GeoNoir

Fans of hard-boiled author Paul Cain rejoice

2012-02-20T17:14:00.000-06:00

Centipede Press is releasing the works of Cain in this handsome collection. Visit Centipede Press for more information.

Titan to reissue original Matt Helm books in 2013

2011-12-15T16:15:00.001-06:00

The Return of Matt Helm

By Titan Books On 13 12 2011

"Donald Hamilton has brought to the spy novel the authentic hard realism of Dashiell Hammett; and his stories are as compelling, and probably as close to the sordid truth of espionage, as any now being told." —New York Times

London, U.K. – December 9, 2011 – Titan Books announced today that beginning in 2013, they will reissue the original Matt Helm® spy thrillers written by Donald Hamilton, starring the famed counter-agent whose career included 27 novels spanning more than three decades, four films, and a network television series.

The first Matt Helm® novel, Death of a Citizen, was released in 1960, just two years after publication of Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale—which hadn’t yet caught on in the United States. Otto Penzlernoted, “Whereas Bond was a sophisticate who knew wine, expensive cars, and tuxedos, Helm lived much of the time in the American Southwest, drove a pickup truck, and wore flannel shirts.” The novel introduced a man in his mid-thirties, 6’4” and intelligent, who had been a military assassin eliminating Nazis during World War II.

“Helm is about as credible a figure as one can find in the espionage genre.” —The New Republic

Hamilton’s novels were known for a gritty realism as Helm hunted (and killed) foreign agents and other enemies of the United States. When asked to describe his character, Matt Helm, Don replied "He's a nice guy, he just happens to kill people for a living." The action was methodical, even brutal, and the series quickly attracted an avid following. The books sold more than 20,000,000 copies worldwide before disappearing from bookstore shelves.

“These novels were among the best spy thrillers ever published,” said Nick Landau, Publisher of Titan Books and CEO of the Titan Publishing Group. “We’re thrilled to partner with the estate of Donald Hamilton, enabling us to bring them back into print and show readers what they’ve been missing all these years.”

“Helm is a genuinely tough and tough-minded protagonist… your reading diet lacks essential vitamins if you overlook him.” —New York Times

“The appearance of a new Matt Helm story is always good news.” —Chicago Tribune

“This series by Donald Hamilton is the top-ranking American secret agent fare, with its intelligent protagonist and an author who consistently writes in high style. Good writing, slick plotting and stimulating characters, all tartly flavored with wit” —Book Week

“With Matt Helm, Donald Hamilton helped start the spy adventure genre. I welcome the reissue of these books so that readers can experience this mythic hero." —David Morrell, New York Times bestselling author of Murder as Fine Art

“Fast, tightly written, brutal, and very good…” —Milwaukee Journal

http://titanbooks.com/blog/return-matt-helm/#.Tud3HlldCdw.facebook

Practical creature effects for The Thing prequel that the producers chose to scrap

2011-12-15T16:11:00.002-06:00

This movie could (and should) have been amazing: http://t.co/MHRkPI0j

DRIVE

2011-09-26T11:17:00.000-05:00

Back For The Future

2011-09-09T11:30:00.002-05:00

First official photo of the new 'Man of Steel'

2011-08-08T13:14:00.003-05:00

Tom Cruise to portray Jack Reacher in the film adaptation of Lee Child's 'One Shot'?

2011-06-14T15:33:00.000-05:00

If I am not mistaken, Jack Reacher is 6'5" in the books (not 5'6"). I'm sure this casting will sell tickets, but will likely infuriate fans of the books (aka, Reacher's Creatures).

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2011/06/tom-cruise-perfect-to-play-lee-childs-6-foot-5-inch-tough.html

THR Emmy Roundtable Discussion w/ key drama showrunners

2011-06-01T10:04:00.001-05:00

New Lawrence Block short story "See the Woman" up at Mulholland Books/Popcorn Fiction

2011-05-12T10:08:00.000-05:00

http://www.mulhollandbooks.com/popcornfiction/stories/See_the_Woman_by_LawrenceBlock.html

DJANGO UNCHAINED: QT's latest spaghetti western-inspired project

2011-05-11T17:06:00.000-05:00

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2011/05/tarantinos-django-unchained-is-unchained.html

A pairing of Will Smith and Christoph Waltz sounds, um...intriguing. Script shows lots of potential when I skimmed through it the other day.

