Dear Noir Fans,

I bet you haven't heard of this one. An incestuous brother sister duo (Billy Zane and Gina Gershon) wrecks havoc in a small town. It is based on a Jim Thompson novel (one which I have not read). The characters could be from any Thompson novel - sex crazed, morally corrupt, vulgar and living purely on impulse. I personally think Jim Thompson is one of the worst crime fiction writers ever. But some of the one liners were remarkable. But they were too few and far between. Apart from two or three stellar scenes, it is all very flimsy. But the director was clearly aiming for style and sleaze. The beautiful smoky visuals. The elaborate set pieces. Sweaty sex scenes. It is definitely worth checking out. Billy Zane and Gina Gershon were awful. Sheryl Lee was great eye candy as a needy and sex crazed policewoman. It is worth checking out for the visuals and jazz soundtrack.

Best Regards, Pimpin.

(6/10)

If you like neo-noir, or the real thing from the fifties, then this film is for you. The look and feel of a fifties classic is all over this film from the cinematography to the music to the narration.

It is a story about a totally dysfunctional family. The children witnessed their father killed while shagging the cop's wife from across the street. Mom didn't seem to mind, but then she was wacko, too. Why do people play in their own back yard? The kids grow up totally weird as expected. Gina Gershon (Bound) plays the sister, who left a rich husband to become a prostitute. She had that classic look of the Fifties - white skin and the full pouty lips. Style the hair right and she could be Ava Gardner. Is there something going on with her brother (Billy Zane) that is more than brotherly love. That is for you to figure out.

Sheryl Lee ("Twin Peaks", Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, John Carpenter's Vampires) can always be counted upon to present skintastic moments in her films. She comes through here as a sex-crazed cop who hooks up with the brother.

Lots of death, of course, as that is the rule for noir, and lots of passionate and sexy moments. An entertaining Fifties film presented as they never could in the Fifties.

This movie has a consistent "comic book" style throughout, even though its story is dark, erotic and sadistically violent. Although the presentation may be something that would appeal to 12-year-old boys (revenge fantasies played out for real, escape from punishment, domination of parents), the world it depicts is an adults-only one, with its frequent bare breasts, sadomasochistic sex scenes, mangled flesh of torture victims, and religious rants. The over-the-top acting is not a result of an incapable cast, but a directorial choice, one based on the idea that any frame could serve as a silent film style "tableau". The movie's art production is nicely done (think of "The Phantom" or "The Shadow" crossed with "The Untouchables"), but it's easy to see why this film never found an audience.