Film Noir and Philosophy
[By popular demand, we are delighted to once again offer "Film Noir and Philosophy", which was a hit with members this summer.]
For many, film noir conjures up memories of black and white films with a hard-boiled detective carrying a snub nose revolver and trying to resist a femme fatale who wore square-shouldered suits and dyed her hair blond. The characters smoked unfiltered cigarettes and drank whisky in a glass. Entertaining, but shallow. If film noir is shallow, it is so in the spirit of Nietzsche’s observation of the Greeks: “They were superficial—out of profundity.”
In this course we will explore lurking in the shadows of noir and neo-noir films the underlying elements of existentialist, Freudian, Marxist, feminist, and post-modern philosophies. Films will be The Third Man (1949), Chinatown (1974), Blade Runner (1982), and The Girl Who Walks Home Alone at Night (2014).
Faculty Bio
Bill Smoot is a writer of fiction and essays. He received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Northwestern University. He teaches college classes in San Quentin Prison.
This is an In-Person Course
- Classes will be held in person at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center (Arts & Sciences Room) at 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette
- Limited to 40 members
- Please note: Films should be viewed in advance.
- Fee assistance is available if cost is a barrier. Learn more.
Schedule Highlights
- Course starts on Thursday, Oct. 19 and ends on Thursday, Nov. 9
- Classes meet for four weeks, two hours per session (1–3 PM)
- All course materials will be available to view and enjoy through Dec. 31
Member Praise for "Film Noir" with Bill Smoot
This was absolutely one of my favorite OLLI courses. Bill is an engaging and intelligent instructor, well-versed in philosophy and film. The class discussions were excellent, and Bill was skilled at facilitating discussion.
Everything about this class was a pleasure. Wonderful instructor!
I appreciated the philosophical underpinnings that Bill discussed as a way of broadening the understanding of the films. And I really enjoyed his sense of humor and the way he engages with the class and fosters discussion.
Faculty Q&A
- Read an interview with Bill Smoot from our archive.