tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post4535227118635280035..comments2023-10-26T04:53:55.401-05:00Comments on Literary Musings: The Postman Always Rings Twice by James CainBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10780185535345559390noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-45400859524747859122012-02-26T12:51:24.263-06:002012-02-26T12:51:24.263-06:00Thanks for answering my question. I think I will r...Thanks for answering my question. I think I will read Heath's history of noir when I've got an hour to spare. It's such an interesting genre.Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780185535345559390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-53846848913373977212012-02-26T12:49:39.179-06:002012-02-26T12:49:39.179-06:00Well Heath and Ben both said great things about Do...Well Heath and Ben both said great things about Double Indemnity so I'd be interested to hear you thoughts on that one!Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780185535345559390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-13664471352997083752012-02-26T11:46:20.067-06:002012-02-26T11:46:20.067-06:00I picked Double Indemnity. I'm pretty sure I l...I picked Double Indemnity. I'm pretty sure I literally tossed a coin to pick what book to pick for the noir classic category. We'll see which one I go withRedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16456600806188531803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-76665789995521580342012-02-25T14:05:21.792-06:002012-02-25T14:05:21.792-06:00Sounds like it!Sounds like it!Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780185535345559390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-11276109359350482772012-02-25T14:05:07.103-06:002012-02-25T14:05:07.103-06:00I didn't know what to expect, so I was pleasan...I didn't know what to expect, so I was pleasantly surprised that I got into it.Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780185535345559390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-40904388983309373732012-02-25T14:04:35.653-06:002012-02-25T14:04:35.653-06:00I'm still pretty new to the noir genre but you...I'm still pretty new to the noir genre but you're definitely right, it's quite different from the crime writing out there today. Or at least the mainstream stuff.Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780185535345559390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-15067020935991329862012-02-25T14:03:40.724-06:002012-02-25T14:03:40.724-06:00What are you reading for your noir classic?What are you reading for your noir classic?Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780185535345559390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-11780343358162782332012-02-25T09:16:29.326-06:002012-02-25T09:16:29.326-06:00I read this a few years ago and so had put Cain...I read this a few years ago and so had put Cain's Mildred Pierce on my reading list for the Smooth Criminals challenge. Hmm...maybe I should change that to Double Indemnity?Debbie Rodgershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15630059470408161434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-6057947317010659182012-02-24T19:17:24.819-06:002012-02-24T19:17:24.819-06:00I read this for the Smooth Criminals challenge as ...I read this for the Smooth Criminals challenge as well. To be honest, I was expecting something completely cheesy, but I was surprised by how smart and snappy the prose was. And that Cora gal...Darlyn (Your Move, Dickens)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00979296421309409564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-46256842123809893002012-02-24T16:33:50.532-06:002012-02-24T16:33:50.532-06:00I tend to like the older stuff like this better th...I tend to like the older stuff like this better than some of the new in your face mystery/detective stuff bc in order to not cross the accepted line since the authors were concerned with readers reading and buying their books, they had to write better in some cases...they couldn't depend on the kind of shocking, glorified sex, language, and violence that some authors do today. I think I have this one on my shelf somewhere...Peppermint Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02839146118641977559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-71452908213444525342012-02-24T15:07:09.468-06:002012-02-24T15:07:09.468-06:00Basically, the original noir was a story with no h...Basically, the original noir was a story with no heroes. Only bad guys, people neck deep in problems they have started themselves. <br /><br />It's still somewhat right, but it's a lot more personal now. Like Anthony Neil Smith said, sometimes it's on the verge of psychological horror. It's about the emotional and psychological toll of taking bad life decisions (that mostly have to do with crime). It's a world where there's no redemption.<br /><br />On and Heath's history of hardboiled/noir is great. Takes about an hour to read. I can't recommend it enough.Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11483490020980574428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-352999255349541072012-02-24T14:11:33.147-06:002012-02-24T14:11:33.147-06:00I'm almost thinking I should switch out one of...I'm almost thinking I should switch out one of my Smooth Criminal books for this one cos this sounds interesting. Although I'm sad there is no explanation for that title. I'd rather a stupid reason or a pretentious reason than no reason.Redhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16456600806188531803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-63798008675545853782012-02-24T12:50:42.442-06:002012-02-24T12:50:42.442-06:00Yeah that definitely doesn't happen in the boo...Yeah that definitely doesn't happen in the book. Maybe besides that the ending is the same. I don't know I haven't seen the movie. Which version did you watch?Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780185535345559390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-88079320576607646222012-02-24T12:49:12.778-06:002012-02-24T12:49:12.778-06:00I just watched this movie and they explain the tit...I just watched this movie and they explain the title at the end. I'm assuming the movie and book have the same ending, but I haven't read it. The main character said the postman always rings twice if he doesn't get you the first time (in his case, he's not caught the first time and so the "postman" rang twice). I'll have to read this one. As far as great noir movies, I love Double Indemnity and Maltese Falcone.Melissa (Avid Reader)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02119628715475021774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-75836877780128570562012-02-24T12:46:40.548-06:002012-02-24T12:46:40.548-06:00Heath that is so helpful! Thanks for the links. :)...Heath that is so helpful! Thanks for the links. :)Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780185535345559390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-88621359688556062752012-02-24T11:52:49.003-06:002012-02-24T11:52:49.003-06:00I know you weren't asking me, Brenna, but I...I know you weren't asking me, Brenna, but I'm piping in anyway... ha. Here's a link to my all time favorite film noirs: http://psychonoir.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-favorite-films-noir.html<br /><br />And if you're interested in the history of the genre in print, I wrote this thingie: https://sites.google.com/site/noirfictionguide/<br /><br />I always get excited when someone is first discovering this amazing world of underground literature and film... so forgive my enthusiasm.Heath Lowrancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07009721666729276126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-34842727857253112112012-02-24T11:40:32.606-06:002012-02-24T11:40:32.606-06:00I'd be interested to watch some noir films. If...I'd be interested to watch some noir films. If I have, I've done it without realizing they are noir. What was one of your favorites?Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780185535345559390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-48865795486947110972012-02-24T11:39:55.723-06:002012-02-24T11:39:55.723-06:00What was the genre's original meaning?What was the genre's original meaning?Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780185535345559390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-37933302642227836062012-02-24T11:38:33.016-06:002012-02-24T11:38:33.016-06:00Thanks for the recommendation! I'm also intere...Thanks for the recommendation! I'm also interested in Mildred Pierce.Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780185535345559390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-16255966678510176062012-02-24T11:23:31.336-06:002012-02-24T11:23:31.336-06:00I haven't read this, but I'm a huge fan of...I haven't read this, but I'm a huge fan of noir film and have watched so much of it. A couple years ago, I lined up my Netflix queue with every noir film I could. I referenced a list I found but cannot find the link to. This is a great flick, though it's not my favorite.<br /><br />Double Indemnity is great, and anything by Hammett or Chandler is great in my book.picky girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11143098785493457762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-18942905153000558432012-02-24T10:42:04.326-06:002012-02-24T10:42:04.326-06:00Heath's right. I love DOUBLE INDEMNITY. I'...Heath's right. I love DOUBLE INDEMNITY. I'm glad you liked Cain. He's the starting point of noir. It's a classic, but the genre has evolved a lot since then and drifted from its original meaning. But all for the best.Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11483490020980574428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331403748871569013.post-80346735765796354272012-02-24T10:37:32.521-06:002012-02-24T10:37:32.521-06:00Great book. You could argue that it's the temp...Great book. You could argue that it's the template of noir, since it has all the hallmarks of the genre-- sex, deceit, murder... all doomed from the get-go. If you ever get the chance, check out his DOUBLE INDEMNITY also. Same themes, and equally compelling.Heath Lowrancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07009721666729276126noreply@blogger.com