The Big Book of Noir

Amazon.com

Penzler Pick, December 1999: It took the French, with their word for "dark," to give an identity to an important mystery sub-genre. Something more than hard-boiled, noir--whether in film, book, or television--must also speak to a sense of existential nihilism, where betrayal is how romance best expresses itself and fear is only another name for foreplay. But while we all now know what noir is, when it was starting to coalesce as a coherent style back in the 1940s and early 1950s, it was more spontaneous, less self-conscious. It was wholly representative of a world then at war, not just with visible enemies, but with unseen ones as well.

Editors Gorman, Server, and Greenberg have brought together a fine galaxy of contributors (among them, William F. Nolan, James Sallis, Mike Ripley, Bill Pronzini, Gary Lovisi, Max Allan Collins, and many more) to cover the waterfront in all areas of noir artistry. Even Stephen King weighs in with a tribute to Jim Thompson, wonderfully titled "Warning! Warning! Hitchhikers May Be Escaped Lunatics!" (Thompson fans will get the joke.) Charles Willeford, Chester Himes, Patricia Highsmith, Dashiell Hammett, Mickey Spillane, Orson Welles, John D. MacDonald, Leigh Brackett, Billy Wilder, Fritz Lang, Alfred Hitchcock, Peter Gunn, Joe Friday, Lew Archer, and Lawrence Block--they're all here, and more, of course. It's 386 pages deep in noir references, lore, and opinions. But of special interest to book collectors are the chapters on the old publishers and imprints: Lion Books, Gold Medal, and others. There are conversations too, among them a rare chat with cult favorite Peter Rabe (who died in 1990), an interview with the always lively and urbane Donald E. Westlake, and a talk with Abraham Polonsky (screenplay writer, director, and blacklistee). Even kid stuff is not exempt from the bleak world of noir. Ron Goulart explores comic book noir, and, as a well-respected expert in the field of comics and cartoon strips, leads us back to such forgotten figures as "Steel Sterling," "Madam Satan," and "Johnny Dynamite."

If you've ever enjoyed a book by James Ellroy, Jim Thompson, or Richard Stark, or any movie with Veronica Lake or Lizabeth Scott, this book is not to be missed. --Otto Penzler

Customer Reviews:

A great reference.......2002-05-02

If you're looking for an intriguing, informative, and overall enjoyable reference work on both noir fiction and film, look no further. The Big Book of Noir, co-edited by Lee Server and Ed Gorman, is chock full of terrific pieces on great directors and writers including Cornell Woolrich, A.I. Bezzerides (writer of the classics Kiss Me Deadly, On Dangerous Ground, and Thieves' Highway), Harry Whittington, Peter Rabe, Fritz Lang, Leigh Brackett, Gil Brewer, Mickey Spillane, and many more.

One of the best things about the book is that several of the above-mentioned pieces are actually interviews; Lang and Bezzerides fall into this category, as do Daniel Mainwaring (writer of Out of the Past), Abraham Polonsky (writer of Force of Evil), Peter Rabe, Charles Willeford, and Donald Westlake.

Several of the non-interview pieces are written by some of the best known writers in suspense fiction around including Stephen King (on Jim Thompson), William Nolan, Ed Gorman, Barry Malzberg, Bill Pronzini, and Max Allan Collins. Other pieces are firsthand accounts--by Leigh Brackett and Malvin Wald (writer of Naked City).

There's an interesting checklist of 100 favorite noir films (including a few by Jean-Pierre Melville, one of the all-time great French directors--a powerful inspiration for Tarantino), another checklist of 100 noir novels, and even a section on noir comics!

The Radio and TV section goes into Peter Gunn, of course, but also mentions the lesser-known (and by all accounts, far more interesting) Johnny Staccato which starred John Cassevetes who was infinitely edgier than Craig Stevens' Gunn character.

These guys have done their homework and more, and it definitely shows. It's a shame this book is out of print; it's terrific!

Essential.......2002-03-15

A wonderful collection featuring some of the world's best noir scholars and historians. There's a wealth of information between these covers, but the book is worth its weight in platinum for the magnificent, definative essay on Gil Brewer written by Bill Pronzini.

This one walks the walk, not just talks the talk........1998-11-03

As the lowly web guy behind The Thrilling Detective Web Site, I'm always looking for good reference books, and this one's a keeper! It collects some of the very best articles, essays and critiques in one handy volume, covering everything from film and fiction to radio, television and comics. Passionate, diverse, opinionated, cranky, illuminating and enlightening, it's like a Greatest Hits of Noir Criticism.

