Follow-up to It's Friday--Any Good Movies?

[Naomi Hirahara]

So this little lady from Pasadena hauled herself over to the heart of Hollywood on Thursday night by herself for the opening night of the 8th annual Festival of Film Noir and man, it was fun.

It was held at the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard and I have to admit that I was a little confused in the beginning because there was a crowd of elderly Japanese people lined up outside. Turns out they were there for a new kamikaze movie being screened in an adjoining mini-theatre (I had actually seen the promo on a local Japanese TV channel--the director wanted the Japanese actors to speak in English for U.S. audiences--sounded kind of cheesy, but who knows). Saw a contact with the Okinawan America Association--my two worlds colliding again.

Anyway, Denise Hamilton was able to arrange a book signing for Akashic's Los Angeles Noir before the screening with film festival organizer Eddie Muller. I had little expectation in terms of sales; I was there for the movies, and figured most everyone else was as well. Met many of my fellow writers for the first time, including Emory Holmes II, Lienna Silver, Diana Wagman, and Christopher Rice. Before we knew it, these noir lovers were clamoring for autographs and somehow we self-segregated into a girl table (me, Lienna, Diana, and later Patt Morrison) and a boy table (Neal Pollack, Christopher, Jim Pascoe, and Emory). At one point, the girl table was surrounded by all male book buyers and Diana was quipping that she needed to get into this noir business; she never had that many men buying her books.

The festival has this LA vs. NYC theme. The first film is based in LA; the second in the double feature, NYC. I'm sorry to admit that I only stayed for the LA one, ACT OF VIOLENCE. (It was 10 PM, and I had to get myself home!) It began with Eddie Muller introducing of all people, James Ellroy, who gave props to LA, where "you go on vacation and leave on probation." Ellroy is such an icon; I noticed him immediately when I entered the theatre lobby. He definitely has an aura about him. I've never met him and was too shy to introduce myself. I mean, how can you small talk with James Ellroy?

ACT OF VIOLENCE was a perfect opening for the festival because it deals with a World War II POW who leaves New York for a suburb of Los Angeles. Actress Mary Astor, who played a street-wise prostitute, was one of the highlights. Every time her line included "kicks"--as in "are you here for kicks?"--the audience erupted in laughter. The film made me think of the premise of Megan Abbott's upcoming anthology, A HELL OF A WOMAN, which presents noir stories from a female POV. The three women in ACT OF VIOLENCE were definitely the conscience of the movie. I have a feeling that the stories in Megan's collection will show a more complex side of the feminine mind and soul.

I'm going to the CRIMSON KIMONO screening next Friday, so I'll be back with another report.

p.s. There's been talk that Hollywood has been attracting hipsters away from the Sunset Strip and it was certainly evident at 10 on Thursday. Speaking of hipsters, check out Christa Faust's blog on the festival. She'll be there every night and she won't be leaving at 10.

[Vince Keenan]

Thanks for the report, Naomi. I'm a big fan of ACT OF VIOLENCE. No better way to kick off a noir festival than with Robert Ryan. I can't wait to hear your take on THE CRIMSON KIMONO, a Sam Fuller film I haven't seen.