Noir Maze Wrap-Up and December Check-In
New Favorite Noirs, TCM Classic Film Festival 2024, and A Surprise Gift!
Hey, Classic Film Fans!
I hope you all have had a great December so far. As you have probably noticed, it’s been about a month since I sent out my last newsletter. Life’s been busy, and unfortunately, I had a passing in my family in early December, so I’ve been spending a lot of time with them. But I’m back and excited to share with you all what I’ve been up to since my last newsletter. Let’s dive in!
NOIR MAZE WRAP-UP
In October, I announced that I was hosting our first annual Noir Maze in the Finite Cinema Dreams Discord Server. The Maze consisted of 12 film noirs, some of which I had seen before and others that I hadn’t. I had a great time revisiting such classics as Sunset Boulevard (1950) and Out of the Past (1947).
For the latter, we held a watch party in Discord, but because of the curveballs that life throws us, it ended up just being my friend Nathan and me. Nathan had never seen the film before, so it was fun reading his reactions live to the different twists and turns and fantastic one-liners the film offers. Watching it again, I almost forgot how great Bob Mitchum’s fashion style in this is. I know it’s not customary to wear a trenchcoat, suit, and fedora daily anymore, but I still wish it was. Was I born in the wrong generation?
Speaking of my friend Nathan, I also wanted to give him a special thanks in this newsletter for participating so religiously in this year’s Noir Maze. I was amazed at how many films he got through. Whenever he messaged me after watching another film in the Maze to share his thoughts, it made me smile. I think there’s no better feeling than introducing someone to a film that becomes a new favorite of theirs and gushing about it afterward. That has always been my intent with this newsletter, the Discord Server, and the Noir Maze. Share great classic films. My heart is full. Thank you, friend.
If you’re interested in contemporary cinema and other miscellaneous writings, please subscribe to Nathan’s Substack Newsletter, Nathan Guinn’s Emergency Bulletin. In November, he wrote a splendid piece on Scorsese’s recent masterwork, Killers of the Flower Moon, that you should check out!
Besides revisiting some classics while making my way through the Noir Maze, I also discovered some new favorites, such as Raw Deal (1948) and Laura (1944)1, and Mexican cine negro classics, such as La Otra (1946) and En la Palma de tu Mano (1951). My friends and I discussed En la Palma de tu Mano (1951) on our podcast, which you can listen to here2.
While I fell in love with almost all the films I watched in the Noir Maze, there was one film that was a little bit of a disappointment for me. Unfortunately, I was not a big fan of The Third Man (1949).
I’m sure multiple readers just unsubscribed, but bear with me. While I loved the excellent cinematography, the brilliant performances, and the thrilling ending chase sequence, the distinctive score completely took me out of it.
Not to age myself here, but I grew up in the generation that watched SpongeBob on Nickelodeon every day, and the score for this film reminded me of a song used on the show3. So, anytime it was played throughout the film, it completely undermined the suspense. I’m sad I can’t enjoy this film because of a yellow sponge that lives in a pineapple under the sea, but luckily, plenty of other great noir films are out there for me. My friends McKenzie and Ian, who host The Criterion Connection podcast, recently discussed the film, and you should check out their episode here.
All in all, the first annual Noir Maze was a massive success! I’m glad I discovered some new favorites, and for those reading this who participated, thank you so much for joining along. I hope you all found some new favorites and enjoyed our Discord conversations. November 2024 can’t come fast enough.
If you want to join our Discord server to connect with other classic film fans, message me on any of my social media accounts, and I’ll send you an invite; we'd love to have you!
TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL 2024
Since I attended my first TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood last April, I’ve been counting down the days until the tickets for 2024’s festival went on sale. Given all the nonsense that occurred this past summer, it was an anxiety-riddled wait, but I’m glad the festival was officially announced. I recently bought my pass, and I’m excited to head down to Hollywood again in April to watch some great films and meet other classic film fans. Unlike last year, when the festival ended the day before my birthday, this year, it begins the day after, so this is my birthday gift to myself. If you’re heading to the festival, comment below or contact me on my socials. I would love to meet you!
