Down These Mean Streets A Man Must Go - The Film Noir Thread

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Whirlpool (1949) - Otto Preminger

Tomorrow she will know what she did tonight!!

The wife of a psycho-analyst falls prey to a devious quack hypnotist when he discovers she is an habitual shoplifter. Then one of his previous patients now being treated by the real doctor is found murdered, with her still at the scene, and suspicion points only one way.

Whilst in my opinion not as good as the other two films in the BFI's Otto Preminger set, Whirlpool is still a fantastic little noir. Although, as this was my 'virgin viewing' I may end up elevating it up to and even above the other two films in the set (Fallen Ange and Where the Sidewalk Ends). Hopefully my comments don't come across as negative as Whirlpool is still very highly recommended: 7/10

I only saw Whirlpool a few months ago for the first time and thought it was brilliant.

Shame there's only three films in the Preminger blu set. There are four in the dvd version. It adds Night and the City to the ones you mention.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I only saw Whirlpool a few months ago for the first time and thought it was brilliant.

Shame there's only three films in the Preminger blu set. There are four in the dvd version. It adds Night and the City to the ones you mention.

I really liked it, but it will definitely warrant another re-watch - in fact all the Preminger's I watched recently thanks to the various BFI Blus have all increased in rating on a re-watch so Whirlpool may very well do so too.

Night and the City was given a separate release around the same time as the 3 film set:



All four films look and sound absolutely terrific.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

All four films look and sound absolutely terrific.

The dvd's look great so i can only imagine.

Plus being the BFI you also get the extras and booklet.

[MacBlayne]

I wish, oh, I wish I could afford to buy these films.

I writing them down in a little notebook so if I ever spot them for cheap, they are mine.

Seriously, guys. These reviews are excellent.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950) - Otto Preminger

Tough NYC police detective Dixon misses out on a promotion because of his record of roughing up suspects. When accidentally kills a suspect in a murder case he plants clues to absolve himself. But when the father of a woman he recently fell in love is accused of the crime his plan looks like back firing.

I really enjoyed revisiting this one thanks to the BFI's Preminger set. Dana Andrews puts in another fine performance and Gene Tierney is on top form as always. As mentioned in my previous post on a re-watch I boosted my rating for this one and would even go so far as saying that it is one of my favourites. 8/10

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MacBlayne

I wish, oh, I wish I could afford to buy these films.

I writing them down in a little notebook so if I ever spot them for cheap, they are mine.

Seriously, guys. These reviews are excellent.

Glad you're enjoying them, Mac.

To be honest out of the ones I've watched so far, I own very few. The bulk have been Love Film rentals or Youtube viewings.

[MacBlayne]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Glad you're enjoying them, Mac.

To be honest out of the ones I've watched so far, I own very few. The bulk have been Love Film rentals or Youtube viewings.

I used to watch at least one noir every week when I had Sky Movies but cutbacks meant I had to give back.

I have a few B&W noirs in my collection (Double Indemnity, Touch of Evil, Rififi) but nowhere as much as I would like.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MacBlayne

I used to watch at least one noir every week when I had Sky Movies but cutbacks meant I had to give back.

I have a few B&W noirs in my collection (Double Indemnity, Touch of Evil, Rififi) but nowhere as much as I would like.

I own quite a few too (mainly thanks to Olive Films who have released a fair amount of interesting titles - here is an idea of what I own (in terms of classic Noir on Blu at least)), although aside from wanting to check out the new BFI Blus I wanted most of my viewing to comprise of films I'd never seen before... this list has been my motivation, however the sheer amount of Noir that was released in the '40s and '50s is incredible when you start looking outside the 'top' lists.

[MacBlayne]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

I own quite a few too (mainly thanks to Olive Films who have released a fair amount of interesting titles - here is an idea of what I own (in terms of classic Noir on Blu at least)), although aside from wanting to check out the new BFI Blus I wanted most of my viewing to comprise of films I'd never seen before... this list has been my motivation, however the sheer amount of Noir that was released in the '40s and '50s is incredible when you start looking outside the 'top' lists.

Oh, why couldn't it have been me who won the Euromillions

[Inspector Abberline]

The Killing (1956)
Over the past few years my Kubrick appreciation has fluxuated from god like admiration to aw shucks he is human after all. Your talking to a man who loved Clockwork Orange before id even watched it,I spent years buying the posters and soundtrack without actually seeing the film until the advent of bootleg videos. But re-watching The Killing I kind of prefer this pretty much straight forward adaptation of novel Clean Break by Lionel White.A terrific and fast paced noir thriller about a robbery at a race track. This has all the hallmarks of a young director learning his craft and not dropping the ball,Although Kubricks films tend to be long they always seem to lack any real characterisation, yet The Killing is seeped in these underworld characters, you only spend a few minutes with say Timothy Carey as Nikki Arane and you know the guys a total nutcase,the way he talks through his gritted teeth, while cuddling a puppy and surrounded by targets.Corrupt cop (Ted de Corsia), is in debt to gangsters.Elisha Cook Jr. as George Peatty is a cuckold husband to Marie Windsor as Sherry Peatty a two timing adulteress who's young boyfriend is tipped off about the robbery.Joe Sawyer as Mike O'Reilly is a barman at the track who has a ill and bed ridden wife. Then there's Sterling Hayden as Johnny Clay the gangs leader,I should imagine poor old Sterling would get fed up with being type cast as a crook,but he shouldn't be so bloody good at playing these parts should he.I luv everything about the Killing,the acting is sublime, the plot is so good I'm really surprised no one has tried to remake it especially when we had the Usual Suspects and the countless other crime wave films a few years back . Towards the end Timothy Carey's character sets up above the race track in a car park with sniper rifle, while waiting for the race to start he befriends the security guard, a black ex servicemen, Carey with the pretence of being friendly chats with the guard through gritted teeth, eventually Carey is fed up with the guard and spits out the word N****R, the scene is cringe worthy and brilliant all at the same time.


out of 5