John Athanasourelis
Reading The Third Man as Film Noir

May 5, 2:00pm, Library Law Classroom (NL-314)

Though not often viewed as an example of film noir, Prof. Athanasourelis argues that The Third Man is an essential work of that genre. Written by Graham Greene and directed by Carol Reed, The Third Man is set in early postwar Vienna, a city, like Berlin, divided into four sectors governed by allied victors. In its status as a site of conflict and corruption, Vienna more than meets one critic’s definition of the noir city as a “great, foul place [that] rumbles with danger and excitement."

Dr. John Athanasourelis has taught at BCC since fall of 2003. His bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University in Radio, TV, and Film is the basis of his interest in media and this has informed his approach to literature. He is the author of Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe: The Hard-Boiled Detective Transformed (Mcfarland, 2011).

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