Noir, Now and Then: Film Noir Originals and Remakes (1944-1999)

Ronald Schwartz

Bloomsbury Academic, Jun 30, 2001 - Performing Arts - 232 pages

This examniation of the cinematic style of film noir originals and their neo-noir remakes compares thirty-five films, beginning with Billy Wilder's classic Double Indemnity and concluding with Jim McBride's Breathless. In-depth analysis of the films explain the qualities and characteristics of film noir, while providing critical readings of both the originals and the remakes. The most significant films since 1944 are reviewed and reveal the ever-changing values in American society. As this study reveals, the noir style significantly impacted American film and neo-noir remakes attest to its continued popularity in cinematic art.

This work will appeal to film scholars and to fans of film noir. Filmogrpahies and video information follow each chapter. Appendices briefly explain the roots of many noir films discussed in the text along with their subsequent remakes.

Contents

• Murder My Sweet 1944 and Farewell My Lovely 1975: 8
• Detour 1945 1992: 15
• Notorious 1946 1992 TV: 22

About the author

RONALD SCHWARTZ is Professor of Romance Languages and Film at City University of New York. He is the author of six books on Spanish literature, Latin-American literature, Spanish cinema and Latin-American film.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Noir, Now and Then: Film Noir Originals and Remakes (1944-1999); Contributions to the Study of Popular Culture
• Author: Ronald Schwartz
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic, 2001
• Original from: the University of Michigan
• Digitized: Feb 28, 2008
• ISBN: 0313308934, 9780313308932
• Length: 232 pages
• Subjects: Performing Arts / Film / General; Social Science / Popular Culture