#Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir

[filmnoirfoundation]

NOIR CITY Xmas Tickets Now on Sale!

Join host Eddie Muller on Wednesday, December 20, 7:30 pm, at Oakland's historic Grand Lake Theatre for NOIR CITY XMAS! To darken your yuletide spirit, the Film Noir Foundation is presenting – in 35mm – "Cover Up", a 1949 noir film recently restored by UCLA Film & Television Archive, starring William Bendix, Dennis O'Keefe, and Barbara Britton.

The evening will also feature the unveiling of the program (and poster!) for NOIR CITY 21, the 21st year of the world's most popular film noir festival, coming to the Grand Lake Theatre January 19-28, 2024.

Additionally, between 6:30–7:15 there will be a book signing by Eddie Muller of his three latest – "Kid Noir: Kitty Feral and the Case of the Marshmallow Monkey", Eddie Muller's "NOIR BAR: Cocktails Inspired by the World of Film Noir", and "Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir". These titles will be available for sale at NOIR CITY Xmas through Walden Pond Books – which will be located next to the FNF merchandise table on the Grand Lake Theatre mezzanine.

NOTE: Eddie will also be available for 30 minutes after the show to sign books for those who missed him during the 6:30 signing.

Tickets are now available online for $15 from Eventbrite, and can also be purchased at the theatre box office on the day of the show. Doors will open at 6:30 pm on the day of the event.

Tickets: https://bit.ly/47n1zOR

[forthegothicheroine]

When dark deeds were done by amateurs, the tales were known in the trade as "murder dramas," distinct from the "crime thrillers" that were the province of crooks and cops. Murder dramas weren't as male-dominated. In fact, many were what the exhibitors called "women's pictures." But the distinction was as much one of geography as gender. crime thrillers took place in the streets and offices where men fought to conquer the city. Murder dramas unfolded in bedrooms and gardens and kitchens, and women wielded their own weapons. During the hardscrabble 1930s (post-Production Code), Hollywo0d sold American women an ideal of domestic complacency and economic security. Hang tough, girls- the perfect man, the right neighborhood, and two darling kids were the answers to any soul-searching that tossed you in your sleep. Men had cops and crooks and cowboys to distract and inspire them. For women, films of the 1930s were Sears catalogs of middle-class gratification. Noir tore the catalog apart. It suggested that domesticity was a suffocating trap. Somewhere amid the laundry and shopping and bill paying, life's passions had been snuffed out. Noir is about what happens when the fuse is reignited: when a devoted husband takes a new woman in his arms, or a bored wife admits that the life she's cherished will never satisfy her.

Eddie Muller, Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir

[fics-not-tragedies]

January 2024 Music Prompts: Day 3

Kiwi ♫ Harry Styles

Kiwi ♫ Harry Styles x Tommy Shelby

She worked her way through a cheap pack of cigarettes/Hard liquor mixed with a bit of intellect.

Tommy was a man with a way with words, but his charisma came with a large dose of anger. He strolled into the smoky bar, where the smell of cheap whiskey and the muffled chatter of patrons seeking refuge from the realities of life lingered in the air. In the dim light, he spotted you - a woman with a sense of mystery to match his own.

You were struggling through a cheap packet of cigarettes, the smoke clinging to you like a rebellious halo. In your eyes, shaded by a cascade of dark curls, was a world of stories yet to be told. Tommy couldn't resist the pull, like a moth drawn to the flicker of a distant flame.

With a confidence that bordered on audacity, Tommy took the seat next to you at the bar. The barman gave him a warning look, but Tommy was used to living on the edge.

"Hard liquor mixed with a bit of intellect," he said with a grin, his eyes fixed on yours. "Sounds like the perfect combination for a night of trouble."

You chuckled, a sound that echoed through the haze of the bar like a whispered secret. "You think you can handle trouble?"

Tommy leaned back, the dim light casting shadows on his rugged features. "Darlin', trouble and I have been dancing partners for as long as I can remember."

You studied him for a moment, your gaze probing the layers beneath his charming facade. With a flick of your fingers, you signaled the bartender. Two glasses appeared, filled with amber liquid that glowed like liquid fire.

As you clinked glasses, you spoke, your words laden with a hint of challenge. "Let's see if you can keep up with this mix of hard liquor and intellect."

The night unfolded like a noir film, with Tommy and the you engaged in a verbal joust, each sentence a subtle move in a carefully orchestrated dance. Your words were a blend of sharp wit and unspoken desires, creating a symphony that resonated through the smoky air.

Between sips of whiskey and the rhythmic tapping of ash from your cigarette, you shared fragments of your life story. A tale of resilience, of battles fought and scars earned. Tommy listened, his own narrative woven into the tapestry of the night. You were kindred spirits, two souls navigating the murky waters of existence.

As the hour grew late, the bar's patrons began to thin out, leaving only the lingering remnants of smoke and the pulsating energy between Tommy and yourself.

You stubbed out the last of your cigarette and stood, your eyes holding a mix of challenge and invitation. "Hard liquor and intellect, Tommy. Are you ready for the next chapter?"

With a half-smile, he followed you into the shadows of the night. The city streets were quiet, the echoes of your footsteps reverberating in the silence. Together, you both walked the fine line between chaos and connection, two lost souls finding solace in the ephemeral dance of a single night.

And so, in the dimly lit streets, under the watchful gaze of a flickering streetlamp, Tommy and you disappeared into the tapestry of the city, leaving behind a night that would linger in their memories - a blend of hard liquor, intellect, and the shared understanding that some connections are forged in the crucible of the unexpected.

