The Best Noir TV Series & Films To Feed Your Desire For Darkness

When you think noir fiction, you’re instantly transported to 1940s Hollywood with your Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart films and the like.

But true fans of the genre will know that film noir did not end in the ’40s, it’s still very much alive and well and the last few decades have produced some of the greatest noir series and flicks.

Here, we take a look at just a few primo noir picks via local streaming giant Stan.

Perpetual Grace, LTD

The most recent of the bunch, Perpetual Grace is a brand new noir drama series starring primo homegrown talent including Aussie legend Jacki Weaver (Bloom) and Damon Herriman (No Activity), alongside Sir Ben KingsleyJimmi SimpsonChris Conrad and Luis Guzman.

The highly anticipated series follows a young dude named James (Simpson) who tries to scam a pastor (Kingsley) who ends up being a little less holy than he expected, leading to a dangerous twist.

The trailer alone projects an extremely dark and ~mysterious~ vibe, perfect for those who aren’t hellbent on a happy ending.

Suss the trailer for the ten-episode series below and catch it exclusively on Stan on June 3, the same day as the U.S.

https://youtu.be/5Ddec7IWZ_w

I Am The Night

If you’re hung-up on the ’40s, AKA the aforementioned golden age of noir, and love a true crime story, then recently released series I Am The Night oughta go down a treat.

The gripping crime noir taps into the public’s current obsession with true crime as it tells the infamous story of the Black Dahlia slaying with a fictional spin.

Fauna (India Eisley), a teenager given up at birth, goes on a quest to discover what happened in her past, where she meets a disgraced reporter (Chris Pine) and the pair form an unlikely partnership.

Credit: Getty

All six eps are now streaming on Stan. Suss the trailer below for a taste of the dark and captivating series.

Sin City

Based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel of the same name, Sin City is an American crime anthology film.

Sin City is a corner stone of the noir film genre, receiving rave reviews and commercial success upon its release, including praise for its black and white rendering while retaining or adding colour for selected objects.

The film stars an ensemble cast led by Jessica Alba, Benicio del Toro, Brittany Murphy, Clive Owen, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, and Elijah Wood, and featuring Alexis Bledel, Rosario Dawson, Jaime King, Michael Madsen, Nick Stahl, and Makenzie Vega among others.

Sin City and its follow-up flick Sin City: A Dame to Kill For are both streaming on Stan so go forth and binge.

Jackie Brown

In the mood for some ’90s cinema GOLD? Introducing Jackie Brown, a Quentin Tarantino flick about a troubled airline stewardess who smuggles for a black-market gunrunner named Ordell (played by king Samuel L. Jackson) in order to make ends meet.

Pam Grier (Jawbreaker) plays the titular character and a host of veteran actors also star in the film including Robert Forster, Robert De Niro, Bridget Fonda, and Michael Keaton.

The film scored several award nominations including Forster’s nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and Golden Globe Award noms for Jackson and Grier.

You simply cannot call yourself a film noir fan without becoming acquainted with Jackie.

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