(January 15, 2025)

“Where Winsome Women Turn Wicked!” is the theme of this year’s Noir City featuring 24 gritty thrillers in the best possible prints, in 35mm when available. All double bills—two movies for the price of one,  “I think it’s important to make note of the problematic content and say things like, ‘Well, yes, the women had to be punished at the end of these movies,’ ” TCM host Alicia Malone told G. Allen Johnson for his excellent SF Chronicle article on the Festival. “But that also doesn’t negate the fact that for most of the film, you get to watch a powerful woman wielding her sexuality, using it as a weapon and drawing in these hapless men and getting to play, for these actresses, unlikable, complex characters. Women were front and center and very important in noir. And even though there was a lot of misogyny, a lot of face slapping and forced kissing, it also really gave them a chance to play these complex characters at a time when women didn’t have power.”

In Meredith Brody’s preview of Noir City 22 at Oakland’s Grand Lake Theatre January 24-February 2, 2025 she discusses the films in the festival she has not seen—or doesn’t remember seeing. We have gathered available posters, photos and trailers for each film–a major search.  After those films are featured here you will find all of the rest of the movies showing below.

Check out the full schedule with showtimes and descriptions here.

Before and between films make sure you go upstairs where books will be for sale and other surprises will take place Doors open at 6pm for the evening shows and noon for weekend matinees.

If you don’t live in the bay area, have no fear. Noir City is coming to many cities. A tour schedule is here.

Take your time and don’t watch too many trailers at a time. There are also a few samples of Muller’s introductions from his Noir Alley on TCM each week. They will give you a great sense of the films as you enjoy the way previews of coming attractions used to me made. If only they would show them at Noir City. Until then, EatDrinkFilms to the rescue.

And I urge you to read the tag lines on many of the posters. It was a different time.

 

No trailer but a special treat as Eddie Muller and Alan K. Rode introduce Mary Ryan, Detective and interview Marsha Hunt in 2012

Part 1

Part 2

There is no trailer we can find but you can look at the pressbook used by theater owners to promote the film.

And here are the rest of the films in the festival.

“ ‘The Narrow Margin’… is charged with very moral nitroglycerine but confers a grace that any sweaty driver of a heavy, slow-moving vehicle might envy.” Francois Truffaut

The only copy of the original trailer for Out of the Past is on IMDB and doesn’t embed. Click here. Excellent print quality.

 

Shown In 3-D!!!

 

A list of every film shown at Noir City 1-21 here.

Curated by Gary Meyer.