[jade-moonlight]

“Honeymoon” by Lana Del Rey

An Analysis of Track 1 of Honeymoon (album)

This is part of a series I’m starting to deepen my understanding of Lana’s music and pop culture as a whole. I'm not all knowing, and I won't analyze the instrumentals because I haven't studied poetry or music. This is a lyrical analysis meant to inspire your own thoughts and open the conversation up. I hope you enjoy :)

(Wilshire Blvd in green, Pico Blvd in purple and the Hidden Hills in blue.)

Verse 1:

“We both know that it's not fashionable to love me / But you don't go 'cause truly there's nobody for you but me / We could cruise to the blues / Wilshire Boulevard* if we choose / Or whatever you want to do / We make the rules”

* Millionaire socialist, Henry Wilshire, developed the land once used as a trade route for native americans into a central connection for businessmen.

Wilshire is depicted in the film Sunset Boulevard. [Sunset Boulevard is an LA Noir about a scriptwriter that manipulates a washed-up actress into a sexual relationship in order to steal her script. SPOILERS: After claiming she will kill herself, he leaves her once he discovers her plan to expose his con and she kills him in retaliation. As police and press arrive to arrest her, she feels happy believing her stardom to be returned. In the film, they drive on Wilshire Boulevard.] Here is the clip:

On her honeymoon in LA, Lana is hurt after finding out people in the music scene hate her. She projects this hatred onto her husband secretly believing that he only stays with her because he can't find anyone else. They spend their honeymoon, driving around their home in the Hollywood Hills listening to the blues as Lana imagines herself to be the femme fatale in Sunset Boulevard. Believing that she has fulfilled her quest for freedom ("It takes getting everything you ever wanted and losing it to know what true freedom is"), Lana lives without a care in the world.

"Our honeymoon / Our honeymoon / Our honeymoon / Say you want me too / Say you want me too / Dark blue / Dark blue"

Without any responsibilities, Lana relaxes into her new relationship and her new life in LA. Now that she has made it (and lost it), she begins to reveal the facade. Her husband is apprehensive and distant as Lana continues to beg him to love her back (in Sunset Boulevard, even going as far as to threaten suicide). Her blue and his black mix together to create the color dark blue, a symbol of the abuse they've both experienced in life. However, Lana believes that she is developing a higher consciousness and has gone out of the black stage of her trauma and into the blue, while her husband remains stuck in the black stage.

"We both know the history of violence that surrounds you / But I'm not scared, there's nothing to lose now that I found you / And we could cruise to the news / Pico Boulevard* in your used / Little bullet car* if we choose / Mr. born to lose*"

*Named after the Mexican governor of Alta California, Pico Blvd runs mostly parallel to Wilshire, and is home to many important fixtures in the music and film industry (like the Recording Academy).

*The car references the infamous chase scene in Bullitt where a police officer investigating a mob boss evades two hitman through the city streets. Here's the clip:

*Born to lose is a Ray Charles/Johnny Cash blues song about a man too caught up in his vices to realize that he is fumbling every opportunity to achieve his dreams and ends with his girl leaving him after being tired of his shit. Listen to their songs here:

After the sudden arrival of people from her new husband's past, Lana discovers that he has a history of violent behavior. Due to her own tendencies to rage and her ex husband leaving her, Lana feels lost in life and doesn't care about the abuse he inflicts on her since she is planning on using him to fulfill her own dreams.

In LA, Lana coaxes her new husband into driving around with her to recreate the memories she has with her ex, however, his past isn't far behind. He destroys Lana's dream of aimlessly driving around, listening to the news on the radio, for fear of being caught by people from his past and Lana recalls the blues song born to lose. She claims that he ignores the consequences of his actions like the man in the song, calling him Mr. Born to Lose (which matches her Ms. Born to Die personality) and foreshadowing her choice to break up with him.

"Our honeymoon / Our honeymoon / Our honeymoon / Say you want me too / Say you want me too / Dark blue / Dark blue"

Lana uses this chorus to seduce her husband by leading him to believe that she thinks he can change or be fixed, while she secretly plots how to leave him.

"There are violets* in your eyes* / There are guns that blaze* around you / There are roses* in between my thighs / And fire* that surrounds you / It's no wonder every man in town / Had neither fought nor found you / Everything you do is elusive / To even your honey dew*"

*Violets are Lana's favourite flower and represent her embodiment of innocence and humility as major life goals.

*The eyes are the windows to the soul.

*The guns that blaze are SPOILER: references to the gunshots the femme fatale uses to kill the scriptwriter in Sunset Boulevard.

*Roses are symbols of romance, secrecy and political movement, specifically the socialist movement.

*In this case, fire represents destruction, purification, enlightenment and commitment to knowledge. This also references the explosion at the end of the chase scene in Bullitt.

*Honey dew is a city in California, a sweet sap produced by insects (specifically Cicadas in the summer), and a melon (a sweet fruit that attracts bees). In Greek Mythology, it relates to the creation of humanity as a honeydew falls from a tree producing ash (the material humans are made of in the myth).

Lana shares her dreams of humiliating her abusive husband and outsmarting him, hoping to destroy their relationship and enlighten him as her first act in her newfound commitment to knowledge. Lana uses sex to maintain secrecy from her husband about her new socialist beliefs as she wants to maintain his perception of her purity. In her opinion, her husband is a viole(n)t (man) because of his inability to realize the extent of his humiliating behavior and his lack of awareness of world issues.

