MovieChat Forums > Detour (1946) Discussion > Similar films?

Similar films?

posted 12 years ago by Killingforcompany
45 replies | jump to latest

I have seen other noir films, but Detour has such a unique atmosphere. I just love the grittiness of it and the surrealism. I was just wondering if there were other noir films that have a somewhat similar vibe. Maybe some other more obscure poverty row noirs?

[–] iflapsimh 12 years ago

Massive +1 to this.

[–] RedManley 12 years ago

Scarlet Street kind of has a similar vibe.

[–] Killingforcompany 12 years ago

Scarlet Street

^

Hm, not really.

Maybe it's because Detour is technically what we call today a road movie. It's not really a gritty urban noir, and the dreamy feel is something that I haven't really seen in a lot of other noirs, which in my opinion go for a more realistic feel. It's probably because the movie was so unconventional at the time. You don't even know if Tom Neal's character is legit, or if he is somehow involved with all of these bizarre coincidences occurring around him.

There probably isn't another movie like it, but it's worth trying anyhow.

[–] dah_prince 11 years ago

I get what you mean.

definitely try 'They Made Me A Criminal' (John Garfield). If you haven't already. It is a partial road movie also, and does have a surreal vibe. In addition, it defines excellent film noir.

[–] casteneda 11 years ago

"Decoy" has a very similar feel to Detour, to me. Dreamy, and surrealistic. They would make a great midnight viewing double feature, shown together. I can't think of any other movies that you could compare to either film.

[–] oversplayer 11 years ago

Bingo! "Decoy" was the one film that I was going to mention. It's just as gritty; it's even more nightmarish; and Margot Shelby is more downright evil than Vera. Each film is slightly longer than an hour, and they were made in back-to-back years for whatever those trifling details might be worth.

[–] darryl-tahirali 10 years ago

It's just as gritty; it's even more nightmarish; and Margot Shelby is more downright evil than Vera. - oversplayer

Indeed. Margot puts the "fatale" in femme fatale. The resurrection angle is a bit of a stretch, and I'll take Ann Savage's acting as Vera over Jean Gillie's as Margot, and Detour over Decoy overall, but it's still worth a look--especially as a double feature with Detour.

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"We hear very little, and we understand even less." - Refugee in Casablanca

[–] sonjadimeola 11 years ago

You might check out 1963 film, "The Sadist." Same low budget nightmare road trip with an equally riveting and creepy villain.

[–] ARH 11 years ago

If you're looking for something more recent The Last Seduction and Red Rock West are great low budget noir films.

[–] vinidici 10 years ago

I nominate GUN CRAZY (1950), featuring a weak man who's led by the nose by a domineering, trigger-happy woman; the couple go on a robbery spree everywhere they go, the boyfriend all the while knowing she's no good but can't break her spell over him.

[–] henryeather 10 years ago

"Where Danger Lives" with Robert Mitchum