The Michigan Theater has been offering a series of Noir films this month, and so far I have taken in viewings of Sunset Boulevard and The Maltese Falcon. Both are classics and were great to see in the historic theater, with the organ being played before Sunset Boulevard the mood was set.
I am not sure if I am going to make it next week on the 20th, for Body Heat but I do plan to take in Chinatown. I've of course seen all of these films before, and while I am glad to get the chance to take them in on the big screen, I have to say that I want more..... and I would rather that the Neo-Noir of Body Heat and Chinatown be left for a Neo-Noir fest (where Blade Runner and The Last Suduction could be shown) and I would love to see some of the lesser known 40s and 50s Noirs on the big screen.
I am teased by the line up for the Noir City fest, with: The Company She Keeps, The October Man, The Prowler and Fly-by-Nite.... all on the slate to be viewed.
I don't expect that the very little know flicks like Noir City mostly traffics in to be shown around these parts, but if I had been programming this series, I think that I would have gone with the following Film's Noir:
Thieves' Highway
The Big Heat
Mystery Street
Crime Wave
all of which I would love to see on the big screen.
For now all I have to say is "Forget it Jake it's Chinatown"
3 comments:
The October Man? John Mills? A forgotten gem!
I wish I lived a tad closer to AA. I love that theater. Why don't more theaters do this?
Patti- Too many of them can't or won't think outside of the current hit mentality.... just like the book and music industry. As much as I like having home video (VHS and DVD) I think that as a culture we have lost the university film society and revival theater experience of seeing films not in current release on the big screen. I would however point out that there are a lot of places that are doing well with showing films that people discovered in video at midnight and revival showings….. The Big Lebowski being a prime example…… at the same time we have innovators like the Alamo Draft house and revival theaters in larger cities that are starting to realize that not everyone want’s to see what ever is being marketed at the moment…… I am hoping that as our society rebuilds and remakes itself in the coming years that there is a move towards community experiences like going to the movies.
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