Both movies collide, as Lana tries to live her Sunset Boulevard life while facing her Bullitt reality. Both of her husbands merge into one, where no one in the town can catch her runaway ex husband or fight her abusive new husband. As both relationships become memories, Lana finds difficulty in recalling the details (perhaps as a coping mechanism), which could explain her reliance on these films to explain their relationship. Despite still living in LA, Lana remembers their time spent together as happening in a far away place, like the Garden of Eden, where she was Eve, her ex husband was Adam and her new husband was the snake.

"Our honeymoon / Our honeymoon / Our honeymoon"

By the end of their relationships, Lana's honeymoon has left dew similar to that on grass in the early morning as she is left with only the fruits of her labor.

"Dreaming away your life* / Dreaming away your life / Dreaming away your life / Dreaming away your life / Dreaming away your life / Dreaming away your life"

*Los Angeles is known not only as the city of angels, but as the city of dreams. This references the California/American Dream (gold rush), the moviemaking industry, Gloria Alvarez's poem, and Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams".

For Gloria’s Poem:

For Green Day's song about walking the streets of NYC alone after having your dreams crushed over and over again.

In referencing the notes, Lana concludes that LA is much like her in its ability to seduce residents with an angel and destroy residents with its fire. Once she wakes from her slumber, Lana realizes much of this story to be a maladaptive daydream. She accepts that she is alone in life, although whether she will continue dreaming away her life or will make the changes to get out of this toxic lifestyle is ambiguous.

If you liked this song, check out: Honeymoon (album) as it follows Lana's dream more deeply, LA WHO AM I TO LOVE YOU (poem) as it talks about the love Lana now has for LA, and California (song) which references Gloria's concept of Santa Ana and the imagined reality of LA.

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Megalopolis

The return of any legendary storyteller in cinema is always welcomed with eyes wide open. To see them return to the medium with a passion project that is all the more bold and different, is also a treat. Francis Ford Coppola is one of those living legends that to this day, his films are revered and studied in many a film school classroom. He now returns to the silver screen with a challenging and somewhat baffling fable/epic that is both gorgeous and almost indescribable. At the service level, it is a modern Roman tale of creation, capitilism, greed and debauchery located in the grand backdrop of New York City aptly named New Rome. Its quite brilliant and unrelenting in its depiction of honestly, our world as we know it. At a deeper layer, there was also a psychological level of mind-bending effects and how the world revolved or even worked around the central character. Does he have powers to stop time or are we passengers on a massive trip through an architect's mind? Like I said, its baffling and yet fascinating. The film was bonkers at times as it got convoluted in the middle of the political plots and noir style of reveals. If you're not focused on the story, you're gonna be lost and you may not have anything or anyone to pull you back in.

Adam Driver leads the story as the ever ambitious and creative architect Cesar Catilina and he was absolutely fantastic. He delivers every monologue with a shakespearean cadence and depth. It may seem like alot of word vomit from Cesar at times, but when you actually look at the subtext, he's quite inspiring even if he is almost detached from his own sense of humanity. There was a level of vulnerability that gets explored mid way through the film that defines the character and I loved seeing Adam expertly navigate the many directions the character goes through. Laurence Fishburne was fun and slick as the film's narrator and Cesar's driver, Fundi Romaine. Giancarlo Esposito was fantastic and boisterous as Mayor of New Rome, Franklyn Cicero. The rivalry between him and Cesar was the core of the film and I liked seeing their political game of tug of war. There is deeper layer to their rivalry that was pretty dark and somewhat doesn't get resolved in the most predictable fashion which was nice for a change. Natalie Emmanuel was outstanding as Cicero's daughter, Julia. I loved the rather quick turn from the debauchery that leads to the fascinating chemistry she develops with Cesar. The way the two of them connect was interesting and sparked the many questions of possible super powers in their dreamlike romance. Aubrey Plaza was great as the power hungry and greedy talk show host, Wow Platinum. You could see her fighting for relevance and how the desire for power can corrupt in the most absolutes. Shia LaBeouf gives and energetic, devilish and sometimes sinister performance as Cesar's extremely jealous cousin, Clodio Pulcher. He embodied the spoiled rich kid that never had to earn anything and just lives in that untouchable bubble. Its not until he finally has that bubble popped for him that he realizes that he needed to be more. Jon Voight was great as Cesar's wealthy uncle and Clodio's father, Hamilton Crassus III. The swiftness in which he goes from respected to a pariah was fascinating and had a somewhat hilarious and yet satisfying end.

The score by Osvaldo Golijov was grandiose, noir fueled and full of wonder in the best ways. The vast visuals of the future city of Megalopolis was punctuated by dreamlike sound and the more somber and romantic moments of the film were brought home by the noir sound of the saxophone. As I said before, the visuals in this film are stunning as its generous use of golden ambers and striking blacks was beautiful to witness on the IMAX screen. This film requires a lot of focus and can be absolutely confusing if you're not paying attention to what is being said. It doesn't reinvent the wheel per say, but it was a very unique take on Roman history and in essence how it repeats itself. This was a film that I had to sit with for a second to actually cobble together what I just watched. Its not for everyone and many will say it was boring or didn't make sense. All are are valid, but I will say that this is a film for the cinephiles of the world. Its an old school, high concept type of film that maybe in a few years, many will circle back to it and re-analyze. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

[theharpermovieblog]

#HARPERSMOVIECOLLECTION

2024 MOVIE LIST

www.tumblr.com/theharpermovieblog

I re-watched Dark City: Director's Cut (1998)

I loved this movie when I was a kid.

