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About DonHerron.com
In 1977 Don Herron began leading The Dashiell Hammett Tour, now the longest-running literary tour in the nation. On this site you’ll find information on current walks — dates, where to meet, arranging tours by appointment — plus a hard-boiled blog with news, reviews of books and film, and a dash of noir.
The latest and greatest edition to self-guide you up and down the mean streets.
Willeford: The Book
Includes the first “Mr. Hunt” story, “Knives in the Dark.”
Tag Archives: Castro Theatre
Sinister Cinema: Voice of Noir
How about a few more pics from the gig in the Tenderloin Museum? I was supposed to talk for 30 or 40 minutes about Hammett living in the TL, the 1941 film of The Maltese Falcon and so forth — … Continue reading
Sinister Cinema: The Sound of Fury
In a week or so Noir City is coming up once again in The Castro, with a double bill of the first couple of Thin Man films, Woman on the Run with terrific footage of period San Francisco streets, and lots … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Film, Frisco
Tagged "Crooked Souls", "The Gatewood Caper", Brooke Hart, Castro Theatre, CrimeLibrary, Lindbergh baby, Lloyd Bridges, Marion Parker, Mark Gado, Noir City, San Jose, The Sound of Fury
Blog: Say “Cheese”
In the shot above — used previously for a post of yesteryear — Bill Arney stands against the frame of the Murphy bed in Sam Spade’s apartment in 891 Post Street and regales a tour group with some anecdotage. Bill … Continue reading
Frisco Beat: Those Theatres of Yesteryear
Doing the bits about the Novato Theater reminded me that I’ve been meaning to blurb a Julie Lindow project for, what?, at least a couple of years. (Julie hitched up with San Francisco Noir editor Peter Maravelis during the heyday … Continue reading
Sinister Cinema: Talking About the Falcon
If you’ve got a few bucks to donate to a good cause, this coming Saturday, February 8 at 6:30p.m., the Novato Theater Film Club is showing the 1941 version of The Maltese Falcon — the classic version. The good cause: … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Film, News, Willeford
Tagged Bogie, Castro Theatre, Hamilton Field, Noir City, Novato Theater, Peter Lorre, Sidney Greenstreet
Sinister Cinema: Too Late for Tears
Another year of Noir City — without the usual bleak noir rain — opens in the Castro Theatre tonight, with a specially restored 35mm print of the Roy Huggins film Too Late for Tears. Dennis McMillan and I were thinking … Continue reading
Posted in DMac, Film, Frisco, News
Tagged Castro Theatre, Contrappasso, Howard Browne, Noir City, Roy Huggins, Too Late for Tears
Frisco Beat: Doggie Diner Heads Defying Entropy!
What do you know, but they’ve got a Kickstarter campaign going to restore the roving pack of Doggie Diner heads to refurbished glory — just like they did for the Doggie out near the entrance to the Zoo several years … Continue reading
Posted in Frisco, News, SFSC
Tagged Cacophony Society, Castro Theatre, Chuck Palahniuk, Doggie Diner, Fight Club, John Law, Zippy the Pinhead
Sinister Cinema: Jim Tully on the Mean Streets of Noir City
Tonight the eleventh annual Film Noir Festival kicks off in the Castro Theatre, and I’m sure most people have checked the schedule and made plans on what to see. But just to make sure it’s on the record for fans … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Frisco, News
Tagged Castro Theatre, Jim Tully, Laughter in Hell, Noir City, Pat O'Brien, Roadhouse Nights
Sinister Cinema: It Could Have Been Worse
I keep thinking about how clunky Roadhouse Nights was — how maybe I’d have been better off never seeing it. Yeah, sure, I get to check it off the list of Hammett-related movies. I have most of those checked off, and … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Film
Tagged Castro Theatre, Hitchcock, Louis Malle, Pacific Film Archive, Peckinpah, Seth Rogan, Wojciech Haas
Hammett: The Film Fest Coming Up Fast
If around the burg on Sunday, don’t forget the close-out to the tenth annual noir movie marathon in the Castro, with a one-day marathon all-its-own of flicks adapted from Dashiell Hammett. You can get the schedule and suitable blurbs from … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Film, News, Tour
Tagged Castro Theatre, Hammett Tour Book, Huffington Post, Noir City, Thomas Gladysz