Recommended reading - The Dark Side of the Screen: Film Noir, by Foster Hirsch (2008):

The Dark Side of the Screen: Film Noir

By Foster Hirsch.

Published by Da Capo.

2nd edition.

Published 2008.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0306817721

ISBN-13: 978-0306817724

Description:

Foster Hirsch's Dark Side of the Screen is by far the most thorough and entertaining study of the themes, visual motifs, character types, actors, directors, and films in this genre ever published. From Billy Wilder, Douglas Sirk, Robert Aldrich, and Howard Hawkes to Martin Scorsese, Roman Polanski, and Paul Schrader, the noir themes of dread, paranoia, steamy sex, double-crossing women, and menacing cityscapes have held a fascination. The features that make Burt Lancaster, Joan Crawford, Robert Mitchum, and Humphrey Bogart into noir heroes and heroines are carefully detailed here, as well as those camera angles, lighting effects, and story lines that characterize Fritz Lang, Samuel Fuller, and Orson Welles as noir directors.For the current rediscovery of film noir, this comprehensive history with its list of credits to 112 outstanding films and its many illustrations will be a valuable reference and a source of inspiration for further research.

“Wonderfully readable: Hirsch is clear, knowledgeable, and concise….[The Dark Side of the Screen] is a visual as well as literary pleasure.” – Martin Jackson, Cineaste.

“There has been no extended work as good as Foster Hirsch’s The Dark Side of the Screen, a well-written, imaginatively illustrated book that sees the brief, true heyday as between Wilder’s Double Indemnity (1944) and his Sunset Boulevard (1950), but looks at the prelude and the aftermath, and sets the genre in its larger social and cultural context.” – Philip French, The Observer (London).

“An important examination of what film noir is…The 264-page treatise is not a review source; rather, Hirsch’s academic work delves deeply with a scholarly but not dry approach.” – Skyscraper, Spring 2009.

On this day in movie history: Rambo (2008):

Rambo

directed by Sylvester Stallone,

written by Art Monterastelli and Sylvester Stallone, 

was released in the United States on January 25, 2008.

Music by Brian Tyler.

Cast:

Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz, Paul Schulze, Matthew Marsden, Graham McTavish, Tim Kang, Rey Gallegos, Jake La Botz, Maung Maung Khin, Ken Howard, Supakorn Kitsuwon, Aung Aay Noi, Sornram Patchimtasanakarn.

On this day in movie history - Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008):

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

a documentary directed by Alex Gibney,

written by Alex Gibney,

based on the writing of Hunter S. Thompson,

was released at the Sundance Film Festival in the United States on January 20, 2008.
Music by David Schwartz.
Narrated by Johnny Depp.

On this day in movie history: Cloverfield (2008):

Cloverfield

directed by Matt Reeves,

written by Drew Goddard,

was released in the United States on January 18, 2008.
Music by Michael Giacchino.

Cast:

Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Annable, Anjul Nigam, Margot Farley, Theo Rossi, Brian Klugman, Kelvin Yu, Liza Lapira, Lili Mirojnick, Ben Feldman, Elena Nikitina, Vakisha Coleman, Will Greenberg, Rob Kerkovich, Ryan Key, Hooman Khalili, Rasika Mathur, Baron Vaughn, Charlyne Yi, Roma Torre, Rick Overton, Martin Cohen, Jason Cerbone, Billy Brown, Scott Lawrence, Jeffrey De Serrano, Tim Griffin, Chris Mulkey, Susse Budde, Jason Lombard, Jamie Martz.

On this day in movie history - In Bruges (2008):

In Bruges

directed and written by Martin McDonagh,

was released at the Sundance Film Festival in the United States on January 17, 2008.
Music by Carter Burwell.

Cast:

Colin Farrell, Ralph Fiennes, Brendan Gleeson, Clémence Poésy, Thekla Reuten, Elizabeth Berrington, Rudy Blomme, Olivier Bonjour, Mark Donovan, Ann Elsley, Jean-Marc FavorinEric Godon, Zeljko Ivanek, Sachi Kimura, Anna Madeley, Louis Nummy, Jordan Prentice, Jérémie Renier, Theo Stevenson, Inez Stinton, Emily Thorling, Angel Witney, Bonnie Witney, Ran Yaniv, Stephanie Carey, Jamie Edgell, Susan Ateh, Sommer Garcia, Ciarán Hinds, Liz Imperio, Arnold Montey, Carmen Osbahr, Robert Roldan, Bomber Hurley Smith.

