Blogcritics: Comments on Film Noir on Paper: Ross Macdonald Mysteries

Comment by Victor Plenty

Sat, 11 Jun 2005 01:03:36 EDT

Didn't "film noir" start out on paper? The Bogart films and others in that genre were mostly based on the hard-boiled detective novels that had already been popular for decades when they were filmed, if I recall correctly. So the phrase "film noir on paper" strikes me as odd, like someone saying Errol Flynn swashbuckler movies ripped off George Lucas.

Comment by francisco68

Sat, 11 Jun 2005 00:30:36 EDT

Dr. Pat. The problem is the world has changed over 50 years. It is closer to a "revolution of rising expectations". Macdonald has some fights and 3 murders in Find A Victim. Today the murder book set needs a series of bodies, something supernatural, or something grotesque. I would say it is more Macdonald's roadside hamburger joint to Hannibal's MacDonald's factory produced sandwiches. Phillip Winn is undoubtedly right. They would be good read aloud or seen in a 1940's or 50's film noir movie. This one wasn't but its cousins were. I might have read it aloud but my wife grabbed it first and gobbled it up.

Comment by Phillip Winn

Fri, 10 Jun 2005 17:58:46 EDT

These books sound like they'd would be even better read aloud. True?

Comment by DrPat

Fri, 10 Jun 2005 10:24:22 EDT

You imply a great question here, man - why do we "jade ourselves" with such dark stuff as cannibalism, serial killers, and slasher movies? Is Macdonald just the marijuana to Hannibal's crack-cocaine?