The Dark Side of the Screen

A revised and updated edition of the definitive study of film noirthe most original genre of American cinemawith a new afterword by the authorSince The Dark Side of the Screen first appeared over two decades ago, it has served as the essential take on what has become one of todays most pervasive screen influences and enduringly popular genres. Covering over one hundred outstanding films and offering more than two hundred carefully chosen stills, it is by far the most thorough and entertaining study available of noir themes, visual motifs, character types, actors, and directors. This landmark work covers noir in full, from the iconic performances of Burt Lancaster, Joan Crawford, and Humphrey Bogart to the camera angles, lighting effects, and story lines that characterize the work of directors Fritz Lang, Billy Wilder, and Orson Welles. With a new afterword about the lasting legacy of noir as well as recently rediscovered films deserving of their own screenings alongside the classics, The Dark Side of the Screen reestablishes itself as both an unsurpassed resource and a captivating must-read for any fan of noir.

Author Biography

Foster Hirsch, a professor of Film at Brooklyn College, is the author of sixteen books on film and theatre, including Detours and Lost Highways: A Map of Neo-Noir Love, Sex, Death, and the Meaning of Life: The Films of Woody Allen and Otto Preminger: The Man Who Would Be King. He lives in New York.