A man with amnesia, who is wanted for murder, finds himself on the run from the police and a band of dark clothed men in a city of permanent night.

In March of 1999 "The Matrix" would hit theaters, conquer the box office, and define Science fiction for the new millennium. It also overshadowed the more contemplative and less action oriented Science fiction of the mid to late 1990's. Films like "Gattaca" "12 Monkeys" "Existenz" and "The City of Lost Children" are still considered classics, but "The Matrix" was a phenomenon, as it's effects were something audiences had truly never seen before.

In the middle of all this, was "Dark City". It was released a year before "The Matrix" and critics of the time considered it to be a visually striking film that blended science fiction and film noir to create an exciting and fresh experience. Maybe "Dark City" wasn't a perfect film, but it was a film which deserved to have its finer and more unique qualities recognized.

Directed by Alex Proyas', whom most people know best as the director of "The Crow", this film is a moody and atmosphere soaked mystery. It's design is gorgeously classic and dark. A grim toned 1940's aesthetic on the surface, and a cold Gothic underworld of the dead below.

It is excellently shot, which is where Proyas most excels as a director. His imagery is striking, and along with Director of Photography Dariusz Wolski and a great design team, a truly solid world is created in the film.

While it suffers from some bad ADR and a few clunky scenes, "Dark City", as a whole, is really a great piece of 1990's science fiction. My biggest complaint is the ending, in which a rather silly showdown takes place, complete with the use of "mind waves". It's an ending that feels unconnected to the rest of the film's tone.

"The Matrix" has always felt to me like a spectacular action film with science fiction elements. "Dark City" always felt like the opposite. A dark and brooding science fiction film with a few action scenes. While neither film is perfect, I think I'd rather have lived in the universe where "Dark City" was the film that influenced the future of sci-fi and blockbusters in general.

[haunted-the-vagabond]

WHO IS THIS GUY?

Yo!

My name's Ryan, aka HAUNTED THE VAGABOND, aka HAUNTED, aka HAUNT, aka some other nickname that I have gained over the year, like... Fademan Haunt or something, call me what you like!

I'm a 28-year-old, asexual icon who goes by he/him pronouns, and I am a Canadian originally from Saskatchewan, but currently living in British Columbia.

I work as a Radio DJ by day, and I do a bunch of other stuff on the side, like streaming, podcasting, and being a pro wrestling announcer!

Big music guy, beginning to collect vinyl, hoping to get a sick setup soon. I do have a heavy leaning towards rock, metal, prog, punk, and hardcore, but I fuck with a lot of shit, and I'm always hunting for more stuff to listen to, open to all suggestions!

FIVE ALBUMS TO GET TO KNOW ME:

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here: Essential Floyd, everyone talks about Dark Side or The Wall, but Wish You Were Here is where it's at. Best album to put on and get lost in it

Deftones - Koi No Yokan: Top to bottom there isn't a song that isn't a bop or a banger on KNY. From "Swerve City" to "Tempest" to "Entombed", all heat

Pharoah Sanders - Pharoah: If you have a Sunday where you gotta do a bunch of housework, maybe it's raining, put on Pharoah, it's something you'll remember forever

Jessie Ware - What's Your Pleasure?: I'm not a Fantano fan by any stretch, but I gotta thank him for putting me on Jessie Ware. A modern disco album that fucks this hard? That's rare as hell!

Death Grips - Powers That B: "Black Quarterback" is my Fuck Shit Up song, "On GP" makes me emotional, great album

SPORTS

Big sports guy, I'll watch damn near anything from Hockey to Darts, if there is competition, I'm in there.

TEAMS/ATHLETES I SUPPORT:

Hockey: Vancouver Canucks (Main), Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, PWHL Minnesota, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

Football: Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL), Seattle Seahawks (NFL)

Baseball: Toronto Blue Jays (Main), LA Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals

Basketball: San Antonio Spurs (Main), Toronto Raptors, Saskatchewan Rattlers (CEBL)

Soccer: Machester United (EPL), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS)

College Sports: Michigan Wolverines (NCAA), Saskatchewan Huskies (USPORTS)

Lacross: Saskatchewan Rush

Combat Sports: Israel Adesanya (UFC), Tyson Fury (Boxing), Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston (AEW), CM Punk, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn (WWE)

Golf: Tiger Woods

Video Games

I like them.

FIVE GAMES TO GET TO KNOW ME:

VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartending Action: Easily my favorite VN, entertaining characters, engaging world, I wanna get lost in it.

Halo 3: ODST: What if the cast of Firefly were in Halo and listened to a lot of Jazz? Yeah, peak.

Transistor: This is a beautiful game, it has a wonderful story and, a lovely soundtrack, a must-play if you love Supergiant games.

Hotline Miami: Soundtracks go a long way to elevate a game, and Hotline Miami is no different. Hotline Miami also boasts some real fast-paced, addictive gameplay. #TonyTime

Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne: Gameplay of a John Woo film fantastic noir story, Max Payne is one of the great characters in the medium.

Movies

I watch them.

FIVE MOVIES TO GET TO KNOW ME:

Clerks: Kevin Smith is one of my favorite directors, and Clerks is my all-time favorite comedy.

