A Fact: A Film Noir Reader

How to take a facinating subject and make it seem deadly dull. I suggest that you movies online, get 'em and watch 'em. If you like faux academia, then this is the text book you will want.

Film Noir Reader

I give this book two stars instead of one because it fills a gap in my film noir book collection, but I have to say it has dated badly. I bought because I loved Alain Silver's book Noir Style, which is a collection of black-and-white stills from film noir classics, with marvelous commentary. But the Film Noir Reader opens with a collection of essays from the 1970s that display everything bad about the 70s, academic, pretentious, pompous, over-anxious to establish a high-brow status for a low-brow art form (at least it was then). In the 2nd and 3rd sections, the "up-to-date" essays, we get, for instance, an analysis of the TV show Miami Vice in terms of its film noir elements... Miami Vice???

Collection of Film Noir Essays, Including Some Essentials

I'm including reviews of both "Film Noir Reader" and "Film Noir Reader 2" in the same review until Amazon gets the two books unlinked.

FILM NOIR READER (1)

"Film Noir Reader" is a collection of 22 essays about film noir, written between the mid-1950s and mid-1990s by a diverse group of film theorists, including a few essays by the editors themselves, Alain Silver and James Ursini. Some of the essays are illustrated with black-and-white photographs. Mr. Silver takes the opportunity of the book's Introduction to deliver a scathing rebuttal of French critic Marc Vernet's views before commenting on the book's content.

"Film Noir Reader" has three parts: Part I is "Seminal Essays", which include 8 essays written 1955-1979. An excerpt from Raymond Borde and Etienne Chaumeton's seminal 1955 book "A Panorama of American Film Noir" is included, as well as Paul Schrader's essential 1972 essay "Notes on Film Noir". Other essays discuss film noir's visual style, existential motifs, and there is a very interesting essay by Paul Kerr on the circumstances that caused B movies, including B-noirs, to flourish in the 1940s. Part II, "Case Studies", includes 8 essays about specific films and directors, all but one addressing films of the classic noir period. Essays are dedicated to directors John Farrow and Anthony Mann, while others discuss the films "Phantom Lady", "Angel Face", "The Killers", "Night and the City", "Kiss Me Deadly", "Hickey and Boggs", and "The Long Goodbye". Part III, "Noir Then and Now", includes 6 articles that seemed not to fit into Part I or Part II, including a few about neo-noir films. Karen Hollinger discusses the effects of first-person male voiceovers on the images of female characters in classic film noir. Others essays explore films that feature fugitive couples, noir television series, neo-B noirs, and Jeremy G. Butler writes about "Miami Vice".

The date of first publication is clearly stated for all essays in Part I, but I found myself wondering when some of the other essays had been written. Publication information, including dates, are provided for each essay at the end of the book's Acknowledgments. There are some interesting and essential essays in "Film Noir Reader", and some less so, but the book provides a nice collection of opinions and observations on the style that are great food for thought for noir fans and scholars.

FILM NOIR READER 2

"Film Noir Reader 2" is a collection of 24 essays, written 1945-1999, that attempt to define the film noir sensibility and explore particular films and facets of the style in depth. This book shares the same format with the first "Film Noir Reader": Essays are arranged in 3 parts. Part I contains "More Seminal Essays" that augment the defining material in "Film Noir Reader". There are 8 essays, written 1945-1988, including a surprising article written by Lloyd Shearer for "The New York Times" in 1945. A year before French film critics identified and began to discuss the film noir style, Shearer plainly recognized a distinct trend in Hollywood toward "lusty, hard-boiled, gut-and-gore crime stories, all fashioned on a theme with a combination of plausibly motivated murder and studded with high-powered Freudian implication." Pretty neat definition only 4 years into the noir movement. And Shearer goes on to ask "why at this time are so many pictures of the same type being made?" Funny that his article should be reproduced in a book that is still trying to answer that question 60 years later. Shearer's article is followed by French critic Nino Frank's 1946 essay in which the term "noir" was first applied to film. For all the talk of film noir having been created in the minds of critics after the fact, it's apparent that these writers comprehended the existence of film noir style as it was being created.

Part II is dedicated to "Case Studies". It includes 8 essays that discuss "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (1946 & 1981 versions), "Kiss Me Deadly", "The Big Heat", "The File on Thelma Jordan", "Pushover", the neo-noirs "Mississippi Mermaid" and "Badlands", as well as the films of directors Alfred Hitchcock and Samuel Fuller. There is also an essay by Francis M. Nevins on films adapted from the works of Cornell Woolrich and an essay by Robert G. Porfino on jazz music in film noir. Part III, "The Evolution of Noir", is an eclectic assortment of 8 essays. Topics include: noir science fiction, British film noir, abstract expressionism in film noir, female protagonists in neo-noir, and tabloid/crime photographer WeeGee's (Arthur Fellig) relationship to film noir, including discussion of the 1992 film "Public Eye" that was inspired by his career. Film professor Philip Gaines provides an outline of his film noir course, with recommended films and suggested reading. I'd like to mention, in response to Linda Brookover's essay on WeeGee, that although WeeGee's talent for self-promotion was equal to his gift for photojournalism, his photographs were not unique. The work of many excellent and tireless crime photographers adorned the pages of daily newspapers in the 1920s-1950s. Some of them can be seen in the "New York Noir" gallery of the "New York Daily News" archive at www.dailynewspix.com . Tabloid photography is usually overlooked as an influence on film noir, so I'm glad that Ms. Brookover has addressed that oversight, even if I don't entirely agree with her assessment.

