My 19 year old soft cover edition of Eddie Muller’s “DARK CITY;THE LOST WORLD OF FILM NOIR” is starting to show signs of wear.

So it has been a pleasure to have the new 2021 hard back edition.

First published in 1998, author Eddie Muller  ( the Czar of Noir) has revised and expanded his book. In the afterword, he says: “When I started building Dark City more than 25 years ago, it was a shot in the dark. Imagine my surprise,discovering that films about desperation, deceit, betrayal and paranoia can unite people around the world in a shared passion.”

 

The new edition has 60 extra pages and new chapters – “The City Desk”, “The Big House”, “The Stage Door”. And some stunning new colour photos. Plus features on Joan Harrison, Belita, Sterling Hayden and Ben Hecht.

 

THE CITY DESK chapter covers films like Ace in the Hole, Scandal Sheet, The Front Page, While The City Sleeps.

STAGE DOOR looks at A Double Life, In A Lonely Place, The Velvet Touch, Sunset Boulevard .

THE BIG HOUSE talks about Brute Force, Caged, Riot in Cell Block 11.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Eddie says, “The pairing of Marie Windsor and Charles McGraw in “The Narrow Margin” provided  sufficient combustion to fuel a cross country train trip.”

 

If you  are a Noir fan, this is quite simply a must-buy.
On 31st.December,2020, I wrote a post ,”EDDIE MULLER AND FILM NOIR”.  And I’ll repeat Mr.Muller’s fantastic turn of phrase to sum up this wonderful history of FILM NOIR.

“..These titles are going to take you on a thrilling tortured journey through dark,mean streets in the company of a group of lost souls seeking salvation….

Remember, once across the Dark  City limits, the meter’s double and there is no coming back…….we’ll hit Sinister Heights, Shamus Flats, Blind Alley and maybe Losers Lane…..Dark City was built on fateful coincidence, double dealing and last chances.”

 

My only gripe – that cover with John  Garfield and Lana Turner from “The Postman Always Rings Twice.” Do we need reminding that constant smoking was part of the era.