Film noir—a cycle of American films from the 1940s and '50s—is characterized not only by a constant opposition of light and shadow and a disruptive compositional balance of frames and scenes, but also by dark, foreboding characters and plots and an overriding sense of alienation and moral ambiguity. Noir films reflect the sense of loss, fragmentation, and nihilism at the heart of the human condition in the twentieth century. Although the classic film noir period ended in the late 1950s, its impact on more films has been profound. While typically not black and white, these new films incorporate the noir sensibility of alienation, pessimism, moral ambivalence, and disorientation. This sensibility is obvious in films such as Blade Runner, Reservoir Dogs, Chinatown, and Memento. Until now, little scholarly attention has been paid to the unique philosophical conventions of the widely popular neo-noir genre. In The Philosophy of Neo-Noir, editor Mark T. Conard and other contributors explore the philosophical foundations of neo-noir, using the films to discuss and explain traditional philosophical ideas as well. The themes and topics covered include justice and moral corruption; problems of memory and identity; human nature, space, time, and subjectivity; crime and punishment; pain and redemption; and spiritual transcendence. Conard argues that neo-noir films have benefited as censorship has relaxed, giving current filmmakers a rich noir tradition from which to draw. Victor Or - Library Journal Much has been written about neo-noir's distinction from classic noir, the continuous presence of the femme fatale, and neo-noir's connection with horror films, but the 13 new essays in this anthology edited by Conard (philosophy, Marymount Manhattan Coll.; editor, The Philosophy of Film Noir) rejuvenate the discussion. Appropriately, John Locke's explanation of personal identity and Jean-Paul Sartre's theory of existentialism are invoked in examining the amnesiac protagonist who tries to make sense of a contingent world in Memento. Other essayists delve into Immanuel Kant's Critique of Practical Reasonand Plato's ethics concerning justice and virtuosity to dissect the morally ambiguous characters in The Onion Field, A Simple Plan, and Hard Eightor refer to Jean-François Lyotard's concepts on postmodern ethics and values and Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy of nihilism in their analyses of the allusive and playful worlds of such neo-noir filmmakers as Quentin Tarantino and the Coen brothers. Conard and his contributors see to it that these essays are accessible to nonacademic readers. Strongly recommended for public libraries and for academic libraries with a film or philosophy department.