‘The Big Sleep’ (1946) goes from elite novel to respectable film
Sleuthing Sunday (Movie review): Though it won’t cause narcolepsy, Hawks’ film is too hampered by censorial limitations to totally capture Chandler’s vibe.
Film Noir
‘Double Indemnity’ (1944) a deliberate classic of film noir
Wilder Wednesday (Movie review): Stiffer than Wilder’s later masterpieces, his adaptation of Cain’s novel helps stamp a genre into public consciousness.
No shadow of a doubt that ‘Step Down to Terror’ (1958) is inferior
On a Hitchcock kick (Movie review): Despite being a step down in quality from Hitchcock’s classic, Keller delivers a crisp, watchable version.
‘Sunset Boulevard’ (1950) an all-time great movie about movies
Wilder Wednesday (Movie review): And that’s just one of the themes in this study of a fallen celebrity without a genuine identity.
‘Night of the Hunter’ (1955) is influential … but is it good?
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): Ingenious or merely experimental, it can’t be denied that Charles Laughton’s only directorial work made its mark.
Old Hollywood meets film noir in ‘Paradine Case’ (1947)
On a Hitchcock kick (Movie review): The director closes out his pre-color period with a moody courtroom drama that’s not as strong as it could’ve been as a mystery.
‘The Conversation’ (1974) explores psychological price of spying
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): Coppola’s film from the golden age of neo-noir spy films should’ve started a national conversation. At least it remains a great film.
‘The Two Jakes’ (1990) brings ‘Chinatown’ into the ’40s and ’90s
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): We didn’t get Robert Townes’ full trilogy, but at least we got one more go-around with J.J. Gittes.
‘Stage Fright’ (1950) puts love rectangle at center stage
On a Hitchcock kick (Movie review): Though intriguing, this Hitchcock film raises the question of what degree of misinformation is fair to the audience.
‘Chinatown’ (1974) links two eras of film noir
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): Polanski blends an iconic Nicholson turn, a good political mystery and California water-utilities history in this classic.