A success has been achieved in preparing thin films of isolated individual single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) that are aligned in a specific direction. By the isolation of tubes, these thin films retain the near-infrared photoluminescence inherent in semiconducting SWNTs, and, because of the tube alignment, exhibit strong optical anisotropy such as polarized absorption, polarized photoluminescence and birefringence. An achievement unprecedented in this fast-developing and competitive field, the present result must give great momentum to the elucidation and exploitation of optical and optoelectronic functions of carbon nanotubes.