Colfax Noir
I’m in the throes of working on a short story for the RMFW Anthology. The theme is Crossing Colfax, as in Colfax Avenue, “The longest, wickedest street in America.”
After debating whether to write about a noir private investigator or a vampire reborn in the consumptive hospital, I decided to put those ideas together. Thus, meet Colfax, a vampire detective who smokes cigarettes to keep kosher, and his femme fatale assistant named Lilah, on the hunt for her sister’s killer.
This past week, for inspiration, I submerged myself in all things noir (it made for a very romantic Valentine’s Day). Fedoras, Zippo lighters, and femme fatale mark classic noir, but a recent resurgence has turned the genre on its head. Arguably, noir is any story where the protagonist is ethically or morally questionable. Perhaps the main character crosses the line for a seemingly good reason a la Walter White in Breaking Bad. Or maybe their motives are murky like Tyrion from Game of Thrones.
Anyway, here are some movies I watched to get in the noir spirit:
A Touch of Evil Classic noir with a corrupt detective who fakes crime scene evidence to catch the bad guy. It brilliantly poses the question, does it matter that Quinlan crosses the moral line if he catches the real culprit?
Brick A fun spin on noir set in an average American High School. It stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt *swoon* as he tracks down his ex-girlfriend’s murderer. Where and who you ate lunch with has never been so critical!
Double Indemnity The definition of femme fatale, a seductive woman who leads a man down a dangerous path. So entertaining that you can’t stop watching the inevitable train wreck (literally), and insurance fraud at its finest. Who knew murder smelled like honeysuckle?
What are your favorite noir stories? Who are your favorite questionable characters?
What I’m reading: Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell
What I’m listening to: Radiohead – OK Computer
Is your vampire smoking e-cigarettes? Is the Colfax short story in the present time? Best of luck in the contest.
Your blog reminded me a funny book by Jane Graves, Hot Wheels and High Heels. I want to watch Brick now.
Fun questions! Colfax smokes real cigarettes, because why worry about lung cancer when you’re already dead? Plus the nicotine helps curb his hunger.
It’s set in present time, although Colfax is stuck in the 40s/50s, subjected to a changing world that he doesn’t always want to be a part of 🙂
[…] wrote this short story a couple months ago (and blogged about my inspiration for it here). It follows a vampire detective named Colfax who smokes to keep kosher while hunting down the […]