Crime Films
Focusing on ten films that span the range of the twentieth century, Thomas Leitch traces the transformation of three figures common to all crime films: the criminal, the victim and the avenger. He shows how the distinctions among them become blurred throughout the course of the century, reflecting and fostering a deep social ambivalence towards crime and criminals. The criminal, victim and avenger characters effectively map the shifting relations between subgenres (such as the erotic thriller and the police film) within the larger genre of crime film.
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Crime Films
Focusing on ten films that span the range of the twentieth century, Thomas Leitch traces the transformation of three figures common to all crime films: the criminal, the victim and the avenger. He shows how the distinctions among them become blurred throughout the course of the century, reflecting and fostering a deep social ambivalence towards crime and criminals. The criminal, victim and avenger characters effectively map the shifting relations between subgenres (such as the erotic thriller and the police film) within the larger genre of crime film.
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Crime Films

Crime Films

by Thomas Leitch
Crime Films

Crime Films

by Thomas Leitch

Overview

Focusing on ten films that span the range of the twentieth century, Thomas Leitch traces the transformation of three figures common to all crime films: the criminal, the victim and the avenger. He shows how the distinctions among them become blurred throughout the course of the century, reflecting and fostering a deep social ambivalence towards crime and criminals. The criminal, victim and avenger characters effectively map the shifting relations between subgenres (such as the erotic thriller and the police film) within the larger genre of crime film.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780521646710
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Publication date: 08/15/2002
Series: Genres in American Cinema
Edition description: New Edition
Pages: 400
Product dimensions: 5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.87(d)
Lexile: 1730L (what's this?)

Table of Contents

1. The problem of the crime film; 2. Historical and cultural overview; 3. Critical overview; 4. Fury and the victim film; 5. The Godfather and the gangster film; 6. Double Indemnity and the film noir; 7. Basic Instinct and the erotic thriller; 8. Murder on the Orient Express, Blue Velvet, and the unofficial detective film; 9. Chinatown and the hardboiled detective film; 10. Bullitt and the police film; 11. Reversal of Fortune and the lawyer film; 12. Fargo and the crime comedy; 13. What good are crime films?
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