The Philosophy of Film Noir

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I have been listening to this book as an audiobook for approximately four years. It is very academic and dry, and, yet, informative and illuminating. For me, the best part of this book has been to spark my interest in the movies mentioned. Because of this book, I have watched a number of movies that I would not otherwise have watched, and I have watched those movies looking for symbols and meanings and clues and scenes that would otherwise have passed me by.

In other words, my appreciation for the genre has been substantially broadened and deepened.

However, as I said, this book is very academic. It is definitely not for anyone interested in a quick dip into the subject. For a taste of the academic orientation of the book, let's look at the Table of Contents:

Part 1: The Essence and Elements of Noir

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

Part 2: Existentialism and Nihilism in Film Noir

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

Part 3: Six Classic Films Noirs

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

As is apparent from the Table of Contents, this is not a unified book, but rather a collection of essays from various perspectives. In listening to this as an audiobook, the shift from one article to the other could be confusing or disconcerting, but I am sure that the visual markers in the book will prevent this problem.

Also apparent from the Table of Contents, the essays do get deep into the academic weeds immediately. A reader will find themselves involved in Feminists analysis of the role of femmes fatale to the existentialism of various movies.

The early articles deal with the issue of “what, exactly, is film noir?” The answer seems to be that there is no “exactly” there. It is a style from a time period that expresses a mood with certain tropes....in other words, you know it when you see it.

Again, I got a lot out of this book, but, obviously, I found it a slog since I listened to it for years. I also purchased the book because I want to be able to go back to the articles and locate the movies discussed and watch them in the future.