The film blog Cinema Shame invites all film lovers to submit a 2018 “Shame Statement,” a kind of New Year’s resolution to watch some of the films we feel we should already have seen, but haven’t. There are some basic, logical rules, and this year, they’ll have monthly prompts, like a blogathon, in which you state what movie you’ll watch based on the prompt (e.g. “I love [insert director here], but I still haven’t seen [insert unwatched movie here]”), and then post your movie response/review sometime during the month on your site and tag @CinemaShame when you post. They’ll include your post in their constantly updated monthly roundup. How fun and productive is that?
January’s prompt is a 2018 Shame Statement: This is a general list of the films we plan to watch in 2018 that we should’ve already seen. You choose the whys and the wherefores; the goal is just to get a list up and start ticking off (using strikethrough) each film as you watch it.
So, although I loathe NY’s resolutions, I do like this idea, and I’m definitely signing up!Obviously, all my “shame” films are going to be noir, noirish, or somehow related to noir. And all are films I have not seen and feel I should.
I want to begin with some of the titles I ticked off near the end of 2017 in preparation for 2018:
DECEMBER 2017 SHAME(LESS) LIST
- Gun Crazy (1948)
Brilliant, ahead of its time, fast and furious, with amazing direction and cinematography. Immediately became one of my favorite ever noir films. Already wrote about it.
- Lifeboat (1944)\
Not noir, but Hitchcock. I’ve seen so many Hitchcock films that it seemed absurd not to add this to the list. One inspiration was wanting to see more work by John Hodiak after seeing him in Somewhere in the Night (1946). It was an enjoyable ride, and I delighted in Talulah Bankhead’s performance. My only real complaint is someone deciding Hume Cronyn’s British accent was filmworthy.
- Ace in the Hole (1951)
I had no idea this film was so good. I love its media critique, Kirk Douglas’s performance, and the issues of anxiety related to race that I see, a key noir theme. Wrote briefly about it, with more likely to come. Definitely one of my favorite ever noir films, too. And led me to see another great noir, Detective Story (1951).
And now on to 2018…
2018 SHAME LIST
Will discuss each in a post if and when I watch it.
Category A: Precursors
- The Glass Key
- Pépé le Moko
- The Roaring Twenties
Category B: Classic Noir
- The Lady from Shanghai
- Sweet Smell of Success
- The Reckless Moment
Ride the Pink Horse(screened on 1/19/18)- The Killing
- Raw Deal
- City that Never Sleeps
Tomorrow is Another Day(screened via DVR of TCM’s Noir Alley on 1/29/18)
Category C: Neo-noir
- Pulp Fiction – have tried several times but never made it through; maybe this year?
- Reservoir Dogs
- The Good German
January 16, 2018 at 7:21 PM
If you couldn’t get through Pulp Fiction, chances are you’ll despise Reservoir Dogs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 17, 2018 at 9:34 PM
I fear that, but I do want to see Tierney. I’ll do my best to get through them!
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 16, 2018 at 9:50 PM
Pepe Le Moko is great! There’s real chemistry there between Boyer and LaMarr. After you see it, try to find any of the Bugs Bunny cartoons with Pepe the skunk-he is based on Boyer’s Pepe Le Moko. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 17, 2018 at 9:35 PM
I’m thinking of the French film starring Jean Gabin. I see there is Algiers, a remake with Boyer and Lamarr. I’ll watch that one too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 18, 2018 at 1:44 PM
I think Boyer’s character in Algiers is called Pepe….That’s probably what I’m recalling. Now I’m wondering if Algiers is an English speaking remake of Pepe Le Moko?
LikeLike
January 18, 2018 at 1:45 PM
Just did a bit of early am research and yes, Algiers was a remake of Pepe Le Moko!
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 18, 2018 at 7:57 PM
Oh! Oh! Oh! You’ll have to tell me what you think of Raw Deal!
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 19, 2018 at 3:44 PM
Will do!
LikeLiked by 1 person