Posts by Harold Fowler3

Pulp Fiction isn't neo-noir. Let’s be clear about that. True noir belongs to the 1940s and 50s—think private investigators, femme fatales, shadows everywhere, twists, and murder. Anything filmed later that adopts those tropes is categorized as neo-noir. If you want a perfect example of a classic noir transitioning into neo-noir, look at Chinatown.

Blade Runner fits the bill too, though it leans into sci-fi territory. It's a textbook neo-noir.

Here goes nothing. I wasn't looking to cast a vote for my own suggestions, even if their debut is neck-and-neck with The Doors in my book. So, I’ve split my two votes: one for the absolute masterpiece that is the first The Doors album, and the other for A Tribe Called Quest—specifically their classic, The Low End Theory. It’s an essential record packed with gems. Honestly, 'Scenario' and Busta Rhymes' debut still stand as some of the highest peaks of 90s hip-hop culture for me.

I am a newcomer to this thread, so here is a suggestion. My usual rotation consists of old-school rock, blues, and soul. However, I will step away from those genres today to offer something else entirely—something I don't listen to much these days, despite a certain era of my life where electronic music defined everything during those wild nights out. This isn't strictly electronic; the album blends several styles together. It is likely a household name to many, yet somewhat overlooked now. One could spend hours debating the impact of this record and how it shifted an entire culture. Perhaps we all need an album like this right now, just as much as we did when it first hit the streets. Long live Primal Scream!

Primal Scream - Screamadelica (1991)

Tracklist
1. Movin' On Up
2. Slip Inside This House
3. Don’t Fight It, Feel It
4. Higher Than The Sun
5. Inner Flight
6. Come Together
7. Loaded
8. Damaged
9. I'm Comin' Down
10. Higher Than The Sun (A Dub Symphony In Two Parts)
11. Shine Like Stars

An anthem for a generation...

"Just what is it that you want to do?
We wanna be free
We wanna be free to do what we wanna do
And we wanna get loaded"

The live version

I missed the window to cast my vote, but I fully intend to weigh in more frequently on this thread.

My pick goes to a Perfect Circle - Mer de noms (2000). As a massive Toolov enthusiast, anything involving Howerdel just resonates with me on a deeper level. The lyricism, the production quality, that seamless blend of genres... though, admittedly, certain albums require a very specific headspace.

It all starts with building your character and your backbone. Everything stems from that. Once you have that, you can be as kind or as helpful as you damn well please. But if someone tries to take advantage of you or plays you for a fool? Your character kicks in. You won't let them. You can stay grounded, sure, but there are times when you have to let a little bit of ego take the wheel just to hold your ground. Then, once the dust settles, you’re back in control. Those who get it, get it.

So, which directors actually defined their respective decades? It’s a difficult question to pin down. Directors release far fewer films than actors, who tend to pop up in dozens of projects within a single decade.

Take Kubrick, for instance. He directed thirteen films—four in the 50s, four in the 60s, two in the 70s, two in the 80s, and one in the 90s. In my view, he owned the 60s. Why? Because Spartak, Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, and The Odyssey carry significantly more weight than his work from the 50s. His pairings in the 70s and 80s might even surpass Lolita and Spartak, but the sheer impact of Dr. Strangelove and The Odyssey secures the win for the 60s.

Then there is Hitchcock. He directed about sixty films spanning from the 20s through the 70s. Personally, I’d say he defined the 40s and 50s. Just an endless parade of masterpieces.