Fallen Angels: Six Noir Tales Told for Television

Average customer rating:

Crime stories.

Fallen Angels: Six Noir Tales Told for Television
James Ellroy , Raymond Chandler , and Cornell Woolrich
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Adaptations | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0802133835

Customer Reviews:

Crime stories........2005-08-20

Fallen Angels is an anthology comprised of six short stories. Raymond Chandler, Jim Thompson, William Campbell Gault, Cornell Woolrich, Jonathan Craig and James Ellroy are each represented by one of their works. Also included is a short but hard hitting preface by Mr. Ellroy.

Each of these stories was filmed as a half hour TV show and aired on the cable network Showtime in 1993. Immediately after each story is presented in its original form, it is followed by the teleplay used to adapt it to the TV format. In all cases, there are substantive differences between the original and the adaptation.

The book's subtitle: Six Noir Tales Told for Television is a bit misleading. Story number 2, The Frightening Frammis, was written by the legendary Jim Thompson, one of noir's grandmasters. Now I suppose it could be argued as to what is noir and what isn't. But this particular story (and it happens to be a good one) just does not fit the noir mold. Instead of the brutally stark and gut wrenching take on reality that is noir's stock and trade, The Frightening Frammis is rife with slapstick comedy and other way over the top devices. Interestingly, the accompanying teleplay simplifies the narrative quite a bit and in doing so eliminates much of the over the top material.

The most intriguing short story in this collection is the final one, Since I Don't Have You by James Ellroy. It unfolds over a two day period in the Los Angeles of 1949 and has as supporting characters two real life figures, Howard Hughes and gangster Mickey Cohen.

Fallen Angels is definitely a worthwhile read. It's particularly interesting to see how screenwriters must both add to and subtract from the original work of others to create a final product suitable for TV or film.

Creatures of Darkness: Raymond Chandler, Detective Fiction, and Film Noir

Average customer rating:

Chandler and Hollywood: Poisonous Marriage w/ Beautiful Kids
An Admirable Mess

Creatures of Darkness: Raymond Chandler, Detective Fiction, and Film Noir
Gene D. Phillips
Manufacturer: University Press of Kentucky
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Adaptations | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Screenplays | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Screenwriting | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Popular Culture | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Reference | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0813121744

Book Description

More than any other writer, Raymond Chandler (1888-1959) is responsible for raising detective stories from the level of pulp fiction to literature. Philip Marlowe, his cynical, hard-boiled private eye, set the standard for rough, brooding heroes with a strong sense of honor despite living in an unfair world. Like Ian Fleming's James Bond, Marlowe has lived beyond his creator's works, appearing in radio and television shows and in numerous film adaptations.

Chandler's seven novels, including The Big Sleep (1939) and The Long Goodbye (1953), with their pessimistic view of life and stark, grim realism, had a direct influence on the emergence of film noir. In addition to the novels, Chandler wrote short stories and penned the screenplays for several films, including Double Indemnity (1944) and Strangers on a Train (1951).

Gene Phillips has written the first major biocritical study of Chandler in twenty years. It is the only one to explore Chandler's unpublished script for Lady in the Lake, examine the differences in the American and British releases of Strangers on a Train, discuss the merits of the unproduced screenplay for Playback, and compare Howard Hawks's director's cut of The Big Sleep with the version shown in theaters.

Phillips treats all of Chandler's original scripts, his adaptations of others' works, and screenplays based upon his own novels, providing insights into Chandler's genius and the power of his vision to transcend the constraints of a single art form.

Customer Reviews:

Chandler and Hollywood: Poisonous Marriage w/ Beautiful Kids.......2001-11-13

A very interesting and thorough examination of the film-related work of mystery legend Raymond Chandler, creator of the ultimate film noir gumshoe, Phillip Marlowe. The books follows Chandler's career and work from pulpy dime detective story-writer, to novelist, to screenwriter. Chandler was an odd, cantankerous fellow who hated working in Hollywood, but the character he created is forever in the pantheon of American detective film heroes.

An Admirable Mess.......2001-01-06

Is it possible for a book to be both invaluable and annoyingly almost unreadable? If so, this is the one. Phillips is absolutely on target in both his evaluation of Chandler's place in literature (High) and his fascinating comparisons of book to film of EVERYTHING the author wrote. Fans of Marlowe, fans of detective stories, fans of film noir, and film fans in general, will find a treasure trove within these pages. B U T.... Phillips writes like a student who has been given a writing assignment of "x" number of words and has to fulfill it. Either that or someone who is being paid by the word! Not only does he repeat the same information, often with virtually the same words, two, three, four, and more times within the book, he often does so within the same paragraph, and, on occasion, the same sentence! If you can, as I did, learn to spot this trend and skip whole passages as less necessary than a sequel to "Little Nicky", there is much to be gleaned from the book. Just resist throwing it against the wall in exasperation.

