Perhaps the creative height of American cinema, these dark and pessimistic films were typically made on modest budgets, yet brought out the best in the filmmakers and actors associated with them. The films often focused on seedy criminals ("Detour," "Pickup on South Street," "Gun Crazy") or the detectives after them ("The Maltese Falcon," "Touch of Evil," "Kiss Me Deadly"). A staple of the 40s and 50s, the film noir eventually went out of fashion with the popularity of color film and television, but many popular contemporary films owe a debt to the film noir movement. To see the genesis of films like "Reservoir Dogs," "Pulp Fiction," and "Payback," to name just a few, check out "The Asphalt Jungle," "Double Indemnity" and "The Killing."
