NEO NOIR: FOUR FILMS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED, PART III

Clockwise from top, Philip Baker Hall, Michael Madsen, Kim Dickens, and Alec Baldwin

My rule: The best thing about noir as a genre is that it can be bent a thousand ways from Sunday. I've said that once and I'll continue.


While most classic noir films we've come to love have stemmed from the 40s and 50s (too many to name), plenty of neo noirs have been delivered in the modern day from director Roman Polanski's take of the private eye film in "Chinatown" to the burnt-neon world of Ridley Scott's sci-fi "Blade Runner." Those are givens. But what about the flicks off the beaten path?


Just as in parts one and two, I'm going to recommend four more neo-noirs that some of you may have missed the first time around.

Zero Effect (1998)

The gist: Jake Kasdan's feature-film debut centers on Steve Arlo (Ben Stiller) and Daryl Zero (Bill Pullman), with the latter being a damn near genius when it comes to the art of sleuthing. Their newest case comesin the form of finding a shady tycoon's missing keys. But Zero never counted on being bitten by the love bug in the form of unlikely vamp Kim Dickens.

Why I loved it: If this isn't a modern take on Sherlock Holmes I don't know what is. Like most, I was leery upon seeing the often-predictable Stiller in this - but he delivers as the metrosexual Watson-type. And Pullman? Otherwise a fly-under-the-radar thesp, he owned the movie as the awkward detective. And stunning Kim Dickens? Her femme fatale is a tad unconventional but more than effective. Pretty much hard to find these days (usually it's on cable), the video above has the film in its entirety.

Heaven's Prisoners (1996)

The gist: Based on the crime novels of James Lee Burke, former New Orleans cop Dave Robicheaux (Alec Baldwin) returns to the grit of the French Quarter when he stumbles upon a suspicious plane crash and saves the life of a young girl. Caught between rampaging federal agents and a drug-running former friend (Eric Roberts), the twists and turns come fast and furious.

Why I loved it: Roughly a decade before he scooped up scores of Emmys on NBC's "30 Rock," Baldwin had a minor run as brooding leading man. Lord, one can only imagine what he could've done in the late 40s-early 50s. Eric Roberts is pure fun (even with the scenery-shewing) as the baddie who used to know Baldwin.

Kill Me Again (1989)

The gist: Set within the steamy Nevada desert as well as casino towns Reno and Las Vegas, this feature debut of neo-noir stylist John Dahl ("Red Rock West," "The Last Seduction"), centers on Joanne Whalley-Kilmer, a vamp who tries to break free from her mob connections by faking her own death. The patsy in all this is private eye Jack Andrews (Val Kilmer), who quickly gets spun into her web of woe and seduction.

Why I loved it: While Whalley-Kilmer plays the femme fatale for all it's worth, a pre-'Reservoir Dogs' Michael Madsen steals the show as her psychotic boyfriend on her trail. Kilmer may have been slightly miscast as the modern gumshoe, but Whalley-Kilmer, Madsen and Dahl's steamy neo noir direction more than make up for it.

Hard Eight (1996)

The gist: Visionary director Paul Thomas Anderson's first film chronicles the relationship of John (John C. Reilly) and professional card sharp and gambler Sydney (Philip Baker Hall), who takes John under his wing after showing him how to exploit the casinos' perks. Flash-forward a few years and the duo enjoy life as successful gamblers. All is grand until John falls for a cocktail waitress (Gwyneth Paltrow) and gets mixed up with a shady stranger (Samuel L. Jackson).

Why I loved it: This simple little film delivers in spades and Baker Hall owns the movie as the fatherly gambler. The real star, however, is the gritty city of Reno itself which bleeds onto the screen.


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NEO NOIR: FOUR FILMS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED, PART II

Clockwise from top left: Joe Pesci, Gina Gershon and Billy Zane, Woody Harrelson and Robert Mithum.

The best thing about noir as a genre is that it can be bent a thousand ways from Sunday. I've said that once and I'll continue.

While most classic noir films we've come to love have stemmed from the 40s and 50s (too many to name), plenty of neo noirs have been delivered in the modern day from director Roman Polanski's take of the private eye film in "Chinatown" to the burnt-neon world of Ridley Scott's sci-fi "Blade Runner." Those are givens. But what about the flicks off the beaten path?

Just as in my prior post, I'm going to recommend four more neo-noirs that some of you may have missed the first time around.

PALMETTO (1988) 

This gist: Woody Harrelson as a noir schnook borders on pure genius. Here's the gist: Jilted reporter Harry Barber (Woody Harrelson) is framed for for exposing corruption in City Hall in Palmetto, Fla. Once he's sprung, Barber is quickly seduced by the devil in a dress named Mrs. Malroux (Elisabeth Shue). She lets him in on a lil' fake kidnapping scheme: For pretending to abduct her stepdaughter, Harry snags $50,000. The officer in charge of the case hires Barber as the police spokesman, but their simple plan runs into complications and unexpected twists.


Why I loved it: Woody is fabulous and the humid Florida atmosphere drips off the screen. And Shue... Wow. Was she born to play a femme fatale. A solid neo-noir.

FAREWELL MY LOVELY (1975) 

The gist: What's a noir list without a Marlowe film? The second big screen adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel, is much closer to the source text than the original 1944 film " Murder, My Sweet." The film centers on Hollywood detetcive Marlowe's attempts to locate Velma, a former dancer at a seedy nightclub and the girlfriend of Moose Malloy, a petty criminal just out of prison.