Which Actually Stands for High Density DVD

High definition DVD, also known as HD-DVD (which actually stands for High Density DVD), is one of two competing high definition storage format - the other being Blu-ray.

The need for a new, high capacity storage format, has been primarily brought about by the rapid rise in popularity of HDTV in Japan and the US. HDTV has much higher bandwidth than either NTSC or regular DVD discs, so in order to record programs from HD- DVD higher capacity discs, of at least 30GB, are required.

High definition video is also being used increasingly to make Hollywood movies as it offers comparable quality to film at much less cost. Therefore, the studios plan to release future movies on one or both high definition formats.

HD-DVD was developed by Toshiba and NEC and has the support of the DVD Forum, along with a number of Hollywood studios. Currently those studios which have announced support for HD-DVD are; Universal Studios, Paramount Studios, Warner Bros., and New Line Cinema. It has a capacity of 15GB for single-sided discs and 30Gb for double-sided. It doesnt need a caddy or cartridge and the cover layer is the same thickness as current DVD discs, 0.6mm. The numerical aperture of the optical pick-up head is also the same as DVD, 0.65mm.

Because of its similarities to current DVD, high definition DVD is cheaper to manufacture than Blu-ray, because it doesnt need big changes in the production line set-up. Both HD-DVD and Blu-ray have backward compatibility with existing DVDV discs. That is that current DVDs will play in HD-DVD player, although new high definition DVD wont play in older DVD players.

High definition DVD currently supports a number of compression formats, including MPEG-2, VC1 (based on Microsofts Windows Media 9), and H.264 which is based on MPEG-4 and will be supported by the next on MPEG-4 and will be supported by the next version of Apples QuickTime software, which will be included with Mac OS X Tiger.

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101 Gift Ideas For All Occasions

People have forgotton about the meaning behind gifting, in a consumer driven society we are often pushed towards competing e.g. upstaing gifts and my gifts better than yours. Lets go back to basics, giving is far more rewarding then receiving its much better for your Karma. If someone gives you a list ignore it, the only time a list is applicable is for Weddings where this is a tradition. Gifting is all about imagination, and a little thinking time. For big events like Christmas buy people things they would never buy themselves.

Here are some top ideas of adults:

More and more adults are cooking as a hobby and for enjoyment therefore consider some of the following; spaghetti measurer, Griddle pan, pancake maker, panini press, Knife set, Chefs blow torch, Cook books - check out SorryDarling.com

Relaxation is often overlooked in our busy lives how about some of the following;

Bath Salts, Beauty products, we recommed brands like Bathina, Dermologica, Foot Doctor & sanctuary. Best to go to a beauty store where there are gift packs. Electronic massager,

Cuddly hot water bottle, A good novel, lots to choose from here best to go for your books stores recommended list

Gadgets are great fun here are some ideas; USB computer lights, Screen cleaing kit

Games, Board games and other season toys are great entertainment best to check out Amazon, Firebox and other large toy retailers for top best selling games. REmember gifts are about things you would rarely buy yourself.

For Car fanatics how about:

Some designer interior mats and seat covers, Car Cleaning kit, personalised number plates, Mini car racers, Ferrari or porche and other miniture car collectables, for new drivers fluffy dice are fun and well appreciated.

Some top ideas include; detox kit, hand weights, mini trampoline, exercise mat, execercise ball, Bag with towel & water bottle, execercise video, exercise

DVD's are always a simple stocking filler or gift. There are a variety of genres to choose from action, adventure, romantic, horror & documentary. Amazon is the most famous online DVD retailer and has great suggestions and best seller lists to help you along.

Travel Enthusiasts; guide books, travel vouchers, spa vouchers, hand luggage, wash bags, travel accessories or perhaps a good novel.

If you are buying for adults who have just had children how about; a hand/foot casting kit, photo album or photo frames with perhaps a photo in.

Higher price items for all the family are new TV, video camera, DVD player, Games Console

Now onto children, this may be your own, grandchildren or perhaps your godparents or a close friend. For the best ideas simply walk into your largest toy store and ask whats selling for your age group. These are usually trend toys such as the latest lego product or film toys like Harry Potter, power rangers or Incredibles.

For creative kids, visit a craft centre either online or on the high street, how about buying some materials and let the kids get creative? You can buy thin leather and beads so they can make their own jewellery or perhaps card and other craft items to make their own art.

If you want to buy something different why not buy a classi corgi toy or perhaps some jewellery like a charm braclett which you can buy charms for at other gifting times. Computer games are normally a must have for kids but can be pricey, if these are out of your budget perhaps outdoor games.

