Jacques Tourneur
The Cinema of Nightfall
Published on 17. May 2011
Book
Paperback/Softback
340 pages
978-0-7864-6611-5 (ISBN)
Description
At least three of director Jacques Tourneur's films--Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie and The Leopard Man--are recognized as horror classics. Yet his contributions to these films are often minimized by scholars, with most of the credit going to the films' producer, Val Lewton.
A detailed examination of the director's full body of work reveals that those elements most evident in the Tourneur-Lewton collaborations--the lack of monsters and the stylized use of suggested violence--are equally apparent in Tourneur's films before and after his work with Lewton. Mystery and sensuality were hallmarks of his style, and he possessed a highly artistic visual and aural style. This insightful critical study examines each of Tourneur's films, as well as his extensive work on MGM shorts (1936-1942) and in television. What emerges is evidence of a highly coherent directorial style that runs throughout Tourneur's works.
A detailed examination of the director's full body of work reveals that those elements most evident in the Tourneur-Lewton collaborations--the lack of monsters and the stylized use of suggested violence--are equally apparent in Tourneur's films before and after his work with Lewton. Mystery and sensuality were hallmarks of his style, and he possessed a highly artistic visual and aural style. This insightful critical study examines each of Tourneur's films, as well as his extensive work on MGM shorts (1936-1942) and in television. What emerges is evidence of a highly coherent directorial style that runs throughout Tourneur's works.
Reviews / Votes
"interesting...important"-Public Library Quarterly; "this intelligent, thorough study must be considered as definitive"-SFRA Review; "excellent"-San Francisco Examiner Magazine; "comprehensive study...thoughtful, meticulously researched study...highly readable"-Film & Film Culture; "a valuable examination of one of Hollywood's most neglected talents"-Film Review; "a worthy, well-written and -researched tribute"-Bright Lights Film Journal; "perceptive, impeccably-documented...the author elaborates...with an ease and command of critical language that makes every page diverting"-RetroVision; "Tourneur's place in film history cannot be overexaggerated...excellently written foreword by none other than Martin Scorsese. The biographical section of the book is riveting in its detail...horror film fans will be most interested in Fujiwara's analysis...obviously essential for a Tourneur fan...thorough, unique, and perceptive"-Monsters from the Vault; "the first in-depth exploration of Tourneur's entire career...detailed...informative...immensely readable...insightful...comprehensive...essential...well researched"-Cult Movies; "combines a fan's enthusiasm with a scholar's rigour...thoroughly researched and perceptive"-Rue Morgue; "immensely readable...fascinating account of the Cat People auteur's life, work and unique approach to filmmaking"-VideoScope; "wise, well-written and invaluable"-Shock Cinema; "fascinating...informative"-Mad About Movies; "a lot of work went into this book...and it shows"-Classic Images; "everything by the underappreciated French born director is covered"-Psychotronic; "comprehensive"-AB Bookman's Weekly; "the first real look at Tourneur's career...very interesting"-Little Shoppe of Horrors.More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Jefferson, NC
United States
Target group
Interest Age: From 18 years
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
53 photos, notes, filmography, bibliography, index
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 178 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
645 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7864-6611-5 (9780786466115)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Chris Fujiwara is a freelance writer. He lives in Tokyo, Japan.
Content
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Introduction
Maurice Tourneur
Jacques Tourneur: I
Jacques Tourneur: II
French Films (1931-1934)
Second-Unit Work (1934-1938)
MGM Shorts (1936-1942)
They All Come Out (1939)
The Nick Carter Films: Nick Carter, Master Detective (1939) and Phantom Raiders (1940)
Doctors Don't Tell (1941)
Cat People (1942)
I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
The Leopard Man (1943)
Days of Glory (1944)
Experiment Perilous (1944)
"Reward Unlimited" (1944)
Canyon Passage (1946)
Out of the Past (1947)
Berlin Express (1948)
Easy Living (1949)
Stars in My Crown (1950)
The Flame and the Arrow (1950)
Circle of Danger (1951)
Anne of the Indies (1951)
Way of a Gaucho (1952)
Appointment in Honduras (1953)
Stranger on Horseback (1955)
Wichita (1955)
Great Day in the Morning (1956)
Nightfall (1957)
Night of the Demon (1957)
The Fearmakers (1958)
Timbuktu (1959)
La Battaglia di Maratona (1959)
The AIP Films: The Comedy of Terrors (1963) and War-Gods of the Deep (1965)
Television Films
Afterword
Notes
Filmography of Jacques Tourneur
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Introduction
Maurice Tourneur
Jacques Tourneur: I
Jacques Tourneur: II
French Films (1931-1934)
Second-Unit Work (1934-1938)
MGM Shorts (1936-1942)
They All Come Out (1939)
The Nick Carter Films: Nick Carter, Master Detective (1939) and Phantom Raiders (1940)
Doctors Don't Tell (1941)
Cat People (1942)
I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
The Leopard Man (1943)
Days of Glory (1944)
Experiment Perilous (1944)
"Reward Unlimited" (1944)
Canyon Passage (1946)
Out of the Past (1947)
Berlin Express (1948)
Easy Living (1949)
Stars in My Crown (1950)
The Flame and the Arrow (1950)
Circle of Danger (1951)
Anne of the Indies (1951)
Way of a Gaucho (1952)
Appointment in Honduras (1953)
Stranger on Horseback (1955)
Wichita (1955)
Great Day in the Morning (1956)
Nightfall (1957)
Night of the Demon (1957)
The Fearmakers (1958)
Timbuktu (1959)
La Battaglia di Maratona (1959)
The AIP Films: The Comedy of Terrors (1963) and War-Gods of the Deep (1965)
Television Films
Afterword
Notes
Filmography of Jacques Tourneur
Bibliography
Index