We'll be putting up different resources that we recommend.
Podcasts
First we'd like to shout out three key podcasts that informed and inspired the production of our own show.
For any horror fan out there, Evolution of Horror is a must listen. Host Mike Muncer and his rotating stock of guests explore horror one sub-genre at a time. EoH was a big influence on our own choice to go with seasons as we look at Film Noir.
Hosted by former writers and editors of the dearly departed The Dissolve, The Next Picture Show sets a standard for thoughtful film criticism, especially in the way that movies are all in conversation with each other. A format we mimicked for our own standalone episodes, where we pair a recent release with an older but related noir film. (They beat us to the punch on the Nightmare Alley double-header by a few months - go give it a listen!)
A sibling show, and responsible for giving the boys the idea to move forward with their own podcast. Great deep dives into adaptation from screen to stage. Check out Fred discussing Sweet Smell of Success!
Beyond these foundational shows for Celluloid Dirt, we also have some other podcast favorites to recommend:
The definitive podcast when it comes to exploring Hollywood history, incredibly knowledgable host Katrina Longworth takes you through the hidden byways of yesteryear. Some noir-inflected starting points - her two-parter on Bogart & Bacall and a deep dive on Gloria Grahame.
While it unfortunately has come to an end, during its run Switchblade Sisters produced some fantastic conversations between film critic, screenwriter & host April Wolfe and a variety of actors, writers, directors and producers, digging into genre movies (including Noir films) and how they connect to the guest's own body of work.
It's a dirty job, digging into the forgotten thrillers of the 80s and 90s, but fortunately the hosts of TSIKU are up to the task, drawing on their years of watching every movie possible while working at Scarecrow Video. More on the funny end of film discussion podcasts, you'll come for the hosts' chemistry and stay for the many film-related tangents and recommendations for movies you've forgotten (or never even heard of).
Books
The original book on Film Noir.
A seminal collection of writing on the noir genre.
A definitive look at the making of Chinatown and the many conflicting personalities that were key to its success.
Articles
"Film Noir’s Early Days: How Studios Resisted, Then Embraced, the Genre" - Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter
"The Working-Class Cinematic Legacy of Film Noir" - Leonard Pierce, Jacobin
"The Black Neo-noirs of the ’90s" - Julian Kimble, The Ringer
"Unpunished Evil: When Neo-noirs Took Over the ’90s" - Brian Raftery, The Ringer
Dark Passages: Criterion Collection Essays on Noir - by Imogen Sara Smith