Kevin Smith (kvnsmith@colba.net)
Wed, 23 Jun 1999 08:25:03 -0400
Marvelous Mark (not the one getting married) wrote:
>For all of the graphic violence and high body counts
in serial killer
>books, though, I think the sensibility is actually
closer to cozies than
>hardboiled and/or noir.
Yes, yes, yes. Although they exist in real life, all too
often serial killers and their motives are about as
believable as those oh-so-genteel killers in cozies. And the
use of endless young women as victims has echoes of a million
old gothic potboilers. Italian counts, anyone? There is an
additional layer of detachment from the daily grind in most
serial killer books that, in my humble opinion, further
distances it from hardboiled/noir.
Having said that, I think the classic serial killer film M
was noir (or pre-noir, I guess). But the real monster wasn't
the killer. After all, it was you and me.
And judging from the clips I've seen, Spike Lee's upcoming
SUMMER OF SAM might just take the same approach.
Kevin Burton Smith
"You have the right to free speech, Providing of course,
you're not stupid enough to actually say anything."
(from Know Your Rights, by The Clash)
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