First, browse or search the titles — and then watch some of the films — to identify common themes. Click on the “Discover the Films” tab in the main menu, where the films are categorized by region (American, European, Asian, and Latin American) and by quality tier according to the editors (1st tier are the masterpieces, but 4th tier are still very good). Each list can be sorted alphabetically or chronologically. You can also go to the Search and Explore page to find and filter films in your own way.

Next, click on the “Learn About Noir” tab in the main menu and read some of the articles and background content about film noir as a phenomenon. Learn about the definition, lifecycle, and international imprint of noir, how film noir intersected with various postwar cultural forces, and some of the more popular noir subcategories. You can also take a look through Faces of Noir to learn the names of the most prolific contributors to the cycle (directors, writers, actors, etc.) Finally, keep checking out The Beating (get it?), our Heart of Noir blog that will regularly publish articles and opinions from editors and guests.

Finally, share your own opinions and ideas. We hope both seasoned enthusiasts and starry-eyed newcomers can inspire each other to appreciate these films. Here are a few ways:

• Create an account and upload a profile pic (hover over the pic at any time to change it)
• Save films you want to see by clicking the watchlist star at the top of any film’s page 
• Rate films you’ve seen by scrolling to the bottom of a film’s page and submitting a star rating
• Optionally, accompany your rating with a written review; give your review a catchy title
• Ask or answer a question in the noir forums
• Start a new forum topic if you want opinions or advice on something noir-related
• Access all of your activities through the tabs on your user profile