Somewhere in the Night

When World War II segued into the Cold War and the American dream deflated a half-size, a dull-gray patina settled over cities across the U.S. As the urban landscape shifted and swelled, these changes crept into the collective psyche via the silver screen and a cinematic genre termed "film noir." Employing dramatic use of shadow, night scenes, and voice-overs--as well as frequent shots of jagged skylines, dark street corners, and hidden crannies--the style revealed the underside of American life struggling to be heard amidst the existential clamor in the streets. In Somewhere in the Night: Film Noir and the American City, novelist and poet Nicholas Christopher uses the city as a vehicle for exploring the world of film noir, treating the urban setting more like a universal character than a mere backdrop for human action. Alluding to pop culture, literature, bits of history, sociology, and, of course, countless films from the past 50 years, Christopher examines the genre and its history in an entertaining and imaginative style that flows like a seamlessly edited film.