Pulp Fiction discussion

How come nobody's put "Body Heat" up here as a Film Noir?

Chris wrote: "How come nobody's put "Body Heat" up here as a Film Noir?"

'Cause we were waiting for you to do it.

Personally (and I haven't actually seen the film yet) I wouldn't consider it a film noir as it was made in 1981 and the true period of noir ended with Touch of Evil in 1958. It would more likely get grouped under the term film soleil, the movement of films that started around the time of the making of Body Heat that subverts certain noir conventions and enhances others or the mmore general term neo-noir. But with this one being set in Florida during a heatwave I'd definitely say film soleil.

I'm only up to 1954 in my history of film noir quest but Body Heat is on the list for 1981 slongside Cutter's Way (Cutter and Bone), I must say I get the impression from it of the inside of a car after passionate sex on a cold morning - hot and steamy, windows dripping with condensation.

Film Noir is only hardboiled PI,noir in films to me. Just like the french meant dark crime dramas. Classic Hollywood film noir isnt the end.

Miller's Crossing based on Hammett story is as much Film Noir as The Maltese Falcon film with Bogey.

Speaking about this films i remember it only vaguely. I have seen only some steamy scenes of it i think zapping tv channels.

for your reading pleasure: http://www.backalleynoir.com/showthre...

Even the amazing Film Noir: The Encyclopedia has half the book dedicated to neo noir stuff in the newer editions so you have a point Mohammed but after the subject matter changes it's never true film noir, it's simply an evolution.

I'd give a neo-noir tag. It's very much worth seeing and follows the classic themes of noir as found in those gold medal books by Charles Williams, Gil Brewer, etc.

Tfitoby wrote: "for your reading pleasure: http://www.backalleynoir.com/showthre...

Even the amazing Film Noir: The Encyclopedia has half the book dedicated to neo noir stuff in the ..."

Neo-Noir is silly tag to me. Subgenres,genres always evolve, thats natural. Same themes always would suck. Hardboiled PI books today are very different from Hammett and co but it still the same subgenre. Still Scudder and co acting like The OP,Spade etc Heroic fantasy is the same genre today as it was in Howard,Tolkein days.

People just like to write books to give something old a new name just to make money.

There is no true film noir, its only nostalgia to black and white films that happened to be noir,PI stories of those days.

Just take a look at the themes of those American noirs Mohammed, nothing after 1958 whether black & white or colour matches those. Guaranteed. Nothing to do with money or writing more books. It's just fact.

Tfitoby wrote: "Just take a look at the themes of those American noirs Mohammed, nothing after 1958 whether black & white or colour matches those. Guaranteed. Nothing to do with money or writing more books. It's j..."

Yeah themes change over the time but i was talking subgenres dont change. Maybe they change more in film noirs than in literary version of the genres.

I think you're probably spot on correct there Mohammed. Movies genres are content derived and literature style derived is a good way of looking at it. Obviously that won't be right 100% of the time but as a general rule of thumb it works well.

Body Heat is very true to the classic Noir mold. Not much dividing it from The Postman Always Rings Twice or Double Imdemnity in terms of plot or theme.

Tfitoby wrote: "I think you're probably spot on correct there Mohammed. Movies genres are content derived and literature style derived is a good way of looking at it. Obviously that won't be right 100% of the time..."

My bad i misunderstood what you meant the earlier posts. I wonder now if the film is good since it does sound like Double Indemnity kind story.

Mohammed wrote: "Tfitoby wrote: "I think you're probably spot on correct there Mohammed. Movies genres are content derived and literature style derived is a good way of looking at it. Obviously that won't be right ..."

Yes, the film is good. The story could be set in the 1930's, 1950's or 1980's. It's very much in the James Cain Double Indemnity style. Noir fans would appreciate it especially.

Kurt wrote: "Mohammed wrote: "Tfitoby wrote: "I think you're probably spot on correct there Mohammed. Movies genres are content derived and literature style derived is a good way of looking at it. Obviously tha..."

Thats all i needed to know :)

I watched this in a film noir class and I scoffed at the choice, but after seeing it, I definitely think it qualifies. It borrows a lot from Double Indemnity, but the story is timeless so it doesn't matter that it's the 80s (except the fact that unlike in the 40s, in the 80s they could show a lot of sex).