FILM NOIR of Recent Vintage

In addition to the many modern remakes of classic film Noirs, there have been numerous wonderful movies that stand on their own; dark, twisted, existential and unique. Like in 1964, when the crusty director Sam Fuller presented us with Naked Kiss, with Constance Towers as the star/femme, Anthony Eisley as co-star. Michael Dante & Virginia Grey in support. One of my favorite new Noirs was done in 1997, director Curtis Hanson's La Confidential, with Russell Crowe as the standout star, and the luscious Kim Basinger as the Veronica Lake lookalike. Guy Pearce was a very good co-star. James Cromwell was a fine heavy; Kevin Spacey was smooth as silk in his role; Danny De Vito, and Ron Rifkin in support. Another winner was released in 2000, director Christopher Nolan's Memento (2000), with Guy Pearce stunning in the lead, and Carrie-Ann Moss ( fresh from The Matrix ) as the femme. Joe Pantoliano was terrific co-star. In 1995 director Carl Franklin gave us the unique Devil in a Blue Dress, with the incomparable Denzel Washington as star, in a searing study of crime and racism post WWII. Jennifer Beals was the femme. Tom Sizemore was the heavy. Don Cheadle, Maury Chaykin in support. Last year, in 2001, the Coen Brothers created a masterpiece, The Man Who Wasn't There, with the dour Billy Bob Thornton in the lead, and wicked Francis McDormand as the femme fatale. James Gandolfini, Jon Polito, Tony Shalhoub, and Alan Fudge in support. The incredible excellent black-and-white cinematography was done by Roger Deakins. And gosh, we can't leave out the bizarre director David Lynch, when we discuss modern Noir; although Lynch has checkmated the Noir trademarks, and taken the genre into a newer, more twisted, more confused place. In 1986, he surprised the world with Blue Velvet, with the Northwest's own Kyle MacLachlin as anti-hero, and the sultry Isabella Rosellini as the naked battered femme; Laura Dern, Hope Lange, Dean Stockwell, and Brad Dourif provided support. In 1997 he gave us , with the deceptively bland Bill Pullman as the star, and the luscious Patricia Arquette as the naked lethal femme. Balthazar was the co-star. Robert Blake, in white face and shaved pate, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Richard Pryor, Giovanni Ribisi, Gary Busey, and Robert Loggia provide support. Last year he provided us with Mulholland Drive, with Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring as the twisted star femmes, Justin Theroux, Ann Miller, Dan Hedaya, Robert Forster, Lee Grant, and Billy Ray Cyrus in support. In 1975, director Sydney Pollack gave us Yakuza, with the world weary Robert Mitchum as the star, and Ken Takakura as co-star; stunning crime picture; Brian Keith, Herb Edelman, Richard Jordan, and James Shigeta in support. In 1989, the brilliant director Ridley Scott presented us with Black Rain, with the dark Michael Douglas as star, and Andy Garcia as co-star. Kate Capshaw, Ken Takakura, Tomisburo Wakayama, and Luis Guzman in support. In 1995, director David Fincher gave us the dark than Noir feature Seven, with Morgan Freeman & Brad Pitt as co-stars, and Gwyneth Paltrow as the femme in danger. Kevin Spacey was brilliant as the heavy. R.Lee Ermey, and Richard Roundtree in support. And in 1995, director Brian Singer made The Usual Suspects, with Kevin Spacey as Keyser Soze; Gabriel Byrne as co-star; Stephen Baldwin, Chazz Palminteri, Pete Postlewaite, Kevin Pollack, Benecio Del Toro, Dan Hedaya in support. In 1987, we were treated to The Big Easy with Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin steaming up the screen, and most of New Orleans; kind of Creole Noir; Ned Beatty & John Goodman in support. In 1989, we were happy to welcome back Al Pacino from his theatre hiatus in Sea of Love, with Pacino and the sexy dangerous Ellen Barkin shooting celluloid sparks. John Goodman, Michael Rooker, William Hickey, with a cameo by Lorraine Bracco lent support. Ellen Barkin got around. In 1989, in director Walter Hill's Johnny Handsome, she was terrific. Mickey Rourke was the star. Elizabeth McGovern, Morgan Freeman, Forest Whitaker, Lance Henrikson, and Scott Wilson gave support. In 1997, director Oliver Stone filmed U Turn, with Sean Penn as the rumpled star, and Jennifer Lopez as the hot femme; Nick Nolte, Powers Boothe, Billy Bob Thornton, Joquinn Pheonix, Clare Danes, Jon Voight, and Bo Hopkins gave support. In 2001 director Sean Penn filmed The Pledge, with the weary Jack Nicholson as star, and Robin Penn Wright as the femme; Benicio Del Toro, Sam Sheperd, Tom Noonan, Vanessa Redgrave, and Harry Dean Stanton in support.

Glenn Buttkus 2002