San Francisco Film Noir Festival

Noir City 11 festival kicks off in San Francisco

Peggy Cummins

The Film Noir Foundation’s Noir City film festival starts tonight at San Francisco’s Castro Theatre. The fest will present its most expansive schedule yet – 27 films – including three new 35mm restorations.

This festival kicks off with a tribute to actress Peggy Cummins, legendary for her ferocious performance as carnival sharpshooter Annie Laurie Starr in “Gun Crazy” (1950, Joseph H. Lewis). As always, Noir City will feature classics and rarities.

Opening weekend will feature the world premiere of two of the FNF’s latest film restoration projects: “Try and Get Me!” (1950, Cy Endfield) and “Repeat Performance” (1947, Alfred L. Werker).

The San Francisco festival runs Jan. 25-Feb. 3, 2013. The festival (with variations on the program) travels to several other cities throughout the year.

We at FNB can’t wait for the Hollywood fest, which usually arrives in April.

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SF noir fest: Who’s driving whom nuts?

Hallucinations, imaginary family members, gold diggers and good girls, cheating spouses, murder, fake death certificates, freaks, fiends and assorted psychopaths … there was much to love over the weekend at Noir City 9, the ninth annual San Francisco Film Noir Festival. This year’s theme is “Who’s Crazy Now?” and the madness continues at the Castro Theatre through Jan. 30.

Addressing the sold-out crowd on Saturday night, fest founder and czar of noir Eddie Muller commented on the fact that this year’s lineup of films, all of which touch on insanity, featured more female protagonists than ever before.

“But there’s no hidden message there,” he said. “Men are driving them crazy. And the idea that noir is a man’s world? This festival disproves that.”

Good answer, Eddie. 😉

I spent a whirlwind weekend in SF, watching movies, eating, shopping and enjoying this pretty city. Here are some highlights from the trip.