Movie recco filter: detective/noire edition
August 3, 2014 3:22 PM Subscribe
Looking for a good detective/noire movie.
Here are some movies I loved, am looking for similar:
Blood simple
Miller's crossing
Night falls on Manhattan
Chinatown
LA confidential
French connection
The big sleep
Maltese falcon
The long good Friday
The limey
Out of sight
High and low
Here are some movies I loved, am looking for similar:
Blood simple
Miller's crossing
Night falls on Manhattan
Chinatown
LA confidential
French connection
The big sleep
Maltese falcon
The long good Friday
The limey
Out of sight
High and low
The Big Clock
posted by Area Man at 3:31 PM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Area Man at 3:31 PM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
Out of the Past.
Raw Deal.
In a Lonely Place.
Pickup on South Street.
Criss Cross.
Body Heat.
For a start...
posted by Pudhoho at 3:32 PM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
Raw Deal.
In a Lonely Place.
Pickup on South Street.
Criss Cross.
Body Heat.
For a start...
posted by Pudhoho at 3:32 PM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
Postman Always Rings Twice (either version)
posted by octothorpe at 3:34 PM on August 3, 2014
posted by octothorpe at 3:34 PM on August 3, 2014
Fargo is another Coen Bros. movie that's a detective story. Seconding Brick, as well.
posted by brentajones at 3:35 PM on August 3, 2014
posted by brentajones at 3:35 PM on August 3, 2014
Seconding Double Indemnity. It's astonishing and I love Fred MacMurray in that role.
posted by mochapickle at 3:41 PM on August 3, 2014
posted by mochapickle at 3:41 PM on August 3, 2014
Response by poster: I've seen most of the movies recommended. I can't believe I forgot to add double indemnity to the list, it's amazing. Keep'm coming folks.
posted by askmehow at 3:46 PM on August 3, 2014
posted by askmehow at 3:46 PM on August 3, 2014
Ah, in that case, I'll swap out my recommendation:
Les Diaboliques (aka Diabolique) - a classic!
And another: Swimming Pool. It's a spiritual cousin to traditional film noir, IMO. The less you know about it going in, the better.
posted by mochapickle at 4:06 PM on August 3, 2014
Les Diaboliques (aka Diabolique) - a classic!
And another: Swimming Pool. It's a spiritual cousin to traditional film noir, IMO. The less you know about it going in, the better.
posted by mochapickle at 4:06 PM on August 3, 2014
Inside Man, Devil in a Blue Dress
posted by walkinginsunshine at 4:09 PM on August 3, 2014
posted by walkinginsunshine at 4:09 PM on August 3, 2014
The Grifters
A Simple Plan
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
posted by scody at 4:20 PM on August 3, 2014
A Simple Plan
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
posted by scody at 4:20 PM on August 3, 2014
Oh, and two more good 'uns with Orson Welles, on the chance you haven't seen them already:
The Third Man
The Lady from Shanghai
posted by scody at 4:23 PM on August 3, 2014
The Third Man
The Lady from Shanghai
posted by scody at 4:23 PM on August 3, 2014
The Departed
posted by fuse theorem at 5:35 PM on August 3, 2014
posted by fuse theorem at 5:35 PM on August 3, 2014
The French do make good noir:
Coup de Torchon
Bob La Flambeur
Le Samouri
Caché
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:04 PM on August 3, 2014
Coup de Torchon
Bob La Flambeur
Le Samouri
Caché
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:04 PM on August 3, 2014
And check out Swimming With Sharks for more LA noir business.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:05 PM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:05 PM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
Detour is on YouTube and is a quick watch at only 67 minutes. It's not exactly a great movie but it's got a rough charm to it.
posted by octothorpe at 6:14 PM on August 3, 2014
posted by octothorpe at 6:14 PM on August 3, 2014
Dead Again
Dark City
Zodiac
Shutter Island
Pretty much anything directed by Hitchcock, though based on the others you've listed, maybe start with Vertigo and Notorious. The Trouble With Harry isn't a typical detective one but is awesomely funny in a black sort of way (and noir does mean black after all!)
posted by Athanassiel at 7:13 PM on August 3, 2014
Dark City
Zodiac
Shutter Island
Pretty much anything directed by Hitchcock, though based on the others you've listed, maybe start with Vertigo and Notorious. The Trouble With Harry isn't a typical detective one but is awesomely funny in a black sort of way (and noir does mean black after all!)
posted by Athanassiel at 7:13 PM on August 3, 2014
Anything with Van Heflin or Robert Ryan, particularly the pitch black "Act of Violence", in which they both appear. "The Prowler", "On Dangerous Ground" and "The Set-Up" also all highly recommended.
I recently picked up the Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics series, and these are well worth looking into - cheap, gritty B films, for the most part, many of which transcend their budgets and Columbia's expectations ("City of Fear" and "The Line Up" being two good examples.) Get the whole set and you'll have several weeks' worth of tough talk, expressionist lighting, and existential dread.
