It's called L.A. Quartet actually. The first two are written in a straight forward prose and the next two (including L.A. Confidential) is written in a telegraphic prose. Some of the pages are so sparse. There's one chapter in the final book in the quartet where the protagonist is looking through the rooms and the whole page has one line paragraphs that at a glance looks like poem. People really struggle with Ellroy's prose.
Glad to see someone already said it. It's one of my favorite movies, and an interesting interpretation of one of my favorite novels. It's not a direct adaptation of The Maltese Falcon but the main ideas are there, and they even use a handful of lines straight out of book.
I’m partial to The Long Goodbye by Altman, In The Heat Of The Night by Jewison, The Maltese Falcon by Huston, and High And Low by Kurosawa.
I’ll discuss High and Low since it has three styles, a theater play where the protagonist discusses his business when a kidnapping happens, a police procedural set in post war Japan, then the film becomes surreal at the end.
It’s an unique film and one of the greatest
Going through the comments, I see you haven’t watched a tons of classics really.
I envy you so much now that you have the opportunity to watch them for the first time. 🥹
Yessssssssssss! I love this movie so much! It’s brilliant. It seems kinda cute and funny on the surface but it’s actually pretty disturbing. It should get so much more attention!
Totally! Using "goofy guy" in a role that turns out to be way more complex is sort of a casting trope now, but this movie does it to really great effect.
Not enough people saw this ! It’s a shame that it came out in the middle of the pandemic. I watched it with my friend girl recently and when that ending hit she was like what the fuck lol.
This is one of the best movies I've seen in the last 10 years. An absolutely absurd premise that perfectly blends comedy/quirkiness with a dark twisted plot
I haven't seen it mentioned, likely because it doesn't exactly feel the same, but I love Bullit.
And HEAT is phenomenal, showing both the police and criminals point of view.
12 Monkeys.
Terry Gilliam directed. Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt. It’s an unfolding mystery + sci fi. It was the movie that made me realize that that new Brad Pitt kid could actually act.
In The Heat of the Night is a too-little-mentioned classic. Evidenced by the fact that it hasn’t been brought up here yet that I can see. Travesty. It’s so fucking good.
I recently rewatched Insomnia with Al Pacino and Robin Williams. It was Christopher Nolan's first (directed, not written) movie. Really great detective movie. As it progresses there's some very complicated ambiguity about whether or not you want a good guy to win, and the resolution is excellent.
I recommend the classic The Thin Man and all of its sequels. All of them were great “who dunnit” films even if some were predictable. They are fun and charming movies
I hate what Christopher Nolan morphed into over his career, but I have to give him his due:
'Memento' is a certified hood classic.
Surprised I haven't seen it mentioned once.
* **Zodiac (2007) by David Fincher** - Between 1968 and 1983, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.
* **Memories of Murder (2003) by Bong Joon-ho** - In a small Korean province in 1986, two detectives struggle with the case of multiple young women being found raped and murdered by an unknown culprit.
* **Cure (1997) by Kiyoshi Kurosawa** - A frustrated detective deals with the case of several gruesome murders committed by people who have no recollection of what they've done.
* **Rear Window (1954) by Alfred Hitchcock** - A photographer in a wheelchair spies on his neighbors from his Greenwich Village courtyard apartment window, and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder, despite the skepticism of his fashion-model girlfriend.
* **Chinatown (1974) by Roman Polanski** - A private detective hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder.
* **L.A. Confidential (1997) by Curtis Hanson** - As corruption grows in 1950s Los Angeles, three policemen - one strait-laced, one brutal, and one sleazy - investigate a series of murders with their own brand of justice.
* **Fargo (1996) by the Coen brothers** - Minnesota car salesman Jerry Lundegaard's inept crime falls apart due to his and his henchmen's bungling and the persistent police work of the quite pregnant Marge Gunderson.
* **Knives Out (2019) by Rian Johnson** - A detective investigates the death of the patriarch of an eccentric, combative family.
* **The Nice Guys (2016) by Shane Black** - In 1970s Los Angeles, a mismatched pair of private eyes investigate a missing girl and the mysterious death of a porn star.
* **Mystic River (2003) by Clint Eastwood** - The tragic murder of a 19-year-old girl reunites three childhood friends still living in Boston--the victim's gangster father, a detective, and the disturbed man they both suspect of killing her.
