Vince Keenan's Blog – July 2007 Archive (7)

Noir City Northwest, The Finale

On the last night of Noir City, bad girls ruled.

I was wowed by Scarlet Street when I first watched it on a lousy public domain DVD. Seeing a pristine print from the Library of Congress brings the full force of its fatalism to bear. Is there a better ensemble in noir? Edward G. Robinson as the middle-aged man making a final… Continue

Added by Vince Keenan on July 13, 2007 at 6:50pm — No Comments

Noir City Northwest, Report #6

Is there magic in the film noir world? Sure. Rigging the lights so shadows fall just so or the camera catches cigarette smoke drifting heavenward like a lost soul takes a special kind of alchemy. Pairing up actors who can convey twisted animal longing in a single glance is no easy trick.

But actual magic? No. There’s no room for illusion on these mean streets. If someone says they’re communing with spirits and you don’t see a bottle of rye whiskey, then you, my friend,… Continue

Added by Vince Keenan on July 12, 2007 at 7:03pm — No Comments

Noir City Northwest, Report #5

Three, count ’em, three Mets in the starting line-up, and an inside the park home run from the Mariners’ Ichiro Suzuki. Do I regret missing the All-Star Game? Nope. Not when there’s noir to be seen. Especially two rare titles that have never appeared on video.

What do they have in common? Screenwriter… Continue

Added by Vince Keenan on July 11, 2007 at 6:56pm — No Comments

Noir City Northwest, Report #4

I didn’t do it, y’unnerstand? It was Noir City Day 4! The whole thing’s a set-up!

Phil Karlson is a treasured name among noir aficionados because he made spare, no-nonsense films. He also knew how to get strong performances out of actors like John Payne, a song-and-dance man who might otherwise have been remembered for freezing his charms off with Sonja Henie in Sun Valley Serenade. Karlson was savvy enough to see the caged animal lurking underneath… Continue

Added by Vince Keenan on July 10, 2007 at 6:40pm — No Comments

Noir City Northwest, Report #3

Day three’s theme was a cinch to figure out. Black hearts in Technicolor. Throw in Slightly Scarlet and you’d have yourself a party. Just check for your wallet and your kidneys on the way out.

According to the fest’s program notes, 1947’s Desert Fury is a cult classic waiting to happen, ripe with homoerotic… Continue

Added by Vince Keenan on July 9, 2007 at 6:17pm — No Comments

Noir City Northwest, Report #2

There are no introductions at weekend Noir City matinees, so it’s up to me to guess the day’s theme. I’m going to say shaky California marriages. Either that or heavies named Smiley.

Pitfall was the movie I was most looking forward to in the festival’s line-up, because it’s based on a novel by… Continue

Added by Vince Keenan on July 8, 2007 at 6:11pm — 2 Comments

Noir City Northwest, Report #1

Eddie Muller kicked off the Northwest debut of his Noir City film festival with an observation. He’d stopped in for a drink at a nearby watering hole and noted:

A. One (1) sexy bartender

B. One (1) gorgeous woman drinking alone

C. Two (2) guys in jeans and tennis shoes deep in conversation about computer peripherals.

Seattle, he decided, needs some film noir.

Rosemarie and I did our bit.… Continue

Added by Vince Keenan on July 7, 2007 at 6:28pm — No Comments