NOIRHEADS RULE!
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Femme Fatale Ann Savage knows.
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By ~ PAUL BISHOP
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Femmes know NoirHeads - intimately.
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Noir in books and films has always been a genre unto its own. However, noir becomes like quicksilver when attempting to pin the genre down with a quick description. However, I know noir when I see it or read it, but more precisely, I know noir when I feel it.
Tension, murder, the femme fatale who knows what she wants and just how to get it. Black and white or garish colors with low angled camera shots, or quick incisive sentences filled with language that snaps and bites. Throw in a harrowing sense of unease – the feeling none of this is going to end well – and you are almost there, but not quite.
Noir is more than just a combination of elements. Noir is indefinable because it brings something else to the soirée – a particular style, part padded shoulders, part nyloned gams, part prurient promise, part sordid threat, part gunplay, part bruised knuckles, all mingled together with the sweat of desperation.
On film and in books, noir tears characters apart. Conversely, noir brings together those who appreciate the beauty in the darkness – call us noirheads . . .
Noirheads never miss a chance to hang out together – whether it’s frequenting the darkness of midnight shows of Double Indemnity at the art house theatre, raising elbows during Noir At The Bar sessions, or here, AT THE BIJOU, talking noir and reveling in a well-turned femme fatale ankle, or a stunning story twist striking like a knife in the back.
Here, AT THE BIJOU, I’m delighted to bookend two of my favorite noirheads – Eric Beetner and Anthony Venutolo. These cats know from noir, both in their own fictional meanderings and in writing about the past, present, and future of noir.
The future is particularly dark for these two characters –, hidden as they are behind an imagined veil of cigarette the smoke and seen from a camera angled up from the floor – since I’ve corralled both of them to take a crack at Fight Card, a new series of boxing tales, noir and otherwise, which has just made its e-book debut.
Under the unifying pseudonym Jack Tunney, my entry Felony Fists, and The Cutman from series co-creator Mel Odom, are two-fisted tales inspired by the sports pulps of the ‘30s and ‘40s – noir prime time – such as Fight Stories Magazine, Knockout Magazine, and the Sailor Steve Costigan stories of Robert E. Howard.
The future of Fight Card stories includes Split Decision coming next month from Eric Beetner – reading like the best of the noirish Gold Medal originals – and an entry later next year from Anthony Venutolo. All hard-hitting stuff in which noirheads will revel.
It’s a honor for me to share space with these fellow noirheads, and with all you noirheads Absolutely*Kate has called into her virtual theatre ~ talking noir, living noir, and writing about noir.
Noirheads Rule, Okay!
Noirheads Forever!
How many noirheads does it take
to change a light bulb?
None. We like it here in the dark …
© Author/Showman/LAPD Detective of the Year ~ PAUL BISHOP
Written for NOVEMBER goes NOIR ~ AT THE BIJOU
Written for NOVEMBER goes NOIR ~ AT THE BIJOU
Noir Film photos of Mr Mitchum, Ms Greer and Ms Savage from IMDB star collections;
tableside femme from vi.sualize.us/red
tableside femme from vi.sualize.us/red
Hello again folks and fellow Noirheads. Enjoying our shows and author showcases? There's more in our lineup below.
Our BISH knows his noir, knows his showmanship, knows his talents, knows his craft ~ seeing crime where he finds it, doing something solid about it . . . then telling his own tales. At the trendy BISH'S BEAT, all your yesterdays come home today, in fleeting images remembered, in discoveries you wish next to take. Check it out. There's a gazillion Paul Bishop books to tuck into all the holiday stockings not already enhanced by gorgeous gams. I'm including two of the latest, for a femme fatale must keep up temptatiousness . . . but a plentitude of others lurk there, in Paul's bright shadows. Give 'em a gander will ya? And be ringside for the tomes of The FIGHT CARD SERIES. Everything this Noirhead puts his knucklin' down into is a knock out. nOW AVAILABLE!
CLICK COVER TO PURCHASE VIA AMAZON.COM
~ Absolutely*Kate, fan and friend of Noirheads,
thanking BISH for co-hosting the FISTICUFFS, PALOOKAS and NOIR
duking-it-out portions of our showbill
as NOIRVEMBER decks DECEMBER
into cold cunning Crime Scenes
into cold cunning Crime Scenes
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE, FOLKS.
There's a dashing gang of Our Noir Authors
coming up to intrigue more than shadows off our stage!
