10 Best Neo-Noir Movies of the 1970s

Neo-noir is a relatively recent wave of cinema that brought the success and popularity of the film noir genre back into the spotlight through great movies. The 1970s saw an uptick in neo-noir projects, and the decade came to define the beginnings of neo-noir. however, These films could not exist without the original works of the noir genre And the actors who helped create the archetypes that are often seen on screen. The best film noir movies of all time were primarily produced between the 1940s and 1960s, so many actors from Hollywood’s Golden Age starred in these crime thrillers.

Although there are still dark shadows, detectives and horrific crimes, there is much more to the neo-noir genre. There are many underrated neo-noir movies from the 1980s, viz The 1970s and ’80s were the peak of the film noir revival. It’s hard to know where to start when unpacking the neo-noir genre, as it’s been going strong since its inception in the ’70s, but many classics are a good place to start (via BFI). Most of the films of this period were highly influential in the trajectory of crime films and featured outstanding actors and filmmakers.

10

Dirty Harry (1971)

Directed by Don Siegel

Rude Harry Features some of the best Clint Eastwood movie quotes, like Eastwood’s character, Dirty Harry Callahan, reciting his famous “Do I feel lucky? Well, do you, punk?” Speech. Made at the beginning of the decade, Rude Harry Takes an interesting stance on the role of police work and the judicial system in the US. However, it can also be viewed through the neo-noir lens that shows Harry as the last holdout of a failing and outdated ideology.

Loosely based on the true events surrounding the real serial killer, The Zodiac Killer, Rude Harry Has a lot of action and chase scenes to make it as thrilling as the best films in the crime genre. A huge success at the box office, Rude Harry Has a complex legacy but has influenced many great thrillers like ZodiacWhat references Rude Harry in the script. The character was instrumental in allowing Eastwood to transcend the western genre.

9

Get Carter (1971)

Directed by Mike Hodges

One of the best British neo-noir films, Get Carter Star Michael Caine as Jack Carter, a gangster who returns home After learning about the mysterious circumstances surrounding his brother’s death. Although no character in Get Carter Able to take the moral high ground, Jack Carter is the traditional bluntly masculine and uncaring neo-noir protagonist who will do anything to exact his revenge. However, also according to neo-noir, he is destined for tragedy and meets with terrible events at every turn.

in 2000, Get Carter Got a remake with Sylvester Stallone, Which pales in comparison to the original film. Other movies, like Guy Ritchie’s gentleman gangster films, are more similar Get Carter And could be described as spiritual successors to the British movie. generally, Get Carter is a brutal and depressing addition to the neo-noir genre, and its overt violence and lack of thriller elements set it apart from some of the more popular American movies.

8

The Long Goodbye (1973)

Directed by Robert Altman

Robert Altman The long goodbye is in direct conversation with the best noir films of the last decade, Centered on the famous fictional detective Philip Marlowe but painting him in a completely new light. Marlowe is best known for being portrayed by Humphrey Bogart in The big sleepWhich portrays him as the suave, confident, and incredibly intelligent protagonist who is always one step ahead of the bad guys. This couldn’t be further from the truth in Elliott Gould’s take on the detective.

Set in the 1970s instead of the classic noir eras of the ’40s and ’50s, The long goodbye Sees Marlowe as a bumbling fool who is disconnected from the cultural and social development around him. There was strong opposition to this take on Marlowe when the film first premiered, but that has changed over the past few decades. today, The long goodbye is considered one of the films that embodies the neo-noir genre perfectly And capture the changing viewpoint to the leading man behind the noir.

7

Serpico (1973)

Directed by Sidney Lumet

The biographical drama Serpico Her story draws from a real case of corruption in the New York City Police Department and the real Frank Serpico’s whistle. Al Pacino plays Serpico, an NYPD detective who is constantly targeted and eventually injured Because of his refusal to participate in the corruption of the department. Even when he tries to take his findings further up the ladder, even going to the press, the chain of people who protect the amoral officer goes higher than he realizes and puts him in danger.

Pacino gives a landmark performance as Serpico, And although it was different from some of his earlier work, it successfully demonstrated his range as an actor. Although Serpico does not always go about his investigation in the right way, it is not the man who is at fault in the film, but the failing systems of justice that are supposed to protect him. Although it makes strong points about the nature of police work in the US, Serpico Belongs to the neo-noir genre because of its melancholic and cynical tones that prevail throughout the story.

6

Clute (1971)

Directed by Alan J. Pakula

clever is one of Donald Sutherland’s best movies and features an equally amazing performance by Jane Fonda in the neo-noir classic that has come to define both actors’ careers. Fonda won Best Actress at the Academy Awards For her nuanced and compelling turn as Bree Daniels, the young woman who changes the life of the private detective, John Klute (Sutherland). As much about the crime at the heart of the story as it is about the doomed relationship between Clute and Daniels, clever is a dark and timely film.

well ahead of his time, clever Explores themes of surveillance and paranoia, which have come to define modern crime thrillers thanks to the influx of recording and tracking technologies. Although the titular character of the film is stupid, he is representative of a past, though The film’s thesis is more in line with Daniels’ philosophies. She struggles with the dichotomy of her desires for freedom and security, which has been a major issue for the US.

