Dark. All-encompassing black. A wet sidewalk. A light penetrates the murk. A cab. "Where ya goin'?" "O'Hare. And step on it...as if your life depends on it."
Into the (B)noir.
I STILL WAKE UP DREAMING! More RARE NOIR at the ROXIE
Re: I STILL WAKE UP DREAMING! More RARE NOIR at the ROXIE
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
Re: I STILL WAKE UP DREAMING! More RARE NOIR at the ROXIE
San Francisco and the Roxie await your arrival, ChiO!! The whole damn town is cranked up on this B noir jive and the fever is growing nightly. Last night the crowd was treated to a pair of dark Bs: the exciting SF-set TREASURE OF MONTE CRISTO and the twisty little shocker THE INVISIBLE WALL. Plus we're all breathing a sigh of relief because the technical problems that were affecting our sound system have been permanently fixed and everything not only looks great, but sounds it too.
Tonight is another special evening. In addition to the evocative and rarely screened 1947 noir THE RED HOUSE with Edward G. Robinson, we have the unbelievably rare 1950 Monogram noir SIDESHOW. I'm anticipating a hot crowd and with the ChiO family in attendance, this promises to be a classic night at the old neighborhood cinema!
Tonight is another special evening. In addition to the evocative and rarely screened 1947 noir THE RED HOUSE with Edward G. Robinson, we have the unbelievably rare 1950 Monogram noir SIDESHOW. I'm anticipating a hot crowd and with the ChiO family in attendance, this promises to be a classic night at the old neighborhood cinema!
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jdb1
Re: I STILL WAKE UP DREAMING! More RARE NOIR at the ROXIE
Somewhat off-topic, Chi-Man, but your noirish sentence reminded me of something I saw in Mad Magazine eons ago. It was a parody of some noir movie or TV show, and in the last panel, we see the anti-hero walking away down a dark street. A large watertank truck is passing by, spraying, and written on its side is the legend: "Making Streets Look Like It Just Rained Co."ChiO wrote:Dark. All-encompassing black. A wet sidewalk. A light penetrates the murk. A cab. "Where ya goin'?" "O'Hare. And step on it...as if your life depends on it."
Into the (B)noir.
To this day, I still think of that when I see a similar scene in an old movie (but those don't usually have the truck, just the wet street).
Re: I STILL WAKE UP DREAMING! More RARE NOIR at the ROXIE
The family plunged into the abyss with a wonder from Jean Yarbrough, second only to William Beaudine in Poverty Row crankem' out movies, SIDESHOW (1950). Scuzzy carnivals always seem to attract jewel smugglers and undercover G-Men (especially one wearing his badge under his belt). Delightfully dizzy and then kicks into overdrive -- a climax featuring a clown that refuses to die, the WHS (White Heat Syndrome -- the bad guy must try to escape by climbing the tallest structure nearby), and a rear-projected rollercoaster ride that is guaranteed to give you vertigo. I don't know where these come from or why, but I'm glad they did.
Then RED HOUSE (Delmer Daves, 1947). Having only seen the awful Alpha video version, this 16mm print seemed glorious. Sexual obsession, horrors buried in the subconscious and....(cue sighs)...Julie London. That shot in the ice house is one of the most chilling and horrific in noir, and yet Robinson gives us reason to sympathize for him. Just a treat all-around. The trip back to the hotel involved much discussion as to whether Edward G. Robinson ever gave a bad performance (excluding any biblical story directed by De Mille) and Mrs. ChiO's sighs, followed by "Whatever happened to Rory Calhoun?"
Then RED HOUSE (Delmer Daves, 1947). Having only seen the awful Alpha video version, this 16mm print seemed glorious. Sexual obsession, horrors buried in the subconscious and....(cue sighs)...Julie London. That shot in the ice house is one of the most chilling and horrific in noir, and yet Robinson gives us reason to sympathize for him. Just a treat all-around. The trip back to the hotel involved much discussion as to whether Edward G. Robinson ever gave a bad performance (excluding any biblical story directed by De Mille) and Mrs. ChiO's sighs, followed by "Whatever happened to Rory Calhoun?"
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
Re: I STILL WAKE UP DREAMING! More RARE NOIR at the ROXIE
The Dewmeister really snagged one from left field last night. From Poverty Row Cinema (PRC) comes LIGHTHOUSE (1947), an obscure melo-noir directed by the obscure Fred Wishbar starring the obscure -- was that Clark Gable, Karl Malden and Barbra Stanwyck? No? -- Don Castle, John Litel and June Lang. Fooled into loving an assistant lighthouse keeper, our near-femme fatale marries his boss to make him jealous. She succeeds...but also succeeds in falling in love with (egads!) her husband. They both want her...but there's only one of her to go around. It could only happen at the LIGHTHOUSE.