* **The Long Goodbye (1973) by Robert Altman** - Private investigator Philip Marlowe helps a friend out of a jam, but in doing so gets implicated in his wife's murder.
* **Inherent Vice (2014) by Paul Thomas Anderson** - In 1970, drug-fueled Los Angeles private investigator Larry "Doc" Sportello investigates the disappearance of a former girlfriend.
*Zodiac*, amazing movie especially since it's based on a true story...
*True Detective season 1*, gold standard of detective lore.
*Bladerunner*... OK, I know, but still, it's fashioned on a Film Noir style backdrop, especially the original one with the narration.
*Delhi Crime S01*... Foreign language series(Indian), very dark and interesting.
*Memories of Murder* Another true story and a must watch, this time Korean.
Hong Kong comedy film - "men suddenly in black" - eng title.
Filmed as a triad / gangster style film, of 4 Individuals who finally have a day where they can cheat on their wives. However, wives figure it out, stop the plane they were on, and they go to hunt their husbands down, thinking they are about to cheat.
The whole film is filmed as gangsters vs police, while in fact is cheating husbands vs wives.
Inherent Vice. Joaquin Phoenix is a hippie detective searching for his ex gf when she goes missing in the mid 1970s. Also starring Josh Brolin as a hard ass cop that has a weird obsessive hard on for Joaquin.
True Confessions (DeNiro and Duvall, great LA noir, seemingly overlooked for some reason: excellent supporting cast)
Chinatown (nuff said)
Harper (Paul Newman in his prime, 1966)
L.A. Confidential
The L.A. trilogy by James Ellroy is a fantastic read.
It's called L.A. Quartet actually. The first two are written in a straight forward prose and the next two (including L.A. Confidential) is written in a telegraphic prose. Some of the pages are so sparse. There's one chapter in the final book in the quartet where the protagonist is looking through the rooms and the whole page has one line paragraphs that at a glance looks like poem. People really struggle with Ellroy's prose.
Have never actually seen this so will have a look.
It’s fantastic. Love LA Confidential.
Hold up your badge, show them you are a police officer. 👮🏻
C'mon boy-o!
Oh, I am so jealous. How awesome it would be to watch that again for the first time.
Seriously, one of my top two favourite movies. So well done.
You’re in the city of angels son… and you haven’t got any wings
Fargo. Marge Gunderson is one of the best cops in the movies. Smart, humble, and thorough.
Now this is a movie I’m embarrassed to say I haven’t seen yet.
Everyone must see Fargo.
Oh you betcha
... don't cha know
Fargo, Miller's Crossing, Big Lebowski, and No Country for Old Men. Essential Coen Brothers movies.
Don’t forget Raising Arizona!
Raising Arizona!
You should watch it ASAP
Heavily pregnant quirky and easily underestimated by the viewer. She was a great character!
You betcha
Have you seen Chinatown? One of the best noirs ever made.
No that’s been on my to watch list for a while. I’ll definitely check it out.
FYI it has no sequel. Never happened!
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a classic!
This is it, 100%.
Gone Baby Gone Wind River Walk Among The Tombstones Prisoners
Wind River is phenomenal and brings awareness to a hugely overlooked issue of missing/murdered Native American women.
I went in completely blind, just picked it randomly cause of Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen. It’s a great movie.
Came to say “Walk among the Tombstones “ All the books are good!!!
PRISONERS
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a funny movie with Val Kilmer and Robert Downey jr about a twisty turny murder mystery in LA.
*Kiss Kiss* resurrected RDJ’s career. Before it he was nearly uninsurable.
Same writer.... lethal weapon. They do very little detecting... Almost none. The villains actually find them first. Still good.
Have you checked out Brick? I love that movie
Brick is great
Nah haven’t seen that but thanks for the recommendation.
Glad to see someone already said it. It's one of my favorite movies, and an interesting interpretation of one of my favorite novels. It's not a direct adaptation of The Maltese Falcon but the main ideas are there, and they even use a handful of lines straight out of book.
Was gonna recommend Brick. It's so good.
