Film Illiterate, wherein the proprietor records movies seen, and sporadic progress through assorted lists of the "best". Originally started after regretfully renting something forgettable for the third time. I've forgotten what, but never again! A tedious endeavour since 2005. Hello. 🙂

Detour (1945)

Lists

ranked 449 in They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? 1000 Greatest Films (March 2006)
ranked 491 in They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? 1000 Greatest Films (December 2006)
ranked 522 in They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? 1000 Greatest Films (August 2005)
one of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
one of AFI's 100 Years... 100 Thrills Nominees
one of Guardian 1,000 films to see before you die
one of They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? 250 Quintessential Noir Films (1940-1964)
one of TIME Magazine All-Time 100 Movies

Links

IMDb

Ratings & comments

1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die has a cute description:

One of the greatest of all B movies, Detour makes no attempt to rise above its budget and brief shooting schedule, instead reveling in its cheapness, presenting a world somewhere between pulp fiction and existentialism where life has low production values and a short running time.

It's speaks to the film's favour that I didn't even notice the low production values until afterwards, when I read about its shoestring budget and insanely short shooting schedule. It works remarkably well. It would've been better without the censor-required ending, and better still if the possible unreliability of the narrator was stressed.

Not great, but amazingly good for its budget.

- Sam - 2006-12-15 03:11:39