Explore every episode of the podcast Shadows of Noir
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33 - The House on Telegraph Hill | 25 Apr 2026 | 01:11:03 | |
Marc and Dan are back for another Robert Wise noir, this time thanks to the suggestion of a podcast listener! Join them as they analyze this listener favorite from 1951 starring Richard Basehart. Reminder that you can join the new Buy Me a Coffee page as an insider and make suggestions for future episodes: buymeacoffee.com/shadowsofnoir Next episode will be the infamous Billy Wilder masterpiece, Sunset Boulevard! | |||
| 32 - Too Late for Tears | 26 Feb 2026 | 01:12:21 | |
Marc and Dan are back to discuss Too Late for Tears from 1949, starring Lizabeth Scott, Dan Duryea, and Don DeFore. Tune in for another analysis of a great film noir, and to learn about our new Buy Me a Coffee Page! | |||
| 31 - Champion | 18 Jan 2026 | 01:10:26 | |
The gloves stay on for this episode of the Shadows of Noir podcast, as Marc and Dan stick with the boxing-noir subtype. Also released in 1949, just like The Set-Up from last episode, there is plenty of room for comparing and contrasting the two films. Marc and Dan dive deep into the story’s situations, character choices, and also the larger, deeper questions that the film poses. If you enjoy narrative analysis and dissecting character development, this is one you won’t want to skip. | |||
| 30 - The Set-Up | 28 Dec 2025 | 01:22:30 | |
Marc and Dan are back for another round as they dissect the 1949 boxing noir, The Set-Up. Expertly crafted by Robert Wise, this drama shows how the passage of time changes so much, yet certain elements of human nature can persist through the ages. With a standout performance from Robert Ryan, and wonderful supporting roles by several others, The Set-Up is a subtly complex story told through excellent acting and beautiful visual compositions. | |||
| 29 - Film Noir & Horror with Clay McCormack | 31 Oct 2025 | 01:10:10 | |
For a special Halloween episode, Marc and Dan welcome back Clay McCormack, a cohost of the Rotten Horror Picture Show podcast, to discuss the intersection of film noir and horror. The conversation dives into the visual and thematic connections between the two areas, specifically tracing their roots back to German Expressionism. They also highlight the influence of historical events on cinematic styles and the crossover of talent between horror and noir films. The episode also touches on the evolution of horror and noir, the role of budget constraints in creative filmmaking, and the enduring appeal of these films. Happy Halloween! | |||
| 28 - The Narrow Margin | 13 Oct 2025 | 01:16:11 | |
Join Marc and Dan as they break down The Narrow Margin, one of the ultimate displays of B-Noir. Efficient narrative progression and character development. Crackerjack dialogue expertly delivered by McGraw and Windsor. And nearly nonstop, heart-pounding suspense, make the film itself feel like a fast-moving train. Beautifully photographed and filled with noir themes and sensibility, it’s amazing to see how good a movie can be on a low budget. | |||
| 27 - Human Desire | 20 Aug 2025 | 01:01:21 | |
Shadows of Noir is heading to the train yard with Human Desire from 1954. Directed by Fritz Lang and featuring an astounding performance from Gloria Grahame, this film may be a lot more interesting and complex than it initially seems. Join Marc and Dan as they take a deeper look! | |||
| 26 - Scarlet Street | 14 Jun 2025 | 01:17:21 | |
From Criss Cross to Christopher Cross, Marc and Dan are continuing on with another heavy hitter. Released in late 1945 and directed/produced by Fritz Lang, Scarlet Street epitomizes many themes and characters that are central to film noir. And with a top-tier cast headlined by Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, and Dan Duryea, it's clear why this one gets so much attention amongst film noir enthusiasts. Website: https://shadowsofnoir.com/ | |||
| 25 - Criss Cross | 19 Apr 2025 | 01:16:06 | |