The Raid 2: If you loved the Raid, then you owe it to yourself to watch the Raid 2, it's just the Raid with a story, and it's fantastic!

Rocky: There are a lot of Rocky films, counting Creed as well, but nothing tops the first Rocky movie, the best top-to-bottom film in the series.

Porco Rosso: Everyone loves Spirited Away or Howl's Moving Castle, and they are right to do some, Miyazaki is one of the GOATs for a reason. But in my eyes, his best film is Porco Rosso. The landscape shots showcase his love of the Adriatic and Italy, the characters are lovely, and the dub, oh my goodness Michael Keaton as Porco is *chef's kiss*

Treasure Planet: Peak Disney movie, hyper fixated on it as a kid, and still love it to this day.

Anime

They alright.

FIVE ANIMES TO GET TO KNOW ME:

BECK Mongolian Chop Squad: This is the quintessential HAUNT anime. Very down-to-earth, simple but engaging story about someone finding their place in the world. In Beck's case, it's Koiyuki becoming this amazing singer/rhythm guitarist, and helping Beck become a premiere band in Japan.

Gurren Lagann: It's mother fuckin Gurren Lagann man, go watch it.

Steins;Gate: The group chat between me and some of my closest homies is called Future Gadget Labs NA, if that doesn't tell you how much this show brought me and my friends together, then I don't know what else to tell you. Never played the VN but the Anime was great!

Samurai Champloo: Life-changing anime, changed my whole perspective on music and my relationship to it. Helps that the show is GAS, with one of the hardest dubs out there.

Eden of the East: Just a straight up solid show with some good movies attached to it.

Fandom Shit

I don't really participate in a lot of Fandom discussion, I just will reblog stuff I like from my interest. An avid fan of D&D, Wrestling, Fighting Games, Hockey, Football, Anime, and a bunch of other crap I'm forgetting about.

So that's me, if you like what you see, hit me up!

[cityofalbinoch]

What makes up a world?

We don't create in a vacuum, and lately I've been thinking about why Albinoch is shaping up the way it is. Below I've compiled a list of various stories and songs that I think have molded a critical part of what I'm putting out into the world. I sincerely recommend you check all of these out, if you haven't already (with one glaring exception oops). The nuances of Cyberpunk, and Vampires, and Speculative Noir fiction are all so fun to explore on their own, and I've really enjoyed figuring out how to mesh.

FILM/TV

Strange Days (1995)*

Blade Runner (1982)

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Near Dark (1987)

Lost Boys (1987)

Johnny Mnemonic (1995) (affectionate)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2004)

Angel (1999-2005)

Life on Mars (UK) (2006-2007)

Dresden Files (2007) (derogatory-affectionate)

Midnight Mass (2021)

Mute (2013) (DEROGATORY)**

MUSIC

Princess Goes To The Butterfly Museum

David Bowie (especially Lazarus)

Lanulos by HereComeHere

MCR

The Clash

Death

X-Ray Specs

Jhariah

Bauhaus

LITERATURE

"Johnny Mnemonic" (Gibson, 1981)

Fetch Phillips novels (Luke Arnold, 2020-2023)

Dresden Files novels (Jim Butcher, 2000-ongoing)

Interview with a Vampire (Anne Rice)

GAMES

Vampire: the Masquerade (TTRPG)

Cyberpunk series (little derogatory)

All of these works are found in fragments and little pieces all through Albinoch, in her setting, her technology, and her people. I've really enjoyed taking an inventory of parts of this city and asking, "okay, where did you come from?" I think it's important to recognize that even original creative works are a patchwork of the things their makers love. And this city more than anything has helped me recognize how much I make stories for and because of the stories I love.

*Strange Days is truly one of my favorite movies of all time. Ralph Fiennes and Angela Bassett are fantastic in this, and it somehow even feels more prescient and applicable now that it's almost 30 years old. HOWEVER. In between the noir buddy dynamics and pathetic poor little meow meows, it's an incredibly heavy movie with some serious potential triggers. The heaviness is, I think, merited for what the film attempts to deal with. More than any other title on this list, I'd check the doesthedogdie for this film before watching it, just in case.

** Don't watch this movie. Don't. It's not even fun to watch going in knowing it's bad. This is ABSOLUTELY NOT an endorsement for this movie. It was three fucking hours of my life I'll never get back. Thinking about it is raising my blood pressure. But it felt intellectually dishonest not to include this movie on the list, because a lot of the reason Albinoch even exists is because I got so mad about the way Mute murders cyberpunk and wears its skin like a cheap suit to cover for how dogshit it actually is that I resolved to singlehandedly do better. This movie is also incredibly triggering. But instead of dealing with heavy topics in horrific but respectful ways to interrogate failings in society, it goes "hoohoo wouldn't this be fucked up" and then does it. It sets up some interesting worldbuilding and then shits all over it for shock value because fuck you for trying to engage with its story or characters in any meaningful way. Fuck this movie.

[tomorrowedblog]

Friday Releases for June 7

Friday is the busiest day of the week for new releases, so we've decided to collect them all in one place. Friday Releases for June 7 include Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Hit Man, The Exorcism, and more.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die

Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the new movie from Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, is out today.

This Summer, the world’s favorite Bad Boys are back with their iconic mix of edge-of-your seat action and outrageous comedy but this time with a twist: Miami’s finest are now on the run.

Hit Man

Hit Man, the new movie from Richard Linklater, is out today.

