You could easily confuse I Wake Up Screaming with any number of glossy, slickly directed noirs of the early-1940s, and that’s partly what makes it so entertaining. Because it’s so … Continue Reading I Wake Up Screaming (1941)
Originally published December 15th, 2015 Maybe it’s the forced togetherness and spirit of brotherhood that makes the holidays so perfect for the noir genre. Whether it’s the glittery Hollywood pulp … Continue Reading Lady on a Train (1945)
Originally published August 15th, 2012 Finally back on track with a film review, this time getting prepped for Halloween a few months early (although I have a pretty awesome … Continue Reading The Black Cat (1934)
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)
For some reason, it’s always easier to spot cinematic trends in classic film. Every studio wants to capitalize on the last big success (or successes) which can lead to a … Continue Reading Whirlpool (1949)
This is reposted as part of the Summer Under the Stars blogathon You know the type of films Hollywood holds up as examples of the cheesy filmmaking of the classic … Continue Reading A Cry in the Night (1956)
This is reposted as part of the Summer Under the Stars blogathon By 1946 actor Humphrey Bogart fit into the role of detective Philip Marlowe so perfectly it might as … Continue Reading The Big Sleep (1946)
This post is published as part of the Summer Under the Stars blogathon After the Thin Man has a lot to live up to. It’s the first sequel to the … Continue Reading After the Thin Man (1936)
Barbara Stanwyck sailed through every genre of film and looked glorious doing int. In the ’30s, Stanwyck cultivated a persona as being a tough dame who could put a man … Continue Reading The Mad Miss Manton (1938)
This post is in conjunction with Film Forum’s Burt Lancaster tribute. Find out more and purchase tickets here. My mother’s listened to Agnes Moorehead’s original radio production – a role … Continue Reading Sorry, Wrong Number (1948)
I review the Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas noir, I Walk Alone.
Kay Francis and William Powell mix love and crime in Jewel Robbery.
The gangster genre is traditionally male-dominated, so imagine my surprise at seeing the arrival of Lady Scarface from Warner Archive. A gangster who’s a woman?! What’s next, mixing French fries … Continue Reading Lady Scarface (1941)
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)
In 1947 the feature Crossfire took a harsh look at the rise of antisemitism in America, taking an story that examination homosexuality initially and presenting it to post-war audiences as … Continue Reading TCMFF Review: Open Secret (1948)
When I talked to author Alan K. Rode a few months back he mentioned his work with the Film Noir Foundation to bring the 1950 noir, The Man Who Cheated … Continue Reading The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950)
