Film Noir

Phantom Lady

‘Phantom Lady,’ ‘Sorry, Wrong Number,’ and the Dolly-In Recognition Shot

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Be they sinister, or joyous, a dolly-in is a powerful tool.

They Made Me A Criminal John Garfield

‘They Made Me a Criminal’ and the Persecution of an Innocent Star

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John Garfield stars in this precursor to film noir, a tragic representation of the happy ending he never got to have.

Barbara Stanwyck In Double Indemnity

Out of the Shadows: Scoring ‘Double Indemnity’

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Find out why this movie’s music is so unique within film noir.

M Fritz Lang

Fritz Lang’s ‘M’ and the Aesthetics of Justice

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With this prototypical film noir, Fritz Lang crafts a universe in which telling the difference between good and evil is no easy feat.

Film Noir Subgenres

The Beginner’s Guide to the Subgenres of Film Noir

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What’s black and white and full of subgenres?

Night Moves Gene Hackman

‘Night Moves’ and Film Noir Masculinity

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Gene Hackman’s Harry Moseby is a character navigating the neo-noir landscape as a different kind of man.

Brighton Rock

‘Brighton Rock’ and the Iconography of Film Noir

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John Boulting’s sinister adaptation examines the religious undertones of the film noir genre.

Nightmare Alley

The Magical and Seductive Power of ‘Nightmare Alley’

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Although a departure from typical film noir narratives, its exploration of taboo is perfectly in line with the genre’s goals.

Noirvember Detour

Take a ‘Detour’ this Noirvember and Shed Yourself of Pity

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Edgar G. Ulmer’s 1945 film noir is just the kind of gritty, loathsome confection you should crave during Noirvember.