"True Detective" Beginning Of Second U.S. Film Noir Era?

[RJMacReady]

Hello All Darkness Dwellers, I humbly submit the following for feedback and commentary? Would you consider the HBO series "True Detective" perhaps the beginning of a second great era of film noir in America? It would appear from the promos that the second season will rival the first in brilliance. Superior plot, superbly written and portrayed characters, and just imaghine if you will if it being presented in black and white. Would Lang, Preminger, Welles, Wilder, Siodmak, et. al. have pushed their films to this extent, if not restricted by the morality codes imposed by Hollywood? I suspect the public, even after enduring the real life horrors of WWII, might have had a difficult time acclimating to such raw, unfettered, uncensored humanity, in all its ugly magnificence. That is not my main area for seeking opinons, it is whether this series in particualr, could herald the coming of a second great age of American noir? True, there are many "cop shows" and forensic detective dramas flooding the airwaves today, but none, particularly if generated by media giants such as NBC, CBS, Fox, etc... never even come close to the gritty nature of "True Detective". Perhaps "T.D." does not fit the strict definition of noir perfectly, as many, if not all, of the characters do not seem to be "good people turned bad", but are shown to us as persons with very little, if any, moral fiber who will subvert and break every code of conduct they are sworn to uphold in order to achieve their ends. Indeed, it would appear these characters have been mildly sociopathic all of their adult lives. I am hard pressed to remember a "good man/woman turned bad" from the first season of "T.D." Every significant character was frought with all of the flaws that invoke the spirit of noir: greed, jealousy, mendacity, selfishness, sexual behaviors that serve only to slate their lust, with no regard for commitments to, or the feelings of, others in their lives. So, Summer Of Darkness fans, what do you think? Is "T.D." a wonderful anomaly, the product of a collection of story tellers that is a simple coincidence, or the beginning of a second great period of American produced noir? I am curious to know your thoughts.   Thanks,   RJM

[cigarjoe]

It would actually better to say it could be the third era of US Film Noir, we had the second peak in the early 90s: 

 

Kill Me Again (1989)

 

The Grifters (1990) 

 

The Kill-Off (1990) 

 

Wild At Heart (1990) 

 

Dick Tracy (1990) 

 

Delicatessen (1991) 

 

Delusion (1991)

 

Reservoir Dogs (1992) 

 

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992) 

 

Romeo Is Bleeding (1993)

 

True Romance (1993) 

 

The Wrong Man (1993)

 

The Last Seduction (1994) 

 

Pulp Fiction (1994) 

[vagabond1]

Hello All Darkness Dwellers, I humbly submit the following for feedback and commentary? Would you consider the HBO series "True Detective" perhaps the beginning of a second great era of film noir in America? It would appear from the promos that the second season will rival the first in brilliance. Superior plot, superbly written and portrayed characters, and just imaghine if you will if it being presented in black and white. Would Lang, Preminger, Welles, Wilder, Siodmak, et. al. have pushed their films to this extent, if not restricted by the morality codes imposed by Hollywood? I suspect the public, even after enduring the real life horrors of WWII, might have had a difficult time acclimating to such raw, unfettered, uncensored humanity, in all its ugly magnificence. That is not my main area for seeking opinons, it is whether this series in particualr, could herald the coming of a second great age of American noir? True, there are many "cop shows" and forensic detective dramas flooding the airwaves today, but none, particularly if generated by media giants such as NBC, CBS, Fox, etc... never even come close to the gritty nature of "True Detective". Perhaps "T.D." does not fit the strict definition of noir perfectly, as many, if not all, of the characters do not seem to be "good people turned bad", but are shown to us as persons with very little, if any, moral fiber who will subvert and break every code of conduct they are sworn to uphold in order to achieve their ends. Indeed, it would appear these characters have been mildly sociopathic all of their adult lives. I am hard pressed to remember a "good man/woman turned bad" from the first season of "T.D." Every significant character was frought with all of the flaws that invoke the spirit of noir: greed, jealousy, mendacity, selfishness, sexual behaviors that serve only to slate their lust, with no regard for commitments to, or the feelings of, others in their lives. So, Summer Of Darkness fans, what do you think? Is "T.D." a wonderful anomaly, the product of a collection of story tellers that is a simple coincidence, or the beginning of a second great period of American produced noir? I am curious to know your thoughts.   Thanks,   RJM

as much of a fan as i have been of True Detective, i've been a bigger of Thomas Ligotti since the 80s. as a fan of his fiction, i'm one of those that believes the show owes Ligotti a nod that they haven't acknowledged. i say this because it's difficult to consider the show the new noir when i feel the material already existed in another form.