Oscar-nominated director Richard Linklater’s sunlit neo-noir stars Glen Powell as strait-laced professor Gary Johnson, who moonlights as a fake hit man for the New Orleans Police Department. Preternaturally gifted at inhabiting different guises and personalities to catch hapless people hoping to bump off their enemies, Gary descends into morally dubious territory when he finds himself attracted to one of those potential criminals, a beautiful woman named Madison (Adria Arjona). As she falls for one of Gary’s hit man personas — the mysteriously sexy Ron — their steamy affair sets off a chain reaction of play acting, deception, and higher stakes.

The Exorcism

The Exorcism, the new movie from Joshua John Miller, is out today.

Academy Award-winner Russell Crowe stars as Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play.

The Watchers

The Watchers, the new movie from Ishana Shyamalan, is out today.

From producer M. Night Shyamalan comes “The Watchers,” written for the screen and directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan and based on the novel by A.M. Shine. The film follows Mina, a 28-year-old artist, who gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland. When Mina finds shelter, she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night.

I Used To Be Funny

I Used To Be Funny, the new movie from Ally Pankiw, is out today.

I Used To Be Funny is a dark dramedy that follows Sam Cowell (Rachel Sennott), an aspiring stand-up comedian and au pair struggling with PTSD, as she decides whether or not to join the search for Brooke (Olga Petsa), a missing teenage girl she used to nanny. The story exists between the present, where Sam tries to recover from her trauma and get back on stage, and the past, where memories of Brooke make it harder and harder to ignore the troubled teen’s sudden disappearance.

Banel & Adama

Banel & Adama, the new movie from Ramata-Toulaye Sy, is out today.

Banel and Adama are fiercely in love. The young married couple lives in a remote village in northern Senegal. For them, nothing else exists. But for the rest of their tight-knit village, duty dictates that Adama soon accept the role of chief. The young man and his lovelorn wife have their own plans — until something in the air changes. The rains do not come, the cattle begin to die, the men leave.

Longing

Longing, the new movie from Savi Gabizon, is out today.

Daniel Bloch is shocked to discover a startling secret from his past and is immediately consumed by the extraordinary twists of a new life he never could have imagined. With each new encounter, Daniel uncovers a deeper layer of this fascinating mystery until he arrives at a crossroad in his own life.

Fantasmas

Fantasmas, the new TV series from Julio Torres, is out today.

Writer, director, and comedian Julio Torres spins a fantastical six-part tale of when he lost a gold oyster earring. In his search to find the precious object, Julio reflects on the offbeat characters he encounters in introspective, often eerie, and always comedic vignettes set in a dreamy, alternate version of New York City.

Queenie

Queenie, the new TV series from Candice Carty-Williams, is out today.

Queenie Jenkins is a 25-year-old Jamaican British woman living in south London, straddling two cultures and slotting neatly into neither. After a messy breakup with her long-term boyfriend, Queenie seeks comfort in all the wrong places and begins to realize she has to face the past head-on before she can rebuild.

Becoming Karl Lagerfeld

Becoming Karl Lagerfeld, the new TV series from Isaure Pisani-Ferry, Jennifer Have, and Raphaëlle Bacqué, is out today.

Becoming Karl Lagerfeld plunges us into the heart of the 70s, in Paris, Monaco, and Rome, to follow the formidable blossoming of this complex and iconic personality of Parisian couture. Between glamour and clashes of egos, grandiose parties and destructive passions, discover the story of Karl before Lagerfeld.

[mi4012ayodyarajakaruna]

03/05/24

"Seven"

So today, we watched the movie "Se7en" in the class.

This is my first time watching a crime thriller movie. Although I listen to true crime podcasts, I never watch crime movies because I know my overly emotional self cannot handle that. Well, I was right because I could not handle or even process what happened throughout this movie. In the beginning, I was excited.... Oh, little did I know the context of the movie. I was utterly shocked and I am really sorry to say this but I was disgusted with some scenes in the movie. But amidst all the chaos in my mind, when Tracy met Somerset and said she was pregnant and she was scared, I knew Tracy is not going to make it alive, and GUESS WHAT??!!! I WAS RIGHT. The movie overall was traumatic and emotional because I lost it when Detective Mills started crying in the end (well it was BRAD PITT crying !!!!). I couldn't even speak for like 20 minutes after finishing watching the movie. It was a really good movie but I can't bring myself to rewatch it. It's just that since I am not used to watching crime movies, it was too much to process.

So, I did a little background check about the movie after watching

Setting -

The film takes place in a nameless, perpetually gloomy city. This urban spawl is depicted as a grimy, crime-ridden place, reflecting the overall bleak atmosphere.

Characters -

William Somerset : A veteran detective nearing retirement. He is a world-weary and jaded by the constant violence he's witnessed.

David Mills : A young, hot-headed detective recently transferred to the city. He is idealistic and clashes with Somerset's cynicism.

John Doe : The enigmatic serial killer, who taunts the detective with elaborate crime scenes linked to the seven deadly sins (Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Lust, Envy, and Pride).

Plot -

As Mills and Somerset delve deeper into the investigation, they discover the killer, John Doe, orchestrates gruesome murders that embody each sin. The film explores the psychological toll the case takes on both detectives, especially impulsive Mills.

Theme -

Se7en goes beyond just hunting a serial killer. It really gets into some deep stuff, like the struggle between good and evil, how sin is everywhere, and how living in a morally grey world effect us.

