The power of location shooting really shines in this magnificent noir. You really can’t beat when a film is shot on location, I wonder whether this film inspired the great William Friedkin with the French Connection (1977). Jules Dassin’s The Naked City is truly a masterpiece of the time; while I would class it as a noir, I feel it’s so much more than that, its location shooting and omniscient narration gave it such a unique almost documentary feel, it felt so authentic and alive. I really enjoyed this style that Dassin explored, it makes for such an interesting film. This film felt very different to the phenomenal Rififi (1955) from Dassin, it had it’s harmonious similarities but I also found it strikingly different. Rififi had a more refined and grittier tone, with a smoother but more deadly story. Both films were shot on location which gives them a brilliantly visceral feel, the grimy streets of New York compared to the damp streets of Paris. Overall with The Naked City, I really enjoyed the whole style of the film; it was very unique and engaging. The story was intriguing, but followed a pretty usual detective tale, although it did stay interesting throughout. Pretty great film! It’s no Rififi, but films aren’t made to be compared.
The power of location shooting really shines in this magnificent noir. You really can’t beat when a film is shot on location, I wonder whether this film inspired the great William Friedkin with the French Connection (1977). Jules Dassin’s The Naked City is truly a masterpiece of the time; while I would class it as a noir, I feel it’s so much more than that, its location shooting and omniscient narration gave it such a unique almost documentary feel, it felt so authentic and alive. I really enjoyed this style that Dassin explored, it makes for such an interesting film. This film felt very different to the phenomenal Rififi (1955) from Dassin, it had it’s harmonious similarities but I also found it strikingly different. Rififi had a more refined and grittier tone, with a smoother but more deadly story. Both films were shot on location which gives them a brilliantly visceral feel, the grimy streets of New York compared to the damp streets of Paris. Overall with The Naked City, I really enjoyed the whole style of the film; it was very unique and engaging. The story was intriguing, but followed a pretty usual detective tale, although it did stay interesting throughout. Pretty great film! It’s no Rififi, but films aren’t made to be compared.
