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!

• Affliction (1997)
• Blackhat (2015)
• The Chaser (2008)
• Johnny Handsome (1989)
• Kill Me Again (1989)
• The Laughing Policeman (1973)
• The Little Things (2021)
• Long Day's Journey into Night (2018)

• Mirage (1965)
• The Ninth Gate (1999)
• Portrait in Black (1960)
• Pulp (1972)
• Reindeer Games (2000)
• Série noire (1979)
• Swoon (1992)
• Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995)

Here's another funny game. Try to guess who voted for what, as people claim their one pointers :D

Re: The MoFo Top Neo-noir Countdown
 

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!

Re: The MoFo Top Neo-noir Countdown
 

It's gonna be a fun ride!

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

Re: MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

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.

I didn't have a one-pointer on this countdown, I went for something more popular in 25th place.

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.

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

Re: MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

*sorry, didn't see some were making a guessing game matching up the one-pointers to the MoFo

You ruined it, Holden!!

https://c.tenor.com/sCdo8DW21XQAAAAC/tenor.gif

Nevermind we got a game going on here.

Re: MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

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.

Re: MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

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?)

Some fun movies there, nothing I voted for.

Re: MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

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.

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

Re: MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

Happy we're doing two lists at the same time. Have fun hosting!

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

Guess mine! Guess mine!

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

I have reservations about reserving this spot, but I will do so regardless.

EDITED:
Current revealed ballot

Current Ballot

• 01. (#09) Blood Simple (1984)
  02.
  03. (#55) Lost Highway (1997)
  04. (#54) Pale Flower (1964)
  05. (#15) Miller's Crossing (1990)
  06. (#13) Blue Velvet (1986)
  07. (#71) Branded to Kill (1967)
  08. (#07) Le Samouraï (1967)
  09. (#11) Fargo (1996)
  10.
  11. (#27) The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
  12.
  13. (#72) Point Blank (1967)
  14.
  15. (#23) Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
  16. (#10) Mulholland Drive (2001)
  17.
  18. (###) Naked Lunch (1991)
  19. (#41) Inherent Vice (2014)
  20.
  21.
  22.
  23. (#76) Under the Silver Lake (2018)
  24. (###) Down by Law (1986)
  25.

[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.

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

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)_/¯

One of these are my one pointer.

Guess

Reindeer Games…..

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

Hey, my first ever one-pointer!


I've seen two of the others.

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

Just saw The Guilty (1947) in the Noir thread and wishing I had voted for The Guilty (2018) here.

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.

Nope! Guess again!



You don't have to. I'm just playing.

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

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.

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]
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.

Amazingly it wasn't me. I normally vote for this film at any possible chance as it's a modern masterpiece, but I didn't in this countdown for some reason. I didn't go for the whole one pointer thing this time around and instead have quite a well loved film at #25.
Some good ones there though.

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

Haven't seen a single one pointer

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

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.

Nope and never seen that movie before :D, no one pointer for me since I only got 10 movies on the ballot list.

Good guess for me, but no one pointer this time. Which I was shocked by actually.

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.

I coincidentally just finished watching all four seasons of True Detective, so maybe I should add this to my watch list.

Swoon

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).

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

Perhaps I have a one-pointer on this last...perhaps not?

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

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:

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

I think it is clear on which part - on the hosts one of course.
Probably Thief to start earlier, it will be well scheduled.

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.

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

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.

Nope!

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

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.

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

I haven't seen either, but I do like that design that Yoda and Thief did...very striking!

That's all Yoda. I just said "Nice! Love it" 😂

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.

I just now noticed that the numbers for List and Points glow and pulsate...that's way cool! @Yoda You out did yourself this time.

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

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.

"Friends" that are not really friends :D Very noir

What font type is being used for the movie title? It looks great, I might have to steal it😁

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

The neon is totally bad ass!

Two I haven't seen or even heard of. 0/2 so far!

It's called "Portia." There's actually a really nice selection of noirish fonts out there to choose from.

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

Haven't seen either.

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:

Damien Love said:

@DocHoliday said:

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF... THE AMERICAN FRIEND?


Steve Erickson, from RogerEbert.com, said:

The Movie Gourmet said:

@Joel said:

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

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:

• Three (3) German Film Awards, including Outstanding Feature Film
• One (1) Bambi Award for Best Actress (Lisa Kreuzer)
• One (1) National Board of Review Award for Top Foreign Film
• One (1) Sant Jordi Award for Best Foreign Performer (Bruno Ganz)
• One (1) nomination for the Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival

The American Friend was my #5.


Really interesting film about a fascinating character with some great acting. Very neo and very noir.

Re: The MoFo Top 100 Neo-noir Countdown
 

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.

I think I only recently learned of Serie Noire through I think you, so I haven’t gotten to it just yet.

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

That's my one-pointer.

i do like that movie, but it wasn’t in consideration for my list.

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.

No votes from me but that's a quality pair to start the countdown with.

That's sort of a good guess, but I didn't submit a list for either of the noir countdowns. Also, The Ninth Gate would have been higher on my list had I submitted one. I, too, like it a lot.

Glad you're enjoying it, my friend. It's a long one. You'll need coffee...🙂 Sam is not only a fine composer and teacher, but he's an articulate and savvy interviewer.

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.

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

Pretty similar thinking. I had it at #23...;)

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!

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.

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:

I've not seen Eddie Coyle but I need to.

I do think there are "femme fatales" in neo-noir; just a different kind of "femme fatales".

Either way, yeah, you all better buckle up :laugh:

This is the list of one-pointers that have been picked up already.

• Affliction (1997)
• Blackhat (2015) - Iroquois
• The Chaser (2008) - CosmicRunaway
• Johnny Handsome (1989) - Holden Pike
• Kill Me Again (1989)
• The Laughing Policeman (1973) - Siddon
• The Little Things (2021)
• Long Day's Journey into Night (2018)
• Mirage (1965) - John-Connor
• The Ninth Gate (1999) - Wyldesyde19
• Portrait in Black (1960) - Citizen Rules
• Pulp (1972)
• Reindeer Games (2000)
• Série noire (1979) - Harry Lime
• Swoon (1992) - beelzebubble
• Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995)

He was, indeed. Robby Müller may not have the brand-name recognition that some of his contemporaries do, but there's no doubt he was one of the greats. If you only take his collaborations with Wenders (eleven projects, including Alice in the Cities, Until the End of the World, and Paris, Texas) and Jarmusch (five films: Down By Law, Mystery Train, Dead Man, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, and Coffee & Cigarettes) there's enough there to merit a label of greatness. Then when you add in Saint Jack and They All Laughed (Peter Bogdanovich), Repo Man (Alex Cox), To Live and Die in L.A. (Billy Friedkin), Barfly (Barbet Schroeder), and Breaking the Waves and Dancer in the Dark (Lars Von Trier)...very impressive.

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.