Mike Keaney's British film noir guide is up for pre-order on Amazon.com.
I can't find much blurb on it saying what's in it. I presume he covers The Third Man as that's on the cover. Do you (or anyone else) know which other films are covered?name='JamesM']Mike Keaney's British film noir guide is up for pre-order on Amazon.com.
The Small Back Room?
Steve
If it's as good as his Film Noir Guide it'll be a cracking read no matter what's in.
FILM NOIR GUIDE
The Small Back Room is a favourite of mine so I hope it is in there.
Bats.
The Small Back Room has to be covered as it is already in standard film noir lists.
One would certainly hope so. Although the strict definition of Film Noir says that they must be American films so it shouldn't really be on any such listname='JamesM']The Small Back Room has to be covered as it is already in standard film noir lists.
There is what could be regarded as a sub-genre of British Noir. There are also American films of the main Film Noir type which are outside the normally accepted dates for the genre.
Steve
name='Steve Crook']One would certainly hope so. Although the strict definition of Film Noir says that they must be American films so it shouldn't really be on any such list
Steve
Yes the protection of the term Film Noir can get rather heated at times, I know some people are quite ardent about the fact that it should be only American films but quite a few others are not so sure, lately there has been an re-evaluation of the term and as American aficionados exhaust the search for even the most obscure US titles their eyes have traveled elsewhere. Lately Eddie Muller (Film Noir Foundation) who actually is very open minded about the term has cited a Spanish film in his bi-monthly email newsletter The Sentinel as film-noir that being Juan Bardem's Death of a Cyclist, in fact it can't be anything else but that just like The Third Man is definitely noir.
I'm looking forward to this book I think it comes out next week but I know some of the titles in the book have been leaked a long time ago so a new desperate search for those obscure British noirs is now on many peoples list or will be in a few weeks time.
Simon
The term "Film Noir" was originally a term used by French critics writing for "Cahiers du Cinema" who were specifically referring to American film adaptions of detective or private eye stories as written by the likes of Raymond Chandler, Dashiel Hammet and James Cain. Its sometimes considered the 'genre that never was" as film makers at the time were not aware of the terminology nor were they consciously making films that they thought belonged to a genre known as "Film Noir". In many ways "Film Noir" is considered a style rather than a genre. Main exponents of the style in the US were directors like Billy Wilder, Fritz Lang, Robert Siodmak and Otto Premminger, all of whom had roots in German Expressionist Cinema. Strictly speaking the term originated in the study of American films of the 1940s and 50s but I think it is now generally considered a term to describe a certain style of film from any country or any period. I think it is a term than has been widely adopted from its original source and applied to a much broader selection of films than it originally described.
name='christoph404'] "Film Noir". In many ways "Film Noir" is considered a style rather than a genre.
It certainly is a style that is prevalent after the Second World War it gradually evaporated by the late 50's maybe even the early 60's, Blast of Silence would definitely warrant a re-evaluation on Touch of Evil being the book end of a movement.
name='christoph404']Strictly speaking the term originated in the study of American films of the 1940s and 50s but I think it is now generally considered a term to describe a certain style of film from any country or any period.
I agree because there are many countries who where reeling from the affects and effects of the Second World War and for those circumstances to affect film making as a whole.
Simon
The AA EDGAR WALLACE films as 'film noir' ? The author includes them in his book.....
The problem arises when 'film noir' is used as a label and marketing device to try and interest the public in any British B/W crime thriller, of which there are hundreds.......
name='julian_craster']The AA EDGAR WALLACE films as 'film noir' ? The author includes them in his book.....
The problem arises when 'film noir' is used as a label and marketing device to try and interest the public in any British B/W crime thriller, of which there are hundreds.......
Yeah my noir sensibilities are struggling with that one as they also are with 'The Small Black Room' which has a fascinating noirish nightmare scene but apart from that I don't know why it would be listed in a film-noir guide.
Simon
name='batman']If it's as good as his Film Noir Guide it'll be a cracking read no matter what's in.
FILM NOIR GUIDE
The Small Back Room is a favourite of mine so I hope it is in there.
Bats.
Thanks for the link Bats, looks an interesting website.........I guess 'No Orchids for Miss Blandish' is a British Film Noir? (even though some of the cast attempt 'American'!!)
Am in London tomorrow and want to check this book out at the BFI shop, does anyone know it's opening times as I can't find them on the BFI website ( it's probably me ! ) ?
name='Third Man']Yeah my noir sensibilities are struggling with that one as they also are with 'The Small Black Room' which has a fascinating noirish nightmare scene but apart from that I don't know why it would be listed in a film-noir guide.
Simon
What about for the general look and feel of it? All those scene shot at night, often in the rain, on the streets of London?
BTW admirers of The Small Back Room will be pleased to hear that Criterion have now started working on their DVD release
Steve
name='Steve Crook']What about for the general look and feel of it? All those scene shot at night, often in the rain, on the streets of London?
BTW admirers of The Small Back Room will be pleased to hear that Criterion have now started working on their DVD release
Steve
It has those facets as well but not enough to create the doom laden feel a noir should have, there's no doubt it has some elements perhaps thats why it's listed in the book. Looking forward to the DVD from Criterion though, they release it in August I believe, I'd like to see them do a good edition of Contraband as well.
Simon
Arrived today from the US, I could not wait any longer for my local book shop to get this in.
The book is very small and I would of preferred a dust jacket instead of the photo case binding. Paper is a bit thin and the photo's could of been better quality but of course that's probably down to the paper it's all printed on - so for the price I paid - aesthetically I'm let down - in another twenty four hours I will have some idea on what substance it has.
Simon
This will be a very brief review - first off it's expensive for what it is, secondly there's allot of stuff here that had me scratching my head and saying is that really noir?
It's a great way to winkle out those lost and forgotten titles ultimately I'm glad I got the book it does go over the films, all 374 of them very well and it avoids spoiling the ending in those reviews. Do I think there was a British Film Noir movement - not really and it's up for debate - if all those European �migr�s had fled to these shores, then we would of possibly had one, but we where probably too close to the action for comfort.
There is however Film Noir present in British Film making and if it was made it's in this book but to have a movement I feel there needs to be more pure noir present - Recommended only for serious aficionados of the style.
Simon
name='Steve Crook']I can't find much blurb on it saying what's in it. I presume he covers The Third Man as that's on the cover. Do you (or anyone else) know which other films are covered?
The Small Back Room?
Steve
Steve PM me if you want the complete list of films in this book
.
Simon
Are Victim(1961) and The Servant(1963) classed as 'noir' films?
Others will include presumably
Brighton Rock and Contraband.
name='scholes']Are Victim(1961) and The Servant(1963) classed as 'noir' films?
Others will include presumably
Brighton Rock and Contraband.
I think Brighton Rock is one of the true British Film Noirs it has doomed romanticism, lost innocence, obsessiveness, blunt cynicism and dark sexuality - there's a dark pall over this film from start to finish it closes you in. it feels claustrophobic and ill and the ending is like a release - it's pretty pure if you ask me.
Simon
When I was a lad, we just called them 'thrillers' - be they English, American or whatever - and enjoyed them (or not, as the case may be).
Never been too keen on defining genres myself ... except 'good' and 'bad'!
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