Thread by @BrianRWasik

Gonna start @criterionchannl WESTERN NOIR series. First up: BLOOD ON THE MOON (1948) with Robert Mitchum. Dir: Robeet Wise.

The cinematography of Musuraca in BLOOD ON THE MOON is soooooo dark. Really amazing work. And looks so good on Mitchum, where Musuraca also lit him in the amazing Noir, OUT OF THE PAST.

Mitchum was the personification of conflict and a burden of personal demons. He needs to say so little. He acts with the look of his face, the way he carries his shoulders, the simple movements of his body.

Next up for @criterionchannl WESTERN NOIR is STATION WEST (1948), Dir: Sidney Lanfield. Staring Dick Powell and Jane Greer (speaking of OUT OF THE PAST), and featuring Burl Ives with a guitar.

Jane Greer is probably my favorite Femme Fatale next to Barbara Stanwyck. You absolutely understand why the protagonist simultaneously sees through her, but can't help falling for her. You never really know if she's sincere.

STATION WEST unravels its plot quite well. Good stuff.

Next up for Criterion's WESTERN NOIR is I SHOT JESSE JAMES (1949), Dir: Samuel Fuller. John Ireland as Robert Ford.

Seen fair number of Jesse James films, read a bit. Now correctly framed as the Confederate guerilla he was, most popular media frame as tragic end to a Robin Hood.

John Ireland was fantastic as the brooding Robert Ford. 1949 also the year of his Oscar nominated role in in ALL THE KING'S MEN.

I SHOT JESSE JAMES took great liberties to craft a narrative theme (jealousy, regret), but it worked quite well in it's own frame. Sublime melancholy.

Next up tonight for WESTERN NOIR is THE WALKING HILLS (1949), Dir: John Sturges. With Randolph Scott, Ella Raines, and our old friend again, John Ireland.

There's lost gold to be found in The Walking Hills (shot at Death Valley Monument).

Finally back to the @criterionchannl WESTERN NOIR collection. Next up is LUST FOR GOLD (1949), Dir. S Sylvan Simon. With Glenn Ford and Ida Lupino. He's got a good thing that is too much to handle and she's looking for her ticket out of town.

The flashback core of the story of LUST FOR GOLD (which gives less than an hour of Glenn Ford and Ida Lupino) was really great. The bookend present-day narrative was rather weak and made the complete picture rather disjointed.

Tonight is a WESTERN NOIR I've been looking forward to... RANCHO NOTORIOUS (1952), Dir: Fritz Lang. With the great Marlene Dietrich. Arthur Kennedy is gonna find his girl's killer.

Lang directs a Western with such jarring atypical style and language to what you're used to. But it leads to such great visual narration of Vern's rage and lust that the emotional weight of the plot just sings. This film is deceptive in how excellently its crafted.

Tonight's WESTERN NOIR film is THE NAKED SPUR (1953), Dir: Anthony Mann. This is actually the first Jimmy Stewart/Mann Western gotten a chance to see. Always heard good things.

This one is with Janet Leigh, as a serendipitous posse tries to bring in a bounty from the Rockies.

I love a cantankerous and conflicted Jimmy Stewart. Even when he's mean and onerous, there is such humanity that comes through to build empathy.

THE NAKED SPUR has strong vibes of THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE in its DNA.

Great performances from Stewart, Leigh, and Ryan.

Tonight for WESTERN NOIR on @criterionchannl is MAN WITH THE GUN (1955), Dir: Richard Wilson. Robert Mitchum sets to justice for a small town while in for his own agenda.

Curious as to how this is gonna wash out, but I know I'll love whatever Mitchum did here.

Thinking about MAN WITH THE GUN from last night, Mitchum should always have been lit by a saloon fire.

Tonight is THE VIOLENT MEN (1955), Dir: Rudolph Maté. A traditional Noir director just changes locale.

Glenn Ford is a former Union officer trying to escape the frontier for a new future back East, but can't avoid call of justice. With Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G Robinson.

I found THE VIOLENT MEN underwhelming for some reason. Lots of hard hitters and a nice tight plot... felt a bit phoned in from Ford and Stanwyck in particular.

Ford's Parrish is so conflicted... until he turns on a dime to engage in remorseless war. With lost intention.

Next WESTERN NOIR is MAN OF THE WEST (1958), Dir: Anthony Mann. Mann again, directing Gary Cooper as a dude just trying to now go it straight in Texas. With Lee J Cobb and Julie London.

Gary Cooper is marble and it's hard for him to sell real deep cracks, say in a reformed killer. Lee J Cobb was fantastic in this. MAN IF THE WEST is a pretty dark and bleak picture in content for a small and underwhelming plot.

Tonight we finish the @criterionchannl Collection: WESTERN NOIR.

DAY OF THE OUTLAW (1959), Dir: André de Toth. Starring Robert Ryan and Tina Louise.

A wintertime Western! Small town chaos between Farmers, Ranchers... and Outlaws! A woman (Ginger!) caught in-between!

DAY OF THE OUTLAW finishes this collection on a fairly dark note. Brooding with fatalism and repressed and violent sexual overtones, the tone is as cold as the WY winter. Robert Ryan and Burl Ives are great; less noble characters as much as resigned.

That concludes the WESTERN NOIR collection at @criterionchannl. First time I completed a whole collection; a good one given the theme, all were new to me.

Highlights were RANCHO NOTORIOUS and DAY OF THE OUTLAW, but even when the film isn't great I love a Robert Mitchum flick.