Jason Statham as 'Parker'?

2011-04-18T16:24:00.002-05:00

Variety is reporting that Jason Statham is in negotiations to play the title role in Taylor Hackford's new film, 'Parker', based on the series of hard-hitting noir books by Richard Stark (i.e., Donald Westlake). This news is well-received by me since I think Statham is a good choice for today's audience, Hackford has built some credibility behind the camera over the years and well, quite frankly, the books kick some major literary ass. Parker has been adapted to film on several occasions over the years (frequently guised under separate cover). Three worth seeking out: Point Blank, The Outfit, Payback.

Shortcut Man by P.G. Sturges -- Review

2011-03-19T15:14:00.004-05:00

A worthy successor to Chandler? You will likely ask yourself that question while you read through the pages of this novel. You may also choose to judge this book by its cover and take Michael Connelly's front-cover blurb literally. That would be a mistake. A mistake I made. I bought this book as an impulse purchase at my favorite book store (shameless plug: Uncle Edgar's in Minneapolis), by doing just that. Unfortunately, my lofty expectations did not help.

Meet Dick Henry. Ascribed by the book's title, he is a "shortcut man" -- an efficiency expert who doesn't question the need for violence to get results. We witness Henry assisting his Los Angeles clients -- which are fairly run-of-the-mill episodes until Henry is hired by adult film producer Artie Benjamin to find out whether Artie's wife is cheating on him. Things start to get complicated when we discover that Artie's wife is none other than the same femme fatale Dick is currently bedding.

The story proceeds to take a few detours from this point on including a stretch of Dick's past (which was the story's highlight for me), but never quite finds its footing. Despite Shortcut Man's classic noir set-up and attempts to pepper in dark comedy (largely unsuccessful), it's never truly satisfying. Additionally, it introduces an element of sleaze that doesn't quite gel with the narrative. Donald Westlake and Lawrence Block did it better in the 60s with their sleazy, pulp paperbacks before they found their groove in crime fiction. According to the jacket, this is the first installment in a new series. I will wait until the reviews come in before deciding to read the next installment.

Also of note, the author is actually the son of famed Hollywood director Preston Sturges. As a result, there are some elements of Old Los Angeles included that some readers may appreciate (I am one such reader). Back to the book's cover and the question posed -- I am currently reading Raymond Chandler's Red Wind (a short story as part of Otto Penzler's The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps) -- a worthy successor to Chandler, Sturges is unfortunately not.

Buy this on Amazon

The Terror of Living by Urban Waite

2011-03-10T15:40:00.004-06:00

By Air...By Sea...By Land...all play a part in how the story unravels in Urban Waite's debut novel about a drug deal gone awry and the bloody aftermath that ensues. Phil Hunt and his wife Nora are attempting to live a quiet life in the Pacific Northwest on a horse farm. Hunt usually succeeds and manages to stay out of trouble -- except for the occasional drug smuggling gig.

When a helicopter drop over the Washington State forest doesn't go as planned, Hunt quickly finds himself on the run from Drake (a deputy sheriff with something to prove as a result of his father's criminal past) and Grady (a hit man with a penchant for butcher's cutlery, out to kill him).

Waite does an effective job turning up the heat as this cat-and-mouse tale unfolds. The story draws quite a bit from Cormac McCarthy's NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (Waite goes on to mention him in his acknowledgements), but creates his own boundaries and establishes a believable sense of place.

I am looking forward to see what Waite serves up next.

Buy this on Amazon

Michael Connelly discusses The Lincoln Lawyer and its journey to the big screen

2011-03-09T09:03:00.002-06:00

I am stepping onto the movie set flanked by my legal team. We walk with purpose toward the light stanchions. After Hollywood’s long history of writer abuses, it’s good to know I’ve got veteran trial lawyers on either side of me. Daniel Daly and Roger Mills. Guys who have stared down judges, juries, cops, even killers. Guys who won’t take any crap from anybody.

We enter a hallway crowded with equipment and technicians. Lots of movement. Thick black cables snake across the floor—Daly points them out and says, “There’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.” There are monitors replaying the shot that was just filmed and actors and extras returning to position for the next take. Mills surreptitiously clips me with his elbow. I look at him, and in a cloaked move, he points toward his own stomach, meaning, Look behind me. I casually turn and scan.

