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Retreats from Oblivion: The Journal of NoirCon

Retreats from Oblivion: The Journal of NoirCon

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Category: Review Essays

“Dead Men Are My Business: Day Keene’s Mrs. Homicide, Naked Fury, and Murder on the Side” by William Blick

BOOK REVIEW: “While not of the caliber of Chandler or Hammett, Keene’s working-class novels show his talent for telling intriguing mysteries at a breakneck pace.”

Read More “Dead Men Are My Business: Day Keene’s Mrs. Homicide, Naked Fury, and Murder on the Side” by William Blick

Preview – “Patrick Tam’s My Heart Is That Eternal Rose (1989)” by Thomas M. Puhr

FILM REVIEW: “Violent, sensual, and at times poetic Hong Kong neo-noir….”

Read More Preview – “Patrick Tam’s My Heart Is That Eternal Rose (1989)” by Thomas M. Puhr

“Soderbergh’s Neo-Noir Heist: No Sudden Move (2021)” by Anees Aref

FILM REVIEW: “Soderbergh knows the genre terrain, soaking up the urban atmosphere through his typically crisp camerawork and editing….”

Read More “Soderbergh’s Neo-Noir Heist: No Sudden Move (2021)” by Anees Aref

“Faith, Sport, and Tragedy: Don’t Know Tough” by William Blick

BOOK REVIEW: “As deadly serious as an infected a wound that Billy and people like him live with every day. No humorous anecdotes here. The novel is consistently tragic….”

Read More “Faith, Sport, and Tragedy: Don’t Know Tough” by William Blick

“La Chienne: Renoir Begins (Preview)” by Christopher Sharrett

REVIEW: “While the film is credited with bringing German Expressionism to French cinema and thus another step toward film noir, the film is notable for its sense of stillness….”

Read More “La Chienne: Renoir Begins (Preview)” by Christopher Sharrett

“Noir with a Social Conscience: Ride the Pink Horse (1946)” by William Blick

BOOK REVIEW: “Using a distinct setting, a complex anti-hero, a series of unsavory, as well as empathetic characters, and most notably, a social heartbeat, Dorothy B. Hughes’ Ride the Pink Horse offers an extremely compelling journey.”

Read More “Noir with a Social Conscience: Ride the Pink Horse (1946)” by William Blick

“No stupid moves: Frank Oz’s The Score” By Anees Aref

REVIEW ESSAY: “Thieves should respect their elders, too.”

Read More “No stupid moves: Frank Oz’s The Score” By Anees Aref

“Jonathan Latimer, Skilled Artisan of the Crime Genre: Headed for a Hearse (1935)” by WIlliam Blick

BOOK REVIEW: “Demonstrates a degree of mastery of plot, character, and structure as the mystery is solved with all twists and turns readers have come to expect from the genre….”

Read More “Jonathan Latimer, Skilled Artisan of the Crime Genre: Headed for a Hearse (1935)” by WIlliam Blick

“Back to Troubled Grounds: The Two Jakes” By Anees Aref

“You can’t forget the past…just as much as you can’t change it” –Jakes Gittes (Jack Nicholson) in The Two Jakes The Two Jakes almost never happened. The sequel to the legendary 1974 film Chinatown (directed by Roman Polanski and written by Robert Towne) was a project doomed from the start, with creative clashes behind the […]

Read More “Back to Troubled Grounds: The Two Jakes” By Anees Aref

“Hard Case Crime, April 2022: It’s Westlake!” by Matthew Sorrento

NONFICTION: “As the renown imprint presents the last unpublished novel by the author, it delivers one of his most unique and rewarding….”

Read More “Hard Case Crime, April 2022: It’s Westlake!” by Matthew Sorrento

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andy rausch Anees Aref Ann Chernow Barbara DeMarco-Barrett Barry Gifford BearManor Media Ben Himmelfarb Brian Greene Burt Kearns Charles Rammelkamp Charles Willeford Chris McGinley Chris Roy Clarinda Harris Craig Faustus Buck D.V. Bennett Dan Bronson Dane Ince David Goodis David Hagerty David Rachels David Ryan Earl Javorsky Gary D. Rhodes George Toles Gerald So Graham Wynd J.D. Smith J.L. Delozier J.M. Tyree Jaap Boekestein Jack Dann Jay Gertzman Jim Towns John McCann John Talbird Jo Perry Joseph Goodrich Joseph Hirsch Ken Hall Kurt Brokaw Lance Mason Lionel White Ly Faulk Mark Krajnak Mark Mayes Mark SaFranko Matthew Sorrento Matt Phillips Melanie Dante Mike Madden Mitchell Grabois Nick Sweeney Patricia Abbott Paul D. Brazill Peter Rozovsky Reed Farrel Coleman Rick Ollerman Robb T. White Robert Cooperman Ryhor Cisiecki Sharon Dempsey Stark House Press Stephen D. Rogers Steve Hodel Steve Levi Susan Hammerman T.L. Huchu Theresa Rodewald Thomas Pluck Tom Leins Vicki Hendricks Warren Moore William Blick Woody Haut

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