RARA-AVIS: Jim Thompson/noir films

Christian Doellner (cdoell@prairienet.org)
Fri, 13 Feb 1998 02:08:09 -0600 (CST) My favorite Thompson film adaption is James Foley's
AFTER DARK, MY SWEET. Great performance by Jason
Patric/Bruce Dern and nice austere direction. No music
sound-track/embellishments -a real rarity now a days.
And the George Dickerson (BLUE VELVET -Laura Dern's
creepy pop, cop) cameo was another nice touch.
Within the last 6? years FILM COMMMENT has had a major
piece on the film adaptations of Thompson novels.

Foley has shown a nice touch with noir-ish/B thrillers:
AT CLOSE RANGE and another fave FEAR. Arguably
one of the most audaciously, self reflexive cheesy scenes
in years with MARKY MARK masturbating REESE
WITHERSPOON on a roller-coaster while the
Sunday's version of WILD HORSES played the ENTIRE
length of the song.. all the while Witherspoon's climaxes
coincide with the ebb and flow of the ride. Images of
a 90's NICK RAY popped into my head..

Uhmm... something in all that has something to do with
noir...

Any thought's on ALTMAN's wonderful revisionist take
on Chandler's THE LONG GOOD-BYE? My personal
bet for best cameo by a counter-culture baseball icon
(Ball Four's Jim Bouton)
Regards,
Christian Doellner


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