#55: Chinatown (1974) June 11, 2007
Posted by badblokebob in : Thriller, Film Noir, 5 stars, 1970s, Mystery, 2007 , add a comment1974 | Roman Polanski | 131 mins | download | 15 / R
Polanski’s post-noir thriller follows J.J. Gittes, a private eye who begins investigating another cheating husband case but ends up drawn into a conspiracy that he can’t hope to beat. It’s often held up as an example of a perfectly structured screenplay, and the carefully considered reveal of character and plot throughout makes it easy to see why. It’s also packed with imagery and subtext for those who want it, but if that’s not your thing it still makes for a darn good thriller with a few neat twists.
#24: The Reckless Moment (1949) March 21, 2007
Posted by badblokebob in : Drama, Film Noir, adaptations, 4 stars, 1940s, 2007 , add a comment1949| Max Ophuls | 79 mins | DVD | 12
Ophuls’ film noir about a mother who covers up the death of her daughter’s much older boyfriend. I think I’m perhaps erring on the side of generosity with the rating, but it is still quite a good film. Certainly it allowed me to play one of my favourite games: what would I change if I remade it? I had a few quite good ideas, actually. I’m tempted to start writing…
