Recommended reading - Balboa Films (2007):

Balboa Films

A History and Filmography of the Silent Film Studio

By Jean-Jacques Jura & Rodney Norman Bardin II.

Published by McFarland.

Published 2007.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0786430982

ISBN-13: 9780786430987

Description:

From 1913 through 1918, Long Beach, California, was home to the largest independent film company in the world, the largely forgotten Balboa Studio. Founder Herbert M. Horkheimer bought the studio from Edison Company in 1913, and by 1915 Balboa's expenses exceeded $2,500 a day and its output hit 15,500 feet of film per week. Bert Bracken, Fatty Arbuckle, Henry King, Baby Marie Osborne, Thomas Ince, and William Desmond Taylor began their careers with the studio.

In 1918, Horkheimer stunned the industry by declaring bankruptcy, shutting down Balboa, and walking away from moviemaking. The closing of the studio effectively ended Long Beach's runs as a major film location and left many wondering about the true reasons behind Horkheimer's decision. Most of Balboa's films have been lost, and little has until now been written about the studio. This book first explores the history of filmmaking in Long Beach and then fully details the story of Balboa. The extensive filmography includes length, copyright date when available, cast and credits, and a plot summary.

Recommended reading: Stick by Elmore Leonard (1983):

Stick

By Elmore Leonard.

Published by Arbor House.

First published 1983.

Hardcover.

ISBN-10: 0877954364

ISBN-13: 978-0877954361

Description:

After serving time for armed robbery, Ernest "Stick" Stickley is back on the outside and trying to stay legit. But it's tough staying straight in a crooked town -- and Miami is a pirate's paradise, where investment fat cats and lowlife drug dealers hold hands and dance. And when a crazed player chooses Stick at random to die for another man's sins, the struggling ex-con is left with no choice but to dive right back into the game. Besides, Stick knows a good thing when he sees it -- and a golden opportunity to run a very profitable sweet revenge scam seems much too tasty to pass up.

Recommended reading - The Complete Stories and Poems by Edgar Allan Poe (1966):

The Complete Stories and Poems

By Edgar Allan Poe.

First published 1849.

This edition published 1966.

Published by Doubleday & Company, Inc.

Hardcover.

ISBN 13: 9780385074070

ISBN 10: 0385074077

ASIN: 0385074077

Description:

This single volume brings together all of Poe's stories and poems, and illuminates the diverse and multifaceted genius of one of the greatest and most influential figures in American literary history.

Recommended reading - 711 - Officer Needs Help by Whit Masterson (1965):

711 - Officer Needs Help

By Whit Masterson.

Filmed as Warning Shot (1967), directed by Buzz Kulik.

ASIN: B000CC6L22

Published by Popular Library.

First published 1965.

Paperback.

Description:

A Man on the run for his life...

A suspense novel to startle and shock...

Detective Sergeant Tom Valens was a tough man in a tough business--with an unblemished record, a long scar in his gut to prove his integrity and a beautiful ex-wife to prove his devotion to the Force.

Then one night he made a cop's worst mistake--and found himself alone, with ten days to clear his name and save his life. Ten chilling days which led to a gorgeous redhead named Liz, a secret potent enough to blow half of Los Angeles society sky-high, and a psychotic killer who would stop at nothing...including triple murder.

Recommended reading - The Lodger (1911):

The Lodger

By Marie Belloc Lowndes.

Filmed as The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog, (1927), directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Published by Academy Chicago Publishers.

First published 1911, in the January edition of McClure's Magazine.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0897336046

ISBN-13: 978-0897336048

Description:

"One of the best suspense novels ever written." – The New York Times.

"This is a beautifully wrought novel of psychological suspense that should have a place on any mystery buff's shelf of classics." – Chicago Sun-Times.

This first class, highly-acclaimed thriller was published in 1914, more than two decades after the so-called Jack the Ripper murders, on which it is based, had occurred in Whitechapel, London. The murders – five in all – appeared to be the work of a woman-hating fanatic, someone who also must have had knowledge of anatomy, since the bodies were mutilated with surgical skill.

Twenty years later, memories of these serial killings were still fresh in Londoners’ minds and the author brilliantly captures the sense of fear and horror which the murders evoked. Praise for this novel has withstood the test of time in England, America, and around the world. The Lodger has been adapted for the screen several times, most notably by Alfred Hitchcock in 1926, his first film.

Recommended reading - The Witnesses (1971):

The Witnesses

By Anne Holden.

