January 10, 2001

Classic Film Series spotlights film noir style

Unitarian Fellowship series begins with "Kiss Me Deadly"

By GARRET LEIVA
Herald editor
       Visitors to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship were kept in the dark Friday night, but that's expected when you're watching film black.
      Film noir - the world of hard boiled detectives, foreboding shadows and dangerous women - is the theme for the third season of the Classic Film Series held at the Fellowship on Old Mission Peninsula. The five-week film series began with a two-fisted bang Friday with the screening of the noir classic, "Kiss Me Deadly."
      Presented by Mark Gustafson of Grawn, the Classic Film Series explores the darkness in theme and style of film noir. More than 50 people attended the showing of "Kiss Me Deadly," which included both the original and altered ending. Based on Mickey Spillane's best-seller, "Kiss Me Deadly" - while critically ignored at the time of its release in 1955 - is now considered one of the finest American films of that decade.
      "Kiss Me Deadly" is the first of a five-week series of Friday evening showings. Future films will be "Laura" (1944) on Jan. 12; "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (1946) on Jan. 19; "Body Heat" (1981) on Jan. 26; and "Farewell, My Lovely" (1975) on Feb. 9.
      Before rolling the film, however, Gustafson discussed the history and definition of this American cinema style.
      "Noir means film black. It was a term created by French critics watching American cinema at this time," said Gustafson, a retired English teacher, who started the Classic Film Series three years ago. "It is a reference to the visual effects as well as the themes."
      Gustafson remarked that noir films, popular during 1945-55, contain certain common elements. Most films are set in a claustrophobic city containing cynical men with alienated attitudes. The movies also feature a femme fatale or "disaster" woman, unusual visual effects, frenzied music and perceptive themes.
      Then there is the plot, better known as the bewildering labyrinth.
      In "Kiss Me Deadly," the plot revolves around the exploits of private detective Mike Hammer. When callous thugs beat Hammer senseless and viciously murder the gorgeous blond stranger he's helping, the hard boiled detective retaliates in true noir fashion: hit first and ask questions later. During the course of his investigation, Hammer uncovers a mysterious black container whose deadly contents both solve the murder and trigger an apocalyptic climax.
      "The plot of film noir is always extremely complicated ... I've watched "Kiss Me Deadly" three times and I still don't have any idea what it all means," said Gustafson, who wryly told audience members there would be a test after the film.
      Even if audience members were left scratching their collective heads, the film seemed to strike home.
      "I really enjoyed the movie, it took me back a few years. It really kept you guessing right up until the end," said Jim Gamble of Traverse City.
      Jim Coats was another movie-goer who enjoyed exploring the labyrinth of "Kiss Me Deadly." The Traverse City resident found the original ending especially insightful.
      "To me it had a metaphor about don't mess with things you don't understand," Coats said. "I felt like the director was saying don't mess with atomic energy or things beyond man's understanding of the lasting results."
      In the final scene, the film's femme fatale opens a mysterious box containing uranium-type material. The results of her brash action makes for an explosive movie ending.
      Going beyond mere action and adventure, film noir explored larger issues such as the impending atomic age and women's liberation. The femme fatale character, for instance, reflected the unknown and changing role of women in post-World War II society. Cinematically, the unusual visual effects - dramatic shadows and odd camera angles - greatly influenced the "new wave" of European directors.
      "Film noir was so different in visual technique, especially the camera angles and shadows, it broke a lot of new ground," said Gustafson, who lists "Double Indemnity" and "Sunset Boulevard" among his all-time favorites.
      While four decades later it remains questionable if Mike Hammer escaped "Kiss Me Deadly" unscathed, film noir still lives on.
      "I like the quality of film noir, it seems tied more to the reality of evil in society or in the culture," noted movie-goer, Jim Coats. "It is less like a monster or a bad guy and more like something that is involved with all of us."
      All films begin at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 6726 Center Road, about two miles north of Front Street on Old Mission Peninsula. Admission is free, but the suggested donation for those participating in the discussion and lecture is $3 per session or $10 for the series. For more information, call the Fellowship at 947-3117.