Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American film noir. Film noir of this era is associated with a low-key, black-and-white visual style that has roots in German Expressionist cinematography. Many of the prototypical stories and much of the attitude of classic noir derive from the hardboiled school of crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Great Depression.
Kiss Me Deadly is a 1955 American film noir produced and directed by Robert Aldrich, starring Ralph Meeker, Albert Dekker, Paul Stewart, Juano Hernandez, and Wesley Addy. It also features Maxine Cooper and Cloris Leachman appearing in their feature film debuts. The film follows a private investigator in Los Angeles who becomes embroiled in a complex mystery after picking up a female hitchhiker. The screenplay was written by Aldrich and A. I. Bezzerides, based on the 1952 crime novel Kiss Me, Deadly by Mickey Spillane.
L.A. Confidential is a 1997 American neo-noir crime film directed, produced, and co-written by Curtis Hanson. The screenplay by Hanson and Brian Helgeland is based on James Ellroy's 1990 novel of the same name, the third book in his L.A. Quartet series. The film tells the story of a group of LAPD officers in 1953, and the intersection of police corruption and Hollywood celebrity. The title refers to the 1950s scandal magazine Confidential, portrayed in the film as Hush-Hush.
Body Heat is a 1981 American neo-noir erotic thriller film written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan in his directorial debut. It stars William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, and Richard Crenna, and features Ted Danson, J. A. Preston, and Mickey Rourke. The film was inspired by Double Indemnity (1944).
Manhunter is a 1986 American neo-noir psychological horror crime thriller film directed and written by Michael Mann. Based on the 1981 novel Red Dragon by Thomas Harris, it stars William Petersen as FBI profiler Will Graham. Also featured are Tom Noonan as serial killer Francis Dollarhyde, Dennis Farina as Graham's FBI superior Jack Crawford, and Brian Cox as incarcerated killer Hannibal Lecktor. The film focuses on Graham coming out of retirement to lend his talents to an investigation on Dollarhyde, a killer known as the Tooth Fairy. In doing so, he must confront the demons of his past and meet with Lecktor, who nearly killed Graham.
Danielle Riley Keough is an American actress and filmmaker. Born in Santa Monica, California, to musicians Lisa Marie Presley and Danny Keough, she is the granddaughter of actress Priscilla Presley and singer Elvis Presley. Keough was raised primarily by her father in Hawaii and Los Angeles, and additionally spent time residing with her mother in California and Tennessee. At age 15, she began modeling, including appearances at fashion shows for Dolce & Gabbana and Christian Dior, as well as appearing on the cover of Vogue.
Pulp noir is a subgenre influenced by various "noir" genres, as well as pulp fiction genres; particularly the hard-boiled genres which help give rise to film noir. Pulp noir is marked by its use of classic noir techniques, but with urban influences. Various media include film, illustrations, photographs and videogames.
Final Analysis is a 1992 American neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by Phil Joanou and written by Wesley Strick from a concept by forensic psychiatrist Robert H. Berger. It stars Richard Gere, Kim Basinger, Uma Thurman, Eric Roberts, Keith David, and Paul Guilfoyle. The executive producers were Gere and Maggie Wilde. The film received mixed critical reviews, but was positively compared to the works of Alfred Hitchcock, particularly Vertigo. It is the final film of director of photography Jordan Cronenweth.
The erotic thriller is a film subgenre defined as a thriller with a thematic basis in illicit romance or erotic fantasy. Though exact definitions of the erotic thriller can vary, it is generally agreed "bodily danger and pleasure must remain in close proximity and equally important to the plot." Most erotic thrillers contain scenes of softcore sex and nudity, though the frequency and explicitness of those scenes can differ from film to film.
Anthony Robert McMillan, known professionally as Robbie Coltrane, is a Scottish actor, comedian and writer. He gained worldwide recognition as Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter film series (2001–2011), and as Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky in the James Bond films GoldenEye (1995) and The World Is Not Enough (1999). He was appointed as Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2006 New Year Honours by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to drama. In 2011, he was honoured for his "outstanding contribution" to film at the British Academy Scotland Awards.
Last Passenger is a 2013 British suspense thriller film directed by Omid Nooshin. Starring Dougray Scott, Kara Tointon and Iddo Goldberg, this film follows the man; a doctor and a widower, and their commuters' efforts to stop the train after it was discovered to have been hijacked by an unknown, mysterious driver.
Nightcrawler is a 2014 American neo-noir psychological thriller film written and directed by Dan Gilroy in his directorial debut. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Louis "Lou" Bloom, a stringer who records violent events late at night in Los Angeles and sells the footage to a local television news station. Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, and Bill Paxton also star. A common theme in the film is the symbiotic relationship between unethical journalism and consumer demand.
Misconduct is a 2016 American thriller film directed by Shintaro Shimosawa in his directorial debut and written by Simon Boyes and Adam Mason. The film stars Josh Duhamel, Alice Eve, Malin Åkerman, Byung-hun Lee, Julia Stiles, Glen Powell, with Al Pacino and Anthony Hopkins. The film was released in a limited release and through video on demand on February 5, 2016, by Lionsgate Premiere.
Kiss Me, Kill Me is a 2015 American neo-noir mystery thriller film directed by Casper Andreas and written by David Michael Barrett, who both produced under their banner, Spellbound Productions. The film follows Dusty who, while confronting his unfaithful boyfriend, blacks out. When he comes to, his boyfriend Stephen has been murdered, and Dusty is the prime suspect. Kiss Me, Kill Me had its world premiere on September 18, 2015, at Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, which featured the film as its Spotlight Selection.
Terminal is a 2018 neo-noir thriller film written and directed by Vaughn Stein. The film stars Margot Robbie alongside an ensemble cast, featuring Simon Pegg, Dexter Fletcher, Max Irons, and Mike Myers. The plot follows the intertwining lives of two assassins, a fatally ill teacher, a custodian, and a waitress, all of whom become part of a murderous plan.
Matthew Berkowitz is an American film director, writer, and producer. He has written and directed three feature films.
Spears is an Irish Neo-noir thriller written and directed by Gerard Lough and starring Aidan O'Sullivan, Bobby Callaway, Nigel Brennan, Michael Parle, Yalda Shahidi, Rebecca Rose Flynn and Thomas Sharkey. The film was shot on location in four countries and was released on February 18, 2022.
Marlowe is an upcoming neo-noir thriller film written by William Monahan and directed by Neil Jordan. It is based on the 2014 novel The Black-Eyed Blonde by John Banville and stars Liam Neeson as brooding private detective Philip Marlowe, a fictional character created by Raymond Chandler. The film also stars Diane Kruger, Jessica Lange, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Alan Cumming, Danny Huston, Daniela Melchior, and Colm Meaney. It is scheduled to be released in 2023.