The Out Of The Past: Investigating Film Noir podcast is as addictive as it is detailed. Two university professors, Shannon Clute and Richard Edwards, discuss in luxuriant detail - film - in the context of film noir. They've done about a dozen podcasts so far and each one is a riveting examination by two literate film fans. Every time I hear them discus a classic or modern movie I want to rewatch the film! These are better than 99% of DVD commentary tracks. I can't recommend this podcast highly enough. If you have even the slightest interest in film noir you've got to check them out.

posted by Jesse

Dick Lochte, author of the award winning mystery novel Sleeping Dog has brought this cool online audio event to our attention. NPR station affiliate KCRW presents:

Mean Streets USA: A Collection of Short Crime Fiction

This will be broadcast on radio and simulcast on the internet, Thursday, November 24 from 1 to 4 pm (PST) and Friday, November 25, Noon to 5 (PST)

The works on offer are:

• The Angry Man by Ross Macdonald; Read by Stacy Keach
• Karen Makes Out by Elmore Leonard; Read by Sharon Lawrence
• Silver Lining by Walter Mosley; Read by Meshach Taylor
• Serpents' Dance by Jim Fusilli; Read by Tate Donovan
• I'll Be Waiting by Raymond Chandler; Read by Dakin Matthews
• Hard World by Andrew Vachss; Read by Kevin Tighe
• The Parker Shotgun by Sue Grafton; Read by Harriet Harris
• The Dead Their Eyes Implore Us by George P. Pelecanos; Read by Tony Plana
• Cielo Azul by Michael Connelly; Read by John Michael Higgins
• A Tough Case to Figure by Dick Lochte; Read by Jefferson Mays

KCRW that can be found at 89.9 FM in the Santa Monica, CA or on www.KCRW.com.

posted by Jesse

The Colorado Kid
By Stephen King; Read by Jeffrey DeMunn
4 CDs - 4 hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2005
ISBN: 0743550404
Themes: / Mystery / Hard Case Crime / Murder / Reporters / Newspaper / Maine /

In brief, Stephen King's latest novel is a good one, though I don't feel it fits well into the Hard Case Crime mold. Details? Here they are:

Two old newspaper men, both approaching retirement, tell a female intern the story of a man who was found dead on the coast of the Maine island on which they live. They reveal clue after clue that they had put together along with a forensics graduate student that worked with police back when it happened. And that's... pretty much it. No grisly private eyes, no grifters, and no real danger for the main characters, which is why I think the book is a strange fit for the Hard Case Crime line of novels.

Still, this is a short Stephen King novel reminiscent of an earlier King short novel called "The Body", on which the film Stand by Me was based. There is much going on here between the characters. The old men are approaching retirement and are sharing their years of investigative reporting experience to the intern. The intern is eager to be accepted. The story of the investigation, the clues, the forensics - all extremely interesting in King's hands, even though "action" is not a word that I'd use to describe it. The novel is filled with the depth of character that Stephen King is famous for, and I enjoyed it even though it was not quite what I expected.

Jeffrey DeMunn is the perfect choice to read The Colorado Kid. He read one of King's earlier novels - Dreamcatcher - and also starred in what was easily the best Stephen King miniseries - Storm of the Century, where he got to use his excellent Maine accent. He used that accent in this reading, too, and as the island and its inhabitants are characters in themselves, DeMunn's added authenticity was welcome and very effective. It is a gem of a performance.

posted by Scott

Welcome

Welcome to AuralNoir.com!

posted by Jesse