The American Thriller: Generic Innovation and Social Change in the 1970s (Crime Files)

Average customer rating:

The American Thriller: Generic Innovation and Social Change in the 1970s (Crime Files)
Paul Cobley
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Television | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Book Description

What is the American Thriller? Has it developed over time? What was it like in the past? This is a book about thrillers and gaining knowledge of what American thrillers were like in a specific period-the 1970s. Analyzing '70s texts about crime, police, detectives, corruption, paranoia and revenge, The American Thriller aims to open the debate on genre in light of audience theory, literary history, and the place of popular fiction at the moment of its production.

Average customer rating:

Third time is a charm, but.......
A Sarah Smith fan for life
superbly plotted finale
Final installment?
A beautifully woven tapastry of the written word.

A Citizen of the Country
Sarah Smith
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Adaptations | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Movie Tie-Ins | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0345433025
Release Date: 2000-08-01

Amazon.com

"Murder didn't define Alexander Reisden anymore," the narrator declares coyly on the first page of Sarah Smith's A Citizen of the Country, the final installment of her Vanished Child trilogy. But the truth is that Reisden, former Austrian spy and protective new father, is perpetually haunted by the consequences of having murdered his grandfather at age 8. Set in Paris and Flanders just before the outbreak of World War I, A Citizen of the Country is an intricately plotted, maddeningly complex novel that may frustrate readers who expect mysteries to deliver a corpse before delving into an exploration of motives. In A Citizen of the Country, competing motives are palpable if peculiarly unattached to a definite crime. The first corpse doesn't show up until page 81, for example, but we know intimately many creepy people capable of having poisoned Mlle. Françoise.

Though A Citizen of the Country is unconventionally plotted (perhaps overplotted), it nevertheless spins a web of moral dilemmas that seem to trap the main characters between indecision and desire. The characters struggle mightily against the choices that their lives seem to impel them towards, and this is richly rewarding. In a novel brimming with deftly drawn personalities, André de Montfort is the most compelling. Shut in at age 5 with his parents' decomposing corpses during a cholera outbreak, André's personality is subsequently macabre and imbalanced. His alter-ego Necrosar writes and directs a horrifying meditation on Macbeth in which he casts childhood friend Reisden, adoptive father Cyron, and potentially treacherous Sabine, his wealthy, nubile wife. During the filming, which occupies the second half of the novel, a series of unexplained murders flummoxes Reisden, and lures his blind wife Perdita and toddler Toby into frightening proximity to blackmailers, thugs, and sorcerers. The novel's densely involved plots climax in the shocking death of one of the principals, which motivates the best sequence in the novel, a truly terrifying plunge into the claustrophobic, pitch-black tunnels burrowed beneath Arras, an ancient village. A Citizen of the Country amply rewards readers who savor a writhing plot bursting with hundreds of expertly culled historical details. --Kathi Inman Berens

Book Description

"Stunning," raved the New York Times of Sarah Smith's first novel, The Vanished Child. USA Today called her second book, The Knowledge of Water, "as satisfying a mystery as the Mona Lisa's smile." Now the bestselling author of two New York Times Notable Books has created a new, intricately plotted story of intrigue, passion, love, and the most terrible of betrayals.

"My wife will murder me unless I murder her first."

In the ancient, bloody region of French Flanders looms Montfort castle, home of Count André du Monde, owner of a famous Paris horror theatre. To repair his fortunes, he marries an heiress. Sabine is young, blameless, beautiful, and rich, a perfect leading lady for André's first film--but the eccentric count suspects his wife is a practicing sorceress.

Then the Grand Necropolitan Theatre is suddenly stricken with disasters: an unexpected death, a puzzling disappearance, and the savage beating of lead actor Jules Fauchard.

André believes Sabine has placed him under a curse. No one believes him, not even his old friend, Alexander von Reisden. To watch over the couple, Reisden agrees to take a part in their film--and finds his own secrets threatened and his marriage becoming as poisoned as theirs.

Amid escalating tension, the players assemble at Montfort to begin filming André's movie. Then, within the deep medieval basements of Montfort, life and fiction intersect--as the Grand Necropolitan becomes a true theatre of horrors.

