Film Noir

Film Noir has been a staple of popular American literature since the 1930s. An escapist response to the rigors of WWI and Prohibition, this subgenre of Pulp Fiction appealed to the masses by offering vicarious trips into the dark side of human nature, under revealing aspects of ourselves while seeking “the truth.” This course examines the important films and their sources, alternating class sessions between showing films in their entirety and discussing their literary sources.