Last Movie You Watched

[SonicMan46]

Out of the Past (1947) - first quote a short synopsis w/ the main cast; one of the best of the 'film noir' films - for those unfamiliar w/ the genre, second quote a brief description (link given), and their list of the top 15 noir movies - owning about two-thirds of these films, I'd probably bump this one up a few notches - excellent 4*/4* Roger Ebert review. I've always found Jane Greer 'irresistible' despite her being a nasty femme fatale - highly recommended!  Dave

Out of the Past is a film noir directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, and Kirk Douglas. The film was adapted by Daniel Mainwaring from his 1946 novel Build My Gallows High, with uncredited revisions by Frank Fenton and James M. Cain. Its complex, fatalistic storyline, dark cinematography, and classic femme fatale garnered the film critical acclaim and cult status. In 1991, the National Film Preservation Board at the Library of Congress added Out of the Past to the United States National Film Registry of "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" films. (Source)

From 1941 to 1959, American audiences were captivated by melodramas about hard-boiled detectives, dangerous dames, and pulpy mysteries with literary origins. It's a style that would later be known as film noir. Many of the movies in that classic film noir era-inspired cinema for decades to come. In recognition of that, we've compiled a list of the best film noir movies of all time — not only from a critical perspective but also by their influence on the genre and beyond. (Source)

- list below is the link's compilation of their top 15 'film noirs' (own about 2/3 of the list below, marked by an *)

01 - Double Indemnity (1944)*
02 - Sunset Boulevard (1950)*
03 - The Third Man (1949)*
04 - In A Lonely Place (1950)*
05 - Touch of Evil (1958)*
06 - Out of the Past (1947)*
07 - White Heat (1949)
08 - The Big Heat (1953)
09 - Sweet Smell of Success (1957)*
10 - The Big Sleep (1946)*
11 - Gilda (1946)*
12 - The Maltese Falcon (1941)*
13 - Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
14 - Nightmare Alley (1947)
15 - The Asphalt Jungle (1950)*

 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Any Spencer Tracy-Katharine Hepburn fans?

Yes!   

PD

[ChamberNut]

I watched a movie that seriously messed with my head.  It is dark, violent and upsetting.  Watch only if you have the will:

Looks interesting. I'm generally a fan of David Cronenberg, but less familiar with his son's work, although I have seen Antiviral and thought it was pretty decent.

[Karl Henning]

Out of the Past (1947) - first quote a short synopsis w/ the main cast; one of the best of the 'film noir' films - for those unfamiliar w/ the genre, second quote a brief description (link given), and their list of the top 15 noir movies - owning about two-thirds of these films, I'd probably bump this one up a few notches - excellent 4*/4* Roger Ebert review. I've always found Jane Greer 'irresistible' despite her being a nasty femme fatale - highly recommended!  Dave

Thanks for the tip/reminder, Dave.

[Karl Henning]

01 - Double Indemnity (1944)*
02 - Sunset Boulevard (1950)*
03 - The Third Man (1949)*
04 - In A Lonely Place (1950)*
05 - Touch of Evil (1958)*
06 - Out of the Past (1947)*
07 - White Heat (1949)
08 - The Big Heat (1953)
09 - Sweet Smell of Success (1957)*
10 - The Big Sleep (1946)*
11 - Gilda (1946)*
12 - The Maltese Falcon (1941)*
13 - Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
14 - Nightmare Alley (1947)
15 - The Asphalt Jungle (1950)*

Disclosure: of the "bottom five" here, I've only seen the Falcon. This fact won't stop me from expressing disappointment at the omission of Mankiewicz's No Way Out (1950)

[Brian]

Disclosure: of the "bottom five" here, I've only seen the Falcon. This fact won't stop me from expressing disappointment at the omission of Mankiewicz's No Way Out (1950)

No Maltese Falcon?! I recently saw Asphalt Jungle for the first time and, along with a stoic lead role for Sterling Hayden and a cameo by Marilyn Monroe, the main attraction is a careful, methodical robbery/heist scene that created the template for all heist movies after it. The overall tone is quite sour and cynical but that's noir for ya. It was a good watch.

[Karl Henning]

No Maltese Falcon?! I recently saw Asphalt Jungle for the first time and, along with a stoic lead role for Sterling Hayden and a cameo by Marilyn Monroe, the main attraction is a careful, methodical robbery/heist scene that created the template for all heist movies after it. The overall tone is quite sour and cynical but that's noir for ya. It was a good watch.

I meant, I've seen Falcon, but not the other four. Sorry to have been unclear. I really ought to see the remainder.

[Brian]

I meant, I've seen Falcon, but not the other four. Sorry to have been unclear. I really ought to see the remainder.

Oh, you were not unclear at all, I was just bad at reading  I didn't have breakfast, that must be the problem...I'll log off now... 

