This is another obsession with me, another example, along with baseball, of what I think of as intelligent popular culture, at least potentially.
Film noir fascinates me as cultural diagnosis, a critical look of a suburbanizing society that was divesting in its cities. Film noir, at least superficially, seem to encourage the fear of cities and the suburban urge. But, in at least some of the films, noir seems to be questioning our decisions, asking if we are sure. The other fascination I have with noir is embedded in the history of movies and cities.
Yes, I know, Chinatown is technically a neo-noir but what I great one. I've watched and taught the film maybe 20 times, often on hot summer nights when teaching a one week, 5.5 hours, workshop on movies and cities. I am attaching - again, I'm obsessed - a long companion commentary on the film and the powerpoint (in pdf format) that I used to teach the film (with a few intro slides on The Big Clock (a genuine noir).
