Pulp Fiction discussion

I just recently watched The Grifters which is based on a Jim Thompson of the same name. I haven't read the book yet, but I've read a few books by him, so I can say it definitely had the feel of a Thompson novel; except it was incredibly 80's.

I'm curious to see how the book compares.

I've only seen this once, but I'll never forget the ending.

can you believe it's the same director as The Queen?

Even when he made The Grifters, Stephen Frears wasn't known for just making crime or gangster films; the films he made before The Grifters included Dangerous Liaisons and My Beautiful Laundrette. He did make some crime films, like Gumshoe and The Hit, but also tons of TV movies for the BBC. He's just one of those workhorse British directors who works in a lot of different genres.

Someone might know this for certain, but I think The Grifters came out within a year (?) of another Jim Thompson novel turned movie, After Dark, My Sweet. I thought both were fine movies. Hollywood had re-discovered Jim Thompson then. Grifters had a nice pace and feel to it. Worth seeing again.

On my history of noir film journey we've got After Dark, My Sweet and The Grifters for 1990 in addition to The Coen Brothers version of Hammett's Red Harvest, Miller's Crossing. 1990 was a good year for noir movies it seems.

After Dark, My Sweet premiered at Cannes on May 17, 1990, and went into wide release in the U.S. on August 24, 1990.

The Grifters premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on September 14, 1990, and went into wide release in the U.S. on January 4, 1991.

Miller's Crossing came out in the fall of 1990.

I think 1990 was probably the year I first got into film noir and really understood what it was. I'm sure those movies helped. Also, seeing Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid on TV didn't hurt either.

Is Miller's Crossing a version of Red Harvest? It draws things from Red Harvest, but it's not a straight adaptation. It draws things from The Glass Key, too.

Adam wrote: "After Dark, My Sweet premiered at Cannes on May 17, 1990, and went into wide release in the U.S. on August 24, 1990.

The Grifters premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on September 14, 1990, and ..."

Very true re millers crossing. i'm sure hammett has a credit on the film.

Someone should start a Miller's Crossing thread ;)

@Tfitoby, actually the writing credits for Miller's Crossing just list Joel & Ethan Coen. But I think Hammett is a generally acknowledged influence.

It is a good film, well acted. However I have a problem with the casting: Lily and Myra are supposed to resemble each other. This is very important to the plot. Roy's sleeping with Myra because she looks like his young, hot mother. I know the film touches on the Oedipal thing, but I question the whole switch at the end in the film. No one would confuse Huston and Benning. That said, still a good movie, but I don't think it captures the book.

Adam wrote: "@Tfitoby, actually the writing credits for Miller's Crossing just list Joel & Ethan Coen. But I think Hammett is a generally acknowledged influence."

ahhh, i wonder where i read the thing about red harvest then? anyway i'm only at 1948 so there's still a long way to go before i can revisit 1990.

as for The Grifters Remy I don't know how many times I've seen it but i have no recollection of what you just mentioned about a switch. is it possible i've missed it everytime and still understood the movie? maybe i'm just forgetting it.

@Tfitoby, what do you mean you're "only at 1948"? Are you doing some kind of chronological project? (I love those.)

Lily pretends dead Myra is her at the end to get away. Book and movie.

Adam wrote: "@Tfitoby, what do you mean you're "only at 1948"? Are you doing some kind of chronological project? (I love those.)"


Yeah, sort of second time through it as well. Initially we were blogging it but other commitments kinda got in the way. The full movie list i picked after extensive research is here: http://blahblahblahgay.blogspot.com.a...