The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
The OFFICIAL one-stop spot for your dose of violent, lurid, and revenge-filled list of films in the Neo-noir realm, as voted for by our violent, lurid, and revenge-filled members. 47 ballots were submitted, almost all of them at full capacity (25 entries), which doesn't put us at the top of the MoFo countdowns, but rather where we need to be; in the darker recesses of the forum, in the gutters scraping our way through, so thanks to each and every one of you that has pushed us and kicked us into that gutter because, trust me, you're gonna be in that gutter with us for the next months. The Voters: John W Constantine, Holden Pike, Balor, seanc, Allaby, GulfportDoc, Tugg, MovieFan1988, Citizen Rules, Diehl40, mrblond, Harry Lime, Miss Vicky, Thursday Next, Fabulous, Yoda, Cobpyth, Torgo, Frightened Inmate No. 2, PHOENIX74, Wigram, stillmellow, SpelingError, LAMb EELYAK, Hey Fredrick, John-Connor, beelzebubble, CosmicRunaway, ScarletLion, culliford, Little Ash, crumbsroom, WHITBISSELL!, Siddon, Ash TheStrangeOne, cricket, honeykid, Kaplan, edarsenal, KeyserCorleone, rauldc14, Sedai, Wyldesyde19, ApexPredator, CaptainT, Thief, Iroquois 284 movies were voted for, some sure-shot choices, some puzzling choices?, and some really great choices that were left off. But rather than piss and argue about how X or Y film "isn't really neo-noir!", let's focus on "WHY someone saw it as neo-noir". Like I said in the preliminary thread, all of the films complied with our eligibility requirements, which means that somebody – here or there – saw some flavor of "neo-noir" in it. So let's use this as an opportunity to both read what others have to say and write what we have to say, but in a respectful manner. Use it as an opportunity to catch up on great films, regardless of their classifications and see why someone else loved it enough to vote for it. So as we get ready for the countdown to begin, feel free to chime in with any prediction, comment, trivia, tidbits and reviews as we reveal each film, or any healthy discussion about it. Just DON'T share your full list until the end. So, without further ado... Acknowledgment: As usual, I want to thank all the voters for choosing to put up with me, but I also wanna thank @Citizen Rules for spearheading this interesting parallel experiment. Finally, I want to thank @Yoda for once again holding our hands through the process. |
Re: The MoFo Top Neo-noir Countdown
The Neo-list
100. The Friends of Eddie Coyle (35 points) 99. The American Friend (36 points) 98. In the Heat of the Night (36 points) 97. The Manchurian Candidate (36 points) 96. The Talented Mr. Ripley (37 points) 95. Shallow Grave (38 points) 94. Purple Noon (38 points) 93. The Hustler (39 points) 92. Fireworks (39 points) 91. Infernal Affairs (40 points) 90. Dead Again (40 points) 89. La Haine (41 points) 88. Red Rock West (41 points) 87. The Man from Nowhere (42 points) 86. Shutter Island (43 points) 85. The Hot Spot (43 points) 84. Following (45 points) 83. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (45 points) 82. Blue Ruin (46 points) 81. Brick (46 points) 80. Dirty Harry (47 points) 79. The Driver (47 points) 78. Mona Lisa (48 points) 77. Manhunter (51 points) 76. Under the Silver Lake (52 points) 75. The Silence of the Lambs (54 points) 74. Cape Fear (55 points) 73. One False Move (55 points) 72. Point Blank (55 points) 71. Branded to Kill (56 points) 70. Basic Instinct (56 points) 69. Body Double (57 points) 68. Mystic River (57 points) 67. Mother (57 points) 66. Killer Joe (59 points) 65. Strange Days (60 points) 64. Gone Baby Gone (60 points) 63. Klute (60 points) 62. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (61 points) 61. The Dark Knight (62 points) 60. True Romance (63 points) 59. Bound (63 points) 58. The French Connection (65 points) 57. Alphaville (66 points) 56. Thelma & Louise (67 points) 55. Lost Highway (67 points) 54. Pale Flower (71 points) 53. The Departed (74 points) 52. Oldboy (75 points) 51. The Naked Kiss (77 points) 50. You Were Never Really Here (79 points) 49. Get Carter (80 points) 48. Blast of Silence (81 points) 47. The Player (81 points) 46. A Simple Plan (84 points) 45. The Grifters (86 points) 44. Blade Runner 2049 (92 points) 43. To Live and Die in L.A. (92 points) 42. