The story of The Usual Suspects has the kind of "rags to riches" back story that makes not only the film itself, but the tale of its creation a tale worth telling. Inspired by a magazine headline, it was a poster before it was a screenplay, yet it stands in opposition to the High Concept Hollywood movie. Studying The Usual Suspects is an analysis of a film that is both a ripping yarn and an exercise in virtuoso technique. Author Judith Gunn offers: a thorough introduction to semiotics as a way of approaching the multiple meanings of the film; a consideration of the film's noir...