Dark City (Revised and Expanded Edition)

The Lost World of Film Noir

By: Eddie Muller

Narrated by: Eddie Muller, Erin Bennett

Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

This revised and expanded edition of Eddie Muller's Dark City is a film noir lover's bible, listeners on a tour of the urban landscape of the grim and gritty genre in a highly illustrated definitive volume.

Dark City expands with new chapters and a fresh collection of restored photos that illustrate the mythic landscape of the imagination. It's a place where the men and women who created film noir often find themselves dangling from the same sinister heights as the silver-screen avatars to whom they gave life. Eddie Muller, host of Turner Classic Movies' Noir Alley, takes listeners on a spellbinding trip through treacherous terrain: Hollywood in the post-World War II years, where art, politics, scandal, style -- and brilliant craftsmanship -- produced a new approach to moviemaking, and a new type of cultural mythology.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Eddie Muller (P)2022 Running Press Adult

Critic reviews

“With its extensive bibliography, index, lavish photos, and dozens of films ranging from the obscure to the well-known, this title will please newcomers to noir and hard-core fans who can’t get enough of Muller’s Noir Alley intros and outros.”—Library Journal

"The book is general enough to appeal to people just beginning to learn about what the French dubbed 'dark movies' but detailed enough to teach even the most ardent film fans things they didn’t know."—The Virginian-Pilot

“Fans will recognize his signature style here, heavy on the self-conscious, tough-guy slang. But the illustrations, from rare posters to vintage stills, are thrilling. And his portrait of noir itself can’t be topped.”—NY Daily News

Excellent book on noir

An excellent overview of film noir. Besides the author's encyclopedic knowledge of the subject, the stylized prose and smart, gruff narration make it seem like you're almost listening to a noir character's voice-over film narration. A great touch! This is one of my favorite film books on Audible.

Dark City (Revised and Expanded Edition)

Loved Dark City and narrators especially Eddie Muller.Watch him on TCM's @Noir Alley films on Saturday nights.

No Noir no Eddie!

Fantastic listen! No buddy know Noir more then The Great Eddie Muller. 5 stars all day & night!!

Good overview, summary of the genre

Not unlike books about humor or genres of music, a book about film noir seems destined to be a pale reflection of the real deal. Even for Eddie Muller, considered by most to be the definitive authority on the genre, one can't help to sound schlocky when recounting film plots and backstage intrigue. Perhaps that is by design, a nerd in a fedora and trenchcoat, playing Sam Spade.

That being stated, for what it is, the book is quite good. There are short blurbs about several films and actors, though more Marie Windsor and Evelyn Keyes, and less Barbara Stanwyck, Lizbeth Scott and Alfred Hitchcock would have been my preference. If you are familiar with film noir, it's a light summary of the genre, nice but not terribly informative. If you're not, it will give a useful resource of films and actors to research, particularly in this new edition a couple decades after the first, when the films are far more accessible online.

Too Many Spoilers. Not for beginners

returned this audiobook. I did not like the fact there was no warning on spoilers and that it wasn't more focused. The opening skit was just distracting. I understand what the idea was but this is not something I would recommend to a beginner of film noir like me. It could be more focused and warn you before talking about movies.

the chapters aren't labeled so you don't really know where to find certain information like history of noir or what is noir. It's jumbled together. unfortunately there is not a lot of other options for film noir audiobooks I was hoping this book would give me the guide I needed.