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (96 points) 41. Inherent Vice (96 points) 40. Night Moves (100 points) 39. The Nice Guys (103 points) 38. The Big Lebowski (104 points) 37. Pulp Fiction (104 points) 36. Dog Day Afternoon (106 points) 35. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (112 points) 34. Gone Girl (114 points) 33. Collateral (115 points) 32. Heat (125 points) 31. Angel Heart (129 points) 30. Zodiac (129 points) 29. Thief (132 points) 28. The Conversation (137 points) 27. The Man Who Wasn't There (137 points) 26. Sin City (140 points) 25. Memories of Murder (141 points) 24. Dark City (143 points) 23. Le Cercle Rouge (146 points) 22. Body Heat (152 points) 21. Nightcrawler (155 points) 20. The Usual Suspects (156 points) 19. High and Low (164 points) 18. Jackie Brown (183 points) 17. Blow Out (188 points) 16. Reservoir Dogs (191 points) 15. Miller's Crossing (193 points) 14. Drive (205 points) 13. Blue Velvet (210 points) 12. No Country for Old Men (229 points) 11. Fargo (242 points) The Top 10 10. Mulholland Drive (256 points) 9. Blood Simple (288 points) 8. Memento (308 points) 7. Le Samouraï (310 points) 6. Seven (319 points) 5. The Long Goodbye (389 points) 4. Taxi Driver (407 points) 3. L.A. Confidential (440 points) 2. Blade Runner (450 points) 1. Chinatown (554 points) |
https://i.imgur.com/WnlJ9h8.png
The MoFo tradition is to honor the One Pointers. What are those? Well, those are films that received exactly one point, meaning that a single person had them in their last spot of the ballot (25th), with no votes from anyone else. In a countdown about films that lay in the darker recesses of films, these one-pointers are probably the darkest of the darkest. The scum that gets stuck in the sewer rust, but we shine our flashlight on to see what the heck they are; a rather obscure film? a "hidden gem"? or just a bizarre nomination just for kicks? For this countdown we ended up with only 16 one pointers, so we'll get over it quick!
Here's another funny game. Try to guess who voted for what, as people claim their one pointers :D |
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Great job co-host! I'm psyched for both countdowns. I even see some of my favorite neo noirs in your 1st post. Nicely done Thief!
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It's gonna be a fun ride!
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Reindeer Games = A Christmas movie, my guess = Moviefan88 or Tugg :D
Affliction = seanc The Ninth Gate love it, my guess = pahaK The Little Things = CaptainT Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead = culliford Long Day's Journey into Night = ScarletLion Série noire = Little Ash The Chaser = CaptainSpaulding The Laughing Policeman = Gulfportdoc |
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Portrait in Black (1960) I was going to say, 'that sounds like something I'd vote for.' Then I checked my neo noir ballot, I did vote for it. A one pointer but a film I really like. I haven't seen it in a long time, I should check it again.
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I didn't have a one-pointer on this countdown, I went for something more popular in 25th place.
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I won't immediately say what my one-pointer was in case anyone else wants to guess which films belong to whose list while we wait for the first reveals. But I will say that it was one of the last films I watched for this Countdown, and while I really liked it, it was also quite depressing and put me into a rather sullen mood for a bit. I wanted it on my list somewhere, and knew I'd probably be the only one to vote for it, so I put it at the very end to give it a little nod in case it ended up on the one-pointers list - which it did.
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Johnny Handsome (1989) is mine!
