Monthly Program

Noirvember 2025: Classic vs Neo-Noir

From: Friday, November 7, 2025 • To: Thursday, December 4, 2025

For the 4th year running, the Academy NOIRVEMBER series returns this month with a new twist: Classic vs Neo-Noir! The series consists of four films this year, and we thought it was high time to juxtapose great Neo-noir crime films from the 1970s against classic Old Hollywood noir! Come on a journey as we criss-cross decades of crime-ridden cinema!

The program begins with CHINATOWN (1974), Polanski’s private-eye detective mystery noir that has become THE quintessential 70s Neo-noir made during the peak of the genre's heyday.

Second, we journey back in time for KISS ME DEADLY (1955)! Another great private-detective mystery, this time from Robert Aldrich who brings a style all his own with this bizarre noir that aesthetically fits snugly right between a Neo-noir and a Classic noir, with one foot firmly planted in each camp.

Third, we cross back to the end of 1970s Neo-noir period for our monthly Deep Cut Series.... with the underseen, gritty majesty of STRAIGHT TIME (1978)! This Neo-noir character study/heist film stars Dustin Hoffman, Gary Busey & Harry Dean Stanton. It is based on the groundbreaking novel No Beast So Fierce written in prison by convict Edward Bunker.  

Our NOIRVEMBER journey concludes the mother of all private-eye detective noirs... in fact, the distilled archetype of film noir itself... THE MALTESE FALCON (1941) directed by John Huston starring Humphrey Bogart in his most iconic role as Dashielle Hammet's sleuth-for-hire Sam Spade.