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At Shadows of Noir, we believe very strongly in recognizing the work of others. There are many influential works that have examined film noir over the years and paved the way for future discussion. It is because of the hard work of previous writers, filmmakers, podcasters…etc that we can continue examining film noir in a productive way. Below are key references and background sources used in preparing material at Shadows of Noir. They are also excellent resources for those interested in expanding their knowledge further.
Want to see how these sources come together? Check out What is Film Noir?
Book References
Alton, John. Painting With Light. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA, University of California Press, 2013.
Borde, Raymond, and Etienne Chaumeton (Translation Paul Hammond). A Panorama of American Film Noir. San Francisco, CA, City Lights Books, 2002.
Friedrich, Otto. City of Nets: A Portrait of Hollywood in the 1940’s. New York, NY, HarperCollins Publishers, 2014.
Hirsch, Foster. The Dark Side of the Screen: Film Noir. Cambridge, MA, Da Capo Press, 2008.
Hogan, David J. Film Noir FAQ. Milwaukee, WI, Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, 2013.
Thompson, Kristin, and David Bordwell. Film History: An Introduction. New York, NY, McGraw-Hill, 2003.
Kracauer, Siegfried. From Caligari to Hitler: A Psychological History of the German Film. Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press, 2019.
Muller, Eddie. Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir. New York, NY, Running Press, 2021.
Osteen, Mark. Nightmare Alley: Film Noir and the American Dream. Baltimore, MD, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013.
Phillips, Gene D. Out of the Shadows: Expanding the Canon of Classic Film Noir. Scarecrow Press, 2012.
Schatz, Thomas. Hollywood Genres: Formulas, Filmmaking, and the Studio System. Boston, MA, McGraw-Hill, 1981.
Silver, Alain, Elizabeth Ward, James Ursini, and Robert Porfirio, editors. Film Noir: The Encyclopedia. New York, NY; London, Overlook Duckworth, 2010.
Smith, Imogen Sara. In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City. Jefferson, NC, McFarland, 2011.
Essay References
Bailey, John. “Film Noir’s Sorcerer of Light: John Alton.” Painting With Light, University of California Press, 2013, ix-xvi.
Durgnat, Raymond. “Paint It Black: The Family Tree of the Film Noir.” Film Noir Reader, edited by Alain Silver and James Ursini, Limelight Editions, 2005, 37-51.
Higham, Charles, Joel Greenberg. “Noir Cinema.” Film Noir Reader, edited by Alain Silver and James Ursini, Limelight Editions, 2005, 27-35.
Kerr, Paul. “Out of What Past? Notes on the B film noir.” Film Noir Reader, edited by Alain Silver and James Ursini, Limelight Editions, 2005, 107-127.
McCarthy, Todd. “Through a Lens Darkly: The Life and Films of John Alton.” Painting With Light, University of California Press, 2013, xix-xlix.
Place, Janey, Lowell Peterson. “Some Visual Motifs of Film Noir.” Film Noir Reader, edited by Alain Silver and James Ursini, Limelight Editions, 2005, 65-75.
Porfirio, Robert G. “No Way Out: Existential Motifs in the Film Noir.” Film Noir Reader, edited by Alain Silver and James Ursini, Limelight Editions, 2005, 77-93.
Schrader, Paul. “Notes on Film Noir.” Film Genre Reader III, edited by Barry Keith Grant, University of Texas Press, 2003, 229-242.
Silver, Alain. “Introduction.” Film Noir Reader, edited by Alain Silver and James Ursini, Limelight Editions, 2005, 3-15.
Turner, George E. “Gregg Toland, ASC – an Enduring Legacy.” American Cinematographer, The American Society of Cinematographers, 2017.
Podcast References
Clute, Shannon and Richard Edwards. Out of the Past: Investigating Film Noir, Shannon Clute and Richard Edwards, 2005-2015.
Longworth, Karina. You Must Remember This, Karina Longworth, 2014-2023.
Roche, Adam. The Secret History of Hollywood, Adam Roche, 2017-2023.
Documentary References
Cold War. Produced by Pat Mitchell and Jeremy Isaacs, Turner Broadcasting and BBC, 1998.
The War. Directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, Flourentine Films, 2007.
Source Novel References
Cain, James M. Double Indemnity. New York, NY, Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, 1992.
Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep. New York, NY, Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, 1992.
Hammett, Dashiell. The Maltese Falcon. New York, NY, Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, 1992.
DVD/Blu-Ray Commentary/Feature References
- Eddie Muller
- Alain Silver
- James Ursini
- Martin Scorsese
- William Friedkin
- Jeanne Basinger
- Christopher Nolan
- Drew Casper
Please note that Shadows of Noir does its very best to respect copyrighted work and we take any claims of infringement seriously. If you have a question or concern regarding copyrighted material, please see the Copyright Policy section on the Terms of Use page.
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