Filled with a host of unforgettable characters whose agendas tangle as secretly as the underground tunnels of Flanders, A Citizen of the Country is a compelling novel of desire, poisonous secrets, and love gone terribly wrong.

Customer Reviews:

Third time is a charm, but..............2003-04-02

Having now finished Sarah Smith's Vanished Child Trilogy, I can conclude that the sequel is rarely ever as good as the original.

While Vanished Child thrilled, and Knowledge of Water disappointed, A Citizen of the Country strives to bring readers once again into the dark clouds that hang over Alexander Von Reisden since he was recognized and proven to be the missing Richard Knight, who vanished at the age of 8 on the night his grandfather was murdered; himself being the killer.

But this time around, Reisden and wife Perdita are parents to a happy, healthy boy. However, Reisden and Perdita are far from happy themselves. Reisden mistrusts his nearly blind wife to care properly for their son; Perdita strives to understand why Reisden has distanced himself from Gilbert Knight, a surviving Uncle of Richard's, who can end the financial woes of Jouvet, the psychiatric facility that Reisden owns, nearly destroyed in the Paris flood described in The Knowledge of Water.

Enter Maurice Cyron, who holds the key to delivering a Government contract to Jouvet that will ensure its financial well-being for years to come. Cyron charges Reisden to complete a task begun long ago at Jouvet, to help put to rest the demons of his adopted son, Andre, a friend of Reisden's youth.

Andre, the unbalanced host of alter-ego Necrosar, writes dark, murderous plays for a 'Theater of Horror' in Paris. Being shut in with his dead parents for days when just a young boy seems to have permanently unhinged Andre, though he has married a beautiful young woman, Sabine, who obsesses with bearing a child for Necrosar, whom she worships, herself a witch.

Andre and Cyron bring Reisden and company to Montfort, Andre's ancestral home, to film a treatment of Macbeth, a la Necrosar, complete with the beheading of the heroine, played by Sabine, by guillotine, as the culmination of the film. But amidst all the make-believe death and gore, real bodies begin to turn up, and a mystery unfolds. Reisden and his friend Jules are blackmailed to uncover the 'secret of Montfort'...Jules' sister Ruthie uncovers Sabine's secret, and a witch's poison, which nearly claims her life. Tunnels below Montfort itself are found to be far more than just a challenging labyrinth, and Reisden is forced to overcome his owns demons about committing murder in order to help solve the mystery surrounding the death of one of the principal characters, lest an innocent person suffer the same fate.

Sound good? Technically it is...Smith delivers dark, gloomy prose, of the same ilk as Vanished Child. Citizen is far superior to Knowledge of Water, in the respect that, like Vanished Child, there was a central plot that the other sub-plots fed from, and that affected them all. The 'secret of Montfort', while not quite as exciting as I had hoped, feeds into all other plot-lines, like a body of water feeding tributaries. Many demons are laid to rest by the end of the story, which is one of its strengths, a 'satisfying' conclusion for several of the story threads.

But where the novel fails to live up to the original is a lack of excitement when the 'secret' is finally revealed. The so-called 'secret' of Montfort is lackluster at best, and really not enough to keep perpetuating its mention time and again as a plot line. Further, Smith shoots herself in the foot by foreshadowing the death of one of the principals in the story, so that when the event takes place, it is expected, and therefore not much of a shock. While the first novel held my interest until the end to find out 'the truth', this novel does not deliver the same satisfaction. A contrived 'resolution' (from the characters of the novel) does not really answer one of the major questions of the story; the identity of the person who commits the 'shocking' murder. It seems as though Smith, in the hopes of a resolution for all the characters involved, left out a resolution for the reader.

That said, I do recommend reading this book if you have already read the other two. Without having them as a background, many things here will not make much sense to a reader, and although the story can be read autonomously, a foundation of the first two parts of this trilogy only adds to the overall read.

I sincerely hope that Smith will revisit the characters, and expand this trilogy into something larger. She is a capable writer, with a talent for creating a hazy, gloomy setting, and painting equally despairing characters to populate that setting.