Being fans of both Walter Hill and Mickey Rourke, I dashed to the theater to see Johnny Handsome and I loved it from the get-go. In New Orleans a good-natured criminal (In the Heat of the Night's Scott Wilson) and his deformed friend (Rourke) with the ironic nickname of "Johnny Handsome" team up with a dangerous pair (Lance Henriksen & Ellen Barkin) for a jewelry store robbery. Things get bloody in a double cross, leaving Johnny for dead. But he lives! In jail a surgeon (Forest Whitaker) makes him an offer - let him try new, radical reconstructive procedures in an attempt to reverse his Elephant Man-like facial deformities, and in turn they will give him a new identity. The local detective (Morgan Freeman) suspects Johnny only wants this to track down the cohorts who murdered his friend and got away with the loot, but Johnny agrees and when he emerges from the bandages and prison, he looks like the Mickey Rourke we know and love. Of course he does go straight for the betrayers, who now don't recognize him. He also meets a straight woman (Elizabeth McGovern) and he must choose between the prospect of a truly new life or revenge. Released in 1989, it reminds me of a lot of a solid B-Picture from the '40s or '50s, populated with some top-flight character actors, led by Freeman and Whitaker whose careers had both started to take off already but still turn up in small, flavorful roles here. The immortal Ry Cooder supplied the music for just about every single movie Walter Hill ever made, and this blusey soundtrack is one of his very best. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6-H1xrDxE4 Well-used New Orleans locations and everybody involved having a ball playing in this genre adds up to a pretty great little flick. The plot is very straightforward, which may be about the only negative thing I can say about Johnny Handsome. But knowing where this train is headed even before it leaves the station doesn't make the journey any less fun. HOLDEN'S BALLOT 25. Johnny Handsome (DNP) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nq5er9hq9g |
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*sorry, didn't see some were making a guessing game matching up the one-pointers to the MoFo
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Originally Posted by Holden Pike (Post 2443306)
*sorry, didn't see some were making a guessing game matching up the one-pointers to the MoFo
https://c.tenor.com/sCdo8DW21XQAAAAC/tenor.gif |
Nevermind we got a game going on here.
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So I won't say which of the one pointers was mine...oh but that implies one of them is from my list. That's a clue.
And woohoo the countdowns have begun! What's better than a Mofo Countdown? Two Mofo Countdowns. Thanks for running the show, Thief. I'm sure it will be a good one. |
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Out of the one-pointers, I've only seen Affliction and Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead. It's been really too long since I saw them both, but Christopher Walken's performance as a quadriplegic crime boss always stuck with me. Should probably revisit it. I also get the feeling that I might have seen The Ninth Gate, but I tend to get that one confused with Secret Window (that's the one with Turturro, right?)
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Some fun movies there, nothing I voted for.
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Apparently I wasn't alone in voting for the movie I put at #25. No one-pointer for me.
Of the ones that did make the One-Pointers, I've only seen The Ninth Gate. I absolutely hated it. |
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Obviously, I'm not alone supporting my #25, nevertheless, I don't have a hope it'll apear in top 100.
Out of the one pointers, I've seen: Affliction (1997) - I like Nick Nolte a lot. It is a good film, need to rewatch it. Johnny Handsome (1989) - I like Mickey Rourke a lot too but this film was a big disappointment for me back then and I put it into oblivion. The Ninth Gate (1999) - This one was close not to be one-pointer since it strongly gravitated around my #25-30. Saw it in theater when it was released and remember liking it a lot. Polanski is a master filmmaker. Mysterious, Thrilling, Interesting, moreover I'm heavily into that stuff of antiquarian collectables. I plan rewatching it. + 82/100 |
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Happy we're doing two lists at the same time. Have fun hosting!
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Guess mine! Guess mine!
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I have reservations about reserving this spot, but I will do so regardless.
EDITED: Current revealed ballot Current Ballot
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[quote=John-Connor;2443248]...
The Laughing Policeman = Gulfportdoc ... Heh, heh. Ya know, I don't believe I've ever seen that movie, although I was always an Anthony Zerbe fan. I was busy with my music career in those days, and rarely got to the pictures then. 'Preciate the thought, though. |
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None of the one pointers were mine. My 25th position is a pretty famous movie that I'm guessing will show up on the top 100. I haven't seen any of the 1 pointers, but I do apparently own a copy of Long Day's Journey into Night. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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One of these are my one pointer.
