Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylized 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 attitudes expressed in classic noir derive from the hardboiled school of crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Great Depression.
His Kind of Woman is a 1951 film noir starring Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell. The film features supporting performances by Vincent Price, Raymond Burr and Charles McGraw. The direction of the film, which was based on the unpublished story "Star Sapphire" by Gerald Drayson, is credited to John Farrow.
Luther is a British psychological crime thriller television series starring Idris Elba as DCI John Luther and Ruth Wilson as Alice Morgan, written by Neil Cross. The detective Luther must make cases against criminals while the murderer Morgan has a complicated relationship with him. The first series is composed of six episodes which ran in May and June 2010. A second series of four episodes aired on BBC One in June and July 2011, and a third was commissioned in 2012 composed of four episodes which aired in July 2013. A two-episode fourth series was broadcast in December 2015, and a fifth series of four episodes premiered on 1 January 2019. BBC Studios handled distribution for the TV series.
Usher Morgan is an Israeli screenwriter, film director, producer, author and entrepreneur based in New York City. He is best known as the writer, director, and producer of films such as Prego and Pickings.
Maika Monroe is an American actress. She made her film debut in the drama At Any Price (2012). Her breakthrough came with the horror film It Follows (2014), which established her as a scream queen. Monroe has since starred in the thriller films The Guest (2014), Tau (2018), Greta (2018) and Watcher (2022), and the horror films Significant Other (2022) and Longlegs (2024).
Shooting Clerks is a British-American biographical comedy-drama film directed by Christopher Downie and starring Brian O'Halloran, Mark Frost, Jason Mewes, Scott Schiaffo, Matthew Postlethwaite and Kevin Smith. It was produced by Auld Reekie Media. It had a preview screening in Orlando, Florida on October 22, 2016. The film had a special screening in Kevin Smith's home town of Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey on November 11, 2016.
City of Tiny Lights is a 2016 British crime thriller film directed by Pete Travis and written by Patrick Neate, based on his own 2005 novel of the same name. It stars Riz Ahmed, Cush Jumbo, James Floyd, Billie Piper and Roshan Seth. Set in London, it tells the story of a private detective who investigates the disappearance of a Russian prostitute. The film had its world premiere in the Special Presentations section at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival on 12 September 2016. It was released in the United Kingdom on 7 April 2017.
Prego is a 2015 American independent short comedy film directed, written and produced by Usher Morgan, with the help of Seinfeld writer Andy Cowan - the film was released to the internet on December 21, 2015 after a 9 months festival run. The film stars Katie Vincent, Taso Mikroulis, Rachel Jayne, J.W. Harvey and Marah Vanbeekom.
American Night is a 2021 neo-noir film written and directed by Alessio Della Valle, in his directorial debut. It stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Emile Hirsch, Jeremy Piven, Paz Vega and Michael Madsen.
Detour is a 2016 British thriller film written and directed by Christopher Smith. The film stars Tye Sheridan, Stephen Moyer, Emory Cohen, Bel Powley, John Lynch, Gbenga Akinnagbe and Reine Swart. The film was released in the United States on 20 January 2017 by Magnet Releasing.
Bad Times at the El Royale is a 2018 American neo-noir hyperlink thriller film written, directed, and produced by Drew Goddard. It stars an ensemble cast that includes Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, Lewis Pullman, and Chris Hemsworth. The plot centers on six strangers and an employee at the El Royale, a hotel located along the California–Nevada border, whose personal secrets intersect on a fateful night in the late 1960s. The film explores themes of morality, faith, and redemption, with the state border and other visual elements symbolizing the concept of right and wrong.
Midnighters is a 2017 American neo-noir thriller film directed by Julius Ramsay. It stars Alexandra Essoe, Perla Haney-Jardine, Dylan McTee, Ward Horton, Andrew Rothenberg and Joseph Lee Anderson.
In Search of Darkness is a 2019 documentary film written and directed by David A. Weiner and executive produced by Robin Block of CreatorVC Studios. An international co-production of the United Kingdom and the United States, the film explores the development and lasting impact of the horror film genre during the 1980s, and features interviews with numerous horror icons both from that decade and from the modern era, along with popular horror influencers.
Katie Vincent is an American film actress, screenwriter, producer, singer / songwriter based in New York City, best known for her roles in Pickings and Prego.
Matthew Berkowitz is an American film director, writer, and producer. He has written and directed three feature films.
The Gateway is an American crime thriller film directed by Michele Civetta and starring Shea Whigham, Olivia Munn and Frank Grillo. The screenplay, written by Alexander Felix and originally titled Where Angels Die, was included in the 2013 Black List. The film was released in theaters and on VOD on September 3, 2021.