Criss Cross is a film noir often discussed and appreciated, and for good reason. Directed by the great Robert Siodmak, and starring Burt Lancaster, Yvonne De Carlo, and Dan Duryea, few other movies epitomize the feeling of film noir as well as this one all the way through to the final frame. Join Marc and Dan as they break down this essential from 1949! Related Books on: https://shadowsofnoir.com/ Los Angeles's Bunker Hill: https://shadowsofnoir.com/product/los-angeless-bunker-hill-pulp-fictions-mean-streets-and-film-noirs-ground-zero/ Burt Lancaster Biography: https://shadowsofnoir.com/product/burt-lancaster-an-american-life/ Dan Duryea Biography: https://shadowsofnoir.com/product/dan-duryea-heel-with-a-heart/ NEXT EPISODE: SCARLET STREET (1945) | |||
| 24 - This Gun for Hire | 20 Mar 2025 | 01:32:35 | |
Join Marc and Dan as they rewind back to the early years of film noir's development with This Gun for Hire. Released only months after the United States entered WWII and photographed by the great John Seitz, This Gun for Hire is an important film in the noir canon for several reasons. Tune in for an in-depth review of the film and why it matters for all the noir nerds out there! | |||
| 23 - Nightmare Alley (1947) | 26 Feb 2025 | 01:27:18 | |
Gather around folks, it's time to hear all about Stanton Carlisle, Zeena, and the rest of the Nightmare Alley crew as Marc and Dan move into the darkest corner of film noir's classic era. With its history, performances, visual makeup, character depth, themes, and messages, the original film version of Nightmare Alley truly stands the test of time. You won't want to miss this one! | |||
| 22 - Phantom Lady | 25 Jan 2025 | 01:19:34 | |
From the gritty, hard-boiled story by Cornell Woolrich, to the vision and expert coordination of producer Joan Harrison, to the masterful execution of director Robert Siodmak, Phantom Lady seemed to be destined for film noir history. Join Marc and Dan as they discuss this classic that not only stands tall on its own merits, but also holds an important place in the evolution of film noir's classic era. | |||
| 21 - Stray Dog | 24 Dec 2024 | 01:07:45 | |
What do you get when you pair Akira Kurosawa with the world of film noir? You get BIG questions posed in a masterful way. Join Marc and Dan as they explore Stray Dog from 1949. A simple noir story done a little differently than the American noirs of the late 1940s, but one that gets you contemplating some deep philosophical ideas. | |||
| 20 - Murder, My Sweet | 05 Dec 2024 | 01:42:19 | |
Join Marc and Dan as they dive headfirst into the world of Raymond Chandler with Murder, My Sweet from 1944. Based on Chandler's 1940 novel Farewell, My Lovely, it features one of the most iconic private eyes in all of crime literature/film, Philip Marlowe. Murder, My Sweet was monumental for the role in played in film noir's "discovery" by French film critics in 1946, and it's a discussion you certainly won't want to miss. Creatures of Darkness: Raymond Chandler Detective Fiction and Film Noir Dick Powell: A One-Person Play in Two Acts Caught in the Crossfire: Adrian Scott and the Politics of Americanism in 1940s Hollywood | |||
| 19 - The Spiral Staircase | 11 Nov 2024 | 01:30:21 | |
Get your raincoat, because Marc and Dan are discussing The Spiral Staircase for episode 19! Amidst a powerful storm, in a big, dark house, we have a thrilling noir that stands the test of time. Directed and photographed by film noir legends Robert Siodmak and Nicholas Musuraca, respectively, this film looks like few others in the film noir canon. Join Dan and Marc for an in-depth look at the story progression, the characters, the visuals, the themes, and more! | |||
| 18 - Born to Kill | 28 Oct 2024 | 01:25:47 | |
Join us for an in-depth discussion of one of Marc's favorite films, Born to Kill. Under the direction of the ever-versatile Robert Wise, Claire Trevor and Lawrence Tierney give us two of the darkest characters in all of film noir. This one pushes the limits in many ways, and is almost made for analysis. Tune in while Dan and Marc cover many aspects of the film and its lasting legacy within the film noir canon. | |||
| 17 - Black Angel | 13 Oct 2024 | 01:13:23 | |
Huge announcement for the Shadows of Noir podcast! Previous guest Marc Hinkley has come on board as co-host! | |||