Guess |
Originally Posted by beelzebubble (Post 2443360)
Guess mine! Guess mine!
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Hey, my first ever one-pointer!
I've seen two of the others. |
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Just saw The Guilty (1947) in the Noir thread and wishing I had voted for The Guilty (2018) here.
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While we wait for things to start, if there's one thing I want to reiterate from the opening post is this...
Originally Posted by Thief (Post 2443234)
Rather than piss and argue about how X or Y film "isn't really neo-noir!", let's focus on "WHY someone saw it as neo-noir". Like I said in the preliminary thread, all of the films complied with our eligibility requirements, which means that somebody – here or there – saw some flavor of "neo-noir" in it. So let's use this as an opportunity to both read what others have to say and write what we have to say, but in a respectful manner. Use it as an opportunity to catch up on great films, regardless of their classifications and see why someone else loved it enough to vote for it.
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Originally Posted by Wyldesyde19 (Post 2443369)
Reindeer Games…..
You don't have to. I'm just playing. |
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Wow, got a one-pointer without trying for it, but glad to see it here. Mine is probably an easy one for folks who know my tastes.
I have seen 5 out of 16 and a few of the ones I haven't, have piqued my interest. |
I haven't seen any of these one pointers either.
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I thought I had a good 1-pointer going for this, but now I'm intrigued as to who also voted for the film I gave my point to - whoever it is, has my vote, so to speak.
I've seen : Affliction - pretty good, I have it on DVD Black Hat - I haven't actually seen it, but it's sat here on the table next to me - a DVD someone threw my way. What are the chances? The Little Things - great performance from Jared Leto. Mirage - watched this recently, and it was a surprisingly good mind-bender. |
[quote=GulfportDoc;2443365]
Originally Posted by John-Connor (Post 2443248)
...
The Laughing Policeman = Gulfportdoc ... Heh, heh. Ya know, I don't believe I've ever seen that movie, although I was always an Anthony Zerbe fan. I was busy with my music career in those days, and rarely got to the pictures then. 'Preciate the thought, though. That would be my one pointer...and anyone that watched the show True Detective and wondered what would the 70's version of it look like... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YTlRpqh1TE |
@Thief / @Citizen Rules
Hope some of the hosts is going to schedule his reveals for the early part of the mornings. So that, Europe can receive first dose early in the afternoon and second portion in the evening. |
Originally Posted by John-Connor (Post 2443248)
Long Day's Journey into Night = ScarletLion c Some good ones there though. |
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Haven't seen a single one pointer
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I thought about putting Kill Me Again on my list, but I couldn't really remember it or even how I really felt about it, so left it off. Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead just didn't occur to me, but I'd have gone with it for sure.
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Originally Posted by John-Connor (Post 2443248)
Reindeer Games = A Christmas movie, my guess = Moviefan88 or Tugg :D
Affliction = seanc The Ninth Gate love it, my guess = pahaK The Little Things = CaptainT Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead = culliford Long Day's Journey into Night = ScarletLion Série noire = Little Ash The Chaser = CaptainSpaulding The Laughing Policeman = Gulfportdoc |
Originally Posted by John-Connor (Post 2443248)
Affliction = seanc
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Originally Posted by GulfportDoc (Post 2443365)
I was busy with my music career in those days, and rarely got to the pictures then. 'Preciate the thought, though.
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Originally Posted by Siddon (Post 2443414)
That would be my one pointer...and anyone that watched the show True Detective and wondered what would the 70's version of it look like...
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Originally Posted by Wyldesyde19 (Post 2443368)
One of these are my one pointer.
Guess |
I'm going to guess Frightened Inmate #2 for Long Day's Journey into Night.
Scarlett Lion was going to be my first guess for that, but they've already said they don't have any 1-pointers. |
I'm also realizing that due to the relatively low number of ballots, my ballot is going to have a disproportionately higher impact than what I'm used to on these countdowns.
