From Alain Silver and James Ursini, authors of The Noir Style and Film Noir Graphics and editors of the seven-volume Film Noir Reader series, comes Film Noir Fatal Women -- their latest exploration of the key elements that define Americas only homegrown film movement. 400 illustrations reveal the graphic and sensory core of the classic noir Femme Fatale, the visual icon and dramatic persona that underlies countless doomed narratives of the genre. From torch singers to gun molls, secretaries to sociopaths, black widows to B-girls, both blondes and brunettes, abused and empowered -- they all haunt these vivid pages.

Quite often, despite its masculine swagger, film noirs most complex, most compelling characters are women. In proving that case, Alain Silver and James Ursini, with their encyclopedic knowledge of the genre, have curated a comprehensive collection of images, aided and abetted by their always insightful comments. Guns, guts, guile, glamour -- its all here. -- Richard Deming, Director of Creative Writing at Yale University and author of Touch of Evil (BFI)
These authors use a key aspect of film noir, visual style, to illuminate one of its principal dark icons: the femme fatale. Lavishly illustrated, this book provides both eye-catching and meticulous detail on classic characters that embody noirs fatal women. -- Walter Hill, writer-director of Hard Times, The Driver, 48 Hrs., and Johnny Handsome