Filmed as The Bedroom Window (1987), directed by Curtis Hanson.

Hardcover.
Published 1971.
Published by Macmillan.
ISBN 13: 9780333126486
ISBN 10: 0333126483
ASIN: 0333126483

Description:

A Joan Kahn-Harper novel of suspense.
A married woman visiting her lover witnesses a crime outside the window.
She couldn't possibly go to the police, could she?
But then ...
This is a tense, highly suspenseful, compelling tale.
Don't start to read it if you have an appointment you have to keep before you finish.

Recommended reading - 1001 Movie Posters (2024):

1001 Movie Posters

Designs of the Times

Edited by Tony Nourmand.

Introduction by Christopher Frayling.

Contribution by Alison Elangasinghe.

Published by Reel Art Press.

Published 2024.

Hardcover.

ISBN-10: 1909526932

ISBN-13: 9781909526938

Description:

Steeped in nostalgia, this beautiful, diverse and definitive collection features posters from over 20 countries with work by over 150 art directors and illustrators.

The most comprehensive overview of movie posters ever published, 1001 Movie Posters is a definitive coffee-table volume from world authority on the art form, Tony Nourmand. Spanning more than a century of global imagery, the book celebrates the most arresting, aesthetically powerful examples of the genre, including a number of posters that have never been published before.

There has always been a raw immediacy to film posters: provoking and enticing, shocking and seducing audiences across the threshold of the movie theater. The artists tasked with communicating that have been at the forefront of design: groundbreaking visionaries such as Saul Bass and Paul Rand; Eastern European artists using poetic, surreal and often disturbing imagery in highly original and subversive concepts. Other poster artists have woven contemporaneous movements in art and popular culture into their designs, creating a time capsule of the obsessions and concerns of a different era.

Iconic posters for films such as Metropolis, The Man with the Golden Arm, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Goldfinger sit alongside more unexpected and lesser-known artwork for films such as 2001, Star Wars, Taxi Driver and The Birds. Nearly all cinematic movements are included, from early silent masterpieces through German Expressionism, film noir of the 1940s, 1950s science fiction, the psychedelic imagery of the 1960s, the gritty violence and retribution of the 1970s and 1980s, and then onward into the 21st century, where the stripped-back graphics nod back to the Bass minimalism of the 1950s.

An extraordinary visual compendium, 1001 Movie Posters is the final word on movie posters and a must for film lovers and anyone interested in the power of advertising and design.

"Cinematographic posters are like popular songs… they take you back to certain moments of your life, preventing you from losing them. They take you back not only to the film, but to their seasons, the atmosphere, and the taste of an era.” – Federico Fellini.

A vast selection of posters spanning the past century offers insight into contemporaneous tastes and styles, showcasing the medium’s eye-catching artistic innovations: glamorous paintings for 1922’s Salomé, scratchy, left-field illustration for 1987’s Withnail and I, and that terrifying, looming shark for 1975’s Jaws. – Tara Joshi, Guardian.

... readers can travel back in time with a rich collection of iconic posters from memorable films including 'Metropolis,' 'Breakfast at Tiffany’s,' 'Goldfinger,' 'Star Wars' and 'Taxi Driver' and 'The Birds.' – Lizz Schumer, People Magazine.

Spanning the colourful Parisian lithographs that marked the first public film screening by the Lumière brothers in 1896 through to recent blockbusters including 'Barbie' and 'Parasite,' it is the most comprehensive collection of film posters ever published. – Aimee McLaughlin, Creative Review.

In the exquisite '1001 Movie Posters: Designs of the Times,' Nourmand shares a wealth of his own favorites. [...] The volume is thick and arguably the most comprehensive review ever published. – Elena Clavarino, Air Mail.

Page after page elicits gasps. – Ty Burr, The Wall Street Journal.

A sweeping 640-page compendium of promotional posters announcing movies around the world, from 'Do The Right Thing' to 'Parasite,' to 'Snow White' to 'Star Wars' (the American, Hungarian, and Polish versions) to the first public screening in 1896. – The New York Times Book Review.

Recommended reading: The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe (1975):

The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe

Published 1975.

VINTAGE BOOKS EDITION.

ISBN: 0394716787

Description:

One of the most original American writers, Edgar Allan Poe shaped the development of both the detective story and the science-fiction story. Some of his poems — "The Raven," "The Bells," "Annabel Lee" — remain among the most popular in American literature.