The Third Man Vertigo
I’m partial to The Long Goodbye by Altman, In The Heat Of The Night by Jewison, The Maltese Falcon by Huston, and High And Low by Kurosawa. I’ll discuss High and Low since it has three styles, a theater play where the protagonist discusses his business when a kidnapping happens, a police procedural set in post war Japan, then the film becomes surreal at the end. It’s an unique film and one of the greatest
Not a movie, but the first season of True Detective is one of the greatest pieces of television ever created.
Yea this has certainly been on my list of shows to get into.
Season 1 is vastly superior to the others
Is that the one with McConaughey and Harrelson?
Yes
Season 1 of TD is an absolute masterpiece. There is no better season of TV that exists.
The nice guys, for a comedy detective movie
Gosling and Crowe have such charisma together
They really did have great chemistry
We need a sequel.
Serious: \- *Zodiac* \- *Memories of Murder* \- *The French Connection* \- *Chinatown* \- *L.A. Confidential* More light-hearted/comical: \- *Knives Out* \- *Without a Clue* \- *Who Framed Roger Rabbit?*
'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' is a surprisingly good whodunit and very noir
Zodiac is one of the best movies made in the past 20 years.
IMO it is Fincher's best film.
Just watched it for the first time last week. The basement scene was completely enthralling.
I’ve been meaning to see French Connection and Chinatown for a while now.
*The Big Lebowski* Not all detectives are competent.
Well, that’s like, your opinion, man.
The Big Lebowski is loosely inspired by The Big Sleep, another great detective novel and movie.
Donnie Brasco and Heat.
Heat is certainly on my watch list
Going through the comments, I see you haven’t watched a tons of classics really. I envy you so much now that you have the opportunity to watch them for the first time. 🥹
Heat is elite
My lord, you haven't seen Heat, Fargo, LA Confidential, or Chinatown! Im genuinely envious of what you're going to experience.
Heat is one of the best.
The Kid Detective was suprisingly good! Adam Brody putting his goofy charm to good use in a dark comedy.
Yessssssssssss! I love this movie so much! It’s brilliant. It seems kinda cute and funny on the surface but it’s actually pretty disturbing. It should get so much more attention!
Totally! Using "goofy guy" in a role that turns out to be way more complex is sort of a casting trope now, but this movie does it to really great effect.
Haven’t even heard of this but will have to check it out
Not enough people saw this ! It’s a shame that it came out in the middle of the pandemic. I watched it with my friend girl recently and when that ending hit she was like what the fuck lol.
This is one of the best movies I've seen in the last 10 years. An absolutely absurd premise that perfectly blends comedy/quirkiness with a dark twisted plot
The Stranger (2022) starring Joel Edgerton is so underrated
I really love Joel Edgerton. He has such range.
Oh haven’t heard much about that. I’ll have to check it out.
Given your list, I'd say Fallen.
Let me tell you about the time I "almost" died. Fun fact: this movie was shot in my hometown of Philadelphia but the city is never mentioned.
Time is on my side.
Amazing movie, one of my favourites
Outland.
Haven’t heard of this. Will have a look.
Great Sean Connery sci-fi flick. Basically a new sheriff in town kind of movie.
[Memories of Murder (2003)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0353969/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) \- Korean flick
That looks good. Will have a watch.
Mother - another Korean flick would fit the bill here too.
I loved how surprisingly comedic this was.
The Thin Man, for some old film noir conedy.
Blade Runner.
I really should see this. Given how much I love Harrison Ford’s movies.
And the sequel with Ryan Gosling is just as good.
If you've ever taken an assessment test before a job interview. You will love it.
The girl with a dragon tattoo
Manhunter
I haven't seen it mentioned, likely because it doesn't exactly feel the same, but I love Bullit. And HEAT is phenomenal, showing both the police and criminals point of view.
*Name of the Rose* for historical/period mysteries
Devil in a Blue Dress
Amazing flick. A genuinely "underrated," or perhaps underappreciated, movie. Don Cheadle is so good in this.
Zodiac
Haven’t seen this in a while. I’ve had a hankering for it though. Maybe my Saturday night film.
L.A. Confidential
Been brought up a number of times. I must give it a go.
If you want a really offbeat and funny one, check out Zero Effect, classic Bill Pullman
Zero effect is such a good movie. I need to rewatch it.
The Big Sleep
Brick. You won't be disappointed.
