Description
- Brings together a range of perspectives on a topic that has been much discussed but remains notoriously ill-defined
- Traces the historical development of the genre, usefully exploring the relations between the films of the 1940s and 1950s that established the "noir" universe and the more recent films in which it has been frequently revived
- Employs a clear and intelligent writing style that makes this the perfect introduction to the genre
- Offers a thorough and engaging analysis of this popular area of film studies for students and scholars
- Presents an in-depth analysis of six key films, each exemplifying important trends of film noir: Murder, My Sweet; Out of the Past; Kiss Me Deadly; The Long Goodbye; Chinatown; and Seven
About the Author
William Luhr is Professor of English at St. Peter's College, Co-Chair of the Columbia University Seminar on Cinema and Interdisciplinary Interpretation, and Standing Editor of the Oxford University Press Online Bibliography on Cinema and Media Studies. He is the editor of The Coen Brothers' Fargo (2004) and The Maltese Falcon: John Huston, Director (1995) and the author of, amongst others, Screening Genders (with Krin Gabbard, 2008), Thinking About Movies: Watching, Questioning, Enjoying, third edition (co-author with Peter Lehman, 2008) and Raymond Chandler and Film, second edition (1991).
Reviews
"It is the most comprehensive and lucid study of the genre I have read ... I was also impressed with Luhr's handling of the shift in Hollywood from the 1930s to 1940s. The morally compromised "heroes" of the 1940s were unthinkable in the 1930s. Like all good film critics, Luhr makes me want to see my favorite films again because he has shown me things I missed. And then there are all those films I didn't see that are now on my list because of William Luhr." (Carl Rollyson, 16 June 2012)
Book Information
ISBN 9781405145954
Author William Luhr
Format Paperback
Page Count 246
Imprint Wiley-Blackwell
Publisher John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Weight(grams) 318g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 150mm * 15mm