Noir Alley

[cigarjoe]

2 hours ago, laffite said:

Why did he do that? Why is it necessary to check the strike indentation of the firing pin? Did he suspect something wrong with the gun? Perhaps because of its source? Anyway, thanks. I don't know much about guns, duh.

 

Yea just checking probably because of its source.

[Katie_G]

2 hours ago, laffite said:

Okay, it looked bad but the movie does not want us to see it quite that way.  It was more an expression of loneliness and social ineptitude (quite!), along those lines. The context of the character and story, etc., undermines the very serious claim "attempted rape."

 

Thanks for mansplaining, but I KNOW how the movie wanted me to see it - I just didn't buy it, nor do I think "attempted rape" is too harsh a term for the poor misunderstood hired killer.  Christ...😅

OTOH,  I'm kind of glad that Eddie's been showing such crappy movies lately because I'm rapidly losing my taste for noir.  The Criterion collection seems to have lowered their standards as well.  I'd rather watch a repeat of a good one than much more of these "curated" films.

[King Rat]

Would this have been the first studio-released movie to use "Jesus" as a swear word? When Ralph opens the door to Frankie, I believe he says "Jesus," not "Geez," which would be unusual in 1961. By the end of the decade things were very different.

I've been thinking about how different the film would have been if Peter Falk had played Frankie, as originally intended. Was Peter Falk already doing the Peter Falk shtick that many people love, but that I find hard to take for more than a couple of minutes? Falk would probably have found moments of comedy and pathos in the role. Allen Baron's blanker and less actorish approach works very well for me.

I liked the almost attempted rape scene. Laurie, like many another young woman, believes that "misunderstood" bad boy Frankie needs the love of a good woman. Frankie takes her "what you need is a girl" comment as an invitation, which it is, though Laurie expects a sweet tender romantic approach. She learns what Frankie is really like and that rape is not out of the question. She wises up quickly, gets Frankie out of the apartment without a big scene, and finds a boyfriend who may be protection as much as romantic interest.

[laffite]

3 hours ago, Katie_G said:

OTOH,  I'm kind of glad that Eddie's been showing such crappy movies lately because I'm rapidly losing my taste for noir.

It shows. Maybe you should take up The Hallmark Channel. Though I must warn you. There are scenes when the Nice Young Man may look at the Nice Young Woman with approbation. The degree of which may be troublesome for some viewers.

[laffite]

3 hours ago, Katie_G said:

Thanks for mansplaining, but I KNOW how the movie wanted me to see it - I just didn't buy it, nor do I think "attempted rape" is too harsh a term for the poor misunderstood hired killer.  Christ...😅

It's just a movie. And you admit you get the movie as it wanted you to see it. I take exception to "mansplaining." Which means what? That I condone rape or all to willing to play it down. Perish the thought! If you knew what a gentleman I am, you would blush.

[Bronxgirl48]

[Bronxgirl48]

[unwatchable]

It's Sunday and that means Eddie Muller is crying about HUAC once again.

It's simply not possible for Muller to refrain from mentioning HUAC if there is any way to shoehorn the subject into his remarks.

[Vautrin]

It was a blast, a gas, gas, gas.  Lots  of fun too. Noir is a genre fit for low-budget  since  it environs often include the  grimy, the poor,

and occasionally the disgusting like fat rat boy. What a  character.  But  why would the big guys in NYC not use local talent instead

of getting  a hitman from a second rate burg like Cleveland?  It can't be  because  of the semi-profound philosophical comments,

since those  aren't necessary for a successful hit. He  does get the job done, though it takes some time to do  so. Then, why would

any professional hitman agree  to  receive his final payment way out in the boonies, a perfect place for a double  cross. The audience

saw it coming, but  this  guy was clueless. Anway, his death dive into the water and washing up on the mud was  a wonderful scene.

I did  get a bit tired  of his downer Christmas ruminations, but considering the source,  that's no biggie. Overall  a very enjoyable

flick. Ho, Ho, Ho.

[Thompson]

58 minutes ago, Bronxgirl48 said:

Wow, you hit that connection right on the head, Bronx.  Well done!!