Now I'm going to feel doubly bad about any obvious choices I forgot when making my ballot (I've already have one big face palm of a miss and we haven't even started yet). |
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Perhaps I have a one-pointer on this last...perhaps not?
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I might have already said this but the idea to have people guess the One Pointers is great and I hope people use/steal it. :up:
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Originally Posted by mrblond (Post 2443419)
@Thief / @Citizen Rules
Hope some of the hosts is going to schedule his reveals for the early part of the mornings. So that, Europe can receive first dose early in the afternoon and second portion in the evening. |
Originally Posted by Citizen Rules (Post 2443478)
Early part of the morning? On what part of the planet? it is early morning here on the west coast of USA...it's 7:30 am and I just got up!:p
Probably Thief to start earlier, it will be well scheduled. |
5lists35points The Friends of Eddie Coyle Director Peter Yates, 1973 Starring Robert Mitchum, Peter Boyle, Richard Jordan, Steven Keats |
3lists36points The American Friend Director Wim Wenders, 1977 Starring Dennis Hopper, Bruno Ganz, Lisa Kreuzer, Gérard Blain |
TRAILERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-ql9MRupgs The Friends of Eddie Coyle - After his last crime has him looking at a long prison sentence for repeat offenses, a low level Boston gangster decides to snitch on his friends to avoid jail time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06hIZ76Zlds The American Friend - An American art forger in Hamburg decides to take part in a murder plot for extra cash and involves a picture framer as a hitman, but the scheme quickly goes sour. |
The Friends of Eddie Coyle is #24 on my list. Here's a short review I wrote a few years ago:
This is an enjoyably gritty '70s crime flick. The "Friends" in the title might as well be in quotations because Eddie, the kind of cool, cynical and wizened Boston gangster Robert Mitchum was born to play, is finking on them in order to avoid a lengthy jail sentence. This absence of loyalty and assurance in the criminal underworld - as well as in the law's efforts to take it down - pervade this movie in this and other ways, whether it's in the dealings of Eddie's associate Jackie Brown, a cautious to a fault gun runner wonderfully played by Steven Keats, or in the machinations of Dave Foley, an ingenious cop slyly played by Richard Jordan. However, as this movie's bank robbery scenes make clear, the jobs are all about loyalty because even the slightest deviation from the plan can result in complete disaster. Speaking of these scenes, while they were filmed with an economy and a style that is a far cry from similar scenes in movies like Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven or Affleck's The Town, they're still so tense that I forgot to breathe. These scenes do more showing than telling, but this is still a very talky movie, and while a lot of the dialogue crackles, it often comes across as long-winded. Even so, it's a flaw that only slightly affected my understanding of what was happening and my enjoyment on the whole. Besides, we should be thankful for how this and other flourishes likely influenced the works of directors such as James Gray and Quentin Tarantino. |
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I haven't seen The Friends of Eddie Coyle yet, but I have been meaning to for a while now. I have seen The American Friend and didn't really care for it.
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Originally Posted by John-Connor (Post 2443460)
Swoon
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Seen both, Eddie Coyle I remember enjoying but would most likely enjoy more now that i'm familiar with Mitchum and co. American Friend probably needs a revisit as I don't remember much about it despite Wenders style being one I enjoy.
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I haven't seen either, but I do like that design that Yoda and Thief did...very striking!
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That's all Yoda. I just said "Nice! Love it" 😂
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I like that both films coincidentally have "friend" in the title, though I've seen neither haha. Love the beautifully fitting presentation here as well! Everyone really out did themselves for these two Countdowns!
Seen: 0/2 My List: 25. The Chaser (2008) - DNP 1-pointer The dark, rainy atmosphere of The Chaser sets the perfect tone for a gloomy revenge thriller featuring an ex-cop, missing prostitutes, and a flawed system that has let a serial killer run free for years. It's a rather brutal film, and not just in its violence either, and was on my list at #25. It didn't make the Countdown, but at least I got to shine some light on it for a brief moment. |
Originally Posted by Thief (Post 2443520)
That's all Yoda. I just said "Nice! Love it" 😂
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He deserves some credit, he threw some ideas out and made some additional suggestions after the first mockup that definitely improved it.
