Key Largo (1948)
Describing the Florida Keys always sounds as if a Dashiell Hammett-esque noir voice should be speaking the words aloud: “An isolated strip of land as beautiful as it is hot.” … Continue Reading Key Largo (1948)
The Big Heat (1953)
The different breeds of noir can end up creating a dark morass of shadows and fog, with little variety in-between that it’s remarkable that some noirs were able to stand … Continue Reading The Big Heat (1953)
Fallen Angel (1945)
Fallen Angel is certainly the perfect title for a film noir; the term, attributed to the ultimate fallen angel, Lucifer, immediately conjures up images of Hell, sin, and dark dames … Continue Reading Fallen Angel (1945)
Pitfall (1948)
There’s a formula to film noirs, and while not strictly enforced there are particular elements one looks for – the morally ambiguous hero, interplay between light and shadow, an evil … Continue Reading Pitfall (1948)
Kansas City Confidential (1952)
Despite the ingrained conventions of film noir some films can leave you surprised. So it is with director Phil Karlson’s Kansas City Confidential. What starts as a typical heist film … Continue Reading Kansas City Confidential (1952)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
I recently saw Kiss Me Deadly on Criterion and contemplated purchasing it, sight unseen because I love anything Criterion. Unfortunately I didn’t have the money for it and decided to … Continue Reading Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
Oft-considered one of the greatest film noirs ever made, John Huston’s The Asphalt Jungle is a story about the perils of city life…with the added bonus of a jewel heist. John … Continue Reading The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
Woman on the Run (1950)
Flicker Alley debuts two brand-new restorations this week with the DVD/Blu-ray combo release of Too Late for Tears (1949) and Woman on the Run (1950). Public domain victims whose copies … Continue Reading Woman on the Run (1950)
Out of the Fog (1941)
With my new full-time writer status, part of my transition with the site is to write about movie I get truly excited over, whether it makes me so mad I … Continue Reading Out of the Fog (1941)
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956)
Fritz Lang is a director whose work, even at its silliest, can entertain, and that’s how one must approach Beyond a Reasonable Doubt – now available in a beautiful Blu-ray … Continue Reading Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956)
Gun Crazy (1950)
There’s a disconnect to the 1950s best exemplified through media. One the one hand you have the Donna Reed world of mom, dad, and apple pie. And on the other … Continue Reading Gun Crazy (1950)
Julie (1956)
Sometimes a movie is just so weird I have to write about it in order to prove it wasn’t something I dreamed up. Doris Day was a recent honoree during … Continue Reading Julie (1956)
Gaslight (1944)
On first blush, George Cukor’s Gaslight isn’t a horror film. But it is if you’re a woman. The term commonly pops up today but most don’t know the movie it’s … Continue Reading Gaslight (1944)
I Walk Alone (1947)
I review the Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas noir, I Walk Alone.
Sorry, Wrong Number (1948)
My mother’s listened to Agnes Moorehead’s original radio production – a role she tackled till the 1960s – and I’m interested in comparing these two. On its own film, Sorry, … Continue Reading Sorry, Wrong Number (1948)
TCMFF Review: Road House (1948)
Director Jean Negulesco and I have a contentious cinematic relationship. His patented blend of noirish melodrama doesn’t always sit right with me, yet I’ve seen so many of his features … Continue Reading TCMFF Review: Road House (1948)