As of the date this newsletter is being sent out, TCM has announced that the theme for this year’s festival will be “Crime and Justice in Film.” As someone who has become obsessed with noir, a more perfect theme couldn’t have been chosen. So far, TCM has announced that they will be showing such classics as On the Waterfront (1954), Chinatown (1974), North by Northwest (1959), and Rear Window (1954). I’m ecstatic to see what other films are announced in the coming months. For a complete listing of all the titles announced so far, you can look at my Letterboxd list here. As more titles are announced, I’ll update the list.
AN EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM LARRY EDMUNDS BOOKSHOP
My favorite place to purchase film books is Larry Edmunds Bookshop, located in the heart of Hollywood. For those who aren’t aware, it’s one of the last bookshops in the area dedicated to movie- and theater-related books, film posters, lobby cards, and photos. I’ve been ordering from Larry Edmunds Bookshop for a couple of years, and their service is impeccable. They always take great care in packaging whatever you have purchased from them. This is no Amazon packaging, trust me. I had a chance to visit the shop during this year’s TCM Classic Film Festival, and it was a film lover’s dream. I highly recommend checking it out if you’re in the area.
One of the notable things about Larry Edmunds Bookshop is that they frequently host authors in their shop to give talks and sign books for fans. While I don’t live close enough to attend these signings and talks, you can purchase a signed book from any author who visits them through their website.
Since I started logging the films I watched on Letterboxd in 2020, the 1950s has been my highest-rated decade. I want to think it’s primarily because of all the noir I’ve watched, but there are plenty of other films that I’ve fallen in love with from the period that aren’t necessarily noirs, such as Harvey (1950), Man of the West (1958), and Guys and Dolls (1955), to name a few. When I heard that the legendary film historian Foster Hirsch was releasing a book titled Hollywood and the Movies of the Fifties and visiting Larry Edmunds to sign copies of his book, I knew I had to jump on the opportunity.
Last night, I received the book in the mail, and when I opened it, I found a surprise that I didn’t expect. Not only had Foster Hirsch signed the book, but it had also been signed by Diane Baker (Marnie), France Nuyen (South Pacific), and Millie Perkins (The Diary of Anne Frank)!
Coming home to this early Christmas present was exactly what I needed after an exhausting day at work. It was a perfect reminder of the joy and happiness of the festive season and instantly lifted my mood. I can’t thank the folks over at Larry Edmunds Bookshop enough. Check out their website if you’re looking for movie- and theater-related books, film posters, lobby cards, and photos! If you can’t find something you're looking for, call them, as I know they don’t have everything listed in their bookshop on the website.
Wooh, that was a lot. I hope you have enjoyed this last newsletter of 2023. I know the newsletters have slowed since early November, but I hope to get back into high gear in the new year. You can expect more content about what I’ve been watching, full-length reviews, and updates on my physical media and film memorabilia archive. Follow me on my social media accounts to keep up with my latest film adventures. Particularly on Letterboxd, I regularly log new films I’ve watched, including contemporary films that I rarely write about here.
I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year! Stay safe, watch great films, and, as always, thank you for your readership!
I watched an introduction Eddie Muller gave for Laura (1944) at the 2012 Noir City Film Festival in Seattle. Interestingly enough, in his intro, he mentioned that he doesn’t consider it a ‘definitive film noir,’ but it’s ‘probably the greatest murder mystery ever made in Hollywood.” After watching the film, I think I agree with the Czar of Noir. But I will meditate on this and get back to you soon. You can watch the whole intro here.
Last year, we also covered the Argentinian noir Los Tallos Amargos (1956). If you’ve seen the film, listen to our episode; it’s one of my favorites! You can watch the film on YouTube if you haven't seen it. I highly recommend it!