Criterion Sale Picks: 3 Noir Classics You Need - Video

The Barnes & Noble 50% Off Criterion Collection Sale is back, and it’s the perfect time to expand your physical media collection or dive deeper into classic cinema. Whether you're an artist, aspiring filmmaker, or just someone who wants to understand the language of film on a deeper level—this sale is an opportunity worth jumping on.

This year, I focused my haul around the noir genre—not just because it's stylish or iconic, but because I’m currently writing a book heavily influenced by noir themes. I wanted films that could challenge my thinking and inspire my writing. Here are my top three Criterion picks from the sale:

???? In a Lonely Place (dir. Nicholas Ray)
A devastating and emotionally raw entry in the noir canon. Humphrey Bogart plays a volatile screenwriter caught between suspicion and intimacy. This film deconstructs the tough-guy archetype and replaces it with something far more fragile and real.

???? Elevator to the Gallows (dir. Louis Malle)
French noir meets existential dread. Miles Davis’ live jazz score haunts a narrative full of nighttime tension and missteps. It’s a beautifully shot portrait of uncertainty—perfect for fans of mood, atmosphere, and moral ambiguity.

???? Kiss Me Deadly (dir. Robert Aldrich)
This one is wild. Stylistically jarring, almost dreamlike in its chaos, and soaked in Cold War paranoia. A private detective stumbles into a plot far more dangerous than he can comprehend. It’s noir pushed to its extremes—and that’s why I love it.

Let me know what you picked up during the sale or if you’ve seen any of these. And stay tuned—I'll be sharing more about my noir-inspired book soon.

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