Remake and Homage Noir

Abstract

Remake Noir and Homage Noir offer a spectrum of response within neo-noir. The remake is fairly clear in intent, whereas the homage may be specific or more abstract. Whether remake or homage, it relies on the viewer’s ability to participate in an intertextual discussion. At one end, Farewell, My Lovely (Dick Richards 1975) reworks Raymond Chandler’s novel, and it remakes 1944 version, Murder, My Sweet (Edward Dmytryk). In the middle, Body Heat (Lawrence Kasdan 1981) pays homage to Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder 1944). And at the more abstract end of the spectrum, season one of True Detective (2014), created by Nic Pizzolatto, pays homage to a greater body of classic noir. Remake Noir and Homage Noir demonstrate intertextual post-classical meta-discussions while critiquing historical contexts.

Appendix

Remake Noir and Homage Noir Film List

Note: Most remakes remade a classic noir, but some remake foreign films, themselves homage to classic noir (e.g., Godard’s Breathless [1960]).

Remake Noir (Title of Original the Same Unless Noted)

• Cool Breeze (1972), d. Barry Pollack. Remake of Asphalt Jungle (1950)

• Double Indemnity (1973), d. Jack Smight (TV movie)

• Thieves Like Us (1974), d. Robert Altman. Remake of They Live by Night (1948)

• Farewell, My Lovely (1975), d. Dick Richards (Raymond Chandler adaptation) Remake of Murder, My Sweet (1946) and The Falcon Takes Over (1942). Also Nostalgia Noir

• The Big Sleep (1978), d. Michael Winner

• Body and Soul (1981), d. George Bowers

• The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981), d. Bob Rafelson (James M. Cain adaptation) Also Nostalgia Noir

• I, the Jury (1982), d. Richard T. Heffron. Mickey Spillane novel adaptation

• Breathless (1983), d. Jim McBride

• Against All Odds (1984), d. Taylor Hackford. Remake of Out of the Past (1947)

• No Way Out (1987), d. Roger Donaldson. Remake of The Big Clock (1948)

• Dead of Winter (1987), d. Arthur Penn. Remake of My Name is Julia Ross (1945)

• D.O.A. (1988), d. Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel

• Desperate Hours (1990), d. Michael Cimino

• Narrow Margin (1990), d. Peter Hyams

• A Kiss Before Dying (1991), d. James Dearden

• Night and the City (1992), d. Irwin Winkler

• Detour (1992), d. Wade Williams

• Guncrazy (1993), d. Tamra Davis. Remake of Gun Crazy (1950)

• Point of No Return (1993), d. John Badham. Remake of Luc Besson’s La Femme Nikita (1990)

• The Getaway (1994), d. Roger Donaldson (Jim Thompson novel adaptation)

• Underneath (1995), d. Steven Soderbergh. Remake of Criss-Cross (1949), based on same novel

• Kiss of Death (1995), d. Barbet Schroeder

• The Deep End (2001), d. David Siegel and Scott McGehee. Remake of Max Ophuls’ The Reckless Moment (1949)

• Original Sin (2001), d. Michael Cristofer. Remake of Francois Truffaut’s Mississippi Mermaid (1969)

• The Good Thief (2002), d. Neil Jordan. Remake of Jean-Pierre Melville’s Bob le flambeur (1955)

• Unfaithful (2002), d. Adrian Lyne. Remake of Claude Chabrol’s The Unfaithful Wife (1969)

• Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009), d. Peter Hyams

• The Killer Inside Me (2010), d. Michael Winterbottom

• Mildred Pierce (2011), d. Todd Haynes (HBO miniseries)

Homage Noir

• Blow Out (1981), d. Brian De Palma

• Body Heat (1981), d. Lawrence Kasdan

• Dead Again (1982), d. Kenneth Branagh

• Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982), d. Carl Reiner. Homage-Parody

• Blood Simple (1984), d. Joel Coen

• Black Widow (1987), d. Bob Rafelson

• Johnny Handsome (1989), d. Walter Hill

• Kill Me Again (1989), d. John Dahl

• Revenge (1990), d. Tony Scott

• Twin Peaks (1990–1991), TV series, Mark Frost and David Lynch, creators

• Reservoir Dogs (1992), d. Quentin Tarantino

• True Romance (1993), d. Tony Scott (original screenplay by Quentin Tarantino)

• Pulp Fiction (1994), d. Quentin Tarantino

• Red Rock West (1993), d. John Dahl

• The Last Seduction (1994), d. John Dahl

• The Big Lebowski 1998), d. Joel and Ethan Coen

• Go (1999), d. Doug Liman

• The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001), d. Joel and Ethan Coen. Also Nostalgia Noir

• Brick (2005), d. Rian Johnson

• True Detective, season one (2014), HBO series, Nic Pizzolatto, creator (multiple seasons)

• Fargo, season one (2014), FX series, Noah Hawley, creator (multiple seasons)

• Twin Peaks/Twin Peaks: The Return (2017), Showtime TV series, Mark Frost and David Lynch, creators (Lynch directed all episodes)