Style -

The director David Fincher knows how to make a movie that catches the watcher's eye. The way he uses darkness, rain, and those chilly blue and green colors really amps up the tension in the film. The camera work is so tight and intense.

Legacy -

Se7en is still considered a neo-noir masterpiece. I think people love it for its gripping plot, deep themes, and unforgettable ending that keeps people talking.

David Fincher

David Fincher, the creator of the chilling atmosphere in Se7en, is a director who has established himself in the genre of neo-noir and psychological thrillers. Before entering the world of cinema, Fincher honed his skills in music videos and commercials. this early experience instilled in him a mastery of visual storytelling and the ability to create a specific mood through his use of imagery.

Fincher is a meticulous director, known for his perfectionism. He does not shy away from multiple takes and intricate camera work to achieve his vision. The meticulousness is evident in the final product. His films are recognized for their captivating visuals. Fincher isn't one for bright and cheery. Instead, he uses lighting, color palettes, and camera angles to evoke a sense of unease and tension throughout the narrative.

Thematic exploration in another characteristic of Fincher's work. He is drawn to psychological thrillers and neo-noir stories, where he can delve into the complexities of human nature. Morality, obsession, and the darkness that lurks beneath the surface are recurring themes in his films.

Se7en was not only a critically acclaimed film, it was a turning point that solidified Fincher's reputation as a master of suspense. The success of Se7en opened doors for him to direct other critically acclaimed movies that reflect his signature style. Films like "Fight Club", " The Social Network", and "Gone Girl" all demonstrate Fincher's ability to create visually stunning narratives that grapple with complex themes.

[filmnoirfoundation]

NOIR CITY 21 opens tonight and we are sold out! Tickets still available for all other screenings, as well as Passports (full series passes) at NoirCity.com Doors open at 6pm. Eddie Muller book signing 6-7pm on the Grand Lake Theatre's mezzanine.

[forthegothicheroine]

For many years the authorities have tried to nail down the facts surrounding the death of "classic film noir." Some reports indicated that it died in 1957, on the edge of a polluted creek in the California border town of Los Robles. Others claimed that in 1959 it was blown to kingdom come in a refinery explosion outside the upstate New York town of Melton. Our sources indicate that Noir- the original, the one bred from the craft and politics of the Hollywood studio system- actually perished in a lonely motel room in California's central valley. Noir had registered under an assumed name- Marie Samuels- after stealing twenty-five grand from the real estate office in Phoenix where she worked. Typical of Noir- and impetuous crime, comitted in the throes of passion. We'd been down this road before: the volatile sexuality leading to criminal behavior, the moral ambivalence, the desperate flight. All the icons and imagery were firmly in place. Then Noir had a nice long talk with lonely young Norman, the proprietor of the motel, and she decided that crime didn't pay after all. She realized it was a hopeless blind alley. Like Danny Hawkins in Moonrise, she decided to turn herself in and face the music. A nice hot shower would cleanse her of her sins. That was the night Noir died.

Eddie Muller, Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir

[ardn716-thedirectedimage]

SDL - Photographer Research; Greg Girard

Photographer Greg Girard, a Canadian, has worked primarily in Asia. For almost forty years, his work has focused on the physical and social changes that are occurring throughout Asia, particularly in its major cities, renowned for his neon-hued images.

Girard was drawn to taking pictures after dark from the start, and many of his most famous pictures were taken at night.

Thanks to films like Blade Runner and the following emergence of Japanese popular culture in the west, one can instantly identify the bizarre, now-retro futurism in his images. However, the cult classic neo-noir film by Ridley Scott wasn't released until over ten years after Girard moved to the city, and the US and other countries wouldn't really start to see a boom in Japanese pop culture exports until the 1990s.

He is the author of multiple books about photography. Published in 2014, City of Darkness Revisited updates their influential work, City of Darkness: Life in Kowloon Walled City (Watermark, 1993) and resurrects an early collaboration with co-author Ian Lambot.

Yet reflecting on his career today, Girard asserts that, in the process of transitioning to professional photography, he, for a time at least, ‘lost’ the sensibilities that shaped his early photographic practice.

“In a way, I set aside the “personal” work, the kinds of pictures I made when I first started out. The ones that weren’t really about anything, but as you later realize were your “real” pictures. At least that’s how it was for me.”

“I think I probably wanted to see and make pictures that were a kind of adventure. You have to remember in the 1970s there weren’t a lot of ways to see photography. The more I started paying attention to different transparency film stocks and the color shifts under various sources of artificial light, the more I felt like I had “night” all to myself, as outrageous today as it might sound to say that.”

“I’m not the first to say this but having a camera was like a passport to a different world.” – Greg Girard

[filmtvlegends]

Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir This revised and expanded edition of Eddie Muller's Dark City is a film noir lover's bible, taking readers on a tour of the urban landscape of the grim and gritty genre in a definitive volume. ON SALE NOW: https://amzn.to/3hZu4xY

[qu-film-history-to-1968]

Close but not the Same

JJ Tafuto

Film genres provide an outlet for filmmakers to experiment with different styles and provide the viewer with unique storytelling and visuals. However, as genres and audience tastes evolves, eventually some elements of genres get lost and are not fully committed to. I will be examining the worlds of film noir and silent comedies, their rise and fall, and where they are now in the contemporary movie landscape with films like The Batman and The Lego Movie providing homages to what came before, but further innovating and doing something more unique.