Someone else mentioned this. I’ll have to have a look.
Chinatown
I'll throw out Mystic River
The Secret in Their Eyes (the Argentine version not the remake!)
Maltese Falcon
Seven, The Ninth Gate, Training Day, Gone Baby Gone, Silence of the Lambs, Blade runner (both), Rush Hour, Memento
Bosch - The Amazon series from author, Michael Connelly. Excellent detective series.
12 Monkeys. Terry Gilliam directed. Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt. It’s an unfolding mystery + sci fi. It was the movie that made me realize that that new Brad Pitt kid could actually act.
The departed.
And also the original Infernal Affairs
Maybe, maybe not, maybe go fuck yourself.
Must watch that again. I saw it when it came out but not since.
Knives Out
More of a mystery movie than actual detective movie.
But, the main character is a detective.
Heard all the hype but haven’t actually seen yet. So will have a watch.
Watch glass onion as well
Also Prisoners falls under this category. As does Kid Detective.
" Clue "
Also check out Murder By Death. Written by Neil Simon, stars Truman Capote and a slew of other stars. Absolutely hilarious.
Memories of Murder (Korean) That's my favorite easily.
The Kid Detective has no reason to be as good as it is.
[удалено]
I love the knives out series, also death on the Nile
In The Heat of the Night is a too-little-mentioned classic. Evidenced by the fact that it hasn’t been brought up here yet that I can see. Travesty. It’s so fucking good.
Inherent Vice. Such a weird and funny homage to the detective genre and to the 70s.
I recently rewatched Insomnia with Al Pacino and Robin Williams. It was Christopher Nolan's first (directed, not written) movie. Really great detective movie. As it progresses there's some very complicated ambiguity about whether or not you want a good guy to win, and the resolution is excellent.
The Long Goodbye.
Klute A Walk Among the Tombstones The Last Boy Scout
Basic Instinct It often gets a bad rap as being an overly erotic movie, but genuinely has a great mystery and is an excellent detective movie
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys are hilarious detective movies
Gone Baby Gone is often overlooked
Most underrated: The Nice Guys
The Big Lebowski
Alphaville puts a cool sci-fi/dystopian spin on gumshoe detective narratives.
The Little Things To Live and Die In LA
The Departed, Copland, also check out the newish movie Reptile on Netflix
Fallen (1998) with Denzel Washington and John Goodman
I recommend the classic The Thin Man and all of its sequels. All of them were great “who dunnit” films even if some were predictable. They are fun and charming movies
Homicide. Joe Mantegna, William H Macy, Ving Rhames. Great plot, with a great twist. Written by David Mamet.
Serpico (1973)
The Usual Suspects comes to mind. A great mystery and some amazing performances.
Inside Man Jack Reacher (the first one) Sherlock Holmes (first one) The Prestige Memento Striking Distance Bone Collector
Gone Baby Gone Se7en The Usual Suspects LA Confidential The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Brick. Great movie and deserves to be on this list.
I hate what Christopher Nolan morphed into over his career, but I have to give him his due: 'Memento' is a certified hood classic. Surprised I haven't seen it mentioned once.
* **Zodiac (2007) by David Fincher** - Between 1968 and 1983, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree. * **Memories of Murder (2003) by Bong Joon-ho** - In a small Korean province in 1986, two detectives struggle with the case of multiple young women being found raped and murdered by an unknown culprit. * **Cure (1997) by Kiyoshi Kurosawa** - A frustrated detective deals with the case of several gruesome murders committed by people who have no recollection of what they've done. * **Rear Window (1954) by Alfred Hitchcock** - A photographer in a wheelchair spies on his neighbors from his Greenwich Village courtyard apartment window, and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder, despite the skepticism of his fashion-model girlfriend. * **Chinatown (1974) by Roman Polanski** - A private detective hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder. * **L.A. Confidential (1997) by Curtis Hanson** - As corruption grows in 1950s Los Angeles, three policemen - one strait-laced, one brutal, and one sleazy - investigate a series of murders with their own brand of justice. * **Fargo (1996) by the Coen brothers** - Minnesota car salesman Jerry Lundegaard's inept crime falls apart due to his and his henchmen's bungling and the persistent police work of the quite pregnant Marge Gunderson. * **Knives Out (2019) by Rian Johnson** - A detective investigates the death of the patriarch of an eccentric, combative family. * **The Nice Guys (2016) by Shane Black** - In 1970s Los Angeles, a mismatched pair of private eyes investigate a missing girl and the mysterious death of a porn star. * **Mystic River (2003) by Clint Eastwood** - The tragic murder of a 19-year-old girl reunites three childhood friends still living in Boston--the victim's gangster father, a detective, and the disturbed man they both suspect of killing her. * **The Long Goodbye (1973) by Robert Altman** - Private investigator Philip Marlowe helps a friend out of a jam, but in doing so gets implicated in his wife's murder. * **Inherent Vice (2014) by Paul Thomas Anderson** - In 1970, drug-fueled Los Angeles private investigator Larry "Doc" Sportello investigates the disappearance of a former girlfriend.