On this day in television history - Pushing Daisies (2008):

Pushing Daisies

Season 2. Episode 10.

Episode entitled: The Norwegians.

Released December 17, 2008.

Directed by Tricia Brock.

Written by Scott Nimerfro.

Series created by Bryan Fuller.

Music by Jim Dooley.

Narrated by Jim Dale.

Cast:

Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Chi McBride, Jim Dale, Kristin Chenoweth, Ellen Greene, Swoosie Kurtz, Field Cate, Orlando Jones, Ivana Milicevic, Michael Weaver, Stephen Root, Nicolas Khayyat, George Hamilton.

On this day in movie history - Gran Torino (2008):

Gran Torino

directed by Hal Ashby,

written by Nick Schenk,

was released in the United States on December 12, 2008.
Music by Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens.

Cast:

Clint Eastwood, Christopher Carley, Bee Vang, Ahney Her, Brian Haley, Geraldine Hughes, Dreama Walker, Brian Howe, John Carroll Lynch, William Hill, Brooke Chia Thao, Chee Thao, Choua Kue, Scott Eastwood, Xia Soua Chang, Sonny Vue, Doua Moua, Greg Trzaskoma, John Johns, Davis Gloff, Thomas D. Mahard, Cory Hardrict, Nana Gbewonyo, Arthur Cartwright, Austin Douglas Smith, Conor Liam Callaghan, Michael E. Kurowski, Julia Ho , Maykao K. Lytongpao, Carlos Guadarrama, Andrew Tamez-Hull, Ramon Camacho, Antonio Mireles, Ia Vue Yang, Zoua Kue, Elvis Thao, Jerry Lee, Lee Mong Vang, Tru Hang, Alice Lor, Tong Pao Kue, Douacha Ly, Parng D. Yarng, Nelly Yang Sao Yia, Marty Bufalini, My-Ishia Cason-Brown, Clint Ward, Stephen Kue, Rochelle Winter, Claudia Rodgers, Sean Baligian, Darline Bucchare, Shelagh Conley, Jeffrey Feingold, William C. Fox, Vong Lee, Arnold Montey, Rio Scafone, Jeffrey Scott Basham, Tony Stef'Ano, Carey Torrice, Kevin Walsh.

On this day in television history - Pushing Daisies (2008):

Pushing Daisies

Season 2. Episode 9.

Episode entitled: The Legend of Merle McQuoddy.

Released December 10, 2008.

Directed by Lawrence Trilling.

Written by Chad Gomez Creasey, Dara Resnik Creasey.

Series created by Bryan Fuller.

Music by Jim Dooley.

Narrated by Jim Dale.

Cast:

Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Chi McBride, Jim Dale, Kristin Chenoweth, Ellen Greene, Swoosie Kurtz, Field Cate, Josh Randall, Perry Anzilotti, Alexander Gould, Sammi Hanratty, David Koechner, Mary Kay Place, Jordan Feldman, Leyna Nguyen, Kristen Olson.

On this day in television history - Pushing Daisies (2008):

Pushing Daisies

Season 2. Episode 8.

Episode entitled: Comfort Food.

Released December 3, 2008.

Directed by Peter Lauer.

Written by Douglas Petrie.

Series created by Bryan Fuller.

Music by Jim Dooley.

Narrated by Jim Dale.

Cast:

Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Chi McBride, Jim Dale, Kristin Chenoweth, Ellen Greene, Swoosie Kurtz, Field Cate, Josh Randall, Tim Bagley, Patrick Fischler, Beth Grant, Eric Stonestreet, Stephen Root, Daeg Faerch, Hugh Holub, Nicolas Khayyat, Joleen Lutz, Priscilla Leona Horne, Julie McKinnon, Peter Voytko.

On this day in television history - Pushing Daisies (2008):

Pushing Daisies

Season 2. Episode 7.

Episode entitled: Robbing Hood.

Released November 26, 2008.

Directed by Paul Shapiro.

Written by Jim Danger Gray.

Series created by Bryan Fuller.

Music by Jim Dooley.

Narrated by Jim Dale.

Cast:

Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Chi McBride, Jim Dale, Kristin Chenoweth, Ellen Greene, Swoosie Kurtz, Field Cate, Shelley Berman, Danny Comden, Jennifer Elise Cox, Ethan Phillips, Jamison Yang, Stephen Root, Nicholas Khayyat, Ethan Kogan, Jesse Heiman.