Poe's tales of the macabre still thrill readers of all ages. Here are familiar favorites like "The Purloined Letter," "The Fall of the House of Usher," and "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," together with less-known masterpieces like "The Imp of the Perverse," "The Narrative of A. Gordon Pym," and "Ligeia," which is now recognized as one of the first science-fiction stories, a total of seventy-three tales in all, plus fifty-three poems and a generous sampling of Poe's essays, criticism and journalistic writings.

Recommended reading – The Cowboys (1971):

The Cowboys

By William Dale Jennings.

Published by Bantam.

First published 1971.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0552089796

ISBN-13: 978-0552089791

Description:

The time is 1877, the place the wild Wyoming-Montana territory. Will Anderson, a flinty old rancher, has a huge herd of cattle ripe for market when his regular hands, inflamed by gold fever, desert him. In desperation, he hires the only "men" available for the perilous 400 mile drive – a pack of scraggly schoolboys. Through skill and harsh discipline, Wil Anderson whips them from greenhorns into seasoned cowhands. But before the long drive is over, the boys discover that the price they must pay for manhood is a terrible one- murder and revenge! the stunning, heartbreaking climax of this extraordinary story will surprise you - and perhaps even sock you.

Recommended reading - City of the Dead (1976):

City of the Dead

By Herbert Lieberman.

Hardcover.

First published 1976.

Published by Simon & Schuster.

ISBN 13: 9780671222727

ISBN 10: 0671222724

ASIN: 0671222724

Description:

The grim and fascinating world of the big-city pathologist is the backdrop for this terrifying journey into the depths of the human soul.

In 1970s New York, a forensic pathologist must use his professional skills to save his own daughter in this “harrowing” award-winning crime novel (The New York Times).

In the gritty seventies, Manhattan is a dark, dangerous, and threatening place. One of the bright spots in this decaying metropolis is Paul Konig. As the city’s chief medical examiner, he has developed an impressive reputation for his skills in forensic pathology – skills that will be put to the ultimate test when a dangerous psychopath kidnaps Konig’s daughter.

Awakened by phone calls featuring his daughter’s desperate screams each night, Konig finds his life unraveling, not only personally but professionally. Between the case of a serial killer who leaves a trail of severed body parts in his wake, an investigation into the forensic work on an alleged prison suicide, and a nakedly ambitious deputy medical examiner, he is at the end of his rope, and it will take every ounce of his strength to save his own life – as well as his family’s.

Perfect for fans of Patricia Cornwell or Kathy Reichs, City of the Dead is a chilling thriller by the author of Crawlspace and a winner of the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière, featuring “a massive amount of authoritative detail” about the life of a coroner (Kirkus Reviews).

Recommended reading - Rum Punch (1992):

Rum Punch

By Elmore Leonard.

Published by Delacorte Press.

First published 1992.

Hardcover.

ISBN-10: 038530143X

ISBN-13: 978-0385301435

Description:

Pretty working-girl Jackie Burke is in a tight spot.  She's just been picked up at Palm Beach International with fifty grand and some blow stashed in her flight bag.  Lucky for her, the Feds want something Jackie's got:  the inside track to Ordell Robbie, the notoriusly slick arms dealer.  And they're ready to deal – Ordell in exchange for her freedom.  But Jackie's got another ace up her sleeve. . .Enter Max Cherry, bail bondsman.  Big, tough, basically decent Max is on the verge of divorce and tired of the same old grind.  That's where Jackie comes in.  The fifty big ones are peanuts compared to what Ordell's got locked away in Freeport.  But when a blowsy blond blowhead and a none-too-bright ex con try to muscle in on the action, it's time to pull and old bait and switch – where the good guys are played off against the bad guys – and where Jackie and Max hope to walk off into the Florida sunset with a hot half million in cold cash.

"Unputdownable! Benath it's fast moving surface, Rum Punch is a novel about growing old, about the way that time changes us, about the old dream of starting over agian and its cost." – The Washington Post Book World.

"Expertly blended. . .potent Dutch." – Chicago Sun-Times.

"Rum Punch is Leonard's best work! He brilliantly reaffirms his right to the title of America's finest crime-fiction writer." – People.

Recommended reading – Two O’clock Courage (1934):

Two O’clock Courage

By Gelett Burgess.

Filmed as Two in the Dark (1936), directed by Benjamin Stoloff.

ASIN: B005D2SGQU

Published by Surinam Turtle Press.

