On Tue, 9 Jan 1996, Peter S. Latham wrote:
 
> I have been looking for a simple and quotable definition of "film noir."
> Unlike most film terms which have fairly standard meanings, the definitions
> of "film noir" that I have seen vary widely, e.g. "any crime movie depicitng
> a fatalistic universe made between 1941 and 1960" or "any crime movie made in
> black and white with odd camera angles and low-key, high contrast lighting"
> etc. etc. Any thoughts?
>
> Peter
>
 
Peter,
 
Check out Alain Silver and (?) Ward's Film Noir Encylopedia.
You may also want to check out Francis Nevins Jr's work on Cornell
Woolrich.  Nevins has has writen a great  Woolrich bio "First You Dream
Than You Die" and some intros to Woolrich short stories that go into detail
regarding the realtionship between the roman noir novel and film noir.
 
 
                                           Chris Doellner
 
 
 
 
 
 
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