Film noir’s peak coincided with the Golden Age of Hollywood, living on long after Hollywood’s dream run ended. Like with most genres, time diluted film noir into different genres, with Neo-noir being one of them.
Beyond theBlade RunnersandChinatownsof the world, there’s a plethora of unearthed gems that have been massively overshadowed by the flag bearers of the genre, which are rewarding in their own regard when rediscovered. So, if you’re in the mood to slip into the deep and dark world of film noir, but are a little bored with the usual genre staples, here are 10 underrated Neo-noir films that might be worth your while.
10Red Rock West (1993)
Centering around a classic case of mistaken identity and the chaos it causes, John Dahl’s second feature went straight to cable TV on the back of a few weak test screenings. Dahl’s film had a bit of a resurgence with well-received festival outings along with a limited theatrical run, culminating into the filmeventually finding an audience, but nowhere near the recognition it deserves.
9Insomnia (1997)
Most people often associateInsomniawith Christopher Nolan’s 2002 cult classic film, without realizing that it’s a remake of Erik Skjoldjaerg’s Norwegian masterpiece.
Serving as a noir case study in atmospheric tension, Skjoldbjaerg swaps in the darkness associated with the noir genre for a perpetually eerie daylight setting, which seemingly tends to get worse the longer detective Engström (Stellan Skarsgård) goes sleepless… As Engström tries to solve the brutal murder of a 17-year-old, he comes up with a plan to lure out the killer before it backfires horribly, leaving him and his secret exposed for the world to see.
Related:25 Greatest Scandinavian Movies of All Time
8The Nickel Ride (1974)
Fresh from the success ofThe Exorcist,Jason Miller stepped intoThe Nickel Rideas Cooper, a mid-tier operative in the LA crime scene. Handling several warehouses for the mob, Cooper soon finds himself armed with theins and outs of the mafia, a perk that sees him go from hunter to hunted.
Shot by legendary cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth(Blade Runner, Altered States), The Nickel Rideis a classic underrated Neo-noir film that brilliantly captures the interplay between darkness and shadows supplemented with a slow burning script and a somber, leading man’s performance from Miller.
7The Laughing Policeman (1973)
Based on crime-writing duo Per Wahlöö and Max Sjöwall’s’s novel of the same name,The Laughing Policemanfollows a left-wing police detective, Jake, that gets caught up in a series of life-threatening events while solving a massacre of eight passengers on a late-night bus. A crossbreed between a thriller and a noir procedural,The Laughing Policemanhas a dark underbelly that’s constantly brimming with an eerie sense of terror.
6After Dark, My Sweet (1990)
James Foley’s Neo-noir film perfectly encapsulates the tropes of the genre without it being overly gimmicky. Foley’s film uses Neo-noir as a framework to then weave in more sensitive and existential themes, as it depicts the connection of three desperadoes who attempt to kidnap a wealthy child with the hopes of turning their lives around.
After Dark, My Sweetoozes seduction as it visually renders Jim Thompson’s pulpy classic into a sensory experience, with Roger Ebert calling it one of thepurest and most uncompromising modern film noir of recent times.
5Affliction (1997)
Like most of Paul Schrader’s best work,Afflictionfits well within the Schrader universe, as it’s bleak, dark, and unnerving. Nothing about the film offers respite or relaxation, from the setting to the performances, with everything pointing towards distress and paranoia.
While borrowing from the world of noir, Schrader’s film is a harrowing portrait of repentanceand familial drama, tapping into nerves of real-life emotional trauma before culminating into two hours of bleak introspection.
Related:Best Paul Schrader Movies, ranked
4Hardcore (1979)
Hardcoreis another Paul Schrader gem on the list. In a 2016 commentary, Schrader dismissed his second feature as long-long and badly written. WhileHardcoreis a bit raw and technically unpolished, Schrader’s vision and talent are there for all to see withHardcoreperfectly encapsulating the ethos of LA’s sexual underworld, leading the viewer on a dark odyssey right into the underbelly of the porn industry.
3The Last Seduction (1994)
Merging the two genres of erotica and noir,The Last Seductionstars Linda Florentino as one of the best femme fatales in modern-day cinema. A classic portrait of a twisted narcissistic woman named Bridget (Linda Florentino), the film revolves around her exploits, as she travels to a small town and manipulates a hapless worker into helping her get rid of her husband.
Related:10 of the Finest Femme Fatale Films You’ll Ever See
2Dark City (1998)
Dark Cityis one of the most underrated movies from the ’90s, mixing the tropes of noir along with elements of science fiction, creating a cocktail of terror and confusion.The world-buildingin Alex Proyas film is outstanding, staging a creepy futuristic scenario which, in today’s current climate, might be all the more relevant and realistic.
1Following (1998)
Followingmarks the debut ofone of the best modern-day filmmakers of our times, Christopher Nolan. Despite being an ultra-low-budget indie debut,Followinghad all the makings and signs of potential, featuring visual traits that are still reflected in Nolan’s recent works.
Largely shot on a shoestring budget of $6000 on Saturdays, withFollowing, Nolan laid emphasis on the humane side of the genre rather than relying on generic tropes.