More location exteriors than one might expect from PRC bookend the crashing waves and the four studio interiors. There are moments of Ulmer elegance. As daughter Stacey said afterwards: I really liked it. I prefer my noir with someone dead at the end. This kept promising that, but it never happened. So the pay-off was that there was no pay-off.
Ahhh...the sound of a young noirster falling in love with the B's.
More location exteriors than one might expect from PRC bookend the crashing waves and the four studio interiors. There are moments of Ulmer elegance. As daughter Stacey said afterwards: I really liked it. I prefer my noir with someone dead at the end. This kept promising that, but it never happened. So the pay-off was that there was no pay-off.
Ahhh...the sound of a young noirster falling in love with the B's.
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
Re: I STILL WAKE UP DREAMING! More RARE NOIR at the ROXIE
That was quite an experience. One never knows how these bare-boned, minimalist films will go over but LIGHTHOUSE seemed to catch the zeitgeist of the moment being so totally bereft of fineries. It was a great relief to hear a burst of applause at the end of it. I wish the ChiO family could have stuck for VOICE OF THE WHISTLER which extended the "dark lighthouse of the soul" motif into sixty further minutes of menace. A really great night it was! Tonight offers up another great Whistler gem, SECRET OF THE WHISTLER and the Poverty Row meller, ROSES ARE RED.
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Lzcutter
- Administrator
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Re: I STILL WAKE UP DREAMING! More RARE NOIR at the ROXIE
Can't wait to see the matinee of Johnny Cool followed by Cop Hater tomorrow afternoon! And Moraldo Rubini is coming with me!
Hope to finally meet Dewey and the ChiOs in person!
Hope to finally meet Dewey and the ChiOs in person!
Lynn in Lake Balboa
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
Re: I STILL WAKE UP DREAMING! More RARE NOIR at the ROXIE
The chance to see COP HATER in all of its sleeziness on the big screen was the "gotta go to 'Frisco" for me. Definitely one of my Top 15 Noirs. And paired with JOHNNY COOL to boot. Too bad the family will be gone and not wallowing in the muck with the rest of us.
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
-
Lzcutter
- Administrator
- Posts: 3149
- Joined: April 12th, 2007, 6:50 pm
- Location: Lake Balboa and the City of Angels!
- Contact:
Re: I STILL WAKE UP DREAMING! More RARE NOIR at the ROXIE
We look forward to seeing you tomorrow afternoon at the Roxie, ChiO!
Lynn in Lake Balboa
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
Re: I STILL WAKE UP DREAMING! More RARE NOIR at the ROXIE
Dewey caught us unaware last night with ROSES ARE RED (Tinling, 1947). Sure, it was the ol' doppelganger mix up -- bad guy Don Castle replaces newly elected good guy D.A. Don Castle and trouble ensues -- but this was done with style, flair, and with screen favorites Joe Sawyer (crooked cop), James Arness (stiff good guy sidekick), Charles McGraw (crime boss' henchman), Jeff "Knuckles" (Judith sighs) Chandler (crime boss' muscle), and Charles (everyone sighs) Lane (crime boss' attorney). Much fun. Which gets us to SECRET OF THE WHISTLER (George Sherman, 1946). Richard Dix and the marvelous Leslie Brooks mix it up in a tale of greed, romantic intrigue, and murder. Two thumbs up from Stacey.
Nine and one-half hours to go to COP HATER!
Nine and one-half hours to go to COP HATER!
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
-
Lzcutter
- Administrator
- Posts: 3149
- Joined: April 12th, 2007, 6:50 pm
- Location: Lake Balboa and the City of Angels!
- Contact:
Re: I STILL WAKE UP DREAMING! More RARE NOIR at the ROXIE
Well, this afternoon Moraldo Rubini and I got together and made our way to the Mission District where Dewey has been offering some of the rarest of the rare film noirs all week.
We got there almost an hour early and there was already a line forming! Yes, people here in Fog City take their Noir seriously. We got our tickets and, best of all, we got to meet Dewey in person. We had a great talk while others were lining up. He told us about how successful the series has been and how ChiO was coming but had stepped out for a beer. (Beer, yum.....)
We got in line and Moraldo filled me in about his amazing cruise and I told him about the Film Fest! Once inside, we got some popcorn and soda and made our way inside. We found good seats, saved one for ChiO just in case and got comfortable. Moraldo remarked how he has been through three different seat replacements with the Roxie. Yes, Moraldo and the Roxie go back that far.
Before we knew it, it was time for that little gem from 1963, Johnny Cool.
"Oh, Johnny, I need you RIGHT now" purrs Elizabeth Montgomery.