Film noir has previously left an undeniable mark on the cinematic landscape. A genre that was once extremely popular has mostly fizzled out in the more contemporary era of cinema. The genre was at its peak during World War 2 and the rise of the growing communist threat as it reflected the complexities and anxieties of the time. Film noir was known for its moody visuals, convoluted plots, cynical characters, and morally ambiguous protagonists. While true film noir may have phased out of the cinematic zeitgeist, modern films do take inspiration from what it began. An example is The Batman, released in 2022 and directed by Matt Reeves. The Batman delves into the territory of film noir, such as the visual elements of taking place in the metropolitan and gothic setting that is Gotham City and incorporating a detective story. However, the film does not fully commit to being noir and is rather a superhero film with noir inspiration. While the atmosphere of the film is truly noir, the dark and brooding nature being front and center, the moral landscape between characters is less ambiguous. Bruce Wayne as Batman and Commissioner Gordon are clearly on the side of good and doing what’s right, while The Riddler embodies an evil villain that must be stopped. The film was almost there in having the audience question right and wrong when The Riddler was unmasking corruption in the city, but all subtleties were quickly lost when he flooded Gotham. The departure from moral complexity leaves the audience with a more straightforward narrative structure than what is typically seen in film noir. This is likely a result to align more with traditional superhero storytelling, which makes you lose the questioning of good and evil and deep moral ambiguity that would come from film noir.

Silent films, particularly silent comedies, are clearly a thing of the past. With the advent of easily accessible sound, the genre in its most pure form has faded into obscurity. Silent comedies, exemplified by the works of Charlie Chaplin in films like The Gold Rush, rely on physical humor, slapstick comedy, and exaggerated characters and situations. These films communicate through the universal language of physical comedy, allowing them to bypass language barriers. While silent comedies are no longer what they once were, surprisingly, their mark on the industry is still felt in modern comedies like The Lego Movie. The Lego Movie is able to venture in the realm of silent comedies with its exaggerated characters and visual humor provided by its unique animation style. The stop motion type animation and jerky movement style of the lego characters offer visual humor in watching them go through motions, as well as lego physics being used for slapstick humor such as characters missing body parts, their faces being erased by a hand wipe, and disassembling and reassembling body parts. Visual gags like the double decker couch allows for laughs that can be had without sound. While The Lego Movie successfully incorporates visual humor akin to silent comedies, it does continue to place substantial emphasis on its witty dialogue and conveying story through characters talking. The Lego Movie’s themes and messages are also much more nuanced than the simplicities that silent comedies are known for.

[hannahraehum]

Casablanca and Lost in Translation

In northern Africa, World War II is approaching, and people are desperate to escape the Nazis. Casablanca, Morocco, becomes a crowded way station, filled with refugees and corrupt officials. Rick, a wealthy man, owns a popular club and gambling establishment called Rick's. Rick faces dishonorable characters like Captain Renault, a corrupt local official, and Major Strasser, a Gestapo member. Rick's life becomes complicated when two people show up at Rick's: Victor Laszlo, a leader of the Czech resistance against the Nazis, and his wife Ilsa. Ilsa, Rick's long-lost lover, she left him years ago and agreed to stay with Rick if he would use one of the letters of transit to help Victor escape. Rick devises a different plan, holding Renault at gunpoint and forcing him to command officials at the local airport to allow Victor and Ilsa to leave together. Ilsa fights, but Ilsa ultimately decides to stay alive without Rick. Rick is forced to kill Strasser to allow the getaway, and Renault seems to turn him in. However, the Captain has a change of heart at the right time, and Rick is saved. This sets up a famous last scene, where Rick says, "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

The theme of the film covers an inescapable past, the inability to remain neutral, and the dilemmas of difficult decisions. The cinematography of the movie emphasizes shadows and darkness and shots are framed as sometimes chaotic and abruptly change. The movie reminds me much like a film noir with high contrast and drama to match.

Lost in Translation - 2003

I have seen this film multiple times and it's one of my favorites. It begins by introducing one of the main protagonists Bob Harris, an older actor visiting Tokyo Japan for an ad shoot for a Whiskey brand. The film alludes to the attitude of Harris as being washed up, and a has-been. Staying at the same hotel, our second main character is Charlotte who is a recent Yale graduate and staying with her husband who is in Tokyo for business as a photographer. The film emphasizes the emotion of Harris and Charlotte to show they feel equally alone and pessimistic about their roles in life and the stage they are at. The two spot each other a few times as they both explore the city and hotel. Charlotte visits a temple alone and calls a friend, talking to her about how she feels she doesn't know her husband and how she no longer feels anything. The two characters spot each other at the hotel bar and things start to kick off. Eventually, after a few days of hanging out and a night out at karaoke, Charlotte and Harris are in his hotel room. They are watching an old film and emotionally confide in each other. Charlotte explains that she's lost and Harris gives her hope that she's not hopeless. By Bob's last day in Tokyo, it's time the two say goodbye and Harris spots her in a crowd. He has the taxi driver stop and he pulls her aside, gives her a kiss on the cheek, and whispers something to her.

The film is almost entirely filmed in natural lighting and on a Kodak 35 mm film stock giving it a very naturalistic and retaining an older style of filming. The muted color palette and compositions of the painting really dial in the loneliness and the feeling of beings small or consumed by a foreign land. The themes of the film highlight loneliness even though you're surrounded by many people, being lost in a foreign country, and themes of age and phases of life. The film utilizes muted colors, quiet moments, and exploration of both relationships and the city itself to hammer home what it's like to be at an impasse, to not know what's next to come.