Huston is iconic and Dunaway’s at her greatest in Robert Towne and Roman Polanski’s Neo-noir classic

Chinatown(1974), directed by Roman Polanski, written by Robert Towne and starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and John Huston, is one of those rare gems from New Hollywood cinema of the '70s, whose appeal remains undiminished even after 4 decades (Spoilers are included) Post the collapse of the old Hollywood studio system in the early 1960s, … Continue reading Chinatown: Nicholson is great, Huston is iconic and Dunaway’s at her greatest in Robert Towne and Roman Polanski’s Neo-noir classic →

The Yakuza: A great Robert Mitchum performance anchors this fascinating genre mashup from director Sydney Pollack

Sydney Pollack's 1974 film, The Yakuza, is a strange mashup of Neo-Noir, Gangster-drama, Samurai film, Yakuza-eiga , martial arts film and cross cultural Romance. This mixture is not always successful, but still makes for fascinating viewing "When an American cracks up, he opens a window and shoots up a bunch of strangers, he shoots out … Continue reading The Yakuza: A great Robert Mitchum performance anchors this fascinating genre mashup from director Sydney Pollack →

The Driver: Director Walter Hill’s minimalist Neo-noir thriller is an exhilarating exercise in pure genre cinema

Director Walter Hill's 1978 film, The Driver, starring Ryan O'Neal and Bruce Dern, is the ultimate exercise in pure, minimalist cinema that just keeps getting better with age. "Boy you got it down real tight. So tight that there's no room for anything else." This is what 'The Detective' played By Bruce Dern tells Ryan … Continue reading The Driver: Director Walter Hill’s minimalist Neo-noir thriller is an exhilarating exercise in pure genre cinema →