During the Great Depression, pulp fiction writers created a new, distinctly American detective story, one that stressed the development of fascinating, often bizarre characters rather than the twists and turns of clever plots. This new crime fiction adapted brilliantly to the screen, birthing a cinematic genre that French cinema intellectuals following World War II christened ""film noir."" Set on dark streets late at night, in cheap hotels and bars, and populated by the dangerous people who frequented these locales, these films introduced a new antihero, a tough, brooding, rebellious loner, embodied by Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon and Philip Marlowe in The Big Sleep. This volume provides a detailed exploration of film noir, tracing its evolution, the influence of such legendary writers as Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, and the films that propelled this dark genre to popularity in the mid-20th century.

Mention famous film directors and the name of Alfred Hitchcock is bound to come up. Not only were Hitchcock's films innovative and unique, they were also entertaining, captivating critics and audiences alike. He had a gift for turning the familiar into the unfamiliar, the mundane into the unexpected. With a penchant for planning the entire movie before the first day of filming began - a story board approach he shared with only one other director, Walt Disney - he was renowned for his relaxed directing style which resulted in an excellent report with his actors. Even today, decades later, Hitchcock's films stand as sterling examples of innovative technique, literally overflowing with meaning which only repeated viewing can reveal. Encompassing the scope of Alfred Hitchcock's fifty-three film career, this volume contains a comprehensive analysis of the director's greatest films, including behind-the-scene insights into the film and television industry. It examines Hitchcock's effective use of lighting and expert manipulation of the camera as a vehicle of cinematic expression. Movies such as ""The Birds"", ""Shadow of a Doubt"", ""Psycho"", and ""Rear Window"" are evaluated from a psychiatric point of view, emphasizing the ways in which Hitchcock pulled his audience into his films, often inviting them to fill in the blanks. Interviews with those who knew Hitchcock personally and quotes from the master filmmaker himself demonstrate the ways in which the director was often just as intriguing as his films.

Los Angeles is an ideal city for film noir for both economic and aesthetic reasons. The largest metropolitan area in the country, home to an ever-changing population of the disillusioned and in close proximity to city, mountains, ocean, and desert, the City of Angels became a center of American film noir.This detailed discussion of nine films explores such topics as why certain settings are appropriate for film noir, why L.A. has been a favorite of authors such as Raymond Chandler, and relevant political developments in the area. The films are also examined in terms of story content as well as how they developed in the project stage. Utilizing a number of quotes from interviews, the work examines actors, directors, and others involved with the films, touching on their careers and details of their time in L.A. The major films covered are ""The Big Sleep"", ""Criss Cross"", ""D.O.A."", ""In A Lonely Place"", ""The Blue Gardenia"", ""Kiss Me Deadly"", ""The Killing"", ""Chinatown"", and ""L.A. Confidential"".

Revised and updated with 25 new essays, the fourth edition of this bestselling collection brings together more than 30 leaders in the field of educational theory. An engaging exploration of the ideas and trends shaping education in today's classrooms, "Philosophy of Education" includes topics on high-stakes testing, consumerism in education, and social justice issues in the classroom.

How can we teach students moral values while avoiding indoctrination? How should a teacher deal with controversial issues in the classroom? What role should standards play in education, and who develops those standards? And why is the link between theory and practice in the classroom important in the first place? "Philosophy of Education" provides students, teachers, and administrators with a lively and accessible introduction to the central debates and issues in education today.