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I've really been into French neo-noir movies with some seriously good cinematography. I've seen Diva, La Femme Nikita and Subway.
The only American film I've seen on this level was Michael Mann's Manhunter which blows them all out of the water actually. But does anyone know of any other great films that share this look? That contrast the heavy dark black with blue tints, has excellent cinematography?
In terms of characters, plot, and theme, L.A. Confidential is one of the best films of the '90s. But it was purposefully shot so that it would not look like a noir film. It's actually a beautiful, very clear movie full of bright California sunshine.
Blade Runner is noir, and a great movie.
The first Terminator film was actually labelled "tech noir" at the time.
Friedkin's To Live and Die in L.A. is actually a pretty good noir flick from the mid '80s.
I actually didn't like Manhunter all that much. Mann took a very good book and turned it into a very blah movie. Michael Mann films always look great. In terms of cinematography, few directors outside of Ridley Scott can match him. But in terms of story and character, Mann films are a muddled mess. He puts so much thought into how each scene looks that he tends to ignore things like character development or a coherent plot.
I suspect someone will come along and site Leon (The Professional in the U.S.), but again, I find this an extremely over-rated movie. Brilliantly acted, yes, but the story is a mess. Gary Oldman's character is so vile and evil that he could give second-rate comic book villains lessons in nastiness. I half-expected him to tie Natalie Portman to the railroad tracks for the movie's last scene.
I think Memento falls into this category, it is in my top 10 list. Would also add Mulholland Falls with Jennifer Connelly's spectacular natural double Ds (before the reduction), Dead Again, Red Rock West (which to me is strikingly similar to the movie U-Turn), and one that was already mentioned, Dark City. Actually, Connelly played in lots of movies in this genre, you could search out films she's played in for ideas. She also played in a movie with Don Johnson that I would put in this category, I just can't remember the title. It was also early 90s if my memory serves me well.
What about Brian De Palma films?
He had more than a few early 80s ones that were very Hitchcock. I liked "Blow Out" with John Travolta (one of his forgotten ones, that is really good), Body Double, Dressed to Kill.
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