Just a trivial note on slapstick-silly noir: today is the 50th
anniversary of a silly-noir writer's death, Boris Vian, who died a
silly death (laughing or crying?) during a private screening of the
film adaptation of his "I'll Spit on Your Grave" novel.
jpj
On Jun 20, 2009, at 12:09 AM, jacquesdebierue wrote:
>
>
> --- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, Kevin Burton Smith
> <kvnsmith@...> wrote:
>
> > Phrases
> > like "extreme noir" or "psycho noir" or "cutting edge" noir are more
> > likely to be splashed across the cover than words like "slapstick"
> or
> > "cartoonish" or "a wild romp." Even though the latter may be just as
> > (or even more) truthful.
> >
>
> But Kevin, what's new? Publishers advertisements tend to be full of
> bullshit, regardless of genre. You have to judge the book, not the
> blurbs.
>
> You mention verisimilitude... but Philip Marlowe was not really
> credible as a real life character - he is credible as a literary
> character. The guy from Charlie Huston's Caught Stealing is over the
> top, but as a character in the novel he works perfectly, there is a
> coherence. In other words, Huston wasn't writing a parody but
> creating a somewhat surrealistic but coherent picture. That's what
> literature aims for. I seriously doubt that Westlake's Parker could
> get away so many times without a bullet in his head, but he did --
> in the books.
>
> Best,
>
> mrt
>
>
>
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