There, sitting in a folding chair against the wall five feet behind us, is Matthew McConaughey. The actor looks like he’s concentrating or in the moment or whatever it is actors call it. He’s got do not disturb written all over his face. But he suddenly looks up and comes over. I introduce him to Daly and Mills, and within a few minutes, my two tough legal dogs are smiling so hard their eyes are all crinkly.

So goes the first meeting between the movie star and the source material. McConaughey is filming The Lincoln Lawyer, which is based on the novel I wrote, which in turn was based largely on the stories and tutelage of Daly and Mills. They have never been on a movie set before, let alone met a star portraying their own lives. Mills compares the actor’s thin, muscular frame to his own ample size. To McConaughey, he says, “You brought the six pack, and I brought the keg.”

The Lincoln Lawyer is the story of a Los Angeles criminal-defense lawyer who works out of his backseat. It was inspired by a chance conversation I had at Dodger Stadium with a lawyer who did just that. David Ogden—now retired—said he cruised from courthouse to courthouse, chauffeured by a client working off his tab. He said it was the best way to carry out the business of law in the city of freeways. There are more than 40 courthouses in L.A. County alone.

It seemed to be the starting point for a quintessential L.A. story, using the autotopia/dystopia as the backdrop for a thriller about law and redemption. I took the idea a step further, putting my lawyer in a Lincoln and turning its spacious confines into an office: laptop, cell phone and printer up front, file drawers and office supplies in the trunk. Everything a lawyer needs and always good to go. I called him Mickey Haller. Have case, will travel. Reasonable doubt for a reasonable fee.

But it was Daly and Mills who brought the fledgling idea to life. I have known Daly for 30 years, since we shared an apartment in DeLand, Florida, as rookie news reporters right out of school. He went on to law school and an eventual partnership with Mills in Tampa. Their specialty: criminal defense.

In 2001, I moved to Tampa with my family. I had the Lincoln lawyer idea in my back pocket and approached Daly and Mills with a question: “Could I shadow you two, learn how you work and then put all the secrets in a book? It would be billed as fiction, of course, and it would be set in L.A.”

They said no problem. But the funny thing is, over the next few years, I followed them to court and jail and sat with them in their offices, but the best stuff came after hours, in bars and over martinis. That was when they revealed themselves. That was when I learned the hard truths of the law. That was when Dan Daly once told me there was no client as scary as an innocent man.

Now, almost a decade later, we are on the set with the actor who is portraying the fictional creation inspired by their revelations and exploits. The story is about Mickey Haller learning there is no client as scary as an innocent man. It seems surreal and so far from that apartment in DeLand.

I know about the history of writers and Hollywood. The denial of the source and inspiration. Everything in the business, creative side or not, starts with the words. They launch everything. The writer is the only one in the chain that must make something out of nothing. Everybody else starts with his words.

But everybody wants to feel important and creative. So they take those words and put their imprint on them. From location scout to actor to director, everyone is engaged in both the service and denial of the writer.

I know all of that, and yet, like my legal attack dogs, I am melted by the prospect of a meeting with a movie star. The set is the Hall of Records building downtown. After hours, after dark. The hallways have been transformed into courthouse corridors. One of the points of the book as well as the movie is that what happens with a case outside the courtroom is sometimes more important than what goes on within. The scenes they are filming this week in July are some of the most pivotal.

The film’s director is Brad Furman. Before arriving on set I stream his previous film, The Take, on my computer and like it a lot. A gritty L.A. thriller and character piece. A lot of momentum. He impresses me as someone who knows what he’s doing. I’m very hopeful.

The night before this visit to the set with the lawyers, I came by myself to watch the filming of what I think is the most important moment in the book and the film—when all of lawyer Mickey Haller’s machinations and scheming come together. It’s a set piece with a lot of choreography of main characters and background movement. In the novel, momentum is the key component. It is so important it’s even announced on the cover with a shot of a blurred Lincoln Town Car speeding by.

