Entertainment For Lively Minds
Well worth a Detour : film tip
Saw an obit today for the actress Anne Savage
(doesn't this still actually define the word "smoldering"!).
All of which is a good opportunity to point people in the direction of one few films that can still be called a “cult classic”.
If you’ve not seen Detour (1945) by Edgar G. Ulmer
you should try to.
As an early Film Noir gem, it’s very cheaply made and is clearly a B-movie (bad sets, bad continuity etc) but it is well worth tracking down.
It is available on google video in short sections but the dvd is only a few quid so could added to your next Amazon order to get total up to “free” postage.
Robert Ebert described it thus:
“haunting and creepy, an embodiment of the guilty soul of film noir. No one who has seen it has easily forgotten it”
Ann Savage obit:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/jan/07/obituary-ann-savage
Detour on Google video:
http://video.google.co.uk/videosearch?q=detour+1945&www_google_domain=ww...
Detour on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h_?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-ke...
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Seconded!
Great movie, despite being made for tupp'ence ha'penny - remember when BBC2 used to show these types of films all the time? Sigh.
And I don't think it's a spoiler to say that the departed Ms. Savage plays a really nasty piece of work in "Detour" - that's a fabulous photo of her, bearing in mind that during most of the film she looks as if she'd slit your throat as soon as look at you...
It's brilliant
I think it was one of the films that was once shown on TV as part of Alex Cox's cult film selection - he presented some excellent movies. I am sure that's where I saw it.
Moviedrome
Those were great film seasons and Cox's intros were brilliant, thanks for reminding me of them! You could even get free catalogues/guides to the films if you sent an SAE to the BBC, I've still got them somewhere... good use of the license fee!
Yes
It was called Moviedrome. I was groping in the dark recesses of my mind for that name and failed to retrieve it so thanks!
Can I point out that
that gasper looks not unlike the tail end of a Camberwell carrot?
“Someday…
… fate can put the finger on you or me for no reason at all.” (or words to that effect).
As mentioned, Ann's performance in Detour is pretty astonishing. Guess she must have been a decent age when she passed away.
87
she became a lawyer and pilot in her 50's-60's!
What a photo!
Great angular cigarette action! Never heard of her!
Ann's co-star in Detour…
… was Tom Neal, whose own life reads like one of the many B-pictures he starred in:
http://www.palmspringslife.com/media/Palm-Springs-Life/Whispering-Palms/...
Detour
Sad to hear of Ms Savage's passing. I saw Detour on Moviedrome and was blown away by it. A great film noir, and her performance as a femme fatale from hell was incredible. The director Edgar G. Ulmer is an unsung great, who made a ton of great B movies. As an odd footnote, Tom Neal's son Tom Neal Jr starred in a sequel/remake called Detour 2 made in the early 90s.
Just seen it
Marvellous. There ought to be room of Digital for a B movie channel.
i think alot
of the classics are owned by Turner or fox classic or were now they are out of copyright a channel with some sensible intros (old moviedromes) and gems could be winner especially if they are shown at 8 pm onwards so i don't fall a sleep i ahte taping films.