Published 1934.

Hardcover.

Description:

This 1934 thriller is the third book under Richard A. Lupoff's Surinam Turtle imprint. A man wakes up in a park and can't remember who he is. But thanks to the help of a couple of intriguing women, he manages to remain free from arrest for a murder he MAY have committed. But he simply must figure out his identity before the cops -- or the murderer -- catch up with him. The story was made into a film called TWO IN THE DARK and the plot has been used in later films and books (notably Evan Hunter's BUDDWING and a British film called HYSTERIA) but no one has done it with the skill and style of Gelett Burgess.

Recommended reading - The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet (1962):

The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet

by Burton E. Stevenson.

Filmed as The Case of the Black Parrot (1941), directed by Noel M. Smith.

Published by Legare Street Press.

First published 1962.

Hardcover.

ISBN-10: 101977469X

ISBN-13: 978-1019774694

Description:

The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet is a classic detective novel written by Burton Egbert Stevenson. The plot revolves around a crime committed against a wealthy family, and a detective is brought in to solve the case. Along the way, the detective must navigate a web of lies and deceit to uncover the truth. The book is a fast-paced and thrilling read, sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Recommended reading - Noir City Annual 2023 (2024):

Noir City Annual 2023

By Eddie Muller.

Edited by Imogen Sara Smith.

No. 16

Published by Film Noir Foundation.

Published 2024.

Paperback.

ASIN: B0DG6XTLVL

ISBN-13: 979-8218508180

Description:

2024's NOIR CITY Annual 16, the best of the best from the Film Noir Foundation's 2023 NOIR CITY Magazines, is here – essays, profiles, interviews, and appreciations of classic and modern noir films from today's top writers. This year's contributors are Imogen Sara Smith, Danilo Castro, Rachel Walther, Jake Hinkson, Vince Keenan, Steve Kronenberg, John Wranovics, Jeremy Arnold, Peter Tonguette, Wallace Stroby, Andy Wolverton, Thomas Burchfield, Ben Terrall, and Eddie Muller. Book layout and design by Michael Kronenberg. And, as with any purchase from the FNF, when you buy the NOIR CITY Annual 16, you'll be helping fund the non-profit foundation's film restoration efforts.

Recommended reading - The Exorcist (1971) and Legion (1983):

The Exorcist

By William Peter Blatty.

Published by Harper Paperbacks.

First published in 1971.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 006209436X

ISBN-13: 978-0062094360

Description:

Four decades after it first shook the nation, then the world, William Peter Blatty’s thrilling masterwork of faith and demonic possession returns in an even more powerful form. Raw and profane, shocking and blood-chilling, it remains a modern parable of good and evil and perhaps the most terrifying novel ever written.

----------

Legion

By William Peter Blatty.

Published by Tor Books.

First published in 1983.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0765327139

ISBN-13: 978-0765327130

Description:

“Jesus asked the man his name, and he answered, ‘Legion, for we are many.’” – Mark 5:9.

A young boy is found horribly murdered in a mock crucifixion. Is the murderer the elderly woman who witnessed the crime? A neurologist who can no longer bear the pain life inflicts on its victims? A psychiatrist with a macabre sense of humor and a guilty secret? A mysterious mental patient, locked in silent isolation?

Lieutenant Kinderman follows a bewildering trail that links all these people, confronting new enigmas at every turn, even as more murders occur. Why does each victim suffer the same dreadful mutilations? Why are two priests among the dead? Is there a connection between these crimes and another series of murders that took place twelve years ago – one that supposedly ended with the death of the killer?

Legion is a novel of breathtaking energy and suspense. But more than this, it is an extraordinary journey into the uncharted depths of the human mind and the most agonizing questions of the human condition.

The answers are revealed in a climax so stunning that it could only have been written by the author of The Exorcist – William Peter Blatty.

Recommended reading - The Stop-motion Filmography (2007):

The Stop-motion Filmography

A Critical Guide to 297 Features Using Puppet Animation

By Neil Pettigrew.

2-Volume Set.

Published by McFarland & Company.

Published 2007.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0786431075

ISBN-13: 978-0786431076

Description:

This is a major McFarland reference work providing in-depth analyses of all puppet animation sequences in every film that has featured the process, including King Kong and Jason and the Argonauts. The focus is on how effective the sequence was and how it was executed. In addition to the analysis, each entry provides title, year of release, cast and production credits including producer, director, screenplay, director of photography, art director or production designer, music, stop-motion animators, armature builders, puppet makers, stop-motion cameramen, sequence supervisors, and more. Ratings of the film and of the effectiveness of its stop-motion sequences are also given.

