The Philosophy of Film Noir (The Philosophy of Popular Culture) (Paperback)

by Mark T. Conard PhD (Editor) "The Postman Always Rings Twice (Tay Garnett, 1946) was adapted from a novel by the writer of hard-boiled fiction James M. Cain..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, United States, Los Angeles (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
When Nietzsche declared "God is dead," little did he know he was helping to launch a new cinematic genre characterized by shady characters and seamy plotlines involving fallen women, murder and betrayal. But noir is inevitably more than just stylish filmmaking or the marriage between American hard-boiled fiction and German expressionism, according to the philosophers, film historians and English professors who contributed to this book: film noir "challenged widespread assumptions about material and moral progress" and represents a "systematic deconstruction of the American Dream." Examining classic noir films and books by writers such as Albert Camus, Dashiell Hammett and James Cain, contributors discuss essence of film noir as reflecting a sense of disenchantment, "inversion of traditional values" and the "spiritual defeat of modernity." In her essay on The Maltese Falcon, Deborah Knight draws the distinction between the emotionally conflicted detective Sam Spade and his more detached predecessor, Sherlock Holmes. Philosophy professor Steven Sanders sifts through existentialist texts and classic noir films to find the meaning of life, while several contributors weigh in on themes of morality and Pulp Fiction gets a deep scholarly massage from Conard. Dense and intriguing, the book suggests noir is best perceived as a slightly warped mirror held up to contemporary society.
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Review
"Dense and intriguing, the book suggests noir is best perceived as a slightly warped mirror held up to contemporary society." -- Publishers Weekly

"The essays work both as solid primers into philosophy, stretching from Aristotle to Schopenhauer, and as lucid excursions into the genre's dark, mean streets. . . . A fascinating, readable, and provocative book. . . . Highly recommended." -- Choice

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Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Kentucky (August 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813191815
• ISBN-13: 978-0813191812
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #828,858 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Helps you understand film noir better, January 11, 2008

By	armchairinterviews.com (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

I love film noir, so I was thrilled to find this book on my doorstep for review. The Philosophy of Film Noir, is part of the "Philosophy of Popular Culture" series from the University Press of Kentucky. Edited by Mark T. Conard, it is a collection of essays from noted scholars representing a wide range of viewpoints on the art form known as film noir.

The book discusses both the "classical" period of film noir, using movies such as The Postman Always Rings Twice and The Maltese Falcon to illuminate the ideology behind the dark and seedy road that is pure noir. More recent incarnations of noir, the neo-noir, are also dismantled for assimilation. An entire chapter is dedicated to the neo-noir masterpiece, Pulp Fiction.

Of special interest for fans of film noir is the section entitled, From Sherlock Holmes to The Hard Boiled Detective by Jerold J. Abrams, in which he compares the detective model created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and re-envisioned by Raymond Chandler.

While The Philosophy of Film Noir may seem dry and challenging at times, it does give readers a glimpse beyond the celluloid to the dark soul and meaning behind these popular films.

Armchair Interviews says: A book for lovers of film, especially film noir.