While it's hard to recommend whole-heartedly, the 3rd ed. of Alain Silver and Elizabeth Ward's Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style is the best survey / checklist currently available, and has helped me discover a lot of noirs that I would have otherwise missed.
posted by ryanshepard at 8:21 PM on August 3, 2014
I recently picked up the Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics series, and these are well worth looking into - cheap, gritty B films, for the most part, many of which transcend their budgets and Columbia's expectations ("City of Fear" and "The Line Up" being two good examples.) Get the whole set and you'll have several weeks' worth of tough talk, expressionist lighting, and existential dread.
While it's hard to recommend whole-heartedly, the 3rd ed. of Alain Silver and Elizabeth Ward's Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style is the best survey / checklist currently available, and has helped me discover a lot of noirs that I would have otherwise missed.
posted by ryanshepard at 8:21 PM on August 3, 2014
This Gun for Hire and The Narrow Margin. Shadow of a Doubt seems to get mentioned most when Hitchcock's more noirish films are brought up.
Also, Steve Martin's "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid," which inserts him into scenes from various noir films, all strung together into a single plot. It's hilarious, and the more films you recognize, the funnier it is.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 9:15 PM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
Also, Steve Martin's "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid," which inserts him into scenes from various noir films, all strung together into a single plot. It's hilarious, and the more films you recognize, the funnier it is.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 9:15 PM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
Rear Window! Rear Window is the most gorgeous, glorious thing.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 10:24 PM on August 3, 2014
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 10:24 PM on August 3, 2014
Oh lord, there's a lot of good suggestions here. I'd like add;
Scarlet Street, with Edward G Robinson. An oldie, but a goodie. Famous for being one of the first movies to show a murderer getting away with his crime (although not entirely unpunished).
Gilda, starring Rita Hayworth. Another oldie, but gosh, this still holds up well - nothing like watching two people who love each other hurt each other so much. Plus murder, obviously.
posted by ninazer0 at 11:32 PM on August 3, 2014
Scarlet Street, with Edward G Robinson. An oldie, but a goodie. Famous for being one of the first movies to show a murderer getting away with his crime (although not entirely unpunished).
Gilda, starring Rita Hayworth. Another oldie, but gosh, this still holds up well - nothing like watching two people who love each other hurt each other so much. Plus murder, obviously.
posted by ninazer0 at 11:32 PM on August 3, 2014
Seconding Body Heat. Damn, that's a good movie.
Robert Mitchum - Master of Noir: Paul Newman:
posted by marsha56 at 11:36 PM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
Robert Mitchum - Master of Noir: Paul Newman:
- The Hustler - With the great Jackie Gleason playing Minnesota Fats
- Sweet Smell of Success - with Tony Curtis
- Call Northside 777 - Suspenseful use of technology back when data transmission was in its infancy
- The Ref - Great Christmas antidote
- Rosemary's Baby - yeah, not really noir, but many noirish elements, namely deceit and betrayal
- Dog Day Afternoon - electrifying performance from a young Al Pacino
- Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - Phillip Seymour Hoffman
- Mystery Train - Jim Jarmusch
- A Place in the Sun - Monty Cliff, Liz Taylor - "Tell mama"
- Prime Suspect - The entire series with Helen Mirren
- Chan is Missing - Wayne Wang shoestring budget indie hit
posted by marsha56 at 11:36 PM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
Great thread!
Open Culture have a list of free-to-watch-online (youtube etc) Film Noir Movies here.
Further recommendations:
Kiss Me Deadly
The Big Heat
posted by Joeruckus at 1:58 AM on August 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Open Culture have a list of free-to-watch-online (youtube etc) Film Noir Movies here.
Further recommendations:
Kiss Me Deadly
The Big Heat
posted by Joeruckus at 1:58 AM on August 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
So many good recommendations here. I would add:
They Live By Night (Gorgeously put togther)
The Asphalt Jungle (Heist Movie Noir)
It's not classic noir, but Sunset Boulevard sure has lying, murder, allure, betrayal, death, dreams, despair, and lots of shadows.
posted by julen at 6:17 AM on August 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
They Live By Night (Gorgeously put togther)
The Asphalt Jungle (Heist Movie Noir)
It's not classic noir, but Sunset Boulevard sure has lying, murder, allure, betrayal, death, dreams, despair, and lots of shadows.
posted by julen at 6:17 AM on August 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Folks this is awesome, thank you all so much. I can't wait to get started on this
posted by askmehow at 6:54 AM on August 4, 2014
posted by askmehow at 6:54 AM on August 4, 2014
Special seconding to Diabolique and Pickup on South Street.
posted by fivesavagepalms at 8:05 AM on August 4, 2014
posted by fivesavagepalms at 8:05 AM on August 4, 2014
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Blade Runner.
Mulholland Drive
posted by Sebmojo at 3:24 PM on August 3, 2014 [4 favorites]