Okay, maybe gem is too kind a word for Johnny Cool. Produced by Peter Lawford (!) and starring Henry Silva, Elizabeth Montgomery and a host of characters we loved (Elisha Cook, Hank Henry, Robert Armstrong,) and would come to love (Mort Sahl, Telly Savalas, Jim Backus (laughing like Mr. Magoo), Joey Bishop (doing a take-off on Cal Worthington without his dog) and Sammy Davis, jr who sings the theme song and a song that I guess they were hoping would become another sixties standard, "Bee-Bom " (yes, it's that unmemorable).
The film is a disjointed mess that takes Johnny Cool from post-war Italy to New York to Los Angeles to Las Vegas to Newport Beach. The best part is the film was shot on location so you get wonderful shots of the locales as they were in 1963. For this Vegas and City of Angels history girl, that made the movie worthwhile. But if that sort of thing isn't something you enjoy, Johnny Cool quickly becomes a mess that is only held together by the character actors who are trying to thwart Cool every step of the way.
William Asher directed and its hard to believe that he and Montgomery went on to get married and make Bewitched together. Liz looks great in this film but her range of acting is from A to B at best.
Or as Dewey said during his intro "I'd like to have been a fly on the wall during their marriage."
Finally, Johnny Cool was put out of his misery and so were we.
"It's just a stiff" One cop describing a dead cop in Cop Hater.
Cop Hater is a nifty little crime noir. On a hellish week during the stifling summer, someone is killing cops in a neighborhood precinct where a very young Robert Loggia and Gerald S. Loughlin work. One of the snitches is Vincent Gardenia who looks just the same in Bang the Drum Slowly only younger. Jerry Orbach with lots of wavy black hair plays the leader of the gang called the Grovers. (No, I'm not making that name up.)
It's a nifty little story that includes a love story between Loggia and his girl friend who is deaf and mute.
To say more would give away some plot points and I don't want to do that.
When it was over, ChiO correctly pointed out that it could have gone straight from the theater to tv and become a weekly police drama back in 1958 and never missed a beat.
So, we had a great time at Dewey's fest and best of all, we got to meet Elliot and Owen!!!!
I'm going back for more this week!
Congratulations on a terrific series and the sell-out crowds, Elliot!
We got there almost an hour early and there was already a line forming! Yes, people here in Fog City take their Noir seriously. We got our tickets and, best of all, we got to meet Dewey in person. We had a great talk while others were lining up. He told us about how successful the series has been and how ChiO was coming but had stepped out for a beer. (Beer, yum.....)
We got in line and Moraldo filled me in about his amazing cruise and I told him about the Film Fest! Once inside, we got some popcorn and soda and made our way inside. We found good seats, saved one for ChiO just in case and got comfortable. Moraldo remarked how he has been through three different seat replacements with the Roxie. Yes, Moraldo and the Roxie go back that far.
Before we knew it, it was time for that little gem from 1963, Johnny Cool.
"Oh, Johnny, I need you RIGHT now" purrs Elizabeth Montgomery.
Okay, maybe gem is too kind a word for Johnny Cool. Produced by Peter Lawford (!) and starring Henry Silva, Elizabeth Montgomery and a host of characters we loved (Elisha Cook, Hank Henry, Robert Armstrong,) and would come to love (Mort Sahl, Telly Savalas, Jim Backus (laughing like Mr. Magoo), Joey Bishop (doing a take-off on Cal Worthington without his dog) and Sammy Davis, jr who sings the theme song and a song that I guess they were hoping would become another sixties standard, "Bee-Bom " (yes, it's that unmemorable).
The film is a disjointed mess that takes Johnny Cool from post-war Italy to New York to Los Angeles to Las Vegas to Newport Beach. The best part is the film was shot on location so you get wonderful shots of the locales as they were in 1963. For this Vegas and City of Angels history girl, that made the movie worthwhile. But if that sort of thing isn't something you enjoy, Johnny Cool quickly becomes a mess that is only held together by the character actors who are trying to thwart Cool every step of the way.
William Asher directed and its hard to believe that he and Montgomery went on to get married and make Bewitched together. Liz looks great in this film but her range of acting is from A to B at best.
Or as Dewey said during his intro "I'd like to have been a fly on the wall during their marriage."
Finally, Johnny Cool was put out of his misery and so were we.
"It's just a stiff" One cop describing a dead cop in Cop Hater.
Cop Hater is a nifty little crime noir. On a hellish week during the stifling summer, someone is killing cops in a neighborhood precinct where a very young Robert Loggia and Gerald S. Loughlin work. One of the snitches is Vincent Gardenia who looks just the same in Bang the Drum Slowly only younger. Jerry Orbach with lots of wavy black hair plays the leader of the gang called the Grovers. (No, I'm not making that name up.)
It's a nifty little story that includes a love story between Loggia and his girl friend who is deaf and mute.
To say more would give away some plot points and I don't want to do that.
When it was over, ChiO correctly pointed out that it could have gone straight from the theater to tv and become a weekly police drama back in 1958 and never missed a beat.
