Recommended reading - The Big Book of Noir (1998):

The Big Book of Noir

Published 1998.

Edited by Ed Gorman, Lee Server, Martin H. Greenberg.

ISBN-10: 0786705744

ISBN-13: 978-0786705740

Description:

THE BIG BOOK OF NOIR

Noir is big. It was born in the hard-boiled detective story of Depression-era America. It flourished in the black-and-white B movies of the forties and fifties. And it’s been ingeniously reinvented in the film and fiction of the nineties.

Etched on our cultural memory by writers like Raymond Chandler, directors like Alfred Hitchcock, screen stars like Robert Mitchum and Humphrey Bogart, Lizabeth Scott and Gloria Graham, noir is big.

Noir is big, so The Big Book of Noir jam-packs its pages with articles, interviews, excerpts, opinion, and gossip that chronicle its history and explore noir in all its forms: movies, detective stories, television and radio shows, comic books, and graphic novels.

The Big Book of Noir pays homage to the big names in noir – John Huston, Fritz Lang, Mickey Spillane, John D. MacDonald, Ross MacDonald, Donald E. Westlake – as well as less familiar figures like Phil Karlson, Peter Rabe, Charles Williams, Harry Whittington, and Gil Brewer. It also includes two rare pieces: Stephen King writing about Jim Thompson in one and in the other Dulcy Brainard writing about Sara Paretsky, Marcia Muller, and Wendi Lee.

The evidence is in. The Big Book of Noir amasses fascinating and informative exhibits that amply illustrate one of America’s most significant cultural contributions.

Because noir is big.

On this day in movie history - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998):

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

directed by Terry Gilliam,

written by Terry Gilliam, Tony Grisoni, Alex Cox and Tod Davies,

based on the novel by Hunter S. Thompson,

was released in the United States on May 22, 1998.
Music by Ray Cooper.

Cast:

Johnny Depp, Benicio del Toro, Tobey Maguire, Christina Ricci, Ellen Barkin, Gary Busey, Mark Harmon, Cameron Diaz, Katherine Helmond, Michael Jeter, Craig Bierko, Lyle Lovett, Flea, Larry Cedar, Tim Thomerson, Richard Riehle, Richard Portnow, Steve Schirripa, Larry Brandenburg, Jennifer Elise Cox, Kim Flowers, Tane McClure, Christopher Meloni, Harry Dean Stanton, Troy Evans, Debbie Reynolds, Jenette Goldstein, Verne Troyer, Gregory Itzin, Laraine Newman, Penn Jillette, Hunter S. Thompson.

On this day in music history - Land of Forever, by 2002 (1998):

Land of Forever

Album by 2002,

released May 19, 1998.

Track list:

Summer of 300 Years; Sea of Dreams; Land of Forever; Realms of Splendor; The Calling; Dance with a Princess; Feast of Immortals; Falling Through Time; Heavenly Cities; Oceansky.

On this day in movie history - Deep Impact (1998):

Deep Impact

directed by Mimi Leder,

written by Bruce Joel Rubin and Michael Tolkin,

was released in the United States on May 8, 1998.
Music by James Horner.

Cast:

Robert Duvall, Téa Leoni, Elijah Wood, Vanessa Redgrave, Morgan Freeman, Maximilian Schell, James Cromwell, Ron Eldard, Jon Favreau, Laura Innes, Mary McCormack, Richard Schiff, Leelee Sobieski, Blair Underwood, Dougray Scott, Gary Werntz, Bruce Weitz, Betsy Brantley, O'Neal Compton, Rya Kihlstedt, Aleksandr Baluev, Caitlin Fein, Amanda Fein, Joe Urla, Una Damon, Mark Moses, Derek de Lint, Charles Dumas, Suzy Nakamura, Alimi Ballard, Charles Martin Smith, Katie Hagan, Denise Crosby, Frank Whiteman, Jason Dohring, Jasmine Harrison, Rahi Azizi, Hannah Leder, Tucker Smallwood, Merrin Dungey, Kimberly Huie, William Fair, Francis X. McCarthy, Ellen Bry, Lisa Ann Grant, Leslie Dilley, Concetta Tomei, Mike O'Malley, Kurtwood Smith, Gerry Griffin, Charlie Hartsock, Jennifer Jostyn, Don Handfield, Jason Frasca, Cynthia Ettinger, Benjamin Stralka, Stephanie Patton, Michael Winters, John Ducey, Christopher Darga, Joshua Colwell, Cornelius Lewis, Kevin LaRosa.

On this day in movie history - Black Dog (1998):

Black Dog

directed by Kevin Hooks,

written by William Mickelberry and Dan Vining,

was released in the United States on May 1, 1998.
Music by George S. Clinton.
Song: Drivin' My Life Away by Rhett Akins.

Cast:

Patrick Swayze, Meat Loaf, Randy Travis, Gabriel Casseus, Graham Beckel, Brenda Strong, Rusty De Wees, Cyril O'Reilly, Erin Broderick, Charles S. Dutton, Stephen Tobolowsky, Lorraine Toussaint, Hester Hargett, Stuart Greer, Whitt Brantley, Gene Hartline, Bo Keister, André B. Walker.