As I watch the first three takes of the scene, I see that the director, screenwriter, actors and everybody have gotten the point. A momentum builds, an undeniable energy that seems to explode in a stare-down between lawyer and client—McConaughey and Ryan Phillippe. As I watch, I am absolutely ecstatic. When the long scene ends with actor Bryan Cranston delivering the line of the movie—“Are you a good guy or a bad guy, Haller?”—I am at a loss for words. Me, the writer. I don’t have the words.

Later, as I’m leaving the set, McConaughey comes up to me. He’s a space invader. He lives in a world where he knows he is constantly watched by people acting like they aren’t watching him. He comes up close so only I hear. “I’m really diggin’ being in this guy’s shoes,” he says.

I’m digging it, too.

Daly, Mills and I watch an important but lesser scene the following night. Haller and his office manager, Lorna, meeting in the courthouse snack bar and going over their roles in Haller’s grand play. Once again, there is a lot of movement and building excitement in each 20-second take. Momentum.

McConaughey is perfect. His eyes betray a mind that is always in motion, looking for the next angle.

I never thought of McConaughey when I wrote the book. Haller’s mother is Mexican born. I was thinking more of an Andy Garcia sort of look. Then one night my wife, Linda, and I went to see the comedic film Tropic Thunder. McConaughey was in it, playing the part of a slippery agent. I leaned to my wife and whispered that he’d make a good Mickey Haller. A year later, I got an email from him saying he had signed on for the part.

Over the summer, I come back twice more to watch the filming. In all my time on the set, I never see a false note. The film is being produced by Tom Rosenberg and his company, Lakeshore Entertainment. An attorney himself, Rosenberg promised me when he optioned the book that the film he’d make would retain the gritty realism of my story. From what I have seen on multiple visits, he has made good on that promise.

It is now the moment of truth. It’s a week before Thanksgiving, and I am sitting in a small screening room at Lakeshore’s Beverly Hills offices. I have been warned the rough cut I am about to see has not been color corrected and contains only temporary music. I don’t care. I don’t even know what color corrected means. I want to hear the words, not the music. It’s now been 10 years since Dodger Stadium and the day I first thought about the Lincoln lawyer. I just want to see the film.

The lights go out and the film begins...

Every writer should have this moment, the chance to see their work translated into the visual medium, realized in flesh and blood and pixels of color—corrected or not. If there is no client as scary as an innocent man, there is no moment as scary or as exhilarating as this. I am as tight as a spring in my comfortable leather seat, clutching the bottle of water given to me.

Five minutes in, I know there is a good end to this story. They got it. All of them. Actors, producers, director, screenwriter, they all got it. This is the story, and those are the characters. This is the book.

I pull out my phone and start texting, spreading the word, reducing what I’m seeing to words again and sending them out across time and space.

http://www.latimesmagazine.com/2011/03/the-source-michael-connelly.html

Irish Noir - Adrian McKinty's Dead Trilogy

2011-03-08T20:41:00.002-06:00

Let me start off by saying that no trilogy has frustrated me more than Adrian McKinty's Dead Trilogy, regardless of the medium (yes, this even includes the final installment in the Beverly Hills Cop trilogy).

In his debut novel DEAD I WELL MAY BE (2003), McKinty introduces us to Michael Forsythe, a street-smart immigrant from Ireland struggling to make a go of it in New York. Forsythe soon becomes involved with a local crime boss and quickly gets in over his head. McKinty has a knack for tough-guy dialog and prose that puts him on (or near) the front page of modern noir fiction storytellers....

...only to succumb to the underwhelming follow-up THE DEAD YARD (2006). Here we find Forsythe working with the FBI to battle an Irish terrorist cell. The story felt tired from the get-go and never really found its footing. Unlike its predecessor, which pushed the boundaries of the genre, this entry simply fell flat.

The trilogy concluded with THE BLOOMSDAY DEAD (2007). Here we find Forsythe making a quiet life for himself in Peru, only to quickly find himself back on his home turf of Ireland assisting the beautiful Irish mob boss (and former lover), Bridget, locate her missing daughter. An improvement over YARD, but not as strong as the first entry. McKinty definitely shows a sense of place and frequently keeps the reader on their toes as we follow Forsythe into the underbelly of Belfast. No ground is broken telling this tale, but a solid entry and satisfying conclusion.

