Film Noir -
Foster Hirsch (Da Capo Press 1983)
Foster Hirsch was a professor at Brooklyn College Department of Film and has written extensively on the industry. In his book, Foster brings an academic perspective to the many element of film noir. His views are fairly consistent with others in dissecting the genre, so he does not break any new ground. Hirsch delves into many of the visual aspects of the genre, an area that others, focusing on the storylines, tend to forsake. The soft bound version is oversized with numerous photos that are as interesting as the narrative itself.
Keep in mind that Foster wrote his book in 1983, a time when film noir was pretty much forgotten by the public at large. So he deserves much credit for taking on a subject that many others saw no value in pursuing. He has been vindicated for his effort and the book stands up well today.