So, we had a great time at Dewey's fest and best of all, we got to meet Elliot and Owen!!!!
I'm going back for more this week!
Congratulations on a terrific series and the sell-out crowds, Elliot!
Lynn in Lake Balboa
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
Re: I STILL WAKE UP DREAMING! More RARE NOIR at the ROXIE
One part Claude, the robotically efficient killer in MURDER BY CONTRACT, and one part Frankie Bono, the nihilistic hit man of BLAST OF SILENCE, Johnny Cool is both a one man army and...he's a fool (as Sammy Davis, Jr. sings over faux-Saul Bass credits) in JOHNNY COOL (William Asher, 1963). To think that Asher directed this between, and in the same year as, BEACH PARTY and MUSCLE BEACH PARTY (and, yes, he directed the rest of the BEACH PARTY franchise). All that was missing here was Annette, Harvey Lembeck and Timothy Carey. Cold and ultra-violent, JOHNNY COOL deserves wider recognition as a bridge between late-classic noir and the '70s noir of THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE and THE KILLING OF A CHINESE BOOKIE.
The intermission entertainment was supplied by finally meeting Lynn and Moraldo. Yes...there are real people behind the avatars! (The jury's still out on Dewey.)
COP HATER (William Berke, 1958). There's GUN CRAZY and TOUCH OF EVIL and DETOUR and BLAST OF SILENCE...and COP HATER is not far behind. I've loved this movie since my first viewing a couple of years ago and it is only better on the big screen. A near-flawless gem of sleaze, grime and fatalism. Any time two Manhattan cops step out of a seedy girly-show night club and take a deep breath on the street to get fresh air, you know there's a refreshing stench to the proceedings. One of the four movies directed by Berke in his last year of directing, he is is an unsung auteur of Poverty Row (check out FBI GIRL (1951) for further proof).
The intermission entertainment was supplied by finally meeting Lynn and Moraldo. Yes...there are real people behind the avatars! (The jury's still out on Dewey.)
COP HATER (William Berke, 1958). There's GUN CRAZY and TOUCH OF EVIL and DETOUR and BLAST OF SILENCE...and COP HATER is not far behind. I've loved this movie since my first viewing a couple of years ago and it is only better on the big screen. A near-flawless gem of sleaze, grime and fatalism. Any time two Manhattan cops step out of a seedy girly-show night club and take a deep breath on the street to get fresh air, you know there's a refreshing stench to the proceedings. One of the four movies directed by Berke in his last year of directing, he is is an unsung auteur of Poverty Row (check out FBI GIRL (1951) for further proof).
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
Re: I STILL WAKE UP DREAMING! More RARE NOIR at the ROXIE
Believe me when I tell you this Dewey. I am about to travel to Spain for a week starting this coming Wednesday. But there's a pesky little voice waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
in the back of my mind that's telling me I should have booked a two-week trip to San Francisco to
finally check out your wonderfully curated Noir program.
< Sigh! > Aaaah, the road not taken...
Congratulations on another successful run!
in the back of my mind that's telling me I should have booked a two-week trip to San Francisco to
finally check out your wonderfully curated Noir program.
< Sigh! > Aaaah, the road not taken...
Congratulations on another successful run!
Re: I STILL WAKE UP DREAMING! More RARE NOIR at the ROXIE
Hey ChiO - Great that you've been amping yourself up on pure-bred poverty row mayhem since Wednesday night!! Having Myra and Stacey on board for three thrill-packed nights was definitely a highlight for me! And Lynn and Marco; great to finally meet you on Saturday! You know these doors swing wide open for you upon your return for the Whistler Wednesday night.
Today's program offers up an unusually rare opportunity to catch one of Jacques Tourneur's lost noirs on the big screen: THE FEARMAKERS. At the heart of its story is how public opinion making admen in Washington DC insidiously create political and social agendas by any means possible. Dana Andrews is the star and a youngish Mel Torme delivers his first dramatic film portrayal. Very interested to see how it goes over with the crowd.
And Maven! Dang it. When will that silver bird bring you out west for the best in ramshackle noir?? I never been to Spain but I'm sure it's a gas and you'll have a high time. But next time? Next time you're Frisco bound.
Today's program offers up an unusually rare opportunity to catch one of Jacques Tourneur's lost noirs on the big screen: THE FEARMAKERS. At the heart of its story is how public opinion making admen in Washington DC insidiously create political and social agendas by any means possible. Dana Andrews is the star and a youngish Mel Torme delivers his first dramatic film portrayal. Very interested to see how it goes over with the crowd.
And Maven! Dang it. When will that silver bird bring you out west for the best in ramshackle noir?? I never been to Spain but I'm sure it's a gas and you'll have a high time. But next time? Next time you're Frisco bound.