And yeah I'm really happy with the neon effect! It's fun. |
Originally Posted by CosmicRunaway (Post 2443523)
I like that both films coincidentally have "friend" in the title, though I've seen neither haha.
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Originally Posted by Yoda (Post 2443525)
He deserves some credit, he threw some ideas out and made some additional suggestions after the first mockup that definitely improved it.
And yeah I'm really happy with the neon effect! It's fun. |
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The neon is totally bad ass!
Two I haven't seen or even heard of. 0/2 so far! |
Originally Posted by Citizen Rules (Post 2443527)
What font type is being used for the movie title? It looks great, I might have to steal it😁
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Haven't seen either.
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The Friends of Eddie Coyle is on my Crime Top 200 somewhere. Robbery, Bullitt and The Hot Rock are my favorite Peter Yates films so far. Haven't seen The American Friend yet but Wenders, Hopper and Ganz are top notch so I will rectify that soon. Seen 1/2.
My one-pointer Mirage is a dark and mysterious, conspiracy/paranoia Neo-noir. Starring Diane Baker and Gregory Peck who suffers from amnesia after a blackout hits his office building. Great appearances by Walter Matthau who plays a Private Investigator and George Kennedy as a henchman. Accompanied by a beautiful and fitting Jazz score by Grammy Legend Award winner Quincy Jones. |
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF... THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE?
Roger Ebert said:
"The movie is as simple as that. It’s not a high-strung gangster film, it doesn’t have a lot of overt excitement in it, and it doesn’t go in for much violence. He gives us a man, invites our sympathy for him, and then watches almost sadly as his time runs out. And The Friends of Eddie Coyle works so well because Eddie is played by Robert Mitchum, and Mitchum has perhaps never been better." (read full review here)
"When film noir returned, it found Robert Mitchum there still, waiting patiently, saying hello to darkness like an old friend. The Friends Of Eddie Coyle might not be as well known as [Chinatown, The Conversation, or Night Moves], but, setting the pace at the head of the pack, it is a key movie of the '70s cycle." (read full review here)
"Everything about this film is perfect - the acting, the dialogue, the directing, the cinematography that so expertly displays the bleak, unforgiving underbelly of 1970s Boston. A truly great neo-noir, for anyone who loves the genre." (read full review here)
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WHAT DID YOU THINK OF... THE AMERICAN FRIEND?
Steve Erickson, from RogerEbert.com, said:
"The American Friend represents the most ambitious attempt to reinvent film noir for the baby boomer generation." (read full review here)
"Dennis Hopper, in his Wild Man phase, brings electricity to the 1977 neo-noir The American Friend, an adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel Ripley's Game... It’s excellent story-telling – at once economical and showy and ultra-noirish." (read full review here)
"I found that the more this story went along, the better I felt about starting to watch it. There isn't much exposition that will bonk you upside the head, and of course, in the tradition of most art films, the resolve is left to the same universe as the body of study. If you are in the market for a good piece to hang on your wall, I'd recommend this film to chase away the boredom of routine, and to fully dive into yet another Wim Wenders miniature masterpiece." (read full review here)
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TomRipley story directed by Wenders with Hopper as a villain. It’s really not a question of was this on my list, the question is why have I only watched it once. American Friend was my #15.
Only watch Eddie Coyle once as well. I wasn’t very high on it, but it seems like something I should love so rewatches forth coming. |
I admit I haven't seen any of these two, but I love the fact that we're starting the list with Robert Mitchum. In the words of Martin Scorsese, "Mitchum is noir"
https://iv1.lisimg.com/image/9725599...nick-nolte.jpg |
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Excellent start to the countdown.
I had neither on my ballot but both are quality flicks and perfect inclusions. I have another Bob Mitchum title on my Neo-Noir list, and a couple more with my Noir Primes. Such an important figure in the genre, it's very fitting he kicks things off here. I am a big fan of Wenders. Der Amerikanische Freund is not one of my top handful of favorites of his, but it is a great '70s flick and an interesting take on Pat Highsmith's Tom Ripley character. |
AWARDS?
