If 1990s filmdom has a definitive genre, it’s the “erotic thriller.” All those noirish tales of money, murder and sex. You can link many names to that genre, but perhaps the one that best captures its jazzy amorality is Linda Fiorentino. Her career peak overlaps almost perfectly with the genre’s peak. The role that shows it off the best is “The Last Seduction” (1994). It went straight from the festival circuit to TV, perfect for the Skinemax era. Supported by Peter Berg and Bill Pullman, she snakes her way across New York, culminating in the twist you knew was coming.
Archives for posts with tag: film noir
Film noir isn’t all cigarettes, alcohol and funky cinematography. Unfortunately, “D.O.A.” (1988) is. The gimmick here is that Dennis Quaid has been poisoned and before he dies, he must tell the police his version of all the death and destruction that’s taken place over the previous 36 hours. Problem is, he only seems to suffer symptoms when it’s dramatically convenient and walks out of a precinct house with a very long hallway much better than he walks in. (As I write this, I’m suddenly thinking somebody pulled a Keyser Soze on me. But they didn’t. It’s just a mediocre movie.)
“L.A. Confidential” (1997) is a modern film noir classic that unfortunately has fallen off the radar. So has its star, Guy Pearce, who plays an idealistic cop with a streak of self-promotion. The juicy role failed to ignite the Englishman’s career. Instead, an Aussie, Russell Crowe, became the box office gladiator, so to speak, after his co-starring role as a brutal cop with a streak of idealism. The plot is delightfully stylish and multidimensional without becoming ridiculous. So are the conflicted characters played by Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito and David Strathairn’s mustache. The Oscar-nominated score is great, too.
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