Dark City (Revised and Expanded Edition)

The Lost World of Film Noir

De: Eddie Muller

Narrado por: Eddie Muller, Erin Bennett

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

Reseñas de la Crítica

“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

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.

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.

Excellent

Liked Eddie’s reading, the style fit the history perfectly. Terrific stories from that age of Hollywood and a wonderful resource for those wanting more background.

No Noir no Eddie!

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

Many entertaining anecdotes

I really really like Eddie Muller, and always appreciate hearing him talk on TCM. I found some of the sexual references a little tawdry, but the great majority of the book was enjoyable. I think that the book is perhaps better in print than listening to it because there were times I was confused as to whether the narrator was reading from a script, providing quotes from a real person, etc. I imagine in the written form, it is easier to know where the thoughts are coming from by the use of quote marks, etc. I also imagine the written version is very enhanced by photographs. The only downfall of the written version versus the audible is that you will not be able to listen to Eddie Muller who has such a classy and distinct voice. Being very familiar with almost every film noir discussed in this book, I appreciated the insider stories on the origins of the screenplays, and other anecdotal information about the actors, producers, etc. What struck me as I listened to the appalling lifestyles of many of these people, the crimes they committed in real life, including murder, made me wonder how any Hollywood screenwriter would have difficulty developing a storyline for film noir when all they have to do is look over at their neighbor. After hearing some of this stuff, my admiration for many of these people in these films has diminished greatly. I would not have wanted to know many of them. The book did inspire me to look up a number of persons and incidents relayed in the book, terribly interesting material and extremely well researched and put together.

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.

Interesting era and genre of film

It is a great audio to play the discussion about each of the movies before and after they are viewed on TCM or any other linear or streaming platforms.

Major Spoilers

I was expecting a discussion of the genre and major films. But most of the book is just telling the whole story of movies including plot twists and endings. If you’re interested in that then it’s a good book. However, if you want to actually see the movies, then I would avoid this book.

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.