Why I loved it: Robert Mitchum, for my money, is one of the best Marlowe's I've seen. Dare I say, he might be better than Bogie? Shot in lush, period detail, everything about it works. Look for a Sly Stallone cameo. Trivia: In 1978, Mitchum reprised the role of Marlowe in "The Big Sleep" but the drama was oddly set in the present day and in England.

THIS WORLD THEN FIREWORKS (1997)

 

The gist: Undoubtedly the oddest of this lot, the neo-noir is based on a posthumously published Jim Thompson story in all its seedy glory. And I DO mean seedy. Billy Zane stars as Marty Lakewood, a reporter forced to leave Chicago because he had uncovered too much police corruption (sounds similar to 'Palmetto.') He returns to his small hometown on the California coast to his ailing mother and prostitute sister (Gina Gershon), with whom he had an incestuous affair. The scheming begins...

Why I loved it: This is by far the kinkiest noir I've ever seen. And yes, kinkier than Thompson's other adaptation, 2010's 'The Killer Inside Me.' This B picture is filled with gangsters, policewomen and LOTS of double-crossing. No doubt, the film feels icky. A real neo-noir, but be warned. Caveat: This is a tough film to find. While some may be able to find it on VHS, I was able to snag it a few years ago on cable.

 THE PUBLIC EYE (1992) 

The gist: When the mob bears down on a widowed nightclub owner (Barbara Hershey), she enlists the help of New York City's most reliable crime scene photographer Leon "Bernzy" Bernstein (Joe Pesci), who agrees to get involved in exchange for good pictures -- and a potential romance. 
Why I loved it: Pesci delivers. This was an attempt to make Pesci a real leading man after he won his Oscar for 'Goodfellas.' Sadly, the film never found an audience. This is perhaps the most conventional film of this bunch, despite all the period detail. Still, a fine and worthy movie to add to any neo-noir canon. Trivia: The film is loosely based on the famed New York Daily News photographer Arthur "Weegee" Fellig. Currently streaming on Comcast.
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NEO NOIR: FOUR CLASSICS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

Clockwise from upper left, Denzel Washington, Michael Shannon, Billy Bob Thornton and Elliot Gould

 
The best thing about noir as a genre is that it can be bent a thousand ways from Sunday.

While most classic noir films we've come to love have stemmed from the 40s and 50s (too many to name), plenty of neo noirs have been delivered in the modern day from director Roman Polanski's take of the private eye film in "Chinatown" to the burnt-neon world of Ridley Scott's sci-fi "Blade Runner." Those are givens. But what about the flicks off the beaten path? I'm going to recommend four neo-noirs  that some of you may have missed the first time around. 

THE LONG GOODBYE (1973)

The gist: Of all directors, Robert Altman takes on Raymond Chandler's hard-boiled gumshoe Phillip Marlowe in an update of "The Long Goodbye" with Elliot Gould stepping into the iconic role as he bops around Los Angeles in the early 70s. Yes, it's odd. Between Altman (who I felt couldn't tackle Chandler), and Gould (who I felt was woefully miscast), I had reservations from the first frame. Was I wrong. In a big way.

Why I loved it: Gould gives us such a quirky, unconventional muttering-to-himself Marlowe that he makes you like him. He's not a tough guy which is oddly refreshing in any noir. What's more, Sterling Hayden, a vet himself of vintage noir films, shows up as a grizzled Hemingway-eque scribe. And finally, "The Long Goodbye" boasts one of the catchiest theme songs I've heard in a while that you'll want to own it. Easily worth a watch. (Netflix streaming)

THE MISSING PERSON (2009)

The gist: Boozy private-eye John Rosow (Michael Shannon) is hired to shadow a mysterious man leaving on a train from Chicago bound for Los Angeles and soon finds out that he's not who everyone thinks he is. As a result, it's not long before the detective channels his own inner demons by discovering he and the man he's looking for are very much alike. If there was a quintessential post 911 noir, this would be it.

Why I loved it: Two words - Michael Shannon. Anyone who is a fan of 'Boardwalk Empire' knows that the Oscar-nominated Shannon ('Revolutionary Road') is a fine thespian and his ballsy interpretation of the typical gumshoe is first rate. (Netflix streaming) 

THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE (2001)

The gist: This Joel Coen and Ethan Coen film casts Billy Bob Thornton as sad sack California barber Ed Crane. When his wife cheats on him (Frances McDormand), he embarks on a devious blackmail scheme that eventually explodes in his face. James Gandolfini co-stars.

Why I loved it: This is perhaps the most typical noir of these neo examples. In fact, this black-and-white flick could easily have been released in 1949 and no one would be able to tell. I've said it before and I'll say it again: No one does retro films better than the Coens. Their visual aesthetic and attention to detail make each frame a virtual painting. Add in moody noir elements, and you have a damn near classic.

DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS (1995)

The gist: Based on the character created by writer Walter Mosley, the film is set in Los Angeles circa 1948. A stranger asks war veteran (and self-taught private dick) "Easy" Rawlins (Denzel Washington) to help find a missing woman and he quickly gets in over his head becoming entangled in a murder mystery.

Why I loved it: Denzel ooooooozes charisma in this. So much so, that one wishes there were more films in the Easy Rawlins cannon. Good news, however. According to Deadline ad CNN, NBC is developing a project called "Easy Rawlins," based on Mosley's best-selling series. Quick... someone call Idris Elba. Let's hope the Peacock Network doesn't screw it up in development like they did with 'The Playboy Club' and 'Prime Suspect.'

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