Noir City: Hollywood, the 16th Annual Festival of Film Noir comes to town with a tribute to the daring dames, menacing mobsters and dogged detectives from Hollywood's golden age of crime dramas. Noir is rooted in the Depression-era hardboiled novels and detective stories from the likes of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. When Hollywood started turning the popular stories into black-and-white movies, a new film genre was born. For more than two weeks, the American Cinematheque and the Film Noir Foundation present a series of gritty sleepers, heavy rarities, even favorites from Great Britain, France and Argentina. The scintillating schedule features the work of both stars (Joan Fontaine, Eleanor Parker) and underrated actors (Dan Duryea), as well as the only American film noir directed by a woman, Ida Lupino's The Hitch-Hiker. Practically all of the screenings are double features, with a considerable number of gems presented in their original 35mm format. Many aren't available on DVD – and if they are, they'd probably cost a fortune. Either way, the Noir City festival proves there's nothing quite like watching a great old movie on the big screen. Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hlywd.; March 21-April 6, times vary; $11, $7 members; closing-night party, Saturday, April 5, 7 p.m.; $25-$55. (323) 466-3456, americancinemathequecalendar.com/content/noir-city-hollywood-16th-annual-festival-of-film-noir.

Fri., March 21, 2014
(Expired: 03/21/14)

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