Wednesday, October 29, 2014

NoirCon Homework

I'm gone to NoirCon. I'm off to Philly. The check's in the mail. Move along. What? You aren't gonna see me there? Well, shit. How bout you check out these crime flicks with a Philly tie?

God's Pocket - directed by John Slattery, adapted from Philly favorite son Pete Dexter's novel of the same name. After The Paper Boy, I'm happy to see a good dose of Dexter feel creeping into an adaptation.

McCanick - Josh C. Waller directs this drama about a Philadelphia detective who's having a really bad day. Fuckin David Morse, man. What else do you need?

Witness - Peter Weir's answer to what to do when the people at your day job try to kill you: go hide among the good, simple people in the country.

A History of Violence - But then David Cronenberg shoots that option down with this story of a Philadelphia bad man, retired to a new life in a small town, whose past is about to... you know. You fuckin know. You've seen a movie or two, right?

At Close Range - James Foley's super great crime flick set in rural Pennsylvania suggests that the small towns don't need big city ex-pats to lower the morality bar.

Blow Out - Discussions of Brian De Palma's good ol' days have to include this spin on Michelangelo Antonioni's Blowup as a highlight. Grungy, pretty, sleazy, elegant exploitation with boobs and blood and John Lithgow in one of his best psycho roles.

Or you wanna maybe read a book? Here are a few from Philly folk that rocked.

The Wheelman - Duane Swierczynski exercises rather than exorcising the ghost hand of Richard Stark hovering over his keyboards with this tale of a bad, bloody, day where that Bruce Springsteen song is set.

Dope Thief - Dennis Tafoya debut is just one of the best, most emotionally effective (brutal and beautiful) crime novels of the last decade and you'd be a fucking idiot not to find this shit and read it. You would be. A fucking idiot. You. Would be.

The Burgler - David Goodis is the reason NoirCon exists (aside from Lou Boxer). Hell the con was originally called Goodis Con. You wanna get right to the dark heart of what the nerds call noir? Goodis is a great place to start.

See you in Philly.

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