10 of the best film noir movies
Rockstar’s latest couch magnet LA Noire is on the cusp of release. The film noir-influenced title, which uses realistic facial animation, has already been tipped for 'game of the year' plaudits for its translation of the genre to the video game format. Whether you're new to noir or you've investigated every inch of its darkly stylised glory, these are the 10 films you should watch before you bust out the controller.
Chinatown (1974)
When your wife hires a private dick to spy on you, you have a licence to worry. When that detective is Jack Nicholson-shaped, you can double it. And when the woman who hired him turns out to be an impostress, you have the beginnings of Roman Polanski's neo-noir classic.
Miller's Crossing (1990)
Gangster noir, as envisaged by the Coen brothers. Need we go on?
LA Confidential (1997)
A little-known Russell Crowe played a violent LAPD officer in this film translation of James Ellroy's novel, which scooped a brace of Oscar gongs. It also introduced Guy Pearce to the mainstream, with Kim Bassinger, Kevin Spacey and Danny DeVito completing the headline cast. Sadly, The Black Dahlia (2006, also penned by Ellroy) couldn't hold a candle to it.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
David Lynch hired Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring on spec for Mulholland Drive. Then he got them naked. Together. In a love scene. Needless to say, the rest of the film makes sense fleetingly.
Blue Velvet (1986)
Lynch cut his noir chops by getting Dennis Hopper's psychopathic Frank Booth to chug gas and drop the F-bomb in almost every line he had. Off set, the strains of Bobby Vinton's eponymous lounge-core hit formed the centrepiece of one of cinema's great soundtracks.
Citizen Kane (1941)
Orson Welles was given complete control over the project from start to finish, despite being a first-time director. In return he produced what is frequently cited as the best film of all time.
Road to Perdition (2002)
Based on Max Allan Collins' graphic novel, Road to Perdition paved the way for the likes of Watchmen, Red and V for Vendetta. But not before treating us to some darkly atmospheric Tommy gun fire.
Dark City (1998)
Who says sci-fi can't be noir? Co-written by David S "Dark Knight" Goyer, the conurbation of the title is a sunless Gotham run by telekinetic beings who seek human souls.
Angel Heart (1987)
Robert De Niro forgot to clip his nails before shooting Alan Parker's satanic detective thriller, but it didn't stop him or Mickey Rourke giving sweat-inducing performances in this twisted tale.
Brick (2005)
Neo noir goes back to the classroom in Brick – stoners and loners are entwined in the plot of a Californian high school murder story.
Also
LA Noire – the review
Fast Facts – film noir
25 best space movies ever
10 of the best gadget movies
15 CGI movie milestones
Comments
katrinavicious
1 year ago
Wow. You people are clearly idiots and know absolutely nothing about film noir. Okay, sorry to be mean, but it this is very frustrating. Please do your research and learn about film noir and find out what it is. Go to google translate and click French to English and find out what 'noir' means. These movies are NOT film noir. They are neo-noir. Citizen Kane is definitely not noir. It has noir qualities yes. So if you were making a list about the top ten movies with noir qualities, you could list it. Man, this is the worst list I have ever seen. Movies that are film noir are Out of the Past, the Big Combo, Criss Cross, the Killers, Double Indemnity, Gun Crazy, the Asphault Jungle, the Set-Up etc. Read Eddie Muller's Dark City. Really people. Get with it. This list is just wrong.
TheHorsesAreReady
1 year ago
Gawd. That really, truly is a terrible list. I haven't seem all of Katrina's, but yes, those are considered the best examples. Stuff's list is annoying because it utterly fails to show what is noir, and what other films the game pays tribute to (though L.A. Confidential is probably 60% of the game right there).
I got bonus content with my L.A. Noire copy, a case called "The Naked City". If Stuff's writers had just googled that name, they would see Jules Dassin's 1948 "The Naked City". Uh, maybe that should have been on the list (DOH!).
TheHorsesAreReady
1 year ago
And do yourself a favor and rent Stanley Kubrick's "The Killing" (1956)...
RICHARDSMITH
1 year ago
The guys who compiled this list don't know jack about film noir. The only neo-noir mentioned that has any relavance is CHINATOWN (1974). When discussing true film noir most will agree that only Golden Age films (1940-1958) are of any real value. With the arrival of CinemaScope and color photography the Expressionist techniques that defined noir became impossible, and the noir cycle ended. What came later were pale imitatations. TOUCH OF EVIL (1958) was the last real noir film. To learn more visit my web-site/database noirbabes.com or the sister-site noiruniverse.net. Nice try, but no cigar!
RICHARDSMITH
1 year ago
SORRY! In my haste to reply, I didn't notice that DARK CITY was on your list. Now there you hit the nail right on the head. That film is about as neo-noir as it gets!!! A brilliant movie. So? Two out of ten? What about BLADERUNNER (1982)? Neo-noir at its finest. If you look at French Cinema you'll find THE BRIDE WORE BLACK (1968) and Chabrol's LA FEMME INFIDELE (1969). BODY HEAT, NIGHT MOVES, TAXI DRIVER, BLOOD SIMPLE, THE GRIFTERS, THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (Nicholson version),PULP FICTION, Elmore Leonard's JACKIE BROWN, THE USUAL SUSPECTS, THE LONG GOODBYE, even MARLOWE with James Garner. ANGEL HEART? That movie su*ked. And CITIZEN KANE was possibly noir, but not gritty enough for purists who would probably prefer DOUBLE INDEMNITY or THIS GUN FOR HIRE. BLUE VELVET is very noirish, but hard to watch twice.