The Friends of Eddie Coyle didn't win any award, but The American Friend did get some nominations and some wins:
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The American Friend was my #5.
Really interesting film about a fascinating character with some great acting. Very neo and very noir. |
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Eddy Coyle wasn't on my list, but it was on my mind as I was trying to think if certain American crime dramas from the 70s, that I love, but couldn't decide if they were neo-noir or not. And for some reason I didn't include those similar movies on my list, so I'll bemoan my decision should they show up. So, I'll say good start.
I still haven't seen The American Friend, but it's been on my watchlist for quite a while. Like many things are. Rewatching Purple Noon and Talented Mr. Ripley are also on that watchlist. |
What is Neo-noir?
https://images.mubicdn.net/images/fi...mage-w1280.jpg Neo-noir refers to a revival, or extension of film noir, beyond 1960. Whether film noir ended or not is debatable, but although these kind of films never ceased to exist, most experts agree there was a change. With the fall of the studio system and the loosening of the Hays Code, there was a shift in how these stories were told. https://movies-b26f.kxcdn.com/wp-con...6285436766.jpg With less limitations and boundaries, the task of defining neo-noir is more challenging than it is film noir. Neo-noir can also span multiple genres and decades, and also feature bleak and pessimistic worldviews. However, because of the time, there is a more graphic depiction of both violence and sexuality. https://i.imgur.com/dRb3N01.jpg Neo-noir also adds additional layers of moral ambiguity and rejection of authority, fueled by events like the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal. The theme of a lone anti-hero going against big institutions, and failing, seems to be more prevalent. |
My start here is also: seen none of #100-99.
Noticing Dennis Hopper's name, automatically puts The American Friend in my to watch list. |
The Ninth Gate was my 1 pointer. A under appreciated film by Polanski.
As for the reveals, I’ve not seen either yet, although bo th have been on my watch list for almost 20 years and I seem to forget about them every now and then. I even have The American Friend saved on Criterion to watch soon. 0/2 |
Serie Noir was a one pointer?
That's both depressing because it's deserves more, and it also means I forgot to include it. I would have considered it near my top 5 I suppose that is the pitfall of taking five minutes to put mine together. |
I've seen at least five of the one pointers.
And both of the first two films are great. They're only not higher because people clearly haven't watched them. |
Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
It was a given I'd include The Friends of Eddie Coyle, and I had it at #11. Someone mentioned how long winded it is at times, and that's because the book it's based on is famous for being almost exclusively dialogue. (And predictably was an influence on Elmore Leonard.) Personally, I think it works far better in the movie. I had The American Friend on my shortlist, but it looks like in the end I left it off. I have another movie adapted from a Ripley book on my list, which should definitely show up, and I don't know if The Talented Mr. Ripley qualifies as neo-noir, but if so we could see three Ripley movies on the countdown. (I'm assuming the John Malcovich led Ripley's Game has no chance.)
A great start to the countdown, and the format looks great, as does the noir countdown. |
Originally Posted by crumbsroom (Post 2443611)
I've seen at least five of the one pointers.
And both of the first two films are great. They're only not higher because people clearly haven't watched them. As for the other two, I just keep forgetting about them. They’ve been on my watch list for decades. Literally. I even have The American Friend saved on Criterion. Which means I’ll be getting to The American Friend soon |
Originally Posted by John-Connor (Post 2443460)
Swoon
That's my one-pointer. |
Originally Posted by Little Ash (Post 2443468)
I'm going to guess Frightened Inmate #2 for Long Day's Journey into Night.
Scarlett Lion was going to be my first guess for that, but they've already said they don't have any 1-pointers. the american friend is very good, although i don’t remember many details about it. certainly would’ve made my top 40-50. |
Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
I've seen both The Friends of Eddie Coyle and The American Friend. Both are pretty good, but neither made my ballot.
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No votes from me but that's a quality pair to start the countdown with.
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Originally Posted by John-Connor (Post 2443248)
The Ninth Gate love it, my guess = pahaK
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Originally Posted by Sedai (Post 2443458)
Speaking of... I watched a portion of and interview recently that Samuel Andreyev conducted with you. Interesting stuff! Will finish it up when I get some time.
