Crime Reads » Nick Kolakowski

The Weird Intersection of Noir and Plastic Surgery

The Weird Intersection of Noir and Plastic Surgery

A character with a new face is one of noir's oldest, strangest conventions. Nick Kolakowski explores.

By Nick Kolakowski | October 18, 2021

'The Way of the Gun’ Was a Nihilistic Rebuke To Everything Cool in Nineties Crime Cinema

'The Way of the Gun’ Was a Nihilistic Rebuke To Everything Cool in Nineties Crime Cinema

And it deserves a cult status of its own.

By Nick Kolakowski | September 3, 2021

Manhunter Takes Down Thief: How Michael Mann’s Early Career Led to ‘Heat’

Manhunter Takes Down Thief: How Michael Mann’s Early Career Led to ‘Heat’

'Heat' is the director's masterpiece. It was also the culmination of decades of experimenting with the archetypal cops and thieves.

By Nick Kolakowski | August 31, 2021

Quentin Tarantino Wrote a

Quentin Tarantino Wrote a "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" Novel—Here's What You Need to Know

This is not your usual novelization of a movie. It's much stranger.

By Nick Kolakowski | July 12, 2021

‘The Limey’: How Steven Soderbergh Subverted the Classic Revenge Film

‘The Limey’: How Steven Soderbergh Subverted the Classic Revenge Film

An inspired narrative choice and an unusual structure were just the start of what separates this 1999 neo-noir from others in the genre.

By Nick Kolakowski | June 14, 2021

Driving in the Dark: Getaway Drivers in Fiction and the Dark Side of the American Dream

Driving in the Dark: Getaway Drivers in Fiction and the Dark Side of the American Dream

The greatest getaway drivers in contemporary crime fiction.

By Nick Kolakowski | April 27, 2021

Best Reviewed
Books of the Week

Comfort in the Uncomfortable: How Christopher Nolan Uses Noir to Get Weird

By Nick Kolakowski | March 26, 2021

Lecter’s Fangs: Why the Ending of ‘Hannibal’ is a Secret Masterpiece

By Nick Kolakowski | February 8, 2021

The Good Thief: The Best Heist Movie You’ve (Probably) Never Seen

By Nick Kolakowski | December 10, 2020

Western Noir: Smashing Together Two Genres, What Do You Get?

Western Noir: Smashing Together Two Genres, What Do You Get?

If the western is about delivering justice and noir is about the depths of the void, how can the two genres coexist?

By Nick Kolakowski | October 26, 2020

Sympathy for the Devil: 5 Classic Noir Villains with a Touch of Humanity

Sympathy for the Devil: 5 Classic Noir Villains with a Touch of Humanity

The notorious, nuanced "villains" of film noir.

By Nick Kolakowski | September 9, 2020

All in a Day's Work: Why Do the Parker Novels Still Resonate So Powerfully?

All in a Day's Work: Why Do the Parker Novels Still Resonate So Powerfully?

Fifty years later, Donald Westlake's passion for the logistics of crime captures our imaginations.

By Nick Kolakowski | July 24, 2020

The Uneasy Noirs of <br>Stephen King

The Uneasy Noirs of
Stephen King

From Bachman to The Outsider, King revels in subtly subverting the rules of mystery.

By Nick Kolakowski | June 22, 2020

Writers Under Lockdown: Surviving (and Writing) During a Pandemic

Writers Under Lockdown: Surviving (and Writing) During a Pandemic

Is anyone getting any writing done these days? Contributors to a new anthology share stories of creativity, inspiration, and outrage.

By Nick Kolakowski | June 15, 2020

Vidocq and the Birth of the Fictional Detective

Vidocq and the Birth of the Fictional Detective

The ex-convict turned police detective who inspired generations of authors and helped launch a new genre of literature.

By Nick Kolakowski | April 1, 2020

These Famous Noirs and Mysteries Were Inspired by Real-Life Crimes

These Famous Noirs and Mysteries Were Inspired by Real-Life Crimes

Agatha Christie, Alfred Hitchcock, and other greats who found inspiration in real crimes.

By Nick Kolakowski | February 21, 2020

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