To put it simply, we want to help create a lot more film noir fans.

At Heart of Noir, we don’t see film noir as just a cycle of crime films from the 40’s and 50’s but a gallery of moving artwork that captures the psychology of alienation ushered in by World War II and just as keenly felt today. Preceded and influenced by European film movements, noir was a distinctly American creation and continues to have a profound cultural and artistic influence around the world today.

As time goes by, however, these films will be overlooked and forgotten if a new community of fans doesn’t emerge to cherish and protect them. That’s why Heart of Noir’s mission is to help create new film noir fans around the world to appreciate the art, craft, and continued importance of classic film noir in all of its various shades. We want to play a role in preserving these works.

To that end, we aim to be a comprehensive online resource for film noir appreciation. At the center is a curated collection of what we believe are the greatest 1,000 or so classic noirs from around the world. This collection is supplemented by plenty of articles — and a regularly updated blog — highlighting the historical and cultural significance of the noir cycle. Finally, over time, we hope to build a dynamic community where fans can share opinions and appreciate the films together.

The classic noir cycle may have been a finite period in history, but we believe it’s just as exciting today as it was almost a century ago. We hope you agree.