Film Noir

Synopsis

"Film noir" refers to a particular cinematic style: a way of lighting, of positioning and moving the camera, the use of an introspective, voice-over narration, reliance on flashbacks that drive the narrative, and a choice of settings: usually a seedy, urban landscape, a world gone wrong. Film Noir is the first book to survey this deliciously depraved cinematic world populated by shady characters flawed by moral imperfections. The volume provides a useful overview of the historical evolution of this genre, teases out the critical debates over generic and stylistic elements, and charts film noir from its inception in the post-War period through to contemporary times. From Double Indemnity to Devil With a Blue Dress, Murder, My Sweet to Mulholland Falls and Woman at the Window to Usual Suspects, Film Noir enables readers to move through a cinematic world at once shadowy and seductive.