1. Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity
2. Curtis Hanson's L.A. Confidential
3. Roman Polanski's Chinatown
4. Tony Scott's True Romance
5. John Huston's The Maltese Falcon
6. John Dahl's Red Rock West
7. Howard Hawks' The Big Sleep
8. John Dahl's The Last Seduction
9. Stanley Kubrick's The Killing
10. Robert Rodriguez's Sin City
13 comments:
Rewatched LA Confidential last night as it happens.
What do you think of a modern film noir like Brick?
I loved Brick. I had some modern noirs on my list. Brick was very cool; very original take on the genre.
Now we are talking. One of my very favorite genres.
Agree completely with #1. It does NOT get better than Double Indemnity. For those who haven't seen this yet....you do NOT know what you are missing.
Not sure I can get behind True Romance. Fun film, but not sure I see it as a true Noir.
I'd find some room for Sunset Boulevard which would probably be my #2. Fantastic Noir that is narrated by a dead man. Can't beat that.
Same for The Third Man. Orson Wells is truly one of the great screen villians of ALL time in that flick....and the chase through the sewers at the end in breathtaking stuff.
No Hitchcock? Strangers on a Train? Shadow of a Doubt? Notorious? Gotta throw Hitch some love.
Good call on Maltese Falcon. Huston made plenty of great Noir, but Maltese is probably his best.
I consider True Romance to be a noir. It's a neo-noir like Seduction or Red Rock West, but for me, a noir nonetheless.
Sunset Blvd is indeed a masterpiece, but just remember, these lists are not "the best" in the given genre, but rather, my "favorites." Like, I'm fully aware that Sunset Blvd is a "better" movie than True Romance; it's just that I enjoy watching True Romance more.
Stranges on a Train was on my list for a while, but it got eeked out. I love that movie. Maybe it should've made the list over one of the other picks...
I also love The Third Man, but again, just love some other titles a bit more.
These lists are almost impossible to create and be fully satisfied with.
True, they are also a blast to pick apart and talk about.
That's why I decided to post these lists! Glad you are enjoying 'em.
True Romance is the only modern noir I see. LA Confidential and Sin City are still set in 1950s style worlds, although the latter is more stylised.
Syms -- Red Rock West and Last Seduction are modern noirs. No?
Body Double should definitely be on this list. There is nothing else like it.
And another thing. Brick was $@#T, if you catch my drift. It has no business being in the top ten. None at all.
Brick was a great movie. Very inventive. Very well directed. Very well written. You're wrong.
Body Double is a great movie, I agree, but it blends genres (noir, thriller, crime, mystery). It's a tough film to classify. I love it big time. Craig Wasson is some sort of god.
I would put Chinatown ahead of LA Confidential. LA is a masterpiece, there's no doubt about it. Chinatown is just a better film all the way around. The subject matter is darker and more daring. There's something authentic about it. It resembles Old Hollywood yet adds a truly dark spin that makes it wholly original and unique.
Chinatown is probably a better movie but I enjoy watching LA Confidential more. Remember -- these lists aren't a "best" list, but a "favorites" list.
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