[laffite]

29 minutes ago, Vautrin said:

It was a blast, a gas, gas, gas.  Lots  of fun too. Noir is a genre fit for low-budget  since  it environs often include the  grimy, the poor,

and occasionally the disgusting like fat rat boy. What a  character.  But  why would the big guys in NYC not use local talent instead

of getting  a hitman from a second rate burg like Cleveland?  It can't be  because  of the semi-profound philosophical comments,

since those  aren't necessary for a successful hit. He  does get the job done, though it takes some time to do  so. Then, why would

any professional hitman agree  to  receive his final payment way out in the boonies, a perfect place for a double  cross. The audience

saw it coming, but  this  guy was clueless. Anway, his death dive into the water and washing up on the mud was  a wonderful scene.

I did  get a bit tired  of his downer Christmas ruminations, but considering the source,  that's no biggie. Overall  a very enjoyable

flick. Ho, Ho, Ho.

Maybe there is a certain cover in relative anonymity. Get somebody from a second-rate Burg. But yeah, he walked right into it at the end. I was thinking that the conventional wisdom in this sort of Biz is that if you threaten to back out (even though you eventually go through it), it means your goose is cooked. If so (though it's probably not, though it seemed true in this case), he sure didn't have a clue (and he is no newbie). But what did he think the guy meant on the other end of the line when the latter said, "You're in trouble." for wanting out. Yeah, Rat-Fat Boy is a dump in the dump he lives in, but did he not radiate a certain cool at the party, at least until he stands up (after he shows off by defeating two adversaries at arm wrestling (if that is what that was). I thought he looked good with that beard, I mean not bad for someone who collects sewer rats. I did not think the acting was so bad, I don't think a flick like this needs Award-winning performances, and the voice over though veering perilously close to---what? Cheesiness?---whatever ... still worked, That guy's voice made it work.

 

[Bronxgirl48]

38 minutes ago, Thompson said:

Wow, you hit that connection right on the head, Bronx.  Well done!!

Appreciate it, Thompson, thank you.   I was amazed by the similiarities.

[Thompson]

Yes, Laffite, what was his name, Ralph?.  He was just perfect. And it was so cold all the time.  I was cold.

[jameselliot]

1 hour ago, Vautrin said:

It was a blast, a gas, gas, gas.  Lots  of fun too. Noir is a genre fit for low-budget  since  it environs often include the  grimy, the poor,

and occasionally the disgusting like fat rat boy. What a  character.  But  why would the big guys in NYC not use local talent instead

of getting  a hitman from a second rate burg like Cleveland?  It can't be  because  of the semi-profound philosophical comments,

since those  aren't necessary for a successful hit. He  does get the job done, though it takes some time to do  so. Then, why would

any professional hitman agree  to  receive his final payment way out in the boonies, a perfect place for a double  cross. The audience

saw it coming, but  this  guy was clueless. Anway, his death dive into the water and washing up on the mud was  a wonderful scene.

I did  get a bit tired  of his downer Christmas ruminations, but considering the source,  that's no biggie. Overall  a very enjoyable

flick. Ho, Ho, Ho.

" But  why would the big guys in NYC not use local talent instead of getting  a hitman from a second rate burg like Cleveland?"  They wanted a killer who likely wouldnt be recognized by the local thugs. Although the guy who grew up with Frankie recognized him immediately in the cocktail lounge.

[Thompson]

Bronx, I’m pretty sure that’s what art is all about.  It’s about stealing. But that’s what art begs to do, to be stolen.  Plagiarism is a stupid thing to say, it’s not that at all, it’s that thing that’s up there that inspires you and you catch a glimpse of it every now and then and it’s a precious thing and it’s not just your thing it’s everybody’s thing.  There is no doubt Scorsese was influenced by this film .  He took the character of Frankie and named him Travis.  That’s what you’re supposed to do if you’re an artist.

