Lap steel noir

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 27 Nov 2023 1:39 pm

I've been watching a lot of classic film noir movies lately ...

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 27 Nov 2023 1:57 pm

Andy, I too am deeply immersed in the dark shadows of film noir. Almost every night I curl up with my iPad and delve into the world of 1940s crime, deceit, and murder on the TCM “on demand” website. It’s quite addictive!

Peter Schilske · Post by **Peter Schilske** » 27 Nov 2023 2:54 pm

Than this cat does the right soundtrack for the night...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-_AZTPBaUU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7lCFZPe7cE

and luckily he plays a little Lap Steel....and wears a fine hat.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 27 Nov 2023 3:23 pm

It’s a fascinating genre, Doug. My under the radar noir pick is the film “Detour.”

Peter, nice clip! The lap steel can cover the same sonic territory as the Theramin - used in 50s Sci-fi movies as well as noir films like “Raw Deal.”

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 27 Nov 2023 4:56 pm

Detour….a great B movie! The woman in that is so bad@ss! So many great movies, all in glorious black and white. Double Indemnity is another one of my favs. Love the old cars, and the look of the cities, and some of the dated phrases the characters use.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 27 Nov 2023 5:11 pm

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 28 Nov 2023 10:21 am

One last off-topic recommendation. This Podcast is terrific, with in-depth multi-hour features and if you become a Patron member for as little as $1/month, you get access to a huge library of vintage films of all genres.

The 1948 noir film "Million Dollar Weekend" has great steel content in this scene with Tommy Castro (steel guitar and low-end vocals), George Kainapau (ukulele & falsetto vocals), Benny Kalama (standup bass & falsetto vocals), and Alvin Kaleolani Isaacs (guitar & mid-range vocals).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx7KsRrWaoY

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 28 Nov 2023 12:42 pm

I'm a huge fan of the genre with The Asphalt Jungle and Touch of Evil up there with the best. Some years ago, I bought a DVD of Hell's Half Acre. Its all shot around the seedier parts of Honolulu about 1953. Interesting soundtrack.

Tom Keller · Post by **Tom Keller** » 29 Nov 2023 9:02 am

One of my favorite film noir movies is Double indemnity with Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 29 Nov 2023 10:38 am

Interesting to note that the motion picture Production Code of that era prohibited graphic violence, sex, suicides, or the crooks profiting from their crimes. The code was in effect until the late 60s. After that, crime movies became more realistic!

Bob Shilling · Post by **Bob Shilling** » 29 Nov 2023 10:45 am

"The Third Man" is also considered film noir. Anton Karas' theme music, while an integral part of the movie, stands by itself.

The zither is not, of course, a lap steel, but rather a fretted instrument with a bunch of drone strings, which is played horizontally like a lap steel.

Seems worthy of mention in this thread.

Tony Oresteen · Post by **Tony Oresteen** » 29 Nov 2023 10:58 am

Peter Schilske wrote:Than this cat does the right soundtrack for the night...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-_AZTPBaUU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7lCFZPe7cE

and luckily he plays a little Lap Steel....and wears a fine hat.

Peter,

Thanks for the link. I love the sound. Went to their website and bought all 4 CDs. When they showed a Leica M being loaded in the video, I was hooked. Been using Leicas since 1978. Only shoot B&W now.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 29 Nov 2023 11:13 am

Film makers went to great length to circumvent the production code. The entire genre was a stylized, often cynical, altered view of reality where mood and lighting were just another character.

Besides the great ones mentioned above, some of my top Noir picks include: The Hitch-Hiker, Double Indemnity, The Postman always rings twice, Laura, Leave her to heaven, Brute Force, Asphalt Jungle, Ot of the Past, Deteur, Criss Cross, Raw Deal, Diabolique, The Breaking Point, Notorious, The Lost Weekend, Touch of Evil, Nightmare Alley, Odd Man Out, Where the sidewalk ends, The Blue Dahlia, Murder by Contract, The Dark Corner, Thieves Highway,Key Largo, Panic in the Streets, The 7th Victim, Green is for danger, Fallen Angel, and the Woman in the window.

To keep this discussion in the realm of music, a lot of noir was scored for big studio orchestras but some - like Murder by Contract which uses only guitar - go their own way. And that amazing Zither music from the third man was mentioned above. Jody Carver and Johnny Cucci did a great steel cover of the Third Man Theme on this must-haver LP/CD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXkOauhTnec

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 29 Nov 2023 3:05 pm

Andy, I've seen every movie you mentioned multiple times!

Diabolique is a good example of French New Wave, having themes that would never have passed the censors in the US. Love that scene where the corpse comes alive in the bathtub and the woman seeing that has a heart attack and dies. Lovely stuff

Peter Schilske · Post by **Peter Schilske** » 29 Nov 2023 3:06 pm

To add one more movie to Andys list of recommended Noir movies...

One of my favourites "Odds Against Tomorrow" by Robert Wise
starring Harry Belafonte, Robert Ryan and Ed Begley

And of course it is music related...The film score was composed, arranged and conducted by John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet.

I guess some tunes of Mike Neers "Steelonious" would also work very well in this kind of movies.

And there is this cool version of "Peter Gunn" from Doug...

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 29 Nov 2023 3:17 pm

Yes, "Odds Against Tomorrow" had an interesting soundtrack: vibes, bass, drums, piano. A cool mid-50s jazz sound.

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 29 Nov 2023 10:31 pm

Here's the titles for Hell's Half Acre with such luminaries as Jack Pitman and Don the Beachcomber. The story is not nearly so sunny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTVJA6rviII

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 30 Nov 2023 4:16 am

"Murder by Contract" has an all-guitar score obviously influenced by the music from The Third Man. It was written by Perry Botkin who had a long career in the LA studios as a guitarist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ey3sMd83RA

He also played banjo. Not sure if he also played steel. Botkin played those warm, melodic electric guitar fills on the Beverly Hillbillies TV show.

Doug: impressive! You're clearly true noir fan. I bet you could do a great noir steel track.

My Clinesmith with Film Noir lighting.

Chuck S. Lettes · Post by **Chuck S. Lettes** » 30 Nov 2023 8:52 am

Add me to the list of Steel Guitarists Who Love Noir fan club. I'm surprise no one has mentioned the great Lawrence Tierney, star of Born to Kill. https://www.google.com/search?q=lawrence+tierney
Chuck

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 30 Nov 2023 9:03 am

Chuck, "Born to Kill" is a great noir. Lawrence Tierney was crazy in that movie. He was kind of wild in real life too. He had many run-ins with the police, barroom fights, etc.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 30 Nov 2023 12:57 pm

Tierney was also good in The Hoodlum.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 30 Nov 2023 1:41 pm

High and Low directed by Akira Kurosawa is a fantastic noir from Japan.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 15 Dec 2023 8:05 am

Notice how the Clinesmith logo projects a shadow.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 15 Dec 2023 11:06 am

Okay, you mugs. Stash that guitar in the back seat of that '46 Ford, next to the dead body.

Bill Groner · Post by **Bill Groner** » 15 Dec 2023 11:08 am

What??? Was the trunk full?

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