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Unraveling Film Noir: A Dark Cinematic Journey through American Crime

Delve into the shadowy world of American crime films with Film Noir, exploring its history, iconic characters, mood, and distinct style. Discover the evolution of Neo-Noir and its impact on modern cinema.

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Unraveling Film Noir: A Dark Cinematic Journey through American Crime

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  1. Victor Hsiao, Stephen Huang, Kevin Wang Film Noir

  2. What is Film Noir? • Film Noir – Black Film or Cinema • Coined by French film critics • Nino Frank (1946) started this term • Observed the ‘dark’, black, and downbeat look of American crime and detective films released in France in 1940’s • Maltese Falcon (1941); Murder, My Sweet (1944); Double Indemnity (1944); The Woman in the Window (1944); Laura (1944)

  3. History • Emerged from German Expressionism and Italian Neo-Realism • German Expressionism (Post WWI) • Dark mood and deeper meaning; symbolism • Italian Neo-Realism • Documenting stories of poor and working class • American Film Noir combines both • Difficult moral/economic condition • Shadowing for dark mood • Started in 1940’s • Stranger on the Third Floor (1940)

  4. History cont. • Hays Code • Heavily affected due to the harsh look it took on American life • Neo-Noir begins in 1950’s • Hays Code evaporates • Tribute to Noir • Psycho (1960) – first neo-noir • Quinton Tarantino • Reservoir Dogs (1992)

  5. History cont. • Neo noir is everywhere; past or present • Emulation of Citizen Kane (1941) • Raging Bull (1980) • L.A. Noire (PS3)

  6. Characters • Hero/Anti-hero • Corrupt characters • Villains • Hard-boiled detectives • Cops • Gangsters • Government agents • Sociopaths/killers • Crooks • War veteran • Politicians • Petty criminals • Average Joes • Morally ambiguous

  7. Characters (cont.) • Women • Dutiful, reliable, trustworthy, loving • Femme Fatale • Mysterious, double-crossing, unloving, tough, unreliable, manipulative, desperate • Phyllis Dietrichson (Double Indemnity)

  8. Characteristics • Lighting • Deep focus • Interior settings • Low-key or single source lighting • Venetian blinds • Dark, claustrophobic, gloomy • Distorts time • Non-chronological order • Usually has a gun • Femme Fatale • Black and White

  9. Characteristics cont. • Cigarettes/cigars • Costumes • Men • Fedoras, suits and ties • Women • Floppy hats, low neckline, makeup

  10. Mood • Dark • Suspenseful • Melancholy • Alienation • Bleakness • Pessimism • Ambiguity • Moral Corruption • Evil • Guilt • Desperation • Paranoia • Disillusionment • Disenchantment

  11. Types of Film Noir • Classic Noir • Neo/Post Noir • Romance Film Noir • Documentary Film Noir • Cyber Film Noir • Prison Film Noir • Menaced – Woman Noir • Hitchcock’s Menaced Woman • Imperiled Children Noir • Corruption/Crime Noir • Cross-over Noir • Variation • Pseudo • Thrillers • Animations • Horror • Westerns • Gangster • Sci-fi • Super hero films • Batman; Batman Begins • Musical • Documentaries

  12. Romance Noir • Deadly femme fatatles • Self-destruction • Examples • You Only Live Once (1937) • The Letter (1940) • Double Indemnity (1944) • The Woman in the Window

  13. Test Questions • Film Noir – Dark Film • American pulp fiction – source of most noirs • Maltese Falcon – first noir • Characteristic of Film Noir – low-key lighting • LA Confidential and Fatal Attraction are pseudo-noirs

  14. Test Questions cont. • Film Noir breaks narrative linearity • Hays Code censored nudity, homosexuality, and profanity • Reflects the cynicism of innocence lost at war • Sharp, witty dialogue coincides with comedies • Women posed a threat to traditional values

  15. Test Questions cont. • Femme Fatale tries to destroy the male hero • Film Noir borrows from German Expressionism • Noirs emulate visual style of Citizen Kane • Destabilization of sexual relationships is typical of film noirs

  16. Film History 1920’s

  17. 1920’s • Silent film’s were predominant throughout the decade • Bigger, costly, more polished • Assembly line process • Organized into genres • Easily recognizable characteristics • Various genres appearing throughout this time

  18. 1920’s cont. • Big Five • Warner Bros. Pictures (1923) • Paramount Studios (1927) • RKO (Radio – Keith - Orpheum) Pictures • Metro – Golwyn – Mayer (MGM) (1928) • Fox (1912) became 20th Century Fox (1935) • Little Three • Universal Pictures • United Artists • Columbia Pictures

  19. 1920’s cont. • Expressionism flourishes after WWI • Silent comedy flourished • Charlie Chaplin • Don Juan (1926) • First film with synchronized soundtracks • No dialogue • The Jazz Singer (1927) – Warner Bros. • Silent film studios went out of business • 1930, silent films disappeared

  20. 1920’s cont. • Major Musicals • The Broadway Musical • First musical/sound film to win Best Picture • On With the Show • First all color sound musical • The Gold Diggers of Broadway • The Gold Diggers (1923) remake

  21. 1920’s cont. • Academy Awards • Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (1927) • Wings (1927) – Best Picture • Sunrise (1927) – Best Unique and Artistic Picture • Only silent films to win Academy Awards • Jazz Singer (1927) – special award

  22. 1920’s cont. • Technicolor • Started out with a 2 color process • Green and Red • Evolved to a 3 color process in 1932 • Technology • Cameras on dollies • Microphones on booms • Vitaphone Company (1925) • Vitaphone – obsolete by 1931 • Meant to record music and sound effects

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