[SonicMan46]

Disclosure: of the "bottom five" here, I've only seen the Falcon. This fact won't stop me from expressing disappointment at the omission of Mankiewicz's No Way Out (1950)

Hi Karl - I've missed a few in that list - saw No Way Out on release years ago and is described as 'neo-noir' from its Wiki article below - 'film noir' basically covered the years 1941-1959 and films made more recently w/ similar themes seem to fall into a 'neo-noir' genre? Checked for a list of 'neo-noir' films - 50 best HERE by one list.  Dave

No Way Out is a 1987 American neo-noir political action thriller film directed by Roger Donaldson and starring Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman, Will Patton, and Sean Young... The film is based on the 1946 novelThe Big Clock by Kenneth Fearing, previously filmed as The Big Clock (1948) and Police Python 357 (1976). (Source)

[Karl Henning]

Hi Karl - I've missed a few in that list - saw No Way Out on release years ago and is described as 'neo-noir' from its Wiki article below - 'film noir' basically covered the years 1941-1959 and films made more recently w/ similar themes seem to fall into a 'neo-noir' genre? Checked for a list of 'neo-noir' films - 50 best HERE by one

I guess, Dave, if "classic noir" is 1941-1959 ... why would Mankiewicz's 1950 No Way Out be left out?

[SonicMan46]

Last night, another film noir movie in my collection (as a Criterion BD) and on the previous 'best' list:

Sweet Smell of Success (1957) - short synopsis below w/ cast - Burt & Tony play their roles as 'rotten scumbags' perfectly; ratings: 8/10, IMDB; 98%, Rotten Tomatoes; 3 1/2*/4*, Maltin; and 4*/4*, Roger Ebert (his review HERE, if interested) - yet another recommendation.  Dave

Sweet Smell of Success is an American film noir drama directed by Alexander Mackendrick, starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison, and Martin Milner, and written by Clifford Odets, Ernest Lehman, and Mackendrick from the novelette by Lehman. The shadowy noir cinematography filmed on location in New York City was shot by James Wong Howe. The musical score by Elmer Bernstein with jazz performances by the Chico Hamilton Quintet. The film tells the story of powerful and sleazy newspaper columnist J.J. Hunsecker (Lancaster) who uses his connections to ruin his sister's relationship with a man he deems unworthy of her. (Source)

 

[SonicMan46]

I guess, Dave, if "classic noir" is 1941-1959 ... why would Mankiewicz's 1950 No Way Out be left out?

Sorry Karl, I picked the wrong film obviously of the same name - the Mankiewicz production is indeed described as a 'film noir' below, and here's another list HERE, this time of the top 20; No Way Out not on that list either - in fact, I'm not sure if I ever saw that '50 movie (just checked and available on Amazon as a HD rental/purchase).  Dave

No Way Out is a 1950 American film noir directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and starring Richard Widmark, Linda Darnell, Sidney Poitier, and Stephen McNally, who portrays a doctor tending to slum residents whose ethics are tested when confronted with racism, personified by Widmark as hateful robber Ray Biddle. (Source)

[Karl Henning]

Interesting:

[Brian]

Last night, another film noir movie in my collection (as a Criterion BD) and on the previous 'best' list:

Sweet Smell of Success (1957) - short synopsis below w/ cast - Burt & Tony play their roles as 'rotten scumbags' perfectly; ratings: 8/10, IMDB; 98%, Rotten Tomatoes; 3 1/2*/4*, Maltin; and 4*/4*, Roger Ebert (his review HERE, if interested) - yet another recommendation.  Dave

I just watched that for the first time - powerfully bleak and the performance by Lancaster is unforgettable. So intimidating even from the first second. His entrance is as powerful as an Orson Welles entrance (and I think I heard Welles was considered for the role).

[Karl Henning]

Frank Darabont's The Mist. The first time I watched it, I thought very well of it, but also (given both its intensity and the emotional ending) felt I wouldn't need to watch it again for a while.  Now, you will have guessed, I figure that it's time.

[relm1]

Frank Darabont's The Mist. The first time I watched it, I thought very well of it, but also (given both its intensity and the emotional ending) felt I wouldn't need to watch it again for a while.  Now, you will have guessed, I figure that it's time.

I love that movie.  Just wasn't a fan of the crazed religious woman who gets everyone to turn on each other in a few hours.

[Karl Henning]

I love that movie.  Just wasn't a fan of the crazed religious woman who gets everyone to turn on each other in a few hours.

She's the reminder that not all of the monsters are out in the mist.

[San Antone]

Frank Darabont's The Mist. The first time I watched it, I thought very well of it, but also (given both its intensity and the emotional ending) felt I wouldn't need to watch it again for a while.  Now, you will have guessed, I figure that it's time.

I knew nothing about this movie so I looked at the Wikipedia article.  I was surprised to learn that it was shot in my home town of Shreveport, Louisiana - which I knew had some kind of film industry but had no idea of the scope until I read more about it.

[DavidW]

I knew nothing about this movie so I looked at the Wikipedia article.  I was surprised to learn that it was shot in my home town of Shreveport, Louisiana - which I knew had some kind of film industry but had no idea of the scope until I read more about it.

The whole movie takes place in a grocery store so I wouldn't get too excited, unless it is the store that you go to!

If you ever watch it, try to watch the black and white version.  It was filmed that way and then the studios forced a colorization because they didn't think people would go to the theater to watch something in black and white.  It is supposed to have that old 50s horror feel.

[Karl Henning]

The whole movie takes place in a grocery store so I wouldn't get too excited, unless it is the store that you go to!

If you ever watch it, try to watch the black and white version.  It was filmed that way and then the studios forced a colorization because they didn't think people would go to the theater to watch something in black and white.  It is supposed to have that old 50s horror feel.

Thanks for this. I was wondering why there is a second disc. Nice touch!