Noir Films

[CineMaven]

"Kiss me...the liar's kiss that says 'I love you.' "



CINEMAVEN WATCHING "THE NAKED KISS."

[RedRiver]

My brother had some Maker's Mark once. He wouldn't let me cut it with Coke. He said, "If you're gonna do that, you gotta have the cheap stuff. Good whisky should be taken straight!" Dude!

[feaito]

This is a question for any Noir buff who has seen this film: I've been browsing through the net and I've become very intrigued about a "B" film directed by Arthur Ripley titled "Voice in the Wind" (1944); some reviewers have written they've been haunted by it, that it's great, etc., but others have written it's baadd!...I would like to see it, but apparently it hasn't been released on DVD or VHS, and it hasn't been aired? Is it worthwhile? Is it worth the search?

Thanks for your feedback. Much obliged.

[Fossy]

This may help

Watch Voice In The Wind (1944) Free Online


http://www.ovguide.com/movies_tv/voice_in_the_wind.htm

[feaito]

Thank you Fossy!

[feaito]

Sadly, the links did not work for me due to copyright issues in my country...

[JackFavell]

I can't ever get through to the actual movies on this website for some reason.

[ChiO]

Show me a crime, and I'll show you the dirty picture that caused it.

In honor of Edward D. Wood, Jr. Night at the Roxie yesterday, I watched THE SINISTER URGE (1960), the film he made immediately after PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE. The above dialog from the movie gives the plot: Attractive young women are being murdered in a park. The common thread? They are were in girlie photographs and movies. The police are all over this. They know who the smut peddlers are and raid the operation, which is run by an attractive woman, but is financed by The Syndicate. In the course of educating the viewing audience about how dirty pictures disrupt social conventions and corrupt our youth, which leads to murder and financing organized crime (necessitating, of course, exposing the audience to those pictures being shot, all in the name of "redeeming social value"), the murderer must be found. Luckily, those criminals (except The Syndicate, which is a nice bit of social commentary) do come to justice -- so it's all within the Code. As I watch and re-watch his films, I find that I'm drawn more and more to his noir-crime-social criticism movies rather than his horror movies (though PLAN 9's "Stronger. You see? You see? Your stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!" may be the best social commentary in any movie).

There are two marvelous examples of the wit of Wood that should forever disspell any notion that he didn't know what he was doing or was only unintentionally funny. One: An attractive young lady, with stars in her eyes, trying to break into show biz, has been invited to the producer's office for a casting interview. There are three framed movie poster half-sheets on the wall. She looks at them and asks if the only movies he makes are Gangster and Horror movies. He responds, "Those are made by friends of mine. I think you'll find my type of picture entirely different." The posters? JAIL BAIT, THE VIOLENT YEARS and BRIDE OF THE MONSTER. Two: The director/photographer, named Jaffe (and he looks like Sam, but is Wood stalwart Harry Keaton, Buster's brother) is always speaking with a German accent...until the girls are gone. Then the accent disappears. His assistant asks him why. He responds, "Because I'm not directing."

And to the list of great director-cinematographer protracted collaborations of Mann-Alton, Powell-Cardiff and Bergman-Nykvist should be added Wood-Thompson. William C. Thompson was cinematographer for the Wood directed GLEN OR GLENDA, JAIL BAIT, BRIDE OF THE MONSTER, NIGHT OF THE GHOULS, PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE and THE SINISTER URGE, as well as the Wood written THE VIOLENT YEARS. His greatest work, however, was not on a Wood movie, but DEMENTIA. He definitely knew what he was doing.

Pornography is a nasty word for a dirty business.

[Dewey1960]

Kudos to ChiO for introducing THE SINISTER URGE into the conversation. It's really
one of Wood's greatest films and is definitely worthy of further study. Good news
then, that this coming spring for my next I WAKE UP DREAMING festival, THE SINISTER
URGE will be in the lineup! Book those flights now!
[youtube][/youtube]

[ChiO]

You, sir, are The Master.

Now (give'em what they want, and then they'll complain some more), be sure to program it around the other movies that I will be flying from the Middle Coast to the West Coast to see. Moraldo...can I treat you to some ice cream?...You know where.

[ChiO]

ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET CAPTAIN KIDD: Yes, the subtle stylings of Bud, Lou and Charles Laughton are just as good now as they were on my first viewing, oh, 50 or so years ago. But why list this bit o' cinema here? Well, sez I, upon paying close attention to the opening credits:

Cinematographer: Stanley Cortez
Assistant Director: Robert Aldrich

So there you go.

Can't wait to see it at the Roxie some Spring.

[movieman1957]

T Men directed by Anthony Mann, in his prewestern days, is a stark, gritty docudrama styled noir about undercover Treasury Department agents trying to bust a counterfeiting ring.

It's a pretty straightforward crime drama but is set apart by its look. It is a very dark picture. Save for some establishing shots and one scene it is exclusively set at night. Shadows are everywhere. Charles McGraw, who plays the hit man in the gang, has such an angular face that even it throws its own shadows. Some of the darkness is especially striking in a couple of scenes where murders take place.

A mostly "B" cast serves the film. It stars Dennis O'Keefe and his is supported by Wallace Ford, Charles McGraw and a host of others that are lesser known for me.

Mann captures the atmosphere very well. The drama is okay but I think most everyone who likes noir would enjoy it even more from a visual standpoint.

[ChiO]

The drama is okay but I think most everyone who likes noir would enjoy it even more from a visual standpoint.

Two words: John...Alton.

[movieman1957]

I didn't pick that up when I started but your gentle reminder made me go "Ah!!!"