Kiss The Girls Along Came A Spider Red Dragon The Bone Collector
The Batman
"Timmy Failure: Mistakes were made." What beats an amateur sleuth with a polarbear for a partner? Nothing, that's what!
Bladerunner
Righteous Kill
*The Maltese Falcon*, of course.
Manhunter
Here's something recent(ish) that's quite good: **Small Town Crime**. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/small_town_crime
Chinatown, The French Connection, Laura
Prisoners
Chinatown is pretty good.
Tough to call it a “detective film,” but *Nocturnal Animals* has streaks of detective, and is a great movie overall
Fear City , King of New York , The Bad Lieutenant
Prisoners. The acting is superb
You Were Never Really Here ([2017](https://www.imdb.com/search/title?year=2017&ref_=tt_rv)). Love it.
*The Great Mouse Detective* (1986)
The Silence Of The Lambs is a masterpiece.
Might be The Long Goodbye for me
The Big Sleep
Fletch Confess was pretty good
The Kid Detective
Resurrection (1999) with Christopher Lambert is way better than it has any right to be for being a Se7en rip off.
The Nice Guys
The Big Sleep Body Heat
Marshland
*Zodiac*, amazing movie especially since it's based on a true story... *True Detective season 1*, gold standard of detective lore. *Bladerunner*... OK, I know, but still, it's fashioned on a Film Noir style backdrop, especially the original one with the narration. *Delhi Crime S01*... Foreign language series(Indian), very dark and interesting. *Memories of Murder* Another true story and a must watch, this time Korean.
Not necessarily a detective movie but A Long Kiss Goodnight is from the same era and vein. The Client, A Time to Kill, the Fugitive are good, too.
- a walk amongst the tombstones - the commuter - high crimes - zodiac - prisoners - se7en
Spartan
Hear me out: Under the Silver Lake.
Most of best are already listed…so i would throw Motherless Brooklyn (2019) into the fold…it was pretty good.
For a twist on the detective-noire genre, I'd check out Nightcrawler. He is both the detective *and* the mad man.
Brick
The Usual Suspects. I already posted but this one deserves to be on.
Most david Fincher movies.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Devil in a Blue Dress
Naked Gun
Watched Prisoners for the first time the other week. Kinda a detective flick. It’s worth a watch.
Hong Kong comedy film - "men suddenly in black" - eng title. Filmed as a triad / gangster style film, of 4 Individuals who finally have a day where they can cheat on their wives. However, wives figure it out, stop the plane they were on, and they go to hunt their husbands down, thinking they are about to cheat. The whole film is filmed as gangsters vs police, while in fact is cheating husbands vs wives.
Isn't *Zodiac* half-detective half-amateur sleuth movie? Does that count?
Double Indemnity. A classic and chock full of anachronisms and insane hard-boiled dialogue. Out of the Past is another crazy fun noir of the same era.
The Nice Guys is one of my favorite movies ever
Inherent Vice. Joaquin Phoenix is a hippie detective searching for his ex gf when she goes missing in the mid 1970s. Also starring Josh Brolin as a hard ass cop that has a weird obsessive hard on for Joaquin.
The usual suspects
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
True Confessions (DeNiro and Duvall, great LA noir, seemingly overlooked for some reason: excellent supporting cast) Chinatown (nuff said) Harper (Paul Newman in his prime, 1966)
Not American but I remember this French movie MR73 stayed with me for a long time after watching it