The Philosophy of Film Noir (The Philosophy of Popular Culture)

A drifter with no name and no past, driven purely by desire, is convinced by a beautiful woman to murder her husband. A hard-drinking detective down on his luck becomes involved with a gang of criminals in pursuit of a priceless artifact. The stories are at once romantic, pessimistic, filled with anxiety and a sense of alienation, and they define the essence of film noir. Noir emerged as a prominent American film genre in the early 1940s, distinguishable by its use of unusual lighting, sinister plots, mysterious characters, and dark themes. From The Maltese Falcon (1941) to Touch of Evil (1958), films from this classic period reflect an atmosphere of corruption and social decay that attracted such accomplished directors as John Huston, Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder, and Orson Welles. The Philosophy of Film Noir is the first volume to focus exclusively on the philosophical underpinnings of these iconic films. Drawing on the work of diverse thinkers, from the French existentialist Albert Camus to the Frankurt school theorists Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno, the volume connects film noir to the philosophical questions of a modern, often nihilistic, world. Opening with an examination of what constitutes noir cinema, the book interprets the philosophical elements consistently present in the films -- themes such as moral ambiguity, reason versus passion, and pessimism. The contributors to the volume also argue that the essence and elements of noir have fundamentally influenced movies outside of the traditional noir period. Neo-noir films such as Pulp Fiction (1994), Fight Club (1999), and Memento (2000) have reintroduced the genre to a contemporary audience. As they assess the concepts present in individual films, the contributors also illuminate and explore the philosophical themes that surface in popular culture. A close examination of one of the most significant artistic movements of the twentieth century, The Philosophy of Film Noir reinvigorates an intellectual discussion at the intersection of popular culture and philosophy. An essay collection examining the philosophical elements of select films in noir cinema, as well as the genre's legacy in film and culture. A drifter with no name and no past, driven purely by desire, is convinced by a beautiful woman to murder her husband. A hard-drinking detective down on his luck becomes involved with a gang of criminals in pursuit of a priceless artifact. The stories are at once romantic, pessimistic, filled with anxiety and a sense of alienation, and they define the essence of film noir. Noir emerged as a prominent American film genre in the early 1940s, distinguishable by its use of unusual lighting, sinister plots, mysterious characters, and dark themes. From The Maltese Falcon (1941) to Touch of Evil (1958), films from this classic period reflect an atmosphere of corruption and social decay that attracted such accomplished directors as John Huston, Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder, and Orson Welles. The Philosophy of Film Noir is the first volume to focus exclusively on the philosophical underpinnings of these iconic films. Drawing on the work of diverse thinkers, from the French existentialist Albert Camus to the Frankurt school theorists Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno, the volume connects film noir to the philosophical questions of a modern, often nihilistic, world. Opening with an examination of what constitutes noir cinema, the book interprets the philosophical elements consistently present in the films—themes such as moral ambiguity, reason versus passion, and pessimism. The contributors to the volume also argue that the essence and elements of noir have fundamentally influenced movies outside of the traditional noir period. Neo-noir films such as Pulp Fiction (1994), Fight Club (1999), and Memento (2000) have reintroduced the genre to a contemporary audience. As they assess the concepts present in individual films, the contributors also illuminate and explore the philosophical themes that surface in popular culture. A close examination of one of the most significant artistic movements of the twentieth century, The Philosophy of Film Noir reinvigorates an intellectual discussion at the intersection of popular culture and philosophy. Praise for The Philosophy of Film Noir "The essays work both as solid primers into philosophy, stretching from Aristotle to Schopenhauer, and as lucid excursions into the genre's dark, mean streets. . . . A fascinating, readable, and provocative book. . . . Highly recommended." — Choice "Dense and intriguing, the book suggests noir is best perceived as a slightly warped mirror held up to contemporary society." — Publishers Weekly Nietzsche and the meaning and definition of noir / Mark T. Conard A darker shade: realism in neo-noir / Jason Holt Moral clarity and practical reason in film noir / Aeon J. Skoble Cherchez la femme fatale: the mother of film noir / Read Mercer Schuchardt From Sherlock Holmes to the hard-boiled detective in film noir / Jerold J. Abrams Film noir and the meaning of life / Steven M. Sanders The horizon of disenchantment: film noir, Camus, and the vicissitudes of descent / Alan Woolfolk Symbolism, meaning, and nihilism in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp fiction / Mark T. Conard Film noir and the Frankfurt School: America as wasteland in Edgar Ulmer's Detour / Paul A. Cantor Knowledge, morality, and tragedy in The killers and Out of the past / Ian Jarvie Moral man in the dark city: film noir, the postwar religious revival, and The accused / R. Barton Palmer On reason and passion in The Maltese falcon / Deborah Knight Ride the pink horse: money, mischance, murder, and the monads of film noir / Alain Silver. Nietzsche and the meaning and definition of noir / Mark T. Conrad A darker shade: realism in neo-noir / Jason Holt Moral clarity and practical reason in film noir / Aeon J. Skoble Cherchez la femme fatale: the mother of film noir / Read Mercer Schuchardt From Sherlock Holmes to the hard-boiled detective in film noir / Jerold J. Abrams Film noir and the meaning of life / Steven M. Sanders The horizon of disenchantment: film noir, Camus, and the vicissitudes of descent / Alan Woolfolk Symbolism, meaning, and nihilism in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp fiction / Mark T. Conard Film noir and the Frankfurt School: America as wasteland in Edgar Ulmer's Detour / Paul A. Cantor Knowledge, morality, and tragedy in The killers and Out of the past / Ian Jarvie Moral man in the dark city: film noir, the postwar religious revival, and The accused / R. Barton Palmer On reason and passion in The Maltese falcon / Deborah Knight Ride the pink horse: money, mischance, murder, and the monads of film noir / Alan Silver. From The Maltese Falcon (1941) to Touch of Evil (1958), the classic film noir is easily recognizable for its unusual lighting, sinister plots, and feeling of paranoia. For critics and fans alike, these films defined an era. The Philosophy of Film Noir explores philosophical themes and ideas inherent in classic noir and neo-noir films, establishing connections to diverse thinkers ranging from Camus to the Frankfurt School. The authors, each focusing on a different aspect of the genre, explore the philosophical underpinnings of classic films such as The Big Sleep (1946), Out of the Past (1947), and Pulp Fiction (1994). They show how existentialism and nihilism dominate the genre as they explore profound themes in a vital area of popular culture.