Taiwanese author Chang Kou-Li delivers an action thriller this week. With its North American debut, The Sniper, is available now from House of Anansi Press, features a translation by Roddy Flagg and reads like the best of Hong Kong cinema. There are action beats, police investigations, involving characters and a weaving story that takes you…
Tag: noir
The French Connection (1971) – William Friedkin
William Friedkin’s 1971 classic has deserved a rewatch for awhile, and I was quite happy to settle in for it. I like Gene Hackman, who won himself an Academy Award for his turn as NYPD officer Popeye Doyle, and I’m a huge fan of Roy Scheider who plays his partner, Cloudy, and received a nomination…
War of the Worlds (1990) – Totally Real, and Max
Debi (Rachel Blanchard) gets another shot at the limelight with Totally Real, an episode written by Jim Trombetta which first aired on 23 April, 1990. While the production value again skirts the noir/apocalypse and the ‘classy’ future look, young Debi finds herself enjoying a fight simulator hologram that was created by the morthren to study…
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1997) – A Simple Investigation, and Business as Usual
Station log: stardate unknown Rene Echevarria pens this Odo (Rene Auberjonois) episode that sees the security officer falling for a beautiful woman, Arissa (Dey Young) who is working with the Orion Syndicate, and has been targeted for murder. It debuted on 31 March, 1997. The episode explores the loneliness that Odo feels, but also the…
Kiss Me Deadly (1955) – Robert Aldrich
Boy, can Mike Hammer (Ralph Meeker) pick ’em in this, the next film in DK Canada’s The Movie Book. Based on Mickey Spillane’s novel of the same name, the film sees the private investigator caught up in a corker of a mystery. I’ve always been interested in the character, I grew up with Stacy Keach…
Sunset Boulevard (1950) – Billy Wilder
As I return to the films of yesteryear, thanks to DK Canada’s The Movie Book, I settled in for a film that I’ve never been sure I wanted to watch, Sunset Boulevard. I just never imagined it would be my thing, but it does have a great pedigree including a cast that includes Gloria Swanson…
Se7en (1995) – David Fincher
The final big title in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book in the Thriller section is The Silence of the Lambs. It should not be a surprise that I have covered that one before, as well as most of the recommendations, except for this one, David Fincher’s noir-esque thriller, Se7en. Starring Brad…
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) – Rules of Acquisition, and Necessary Evil
Station log: stardate unknown Ira Steven Behr pens this episode from a story by Hilary Bader that first aired on 17 November, 1993. Pel (Helene Udy) is a Ferengi who has arrived on the station to serve in negotiations between the Ferengi Alliance and civilisations in the Gamma Quadrant. Pel, however, is a female posing…
The Killers (1946) – Robert Siodmak
The next big title in DK Canada’s The Movie Book is the classic film, Laura. Having previously reviewed it, I dove into the What Else to Watch list for this title, and discovered this fantastic little noir film starring Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner. Two hitmen arrive in a small town and kill a gas…
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) – Tay Garnett
The first title on the What Else to Watch list following my screening of Ossessione for The Movie Book, from DK Canada, is the first U.S. adaptation of James M. Cain’s novel, which also served as the basis for Ossessione. The film stars Lana Turner and John Garfield as Cora Smith and Frank Chambers. Frank…
Out of the Past (1947) – Jacques Tourneur
Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer and Kirk Douglas bring the noir genre to roaring life on the big screen with this 1947 adaptation of the novel by Geoffrey Holmes. It’s also the first recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of Point Blank. Mitchum is Jeff Bailey. He lives…
Quantum Leap (1989) – Play It Again, Seymour and Honeymoon Express
Season 1 of Quantum Leap comes to a close this week with Play It Again, Seymour. This nod the noir films of yesteryear was penned by Scott Shepard and Bellisario from a story by Shepherd, Bellisario and Tom Blomquist. It had an original airdate of 17 May, 1989. Sam (Scott Bakula) leaps into trouble…
