Shadows of Noir

Join us for an in-depth discussion of one of Marc's favorite films, Born to Kill. Under the direction of the ever-versatile Robert Wise, Claire Trevor and Lawrence Tierney give us two of the darkest characters in all of film noir. This one pushes the limits in many ways, and is almost made for analysis. Tune in while Dan and Marc cover many aspects of the film and its lasting legacy within the film noir canon.https://shadowsofnoir.com

Huge announcement for the Shadows of Noir podcast! Previous guest Marc Hinkley has come on board as co-host!Thrilled to announce that Marc will be co-hosting the show going forward, bringing his knowledge, insights, and interest to the discussions. To kick off the new format, we dive deep into the 1946 film Black Angel. We discuss several aspects of the movie, including the set design, cinematography, literary adaptation, underlying themes, and characters.Hope you enjoy!

Joining us to discuss the visual style and artistic roots of film noir is professional artist and fellow noir enthusiast, Marc Hinkley. With his own fine art series inspired by film noir's cinematographers, Marc has an incredible eye for frame composition and the emotion that can live within an image. He gives us some great history of German Expressionism, and how that fed so naturally into film noir. We also discuss some of Marc's favorite films, scenes, and how he chooses particular works f...

After a brief summer break, we're back with a heavy hitter from film noir's classic era. Join us as we continue with the subject of B-Noir and dive into Detour from 1945. From PRC and directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, Detour has gained legendary status in more recent years as a masterful representation of film noir. And with a famous (although uncertain) budget and production schedule, Detour reminds us that unlimited resources are not necessary to produce a great work.

After a few individual film episodes, we venture back in history to discuss the motion picture industry, and how major events and developments affected the classic era of film noir. We discuss the formation of the studio system in Hollywood, and the industry developments that helped enable the production, distribution, and exhibition of different types of films over the years. We discuss B-pictures more broadly, and how they blended so nicely with the film noir formula. And we conclude with t...

We are joined today by Veronica Fitzpatrick to discuss Mildred Pierce. Veronica is a film professor and critic, and also a host on The Bright Wall/Dark Room Podcast. Her knowledge is extensive and together we discuss the melodramatic noir classic from 1945, while also diving into larger concepts of genre and film history. You won't want to miss this one!We also have our new online shop up with some branded clothing and branded drinkware, so you can showcase your love of film noir and help sup...

Head on over to Episode 10 for a revised and expanded version of What is Film Noir?!

Sticking with 20th Century Fox film noir, we fast-forward a few years from Road House (1948) and talk about Where the Sidewalk Ends. Directed by Otto Preminger and starring Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney, this one is a reunion for the same trio that brought us Laura six years before. With these immensely important figures in film noir, along with highly noir story filled with dark settings, characters, and themes, this 1950 film is especially representative of the classic era. Patreon: pa...

What do you get when you combine Ida Lupino and Richard Widmark, two of the most influential people in all of film noir? You get Road House from 1948. Join us as we dissect this melodramatic noir and use it to help highlight the unbelievable contributions of Lupino and Widmark to the world of film noir.Patreon: patreon.com/ShadowsofNoir/Website: shadowsofnoir.comLetterboxd: letterboxd.com/ShadowsofNoir/

In celebration of our 10th episode, we are doing a revised and expanded version of Episode 1 - What is Film Noir? That is our most popular topic and we wanted to extend and improve upon that discussion, based on feedback and questions we've received so far. We begin with the term film noir, then get into the influences and the distinction between the "classic era" and newer "neo-noir" films. We discuss the classification of film noir, and finish up with the elements and essential films of the...

This episode is a primer on the overlap between film noir and the Hollywood Blacklist of the late 1940s and 1950s. We have alluded to this connection previously and it’s a topic often mentioned in film noir discussions, so we wanted to give an overview of the major events and prominent figures. We also talk about some of reasons why film noir's classic era may have been excessively affected by the Hollywood Blacklist events post-World War II. Enjoy!Patreon: patreon.com/ShadowsofNoir/Let...

We are joined by Clay McCormack from The Rotten Horror Picture Show for our very first guest episode. Clay’s podcast experience and film knowledge is extensive, and together we discuss the nuances of an essential film noir, Kiss Me Deadly. We dive into the literary background, the adaption to the screen, the character of Mike Hammer, and several other aspects of the film. We also compare it to several other important films, and explore film noir’s relationship to other areas of film history.&...

Join us as we venture into the public domain and discuss the widely available 1950 film, D.O.A. Film noir cornerstone star Edmond O'Brien leads the way in this thriller-like noir, that balances late 1940's on-location realism with earlier expressionist roots. Complete with a puzzling plot that demands your full attention, and intriguing themes that are indicative of larger film noir questions, it's no wonder this movie gets plenty of attention within the classic era. Did anyone order some fat...

After a quick holiday break, we’re starting 2024 off right with the 1949 masterpiece, The Third Man. Join us as we first discuss film noir’s expansion beyond the borders of the United States in the latter half of the 1940s. Then explore the narrative structure, camerawork, lighting, acting performances, and musical score of The Third Man. We finish up by noting some differing perspectives on the film, and how it sits in relation to the classic era of film noir. Hope you enjoy! Patreon: p...

It's holiday season, and what better film to talk about than It’s a Wonderful Life. The movie that has inspired millions and holds a special place in so many people’s hearts. But why discuss a movie like that in a noir podcast? Well, tune in and find out! We talk all about the film noir within It’s a Wonderful Life, and the impact it may very well have had on the lasting legacy of the movie. Patreon: patreon.com/ShadowsofNoir/ Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/ShadowsofNoir/

With the release of The Maltese Falcon in October 1941, where was the newly budding innovation of film noir to go? Well, less than two months later, the United States, where film noir was emerging, would enter World War II. A world event that influenced film noir's early years, later years, and also the relationship between the movie-going public and darker subject matters. So join us as we briefly review the intersection of film noir and World War II in Episode 4 of the Shadows of Noir podca...

We reserved discussion about The Maltese Falcon in Episode 2 because we thought it was the perfect film to do our first deep dive on. In this episode we discuss the background of The Maltese Falcon and then shift more into the world of film analysis. We discuss the story, the characters, the themes, certain scenes, and the cinematic aspects, before rounding out it out with the legacy and place that The Maltese Falcon holds in film history.Website: shadowsofnoir.comPatreon: patreon.com/Shadows...

In this episode, we take a detailed look at the birth of film noir. We set the stage and then zoom in on the major innovations of 1940 and 1941 that pushed filmmaking from more established conventions, into the newly forming territory of film noir. Several filmmakers and individual movies are discussed, and how they collectively helped cultivate the beginning of film noir's classic era.Check out our website at: https://shadowsofnoir.comOur new Patreon page:patreon.com/Shadowso...

Welcome to the Shadows of Noir podcast. A place for movie fans to discover, learn, and discuss all things film noir.