| 16 - Film Noir Visual Style with Marc Hinkley | 17 Sep 2024 | 01:03:19 | |
Joining us to discuss the visual style and artistic roots of film noir is professional artist and fellow noir enthusiast, Marc Hinkley. With his own fine art series inspired by film noir's cinematographers, Marc has an incredible eye for frame composition and the emotion that can live within an image. He gives us some great history of German Expressionism, and how that fed so naturally into film noir. We also discuss some of Marc's favorite films, scenes, and how he chooses particular works for inspiration. Hope you enjoy! | |||
| 15 - Detour (1945) | 23 Jul 2024 | 00:56:10 | |
After a brief summer break, we're back with a heavy hitter from film noir's classic era. Join us as we continue with the subject of B-Noir and dive into Detour from 1945. From PRC and directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, Detour has gained legendary status in more recent years as a masterful representation of film noir. And with a famous (although uncertain) budget and production schedule, Detour reminds us that unlimited resources are not necessary to produce a great work. | |||
| 14 - Industry Structure & The B-Noir | 16 Jun 2024 | 00:54:33 | |
After a few individual film episodes, we venture back in history to discuss the motion picture industry, and how major events and developments affected the classic era of film noir. We discuss the formation of the studio system in Hollywood, and the industry developments that helped enable the production, distribution, and exhibition of different types of films over the years. We discuss B-pictures more broadly, and how they blended so nicely with the film noir formula. And we conclude with the major events that led to their downfall. Hope you enjoy! | |||
| 13 - Mildred Pierce with Veronica Fitzpatrick | 24 May 2024 | 01:08:46 | |
We are joined today by Veronica Fitzpatrick to discuss Mildred Pierce. Veronica is a film professor and critic, and also a host on The Bright Wall/Dark Room Podcast. Her knowledge is extensive and together we discuss the melodramatic noir classic from 1945, while also diving into larger concepts of genre and film history. You won't want to miss this one! | |||
| 12 - Where the Sidewalk Ends | 09 May 2024 | 00:47:45 | |
Sticking with 20th Century Fox film noir, we fast-forward a few years from Road House (1948) and talk about Where the Sidewalk Ends. Directed by Otto Preminger and starring Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney, this one is a reunion for the same trio that brought us Laura six years before. With these immensely important figures in film noir, along with highly noir story filled with dark settings, characters, and themes, this 1950 film is especially representative of the classic era. | |||
| 11 - Road House (1948) | 15 Apr 2024 | 00:46:47 | |
What do you get when you combine Ida Lupino and Richard Widmark, two of the most influential people in all of film noir? You get Road House from 1948. Join us as we dissect this melodramatic noir and use it to help highlight the unbelievable contributions of Lupino and Widmark to the world of film noir. | |||
| 10 - What is Film Noir? (Revised & Expanded) | 22 Mar 2024 | 01:00:46 | |
In celebration of our 10th episode, we are doing a revised and expanded version of Episode 1 - What is Film Noir? That is our most popular topic and we wanted to extend and improve upon that discussion, based on feedback and questions we've received so far. We begin with the term film noir, then get into the influences and the distinction between the "classic era" and newer "neo-noir" films. We discuss the classification of film noir, and finish up with the elements and essential films of the classic era. Hope you enjoy! | |||
| 9 - Film Noir and the Hollywood Blacklist | 01 Mar 2024 | 00:51:50 | |
This episode is a primer on the overlap between film noir and the Hollywood Blacklist of the late 1940s and 1950s. We have alluded to this connection previously and it’s a topic often mentioned in film noir discussions, so we wanted to give an overview of the major events and prominent figures. We also talk about some of reasons why film noir's classic era may have been excessively affected by the Hollywood Blacklist events post-World War II. Enjoy! | |||
