On the Edge
Movies from the decade of Cold War
paranoia, Pop art, and Nouvelle Vague
At a time when people were terrified of UFOs and Communism, the film industry was busy producing movies that ranged from
film noir to
grandiose musicals. The paranoid public in the 1950s apparently craved family entertainment and dark, brooding pictures in equal doses.
The result is
a decade’s worth of truly monumental cinema, from Hitchcock masterpieces (
Vertigo,
Psycho,
Rear Window) to
comedy classics (Tati’s
Mr. Hulot’s Holiday, Billy Wilder’s
Some Like It Hot), from
groundbreaking Nouvelle Vague films (Truffaut’s
The 400 Blows) to profound,
innovative dramas like Antonioni’s
L’avventura, Fellini’s
La Strada, John Huston’s
Misfits, and Kubrick’s
Paths of Glory. Though censorship kept sex safely offscreen, the smoldering James Dean, Marlon Brando, and
Marilyn Monroe provided plenty of heat.
This survey of
the most important films of the fabulous fifties covers the wholesome, subversive, artistic, thrilling, and mysterious trends in cinema across the globe. This encyclopedia profiles each movie masterpiece through
stills, a
synopsis, and
cast,
crew, and
technical listings. Whether you’re a rebel without a cause or a gentleman who prefers blondes, this is a must-have for any film fan.
The editor
Jürgen Müller holds the chair of Early Modern and Modern Art History at the Technical University of Dresden. He studied art history at the universities of Bochum, Münster, Pisa, Paris and Amsterdam, and has worked as an art critic and curated numerous exhibitions. He is also the editor of TASCHEN’s movies by decade series.
Movies of the 50s
Hardcover, 5.5 x 7.7 in., 2.91 lb, 760 pages
