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New York Noir: Crime Photos from the Daily News Archive [Hardcover]

William J. Hannigan (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

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Book Description

Release Date: Nov 20 1999
Grisly, ghastly, gorgeous photographs capture the faces of this century's most violent criminals and their unfortunate victims. "New York Noir" explores the darker side of urban life, featuring over 130 chilling black-and-white photographs from the archives of "New York's Picture Newspaper." Besides being a shockingly beautiful expos of exceptionally ugly acts, this groundbreaking book draws attention, for the first time, to the relationship between the Daily News and film noir. The images in the newspaper were the primary source for the visual style that has defined Hollywood movies, from The Maltese Falcon to L.A. Confidential.

Author William Hannigan describes the development of tabloid news photography and discusses the factors that contributed to the noir aesthetic. The introduction by Luc Sante explores the implications of viewing these photographs as art objects. Decades after the events they record have passed. Many of the duotone reproductions were made from unique glass negative, while others capture the retouching and manipulation of the original prints.

An eloquent portrait of a city and an era, "New York Noir" will be a favorite among crime buffs, photography fans, and students of New York City's past.

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When Ruth Snyder was electrocuted at Sing Sing Prison in 1928, New York Daily News photographer Tom Howard was there--with a miniature camera he'd hidden under the cuff of his pants. The resulting snapshot made the front page the next morning (under the headline "DEAD!") and provoked fierce controversy among those wondering if tabloid journalism had finally gone too far. But, as Luc Sante points out in his introduction to New York Noir, a selection of pictures from the Daily News archives, the tabloids "retailed exclamation points"--Snyder in the electric chair was merely an extreme example of imagery that was a regular staple of the paper's coverage.

Many of the photos in New York Noir are not for the squeamish: corpses in the street or slumped in their car seats appear regularly, as do battered and bloodied criminals and suspects. But the power of these stark images is unmistakable--they are, as the book's title indicates, the raw material for the gritty vision of urban life that film noir popularized. For some people, tabloid crime photos are synonymous with Arthur "Weegee" Fellig; only one of his pictures graces these pages, however, and the other photographers represented here (many identified only by last name or no name at all) demonstrate that his reputation relies as much on promotional hustle as on artistic merit. Whenever possible, archivist William Hannigan supplies background information on the people and incidents in the pictures--but it is the images themselves, rather than the stories, that will stick in the reader's mind. --Ron Hogan

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5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive Iconic Photography Evokes an Era. May 25 2004
By mirasreviews
Format:Hardcover
The "Daily News" debuted in New York City in 1919. It was to be a newspaper for the common man, which meant not especially literate and frequently immigrant. Its currency was images, the more sensational the better. Nothing sold like sex, murder, and mayhem, graphically illustrated. By 1925, the "Daily News" was the best-selling newspaper in the nation. By 1930, twenty-three per cent of its pages were devoted to crime.

"New York Noir" is a selection of about 125 images from the "Daily News" archives, taken from the 1920s through the 1950s. Some are sad, some comical, some grotesque. They're an interesting comment on American urban culture of the time. Many of these photos would spark outrage if any newspaper were to print them today. Their lurid content earned the "Daily News" pointed criticism from many a moralist at the time. But that never hurt business. The style of the photographs had an immistakable influence on cinema and popular culture which continues to this day. The technical limitations that produced starkly flashed foregrounds and pitch-black backgrounds are instantly recognizable in Hollywood films, just as the corruption displayed in the photographs was reflected in popular entertainment. The demeanor of gangsters and thugs -often posed for the photographers- became iconic. Tabloid photojournalists may have wanted only to get the shot that no one else could, but they produced some incredible -and incredibly influential- photographs that have only become more fascinating with time.

Luc Sante introduces "New York Noir" with an essay about the history of tabloid journalism. Editor William Hannigan follows with a history of the "Daily News" and its influence on Film Noir. Both of these essays are very readable and worthwhile. The photographs are mostly one-to-a-page and quite sharp. They are all captioned. There is a section of "Synopses" in the back of the book, which provides further information about the stories behind each photograph, when available. I really appreciate this section, which is conveniently organized by page number. Some of the photos really leave the reader hanging, wondering who those people are and how things turned out. You can find out by turning to the back of the book.

I recommend "New York Noir" to photography and film noir buffs. Some of these evocative photographs are not for the squeamish, but they have made , and continue to make, quite an impression.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A Step Back In Time Aug 25 2001
By Chad Spivak
Format:Hardcover
If you are a fan of photography, this book is definately for you. NEW YORK NOIR is chock full of amazing photographs that were the staple of the "New York Daily News." In this book, you get to see some of the poignant images that help define the term noir, and its connection to the silver screen industry, not to mention its effects on tabloid journalism. Many of these same black and white photogrpahs were often used as references to assist in making modern day motion pictures, helping to give a look into the past. From the days of "Three-Gun" Turner to the electrocution of Ruth Snyder, this book captures New York's horrid crime life in a candid, in-your-face style. There is nothing but unhidden truth in each and every photograph. NEW YORK NOIR is a well designed book loaded with powerful images and somewhat detailed descriptions. It is fascinating, riveting, and gives you a decent look at the roots of photojournalism. You can't help but be intrigued by the gritty, graphic photos that once graced the pages of a daily newspaper. It is one amazingly good book.
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5.0 out of 5 stars POWERFUL May 17 2000
By Joseph Nigh
Format:Hardcover
This is one powerful and well designed book. I picked it up at a show of the original photographs which I had read about in the New York Times. I was awestruck by the power of the images but even more so by the window it opens into life in New York City during the time they were taken. This book provides real insight into the force of photographs in the media and the their importance in the rise of the American tabloid industry.
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