Overall, the DEAD trilogy comes recommended. The books convey a solid message of revenge, include a protagonist we will follow to the dark end of the street and are told by one of the more prominent noir voices in modern crime fiction today. I have yet to read McKinty's stand-alone books, but will be seeking them out.

Dead I Well May Be: A
The Dead Yard: D
The Bloomsday Dead: B

Killer paperback cover (St. Louis style)

2011-03-03T18:55:00.002-06:00

I was in St. Louis this week on business and was reminded of the 80s TOR paperback cover of John Lutz' Ride the Lightning. Not a bad read either...

Quentin Tarantino's next movie, a Spaghetti Western?

2011-03-01T10:10:00.001-06:00

http://www.reelzchannel.com/movie-news/9384/quentin-tarantino-next-movie-to-be-a-spaghetti-western-starring-christoph-waltz/

All unconfirmed, but this will be epic if true.

Dashiell Hammett's lost works found in Texas

2011-02-19T16:47:00.000-06:00

A cache of unpublished works by famed writer Dashiell Hammett, often seen as the father of hardboiled detective fiction, has been found and is set to be unveiled in America.
read more...

Hardbodies (1984)

2011-02-18T15:34:00.000-06:00

Hardbodies (or, my favorite movie when I was 12)

2011-02-18T15:32:00.004-06:00

If you know what B.B.D. means (Bigger and Better Deal) and know what it means to "dialog" women, chances are you're familiar with this prime example of 80's sleaze at its finest. For purely nostalgic reasons, I decided to watch this 1984 classic last night (for the first time since I likely watched it in my parent's basement at 2am on HBO 3 decades ago) and what a blast it was...

A local beach bum shows 3 clueless men the art of picking up women at a California beach. That's about all one needs to know plot-wise. Plenty of boobs and hilarity ensue. Of curious note, Kane Hodder (famed stunt man and portrayed Jason in several Friday the 13th installments) has a small role and fans of Return of the Living Dead may recognize the song "Partytime", which shows up a couple times throughout the movie.

I continue to be on the lookout for its sequel and close competitor, The Malibu Bikini Shop -- both released two years later in 1986.

Kudos to the Sony Movie Channel for recently airing this in HD.

Hardbodies Collection (1& 2) available on DVD at Amazon

Who says books are dead?

2011-02-14T18:28:00.002-06:00

http://januarymagazine.blogspot.com/2011/02/death-of-book-not-today.html

100 Greatest Posters of Film Noir

2011-02-13T12:15:00.000-06:00

http://wheredangerlives.blogspot.com/search/label/*%20Film%20Noir%20Poster%20Countdown

Most anticipated Nike retro release

2011-02-10T18:46:00.001-06:00

Those that know me, know that I have a soft spot for retro Nike shoes (and have amassed quite a collection). Whether it be Air Jordan (ahem, I - VII only), Air Trainers, Air Max 87, 90, 91 (or 93) or even the Nike Air Tech Challenge (better known as Air Agassi), they just don't make shoes like they used to. Not to mention the fond memories I have of being in junior high and switching shoes for a day with the kid who's mom would shell out the (then outrageous) pricetag of $100 for said pair of shoes. My parents wouldn't go quite so far -- but far enough to get a decent pair of Air Force's.

Anyway, I am writing all of this because Nike will be releasing a retro of what I consider to be my "holy grail". The Nike Air Trainer SCII will be re-released this summer for the first time in 20+ years. The last time I have seen a pair in person, I was in 7th grade I believe. Here's hoping Nike will release all of the OG colorways (fingers crossed).

I am a bit late to the party, as @TheShoeGame first broke the news a few months back. Either way, better late than never.

Congrats Green Bay

2011-02-06T21:51:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to the Green Bay Packers -- winners of Super Bowl XLV. The Lombardi trophy is heading home...

Henry Cavill cast as the new Man of Steel

2011-01-30T19:22:00.001-06:00

Deadline broke news today that British actor Henry Cavill landed the title role in Warner Bros. upcoming Superman reboot. Cavill, a relative unknown, has had some supporting parts in several recent movies (Stardust, Whatever Works) and a TV show (Showtime's The Tudors). I was holding out hope that Armie Hammer (The Social Network) would land the role, but think that Cavill is a decent choice. The next question is who should play Lois Lane?