“Gargantuan...an insightful and affectionate tribute to [puppet animation] films. Brilliant color photographs shine out alongside numerous black and white photos...recommended.” – Choice.

“Well-researched, well-written and a solid addition.” – Video Watchdog.

“Detailed…a ‘must have’.” – Famous Monsters of Filmland.

“Amazing...thousands of details...an important work.” – Association Internationale du Film d'Animation (ASIFA) / The International Animated Film Association.

“A mightily impressive tome...exhaustive...an essential book for stop motion fans.” – SFX Magazine.

“Staggeringly comprehensive study...provides shot-by-shot analysis of every stop-motion sequence in every known feature film that uses the process...Pettigrew’s thoroughness and accuracy border on the astounding...a work of impeccable scholarship.” – Scarlet Street.

“A treasure-trove of information.” – Ani-Mato.

“Superbly researched and informative text and illustrations...provides in-depth analyses of all puppet animation sequences...a valuable source of information...immaculately researched and written in a lucid and very readable manner” – Talking Pictures Magazine.

Recommended reading - Into the Dark (2016):

Into the Dark

The Hidden World of Film Noir, 1941-1950

By Mark A. Vieira.

Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

Published by Running Press Adult.

Illustrated edition.

Published 2016.

Hardcover.

ISBN-10: 0762455233

ISBN-13: 978-0762455232

Description:

Bursting with glossy stills and archival material, film historian and photographer Mark A. Vieira's Into The Dark: The Hidden World of Film Noir, 1941-1950 offers an unprecedented portal into Hollywood's golden era of cynicism. A systematic study of noir, this gorgeous coffee table tome fills a significant gap in scholarship on the genre.” – MovieMaker.

You know film noir when you see it: the shadowed setting; the cynical detective; the femme fatale; and the twist of fate. Into the Dark captures this alluring genre with a cavalcade of compelling photographs and a guide to 82 of its best films.

Into the Dark is the first book to tell the story of film noir in its own voice. Author Mark A. Vieira quotes the artists who made these movies and the journalists and critics who wrote about them, taking readers on a year-by-year tour of the exciting nights when movies like Double Indemnity, Mildred Pierce, and Sunset Boulevard were sprung on an unsuspecting public. For the first time, we hear the voices of film noir artists speak from the sets and offices of the studios, explaining the dark genre, even before it had a name. Those voices tell how the genre was born and how it thrived in an industry devoted to sweetness and light.

Into the Dark is a ticket to a smoky, glamorous world. You enter a story conference with Raymond Chandler, visit the set of Laura, and watch Detour with a Midwest audience. This volume recreates the environment that spawned film noir. It also displays the wit and warmth of the genre's artists. Hedda Hopper reports on Citizen Kane, calling Orson Welles "Little Orson Annie." Lauren Bacall says she enjoys playing a bad girl in To Have and Have Not. Bosley Crowther calls Joan Crawford in Possessed a "ghost wailing for a demon lover beneath a waning moon." An Indiana exhibitor rates the classic Murder, My Sweet a "passable program picture." Illustrated by hundreds of rare still photographs, Into the Dark conveys the mystery, glamour, and irony that make film noir surpassingly popular.

About TCM:

Turner Classic Movies is the definitive resource for the greatest movies of all time. We entertain and enlighten to show how the entire spectrum of classic movies, movie history, and movie-making touches us all and influences how we think and live today.

Recommended reading - Fright Night on Channel 9 (2011):

Fright Night on Channel 9

Saturday Night Horror Films on New York's WOR-TV, 1973-1987

By James Arena.

Published by McFarland & Company.

Published 2011.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0786466782

ISBN-13: 978-0786466788

Description:

"If you're a horror fan, regardless of whether or not you had access to WOR, you should give Fright Night on Channel 9 a look. It will bring back a lot of memories and a smile to your face." – This Old Haunted House.

"Irresistible" – Video Watchdog (Issue #167).

"...a mouthwatering history of New York City's WOR-TV...will be a magical trip down memory lane" – Scary Monsters Magazine.

"In his friendly and warm (and sometimes delightfully humorous) writing style, Arena tells the inside story of one of New York TV's most fondly recalled one-stop for a wide variety of genre flicks...a must...there is a story to be told here, and Arena was born to write it...highly recommended...indispensable" – DVD Drive-in.