| 8 - Kiss Me Deadly with Clay McCormack | 16 Feb 2024 | 01:02:00 | |
We are joined by Clay McCormack from The Rotten Horror Picture Show for our very first guest episode. Clay’s podcast experience and film knowledge is extensive, and together we discuss the nuances of an essential film noir, Kiss Me Deadly. We dive into the literary background, the adaption to the screen, the character of Mike Hammer, and several other aspects of the film. We also compare it to several other important films, and explore film noir’s relationship to other areas of film history. Shadows of Noir: Patreon: patreon.com/ShadowsofNoir/ Clay’s Podcast Work: Patreon: patreon.com/thepenskyfile | |||
| 7 - D.O.A. (1950) | 25 Jan 2024 | 00:55:57 | |
Join us as we venture into the public domain and discuss the widely available 1950 film, D.O.A. Film noir cornerstone star Edmond O'Brien leads the way in this thriller-like noir, that balances late 1940's on-location realism with earlier expressionist roots. Complete with a puzzling plot that demands your full attention, and intriguing themes that are indicative of larger film noir questions, it's no wonder this movie gets plenty of attention within the classic era. Did anyone order some fatalism? | |||
| 6 - The Third Man | 12 Jan 2024 | 00:53:34 | |
After a quick holiday break, we’re starting 2024 off right with the 1949 masterpiece, The Third Man. Join us as we first discuss film noir’s expansion beyond the borders of the United States in the latter half of the 1940s. Then explore the narrative structure, camerawork, lighting, acting performances, and musical score of The Third Man. We finish up by noting some differing perspectives on the film, and how it sits in relation to the classic era of film noir. Hope you enjoy!
Patreon: patreon.com/ShadowsofNoir/ Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/ShadowsofNoir/
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| 5 - It's a Wonderful Life | 21 Dec 2023 | 00:44:54 | |
It's holiday season, and what better film to talk about than It’s a Wonderful Life. The movie that has inspired millions and holds a special place in so many people’s hearts. But why discuss a movie like that in a noir podcast? Well, tune in and find out! We talk all about the film noir within It’s a Wonderful Life, and the impact it may very well have had on the lasting legacy of the movie. Patreon: patreon.com/ShadowsofNoir/ Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/ShadowsofNoir/ | |||
| 4 - Film Noir and World War II | 15 Dec 2023 | 00:51:20 | |
With the release of The Maltese Falcon in October 1941, where was the newly budding innovation of film noir to go? Well, less than two months later, the United States, where film noir was emerging, would enter World War II. A world event that influenced film noir's early years, later years, and also the relationship between the movie-going public and darker subject matters. So join us as we briefly review the intersection of film noir and World War II in Episode 4 of the Shadows of Noir podcast. | |||
| 3 - The Maltese Falcon (1941) | 30 Nov 2023 | 00:55:36 | |
We reserved discussion about The Maltese Falcon in Episode 2 because we thought it was the perfect film to do our first deep dive on. In this episode we discuss the background of The Maltese Falcon and then shift more into the world of film analysis. We discuss the story, the characters, the themes, certain scenes, and the cinematic aspects, before rounding out it out with the legacy and place that The Maltese Falcon holds in film history. | |||
| 2 - The Birth of Film Noir | 21 Nov 2023 | 00:43:29 | |
In this episode, we take a detailed look at the birth of film noir. | |||
| 1 - What is Film Noir? | 07 Nov 2023 | 00:00:34 | |
Head on over to Episode 10 for a revised and expanded version of What is Film Noir?! | |||
| Trailer | 19 Oct 2023 | 00:02:39 | |
Welcome to the Shadows of Noir podcast. A place for movie fans to discover, learn, and discuss all things film noir. | |||