What is Film Noir?

by William Park

Overview

What is Film Noir? surveys the various theories of film noir, defines film noir, and explains how the genre relates to the style and the period in which noir was created. It also provides a very useful theory of genre and how it relates to film study.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781611483635
Publisher:	University Press Copublishing Division
Publication date:	09/16/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	213
File size:	10 MB

About the Author

William Park i s the co-editor of The College Anthology of English and American Poetry and the author of The Idea of Rococo. He has published numerous essays on the novel. He is the regular film reviewer for the Irish monthly Position Paper and the author of Hollywood: An Epic Production, a history of Hollywood in verse.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Chapter 1: Theory of Genre
Chapter 3 Chapter 2: Film Noir: The Genre Defined
Chapter 4 Chapter 3: Objections
Chapter 5 Chapter 4: Style
Chapter 6 Chapter 5: Period Style
Chapter 7 Chapter 6: Alfred Hitchcock
Chapter 8 Chapter 7: Meanings
Chapter 9 Chapter 8: Last Words
Chapter 10 Appendices
Chapter 11 Appendix A: Within the Genre
Chapter 12 Appendix B: Borderline
Chapter 13 Appendix C: Period Pieces
Chapter 14 Works Cited
Chapter 15 Index

Editorial Reviews

Park (formerly, Sarah Lawrence College) begins his well-researched study of film noir by asking, "Is it a genre, a style, or a period?" He gives a learned, clearly written chapter to each of these alternatives, and he answers "yes" to all three: film noir is a genre and a style and a period (1940-60). Chapter 6 is dedicated to the films of Alfred Hitchcock, whose Vertigo Park considers the ultimate noir film. Some cinephiles may quarrel with that assessment. Throughout his lively, wide-ranging analyses, Park engages with important predecessors in noir criticism, notably, James Naremore's authoritative More than Night (CH, Apr'99, 36-4393; rev. ed., 2008). Park's book makes an interesting intervention in the noir debate....Five appendixes list important films in various noir subcategories. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers.

Choice Reviews

What Is Film Noir is a highly recommended reading for fans of the genre who want to elucidate their doubts about the categories and context their favorite noir films belong to.

Princeton Alumni Weekly

[Park] has opened the door to a new type of inquiry for [noir film]. Others who follow can walk through it to anchor a more historically coherent "unified field theory" of noir that will serve to place it in a truly comprehensive lens.

Noir City

Park's book is not simply an introduction to noir. In many ways it is the definitive encyclopedia of the genre. Park clearly views film noir as an art and perhaps one of those easiest to identify, classify, and enjoy, because it deals with human frailty and normally—although not always—with redemption and some type of justice.

CatholiCity

Park (formerly, Sarah Lawrence College) begins his well-researched study of film noir by asking, "Is it a genre, a style, or a period?" He gives a learned, clearly written chapter to each of these alternatives, and he answers "yes" to all three: film noir is a genre and a style and a period (1940-60). Chapter 6 is dedicated to the films of Alfred Hitchcock, whose Vertigo Park considers the ultimate noir film. Some cinephiles may quarrel with that assessment. Throughout his lively, wide-ranging analyses, Park engages with important predecessors in noir criticism, notably, James Naremore's authoritative More than Night (CH, Apr'99, 36-4393; rev. ed., 2008). Park's book makes an interesting intervention in the noir debate....Five appendixes list important films in various noir subcategories. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers.

Choice

Park (formerly, Sarah Lawrence College) begins his well-researched study of film noir by asking, "Is it a genre, a style, or a period?" He gives a learned, clearly written chapter to each of these alternatives, and he answers "yes" to all three: film noir is a genre and a style and a period (1940-60). Chapter 6 is dedicated to the films of Alfred Hitchcock, whose Vertigo Park considers the ultimate noir film. Some cinephiles may quarrel with that assessment. Throughout his lively, wide-ranging analyses, Park engages with important predecessors in noir criticism, notably, James Naremore's authoritative More than Night (CH, Apr'99, 36-4393; rev. ed., 2008). Park's book makes an interesting intervention in the noir debate....Five appendixes list important films in various noir subcategories. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers.

CHOICE