Another year of exile up here in the Northern Fausthaus, away from Noir City Hollywood. I miss my gang of brilliant weirdos and hardcore Noirhounds who always sat in the same row every single night. It’s also kinda weird to have a swanky cocktail reception by myself (ok with my dog.) Especially when I don’t even drink. Undaunted, I put on a vintage hat, poured myself a Horse’s Neck, and Lupe and I got started watching along at home.
As usual, you’ll be able to follow my scintillating (virtual) ringside commentary here and on social media.
Kicking off this year’s Noir City Hollywood is NO ABRAS NUNCA ESA PUERTA.
I’ve written this one up before (scroll down!)
It’s a double shot of pitch black Argentine noir, based on stories by Cornell Woolrich.
As I mentioned in my original write up, a third segment in the trilogy was released as its own separate movie. I like these two better. I liked them even more on second viewing, mostly because they didn’t have to compete with VAMPIRO NEGRO on the same bill. I still want to live in that amazing apartment.
Flicker Alley is releasing a new DVD with plenty of deep dish supplemental material. Including that third story in the trilogy so you can watch it and judge for yourself.
Next up, THE WINDOW
This one is based on a Woolrich story too, and coincidentally, features a hammy kid actor just like the one in the above mentioned third story of the Argentine trilogy SI MUERO ANTES DE DESPERTAR.
Also coincidentally, I’ve written this one up before too. It’s pretty great.
But every time I rewatch it, I find myself thinking about the bleak, lonely death of its star Bobby Driscoll. His body was found in an abandoned apartment building by a couple of NYC tenement kids just like the character he plays in THE WINDOW. Kicked to the curb by Hollywood for the crime of growing up, he fell into real crime, dope and despair. He was 31.
How’s that for a down ending?
But of course, it’s not really the end is it? Because the more things change, the more they stay the fucking same. I just watched QUIET ON THE SET: The Dark Side of Kids TV and it’s utterly horrifying to realize that, even for the kids who don’t get sexually assaulted, the business remains deeply fucked up and irreversibly damaging to this day.
You’ve all read EVERYBODY KNOWS, right?
Tomorrow, it’s a triple bill. KISS OF DEATH, CAIRO STATION and UNION STATION.