Due to my reluctance to use Zoom, I did the interview from my wife's Face Time feature on her iPhone. Me on the Dixie Riviera, and Sam in Strasboug, France. As a result there was a good deal of video freezing, although the audio didn't seem affected. Gregg Bendian did one recently that is much better quality. There are several on YouTube if you're at all interested. |
Originally Posted by Thief (Post 2443378)
While we wait for things to start, if there's one thing I want to reiterate from the opening post is this...
... If there was one challenging thing in this preliminary period was to take this incredibly vague style or movement and try to harmonize it into something that was more or less "tangible" for all of you to vote for. Take into consideration that even film experts and scholars don't always agree into what specifically "film noir" or "neo-noir" is, so what do we mere mortals know? Just have fun with it. I knew that a neo-noir countdown would be all over the map, so we'll have to hold onto our hats...:D |
Originally Posted by Torgo (Post 2443509)
The Friends of Eddie Coyle is #24 on my list.
... |
Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
no votes. both friends of eddie coyle and american friend are very good, though. really need to rewatch the latter.
blackhat was my one-pointer. mann's going to get a fair bit of rep on my list with some of his more widely-accepted classics, but i figured i'd also throw in for his decidedly underrated exercise in fighting cyber-crime. hemsworth's prison-hardened hacker is a worthy neo-noir protagonist who has to fight, shoot, and solve his way through an international mystery involving soy futures and nuclear meltdowns - it's definitely more dense/obtuse than the likes of, say, collateral, but it's proven to have a charm all its own that not a lot of other quote-unquote neo-noirs from the past decade or so seem to have. |
Hello Friends. The Friends of Eddie Coyle is decent but I'm not a big fan - it's been a while. It's also been a while since I watched The American Friend but I had to get it on my list - I'm the third and final voter at #23.
Also, it is me, I voted for Serie Noire! I thought it would be a good one pointer. Bleak, but oddly humorous, with great performances. You know while I was making my list and thinking of including some international neo noirs, these were two that stuck out right away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXdNc76aPVc |
Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
And yes the ranking cards (is that what we call them?) look great. Thanks guys!
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Seen neither, but I've been salivating over the prospect of watching The American Friend for quite a while now - just haven't got to it yet.
Seen : 0/2 Heard of : 1/2 |
Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
I predict that I'll see more films from this countdown than the film noir countdown.
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Originally Posted by crumbsroom (Post 2443611)
I've seen at least five of the one pointers.
And both of the first two films are great. They're only not higher because people clearly haven't watched them. FWIW, IMO on past countdowns, 91-100 is often the second or third best grouping of ten films out of the hundred. |
Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
The American Friend is pretty amazing, I saw it only recently but forgot to put it on my list. And my review was:
Bruno Ganz, Dennis Hopper, Wim Wenders directing, Muller DoP. Serious credentials and it delivers. Absolutely briliant thriller drama. A picture framer and an art conman get in over their heads when they try to make a quick buck doing dirty work.
Wenders' 'Paris, Texas' seems more celebrated but this film is better looking and more tense. Robbie Muller has to be one of the greatest Cinematographers of all time. Absolute magic. |
Originally Posted by GulfportDoc (Post 2443649)
Good points. Classic noir was a movement. Neo-noir is more of an imitation updated. Obvious differences? No more femme fatale. No black & white. Sexual themes and overt sex scenes became commonplace, due at least to the loss of film censorship.
I knew that a neo-noir countdown would be all over the map, so we'll have to hold onto our hats...:D Either way, yeah, you all better buckle up :laugh: |
This is the list of one-pointers that have been picked up already.
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5 Attachment(s)
Originally Posted by ScarletLion
Wenders' Paris, Texas seems more celebrated but this film is better looking and more tense. Robbie Muller has to be one of the greatest Cinematographers of all time.
Some screen captures from Der Amerikanische Freund... |
Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
I haven't seen The American Friend, but Müller's cinematography in Down by Law is gorgeous.
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