A Sarah Smith fan for life.......2002-09-26

A true sequel to the marvelous Vanished Child. Though I enjoyed Knowledge of Water perhaps more than some of the other readers writing here, this third volume is much, much better. Don't stop here whatever you do, Sarah -- when can I expect a fourth volume?

superbly plotted finale.......2000-08-23

A Citizen of the Country succeeded where The Knowledge of Water failed, in that it was truly worthy of being called a sequel to the tremendous opening book, The Vanished Child. While typically complex, the mystery plot here was at least understandable. But, as always, the key to these novels is the human plot introduced in the Vanished Child, and the denouement of that plot here was just fantastic; it was truly a payoff for people who have read all the books in the trilogy. Hopefully, the author will reconsider her decision to make this only a trilogy, and write one more episode set during World War One. The ending of this book certainly sets up the possibility of such a sequel. All in all, this was a great read, and anyone who may have been slightly turned off of this series by The Knowledge of Water should definitely give this book a try.

Final installment?.......2000-08-09

Having read Sarah Smith's first two novels, I could hardly wait to read the third -- reportedly final installment of a trilogy. Like the second, this novel contains an involving new story as well as gripping developments in the ongoing saga of Alexander Reisden and Perdita Halley -- and my only objection is, I can't believe this is the final novel of the series! Without giving away the plot of this book, I have to say it strikes me as being set up for another sequel. And it's only fair to point out to future readers that, while this book is set in 1911, Smith earlier reported that she intended the final novel of the trilogy to be set in 1914 -- World War I. I'm still waiting for that novel! -- A Passionate Fan, Kirsten Russell

A beautifully woven tapastry of the written word........2000-08-04

Sarah Smith has once again wriiten a beautifully intricate novel. Her third, it is definately not to be missed. In this carefully crafted novel, she once again deeply explores each of her charecters; their hidden motivations, secrets, mental standing and fears. In essense, she brings her charecters to life by making a 3-d copy of who they are and why- a DNA of personalities.

Alexander von Reisden returns in this book, along with Perdita, the blind pianist. To reveal the plot would not only be sinful but almost impossible to do. The only way to know and understand the plot is to read the book.

Customer Reviews:

Attention Alfred Hitchcock TV Fans.......2000-04-03

Attention Alfred Hitchcock Presents fans: Death on Television, edited by Francis M. Nevins, Jr. and Martin Harry Greenberg in 1989, is a great companion to the reruns of the late 50s and early 60s TV mystery anthology series. This is a collection of short stories by Henry Slesar that were produced on the Hitchcock show. Mr. Slesar is one of the most prolific TV writers ever. He was involved in more than 40 of the AHP shows, writing both stories and teleplays. In his introduction to this book, he states that Hitchcock is usually referred to as the Master of Suspense but Mr. Slesar renames him as the Master of Irony. The stories in this book all have the signature ironic twist endings for which Alfred Hitchcock TV is famous. His stories often show the frailties of the human condition and relationships. "The Test" and "A Woman's Help" show that blood is thicker than water and apparently morality. In "The Final Vow" a young nun is tested and in "The Second Verdict" a young lawyer has gotten a guilty man acquitted. In both of these stories, help comes from unlikely sources, hardened criminals. It is fun to read the stories in this book and follow along with the show. For aspiring writers, this book can be a primer showing how the written word is brought to the small screen. Stories also include "Cop For a Day" which starred Walter Matthau and "Starring the Defense" which starred Richard Basehart when produced. Another book that I recommend is Hitchcock in Prime Time, also edited by Martin Harry Greenberg, which is a similar book that collects more of original stories that were later produced on Hitchcock's TV shows. They are written by various authors and include comments by the authors about how they felt about the teleproduction of their stories.

The Detective in American Fiction, Film, and Television: (Contributions to the Study of Popular Culture)

Average customer rating:

The Detective in American Fiction, Film, and Television: (Contributions to the Study of Popular Culture)

Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Genre Films | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Television | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Television | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Reference | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The detective, as a preeminent figure in all forms of American popular culture, has become the subject of a variety of theoretical exploration. By investigating that figure, these essays demonstrate how the genre embodies all the contradictions of American society and the ways in which literature and the media attempt to handle those contradictions. Issues of class, gender, and race; the interaction of film and literature; and generic evolution are fundamental to any understanding of the American detective in all of his or her forms. Beginning with essays about Raymond Chandler's treatment of women, Part I concentrates on writers of the genre whose detectives embody aspects of American culture in the 20th century. Through examination of the work of Elmore Leonard, Chester Himes, Sue Grafton, and others, these essays look at the influence of film on literature, how ethnicity affects the genre's conventions, and gender issues. Part II looks closely at specific detectives in the media and demonstrates how the film detective has gone from one who upholds the moral order to one who contributes to the continuation of evil. A study of television detectives confirms the necessity of formula and variation to sustain a detective over many seasons.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books