PRIVATEYE

The toughest case to crack...

LAST FILM WATCHED


They Won't Believe Me (1947)

A screencap from They Won't Believe Me. Lawrence 'Larry' Ballantine, forever a loner, slowly opens a door inside his ranch on a cool night.
A classic film noir plot, They Won't Believe Me is a creeping horror, a plot that slowly but surely coils around your neck as you start to realize just how bad fate can be towards you. It's told in flashback format, so as you watch it you begin to piece everything together into a final, grim image. Also, my memory may be fooling me but I think this is the first time I've seen a dead body- blood and all- in full shot in a noir. Impressive for its time! All in all, I recommend you watch this one.

Overall Rating: Pretty good; watch to see "Chekhov's Horse"


MY FAVORITE FILM NOIRS


A screencap from Laura, depicting the main detective sitting on an armchair, looking at Laura's portrait.

LAURA (1944)

This is the first film noir I ever watched and got me hooked on the genre. From its (fittingly) dreamy orchestral score to its ever expanding murder plot, there's a lot to say abot Laura Hunt, both as the ill-fated dame and as her oh so hauntingly beautiful portrait. If you like murder plots and are looking to get into film noir, I definitely recommend watching it.


THE BIG HEAT (1953)

A screencap from The Big Heat, depicting a young lady with half her face covered in bandages looking at a man standing in front of her.
The Big Heat is one hell of a film... It's got everything, from dead wives and half-burnt faces all the way to the main protagonist going "Why I oughta...". Seeing Bannion's gradual decline from a decent father down to a revenge-seeking mess of a man is very entertaining. If you're looking for a crazier film noir, this one's bound to do ya good. No joke, I screamed, cried and laughed watching this film.


I WAKE UP SCREAMING (1941)

A screencap from I Wake Up Screaming, showing 2 men in fedoras in a dark-lit room. One of them is looking out the window while the other stares into space.
With its dark lighting, constant feeling of paranoia and a doomed finale felt from the very beginning, I Wake Up Screaming is truly the father of all noirs. Vicky's untimely demise is what launches the plot forward, yet it becomes almost like a background element as everything surrounding her murder starts to unravel in complex loops and tangled knots. This film is another good starting point for folks who are just getting into the genre.

MORE TO COME...