[cigarjoe]

6 hours ago, Thompson said:

Bronx, I’m pretty sure that’s what art is all about.  It’s about stealing. But that’s what art begs to do, to be stolen.  Plagiarism is a stupid thing to say, it’s not that at all, it’s that thing that’s up there that inspires you and you catch a glimpse of it every now and then and it’s a precious thing and it’s not just your thing it’s everybody’s thing.  There is no doubt Scorsese was influenced by this film .  He took the character of Frankie and named him Travis.  That’s what you’re supposed to do if you’re an artist.

Art. Its more about reflecting.

Think of the Beatles, they took the Rock & Roll & R&B sounds coming from America and reflected back to us in a unique British reimagining making it their own. In film, Serio Leone took the American Westerns he watched as a boy in Rome combined that with what he observed of the real American soldiers, who showed up in Rome during WWII, and realized they weren't all perfect clones of clean shaved, clean clothed  John Wayne. They were weary soldiers, wise guys, jokers, gamblers, schemers, i.e. real people and he reflected that reality back to us in his Spaghetti Westerns.

A good  viewing exercise example of reflecting in US Westerns and International Westerns is to watch in this order The Ox-Bow Incident,  Day of The Outlaw - The Great Silence - McCabe & Mrs. Miller - Joe Kid - then Keoma, each uses various elements that are borrowed from each - a costuming look, snow, a plot point, a machine pistol, a soundtrack choice. 

[Janet0312]

18 hours ago, LornaHansonForbes said:

(don't worry, he only comes if you've been naughty.)

Uh oh.

[Hibi]

Blast of Silence was hands down the WORST Noir Alley offering I have watched! (and I think I've seen them all!) It wouldnt have been so bad without that awful narration by Lionel Stander (hate his voice and the atrocious writing of the narration itself). I almost bailed a half hr. in, but decided to watch with the sound off (except for some dialog scenes) and the film was more endurable! Good ending and some nice location shots.

[Hibi]

23 hours ago, Janet0312 said:

This is Eddie's favorite Christmas noir??? I hope I'm not in the minority, but I though this picture sucked. I did enjoy the on location shooting. The story itself was okay, but the acting was horrible and the narration had me in stitches. It gave me the feeling of waking up to a very bad day. 

DITTO. The narration was AWFUL! Liked the film more with the sound off!

[Hibi]

18 hours ago, cigarjoe said:

You are in the minority.

I wouldnt say that! I Thought the film was AWFUL.

[Hibi]

16 hours ago, laffite said:

It shows. Maybe you should take up The Hallmark Channel. Though I must warn you. There are scenes when the Nice Young Man may look at the Nice Young Woman with approbation. The degree of which may be troublesome for some viewers.

Not everyone who disliked the film likes The Hallmark Channel. I don't!

[Bronxgirl48]

Thompson and CigarJoe, forgive this (literally) hoary response:  There's nothing new under the sun.

Unless it's maybe the outer space ape from ROBOT MONSTER wearing a t.v. antenna on his head, although I'm sure there must be a precedent even for that somewhere in sci-fi film history but, I digress....

[Bronxgirl48]

With scuba equipment as well.  

 

[nakano]

1 hour ago, Hibi said:

Blast of Silence was hands down the WORST Noir Alley offering I have watched! (and I think I've seen them all!) It wouldnt have been so bad without that awful narration by Lionel Stander (hate his voice and the atrocious writing of the narration itself). I almost bailed a half hr. in, but decided to watch with the sound off (except for some dialog scenes) and the film was more endurable! Good ending and some nice location shots.

I did the same thing but I was less patient than you...less than 10 minutes and I cut off the sound,then after it was smooth sailing,not so terrible but the lead character was an idiot to go at the meeting,the location itself was a give away .... might as well do the meeting at a funeral parlor..

[Hibi]

38 minutes ago, nakano said:

I did the same thing but I was less patient than you...less than 10 minutes and I cut off the sound,then after it was smooth sailing,not so terrible but the lead character was an idiot to go at the meeting,the location itself was a give away .... might as well do the meeting at a funeral parlor..

Yes! LOL.  Agree to meeting in some isolated, forbidding location.......

 

Yeah, you were smarter  than me. Film was much better w/out all that awful voiceover!