Argentine Cinema: From Noir to Neo-Noir examines the phenomenon of Argentine film noir. Beginning with definitions of film noir and its international iterations, the book presents a history of the development of film noir and neo-noir in Argentina (from the 1940s to the present), as well as a technical, aesthetic, and socio-historical analysis of such recent Argentine neo-noir films as The Aura, The Secret in Their Eyes, and The German Doctor. It considers the question of inscription of such classic noirs as Double Indemnity and The Third Man and looks forward to future scholarly work on other Latin American noir and neo-noir films, especially those produced in Mexico and Brazil.
Industry Reviews
Theorist-filmmaker Paul Schrader’s influential claim that the film noir phenomenon is unique to Hollywood and reflects a specific period in US history—mid-1940s to late 1950s—provides the point of departure for this volume. Via close readings, George and Meneses (both, Lake Forest College) seek to prove that selected Argentine features are best considered full-fledged noirs or neo-noirs. Their aim, as they write in the conclusion, is to “demonstrate the cultural cross-fertilization in noir through intertextual perspectives, stylistic schema, and narrative and cinematic tropes.” The authors generally succeed. Examining features covering a chronological ranging from 1946 (The Naked Angel) to 2013 (The German Doctor), George and Meneses offer detailed, perceptive readings of individual shots and sequences; they are particularly astute in their analyses of specific elements of craft, such as cinematography and production design. They also provide all-important sociohistorical contextualization to help readers better understand the themes of the films. The research is wide ranging and up-to-date, and influences and sources are indicated. The volume is clearly structured. . . This study is an important addition to understanding the international dimensions of film noir.
Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.