Unveiling the Enigmatic World of John Wick: 10 Fascinating Facts

John Wick, portrayed by the enigmatic Keanu Reeves, has become a cinematic icon for action enthusiasts around the world. This relentless assassin's journey through the underworld has captivated audiences with its stunning action sequences and intriguing storyline. Beyond the surface, there are numerous fascinating facts about John Wick that add depth to this iconic character. In this article, we'll delve into 10 intriguing facts about John Wick that will leave you even more enthralled by his world.

1. Baba Yaga: The Boogeyman of the Criminal Underworld

John Wick is often referred to as "Baba Yaga," a name that strikes fear into the hearts of even the most ruthless criminals. This moniker is derived from Eastern European folklore, where Baba Yaga is a supernatural entity known for her menacing and unpredictable nature. John Wick's reputation as the Boogeyman of the criminal underworld is well-earned.

2. The Mythical Continental Hotel

The Continental Hotel, a sanctuary for assassins, plays a central role in John Wick's world. One of the most intriguing aspects of this fictional establishment is the strict rule against "business" being conducted on its premises. The Continental's unique set of rules adds depth to the secretive society of assassins.

3. The Unbreakable Oath Marker

In John Wick: Chapter 2, the concept of the Oath Marker is introduced. These small medallions symbolize a sacred bond and carry immense significance among assassins. The Oath Marker is a powerful plot device that deepens John Wick's character and the intricate web of relationships in the underworld.

4. Keanu Reeves' Intensive Training

Keanu Reeves dedicated himself to rigorous training for his role as John Wick. His commitment to learning martial arts and tactical firearm skills is a testament to his dedication to authenticity in the portrayal of the character.

5. A World of Coins

The currency of the assassins' world in John Wick is not traditional money but rather a unique currency of gold coins. These coins are used for everything from hotel accommodations to weapon purchases, adding an intriguing layer to the film's universe.

6. A Mysterious Past

John Wick's backstory is shrouded in mystery, with only bits and pieces revealed throughout the films. This air of enigma surrounding his past contributes to the intrigue of his character.

7. The Versatile Dog

John Wick's beloved dog, Daisy, holds a special place in his heart and serves as a catalyst for the events in the first film. This unique choice of a companion for an action hero adds depth and emotional resonance to the character.

8. International Connections

The John Wick series explores a global network of assassins, showcasing various cultures and backgrounds. This international perspective enriches the story and introduces diverse characters and combat styles.

9. A Symbolic Tattoo

John Wick's back tattoo, which reads "Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat" (Fortune Favors the Bold), is not just for show. It holds a deeper meaning, reflecting his fearless and relentless nature.

10. The Legacy Continues

John Wick's popularity has spawned spin-offs, including an upcoming television series titled "The Continental." This expansion of the franchise promises to explore even more facets of the assassin's world.

Note

John Wick is more than just an action hero; he's a complex character with a rich and enigmatic world. These 10 fascinating facts only scratch the surface of what makes the John Wick franchise so compelling. Whether you're a fan of intense action or intricate storytelling, the John Wick series offers a unique and captivating cinematic experience that continues to evolve and expand.

4 Easy Steps To Buy A Plasma Flat Screen TV

If you are looking to purchase your first plasma flat screen tv, you will find 4 easy actions to insure a pleasant shopping experience.

First, you must decide how much cash you want to spend. Take an inventory of your financial situation, and think about what you truly want. If you are on a spending budget and can’t afford to spend $2,000, you should begin your search with the lower priced models within the 37″- 42″ range. Conversely, if you can find the money for more than $2,000 your screen option is unlimited.

Second, decide the screen size and manufacturer you like. Plasma monitors are measured diagonally across the display, as are other tv sets and monitors. Plasma screens start at 32″ and increase in size up to 103″. The most typical sizes are: 37″, 42″, 43″, 50″, 61″, and 63″. The best selling plasma televisions are made by Panasonic, Pioneer, Sony, and Samsung.

Third, you should think about purchasing a plasma television from an on-line e-tailer. Here are some reasons to buy on-line:

* Convenience. No need to stand on line, or spend time talking to a sales person.

* Price savings. You save money by not having to pay sales taxes and we’re priced below big box retailers.

* Exclusives. They have a wider selection of plasma models to choose from all the main manufacturers.

Fourth, decide where to mount the plasma tv. One of the major benefits of plasma TV is the flexibility they afford in mounting and installation options. Here are several you may consider:

Flat Wall Mounts are probably the most typical mounting option for Plasma TVs for home or business use. This option will be the least costly and allows the plasma monitor to remain closest towards the wall, adding less than 2 inches towards the depth.

Tilt Wall Mount is utilized when placing the plasma TV higher than the desired eye level. A tilt wall mount usually allows 15 to 20 of tilt, depending upon the brand.

Conclusion, purchasing a plasma tv can be an exciting experience which will bring thousand of hours of entertainment if you follow these four easy actions.

William Coit is an expert on plasma televisions and he makes it easy to find the perfect solution for your house or company at http://www.williamcoit.com

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