From 1973 to 1987, Fright Night was a fixture of the late Saturday evening schedule on independent New York television station WOR-TV, Channel 9. A genre fan's nightmare come true, the modestly produced showcase featured horror films both classic and obscure, from Universal and RKO golden oldies such as Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman, King Kong and Dracula's Daughter to lesser-known delights, including Wild Women of Wongo, The Living Coffin and Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things. Fright Night suffered no delusions of grandeur and never claimed to be anything more than what it was: great entertainment on a Saturday night. This thorough and affectionate tribute to Fright Night's glory days includes a complete listing (and critiques) of all films shown on the series, as well as discussion of WOR-TV's other horror movie programs from the 1970s and 1980s. Details of how the program was developed over 16 years are revealed in depth. Also featured are interviews with the major surviving players, including Fright Night creator Lawrence P. Casey and cult film producer Samuel M. Sherman (Brain of Blood).

Recommended reading - Silent Movies (2007):

Silent Movies

The Birth of Film and the Triumph of Movie Culture

by Peter Kobel.

Preface by Martin Scorsese.

Foreword by Kevin Brownlow.

Published by Little, Brown and Company.

Published 2007.

Hardcover.

ISBN-10: 0316117919

ISBN-13: 978-0316117913

Description:

Drawing on the extraordinary collection of The Library of Congress, one of the greatest repositories for silent film and memorabilia, Peter Kobel has created the definitive visual history of silent film. From its birth in the 1890s, with the earliest narrative shorts, through the brilliant full-length features of the 1920s, Silent Movies captures the greatest directors and actors and their immortal films.

Silent Movies also looks at the technology of early film, the use of color photography, and the restoration work being spearheaded by some of Hollywood's most important directors, such as Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola.

Richly illustrated from the Library of Congress's extensive collection of posters, paper prints, film stills, and memorabilia – most of which have never been in print – Silent Movies is an important work of history that will also be a sought-after gift book for all lovers of film.

"If you ever wondered why film buffs get weak in the knees about the movies made before talkies, this book can help you understand. . . . it is beautifully designed with a dazzling array of movie stills, posters and promo material drawn from the Library of Congress' memorabilia collection." – San Francisco Chronicle.

"The definitive visual history of silent film." – New York Daily News.

"A handsomely designed and illustrated pictorial history of the voiceless cinema." – Los Angeles Times.

"A ravishing, oversize, million-pound study of the silent movie era, not just its films, but its promotion, its culture and the way these movies changed how we think about the world." – Washington Post Express.

"Kobel has lovingly detailed this world-from the zany publicity campaigns to the lavish scripts to the decadent star lifestyles. SILENT MOVIES is an essential addition to any film or design lover's library." – Encore magazine.

"Spectacular." – The New York Times.

"This isn't a coffee table book, though any coffee table would be lucky to be graced by it. The excellent text manages the trick of being exhaustive without being exhausting, while the photos – and stills, and posters, and lobby cards – are enchanting." – Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal Online.

Recommended reading - Film Noir Compendium (2016)

Film Noir Compendium

Key Selections from the Film Noir Reader Series

By Alain Silver and James Ursini.

Published 2016.

Published by Limelight.

Illustrated edition.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 1495058980

ISBN-13: 978-1495058981

Description:

In this essential study of film noir, editors Alain Silver and James Ursini select the most significant and influential articles on the movement from their highly respected Film Noir Reader series and assemble them into a single, convenient, heavily illustrated volume. Still included, of course, are many rare early articles and such seminal essays as Borde and Chaumeton's “Towards a Definition of Film Noir” from Panorama du Film Noir Americain, Paul Schrader's “Notes on Film Noir ” and “Paint It Black: the Family Tree of the Film Noir” by Raymond Durgnat. With newer studies such as “Lounge Time” by Vivian Sobchack, “Manufacturing Heroines in Classic Noir Films” by Sheri Chinen Biesen, and “Voices from the Deep: Film Noir as Psychodrama” J. P. Telotte, this collection of over 30 articles probes this most influential American film movement from varying angles: formalist, feminist, structuralist, sociological, and stylistic; narrative-thematic historical, and even from the point of view of a pure aficionado. There is something in this volume for every student or devotee of film noir. Plus like the readers that have proven an invaluable tool for academics planning a syllabus, it can serve as the most complete core text for any of the myriad of film noir courses taught throughout the world.