SIT DOWN SCHWEETHEART ~
HERE'S LOOKIN' at NOVEMBER going NOIR ... then decking DECEMBER, AT THE BIJOU
OUR NOIR AUTHORS' "JUST DESSERTS" ~
Kevin Michaels ... Graham Smith ... Julie Morrigan
Paul Bishop ... Anthony Venutolo ... Eric Beetner
Every other day that's November . . . decking NOIR NOEL into December
Nigel Bird ... Matt Hilton ... Ian Ayris ... Paul Brazill ...
Steven Miscandlon ... Jeanette Cheezum ... BR Stateham ...
Julian Bramwell Slater ... Sal Buttaci... Kevin J Mackey ...
Helen Howell ... Luca Veste ... Christina Vincent ...
Charlie Wade ... Darren Sant ... Aidan Fritz ...
Lily Childs ... Zelda Martin ... Vic Watson ...
a Rex Pickett surprise ...
AT THE BIJOU'S Harry B Sanderford ... Matthew Magda ...
plus return appearances by our masters of the ceremonious ~
Kevin MadDog Michaels and Absolutely*Kate ...
Why ~ Who knows who's getting into the act? . . .
RAYMOND CHANDLER may be channeled!
ABSOLUTELY*KATE, BOGEY & PALLY PRODUCTIONS
"NOVEMBER GOES NOIR, THEN DECKS DECEMBER AT THE BIJOU"
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| Paul Bishop, crimefighter/author. |
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| Absolutely*Kate, sailing possiblities. |
rather swell Kate.
shut case,
dear Bish.
10 comments:
That BISH is a helluva guy... Thanks for the kind words, pal...
Excited to get Split Decision out there. Thanks for inviting me into the ring.
Fantastic, Bish. Off to buy something with leather gloves.
Smilin' at Nigel being the fit of fashion . . . excited to see Ant and Eric ringside with Bish . . . and lovin' the lightbulb and the noir in the dark joke!
Yes Bish, I'll plug your projects, pizazz and books any new day, with the way you share a love for noir, in all its quicksilver indefinability. Your ability though, seeing "Tension, murder, the femme fatale who knows what she wants and just how to get it ... quick incisive sentences filled with language that snaps and bites ... a harrowing sense of unease ..." truly shines more than a shaky flashlight on noir scenes and sensibilities.
Jazzed am I at such a savvy soirée, to mingle, hang out and revel with the likes of you and your love for lingo, story'rhythm and natch, appreciation of beauty in the darkness. Your generosity of enthused spirit in aiding and abetting our usual suspects of authors on the rise is legendary.
Your mind and big lug heart is a beauty to be a Noirhead with.
Grace o'my thanks you big Palooka for being such an integral part of NOVEMBER goes NOIR ~ AT THE BIJOU. Hold onto your red velvet seat as we deck DECEMBER with NOIR NOEL.
~ Absolutely*Kate
Noirhead and proud of it
Great post, I'm loving Noir at the Bijou and I feel deeply honoured to be among so many great writers.
Ya know, Toots, I'd pay a lot of shekels to see a TV series called, "Bish, Beets and Da Ant." The possibilities, as dey say, would be endless. An' Bish is right. It's always better in de dark . . . right?
Nice summation Paul and a perfect ending for another epic Noirvember At The Bijou. Congrats A*K and applause for all contributors!
Hurrah for HARRY, heralding the punch of Noirheads.
FOLKS ... We've grown right through the calendar ~ ~ Check out our hot coming attractions for your cold clear crime nights . . . as ~
AT THE BIJOU Decks DECEMBER with NOIR NOEL! (The hits just keep comin')
~ Absolutely*Kate, adjusting kleigs and spots ...
HELEN ~ Lookin' so forward to you earning the star on your door when ~
AT THE BIJOU Decks DECEMBER with NOIR NOEL! (The hits just keep comin')
Avid AJ ~ If Bish can "Take the Money & Run" so effectively on TV, he and editor Eric should certainly be able to pull off such a show that Ant could then review! Good sheklin', I'd say!
~ Absolutely*Kate, psyched for our next acts ... as ...
AT THE BIJOU Decks DECEMBER with NOIR NOEL! (The hits just keep comin')
Terrific post about Noir - I love the idea that it's a feeling rather than just a collection of words and scenes and characters.
As with all good writing, it's the sense of the place, the time, the situation that reaches the reader. And noir done well - well, what can I say that you ain't already heard?
Noir, here at the Bijou - is how it's done.
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