Serie Noir is a 1979 Jim Thompson adaptation. Blending 1970s French cinema dramatic longing with American crime fiction leanings makes for an interesting film. I’m pleased to see Film Movement Classics brings something this terrific to America. But, is it the best Thompson adaptation? Not exactly.
Jim Thompson crime fiction has a weird cinematic history. The last big release was Winterbottom’s take on The Killer Inside Me. Beyond that, you have a litany of American films that dip a toe in and out of his work. But, what does that mean for a larger world cinema without any direct ties to the American nature of these stories?
The Serie Noir Blu-ray comes with a featurette, interview and a new essay as the special features. I like these Film Movement Blu-rays, but I can see where people might want more. Honestly, I’ll take ideal A/V Quality and a few supplementals any day of the week.