5

Night Moves (1975)

Directed by Arthur Penn

Night moves Came out a few years after Gene Hackman established himself as a hallmark of the neo-noir genre The French Connection. in Night moves, Hackman’s character, Harry Moseby, lives in LA instead of New York and is a private investigator, Which automatically exempts him from the more obvious limitations of the law in terms of investigations. As time progressed, Night moves has grown in critical and audience acclaim, largely thanks to its open-ended conclusion and the intricate plot that the movie weaves.

Although Harry is not as violent and amoral as some of Hackman’s other characters, he takes on a more pathetic and depressing outlook as he fails to understand the crimes he sees at every turn. He is easily outwitted by the people who use him and is unable to stay true to the beliefs he so desperately wants to hold dear. It would be easy to feel sorry for Harry if it weren’t for the fact that he is the person who entangles himself further in the mess, And Hackman’s wonderful performance makes the man even more deflated.

4

Wanda (1970)

Directed by Barbara Loden

Barbara Loden wrote, directed and stars Wanda. The film is an underrated cult classic that follows the story of Wanda Goronsky, a young woman who leaves her husband and embarks on a solo odyssey similar to Bonnie and Clyde. Set in rural Pennsylvania, Wanda Focuses on an often untouched niche of US it. life, Like many traditional neo-noirs and crime thrillers, they take place in major cities like New York or Los Angeles. While Wanda Rarely mentioned in larger roundups of the neo-noir genre, it deserves a place in the conversation.

well ahead of his time, Wanda Unpacks the legacy of the Hollywood crime film and is steeped in realism in a more urgent way than other projects thanks to its limited budget. Wanda’s involvement in a life of crime is not entirely of her own doing, but she is also more of an active protagonist than some critics give her credit for. like Most neo-noirs cast female characters in the role of femme fatale, It is refreshing to see a woman propelling the story forward.

3

The French Connection (1971)

Directed by William Friedkin

Gene Hackman’s character, Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle, is the next step in the evolution of the noir-era detective, How his moral ambiguity goes even further into the territory of a complete anti-hero. The director, William Friedkin, further explored the territory of corruption in the police force in his later project, To live and die in LA Both of these projects influenced the neo-noir genre as a whole, and Doyle became a beacon of the amoral police officer character type.

The French Connection Features an iconic car chase that was shot on location in New York City, which was part of the appeal of the film’s gritty style. Winning Best Picture, Director and Actor at the Oscars, The critics and the audience acclaim that The French Connection Received has considered it significant in the cultural opinion. The immersive nature of the aesthetics and sound design of The French Connection is more fast-paced and intense than a typical noir, which sets it apart.

2

Taxi Driver (1976)

Directed by Martin Scorsese

After their first successful collaboration on Mean streets In 1973, Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro came back together for Taxi driver. It was the movie that would cement their partnership as one of the best in film history. Scorsese and De Niro’s movie collaborations are all notable. however, Taxi driver Stands out thanks to a flawless script by Paul Schrader, Who managed to create equal disgust and empathy for Nero’s character throughout the film. While there is some debate about occupation Taxi driver A neo-noir film, it has many of these elements.

De Niro’s character, Travis Bickle, is different from the classic noir protagonist. However, he embodies the anxiety of the neo-noir genre, vi The cultural mindset changed to a fear of those who lived outside the boundaries of society. Last job like Joker, Action Cluband sources The king of comedy Cannot exist without the foundation laid by Taxi driver. The disillusionment, isolation, and cyclical nature of violence that are shown in Taxi driver Make it a classic work of neo-noir.

1

Chinatown (1974)

Directed by Roman Polanski

Jack Nicholson has played many roles that could be called his greatest, but Jake In Chinatown is very close to the top of the list. Nicholson is joined by his costar Faye Dunaway as Evelyn Cross-Mulwray. She plays the femme fatale with a terrible secret that is slowly uncovered throughout the plot of Chinatown. Like many neo-noirs of the ’70s, Chinatown is set in Los Angeles, and the main plot of the film is in tune with contemporary issues from the 1970s.

As corrupt politicians and businessmen battle for control of LA’s water supply, innocent bystanders are caught in the crossfire. Like the classic detective heroes of the noir genre, Jake is morally ambiguous but tries to do the right thing, even if he is led in the wrong direction. Chinatown Falling into the neo-noir genre because of its cynical and post-modern sensibility, As well as the explicit discussions of violence and sex, which were often censored in the heyday of film noir. The performances, style, and pressing subject of Chinatown Make it a lasting work of fiction.