Film Noir Genre AnalysisBy: Caxie Dagupen

Definition

A style or genre of cinematographic film marked by a mood of pessimism, fatalism, and menace. The term was originally applied (by a group of French critics) to American thriller or detective films made in the period 1944–54 and to the work of directors such as Orson Welles, Fritz Lang, and Billy Wilder.

A film marked by a mood of pessimism, fatalism, and menace. Plural noun: films noirs French literally meaning ‘black film’

Google definition

Themes of Film Noir

Corruption Greed Sex Murder Justice Death Jealousy Lust Good vs Evil Seduction

OriginsClassic Film Noir started after the WW2 as much of the fear, mistrust, bleakness, loss of innocence, despair and paranoia were felt by the masses at the time. Due to poverty and technology at the time, film makers had to make films with what they had, therefore the boom of film noir was born.On an aesthetic level, film noir was influenced by German expressionism which affected lighting and some of the visual components and symbolism. While the major literary influence was the American crime, gangster and detective stories and novels. Film Noir tended to be gritty and real compared to Hollywood’s idealistic happy ever after view of life.

The protagonists of film noir are described by many critics as ‘alienated’ (Silver and Ward) and ‘filled with existential bitterness’. They are also more flawed and morally questionable than the norm. For all the characters, cigarette smoking may seem virtually mandatory.

Other common characters: detectives, femme fatales, corrupt policemen, jealous husbands, the good wife

Characters

Film noir tends to use low-key lighting schemes, producing stark light/dark contrasts and dramatic shadow patterns. The shadows of Venetial blinds or banister rods, cast upon an actor, wall or an entire set are now an iconic visual in film noir. Charaters’ faces may be partially or wholly obscured by darkness – which is a contrast to conventional Hollywood moviemaking.

Film noir is also known for its use of Dutch angles, low angle shots and wide angle lenses. (something our team needs to learn)Other devices of disorientation are relatively common in film noir including shots of people reflected in one or more mirrors. So are shots through curved or frosted glass.

In addition to that, night-for-night shooting as opposed to the Hollywood norm of day-for-night was often employed. So, from 1940s forward, location shooting became increasingly frequent. (Another important thing our team needs to take note of.)

Visual Style Conventions

Film Noir editing follows many of the traditional crime characteristics but they are generally told non linearly.

Non-linear start, then tell the story in flashbacks

Often shot day-for-night using filters which is cheaper.

Use continuity editing generally with some montage

Can and does use jump cuts and jarring juxtaposition

Editing Conventions

Sound Conventions

In film noir there are many variations of music that is used, however the most recognised would be music that contains : Saxophone solos, piano and trumpet,

We would get the tones of jazz and often infused with Latin beats. Often the music and the tones are suggestive of characteristics of people represented in the film.

Film noir sound is also used to compliment the feeling of pessimism and foreboding that was reflected in the films. E.g : Melancholy downbeat music, heavy breathing, use of quiet and silence, often discordant and grating music, sudden noises and voice over of protagonists.

Iconography

Iconography is the visual images and symbols used in a work of art or the study or interpretation of these. [Google definition]

So in film noir, this would be the venetian blinds which is used often. The usual guns, money and cigars –not drugs because everyone was classy back then. In addition to that some films were accustomed to using mirrors to show self-reflection of characters, which I think is a feature of film noir that I would definitely want to apply to my teaser trailer. It would be a little eerie and disorientated I believe.

Mise-en-Scene: Settings

Settings are usually in the darker areas of the city such as alley ways and dark corners that has a lot of shadow and low key lighting. With this, the creation of contrast hence mystery and suspense is easier to accomplish with the availability of the street lights and darkness.

Enclosed spaces also gives the audience a sense of claustrophobia adding discomfort and uneasiness.

Mise-en-Scene: Costume Costumes and props in Film Noir films are often true to the time period of the 40s and 50s where males wore suits and females wore classic dresses.

The female characters in Film Noir –Femme Fatale- either wore clothes that are seen as very appealing to men. They normally wore this type of clothing to seduce and represent sexual desire. While the other type of women in this Film Noir –the good wife- wore modest clothing.

The male characters would dress in fedoras and suits suggesting that they are either hard boiled detectives or notorious gangsters.

Mise-en-Scene: Lighting & Colour As I’ve already mentioned a couple times, film noir normally uses low key lighting which is a style in the art world called ‘Chiaroscuro’; an effect of contrasted light and shadow. It creates a sense of depth and volume not only in paintings but on the screen.

In Film Noir scenes, they wouldn’t use more than three lights: the key light, filler light and the back light – adding an outline separating the subject from the background.

In addition to that, hard light is mostly used to create harsh edged shadows. While soft lighting is normally used for femme fatale characters to make them look more glamorous.

Mise-en-Scene: Positioning in Frame

Film Noir uses a lot of low-angles, wide angle or Dutch angle shots. These are very disorientating for the audience and gives the audience a sense of unease; either in empathise with the character and what he/she is feeling or whether to permit the audience to feel that way towards the character.

Low angle shots are regularly used in film noir to make the subject of the shot appear more powerful. Specially in a genre like film noir where power struggle always occurs in characters’ relationships, we would predict a lot of superior characters versus inferior ones.

Potential AudiencesIn my own opinion, I believe that the content of film noir films are for mature audiences that would be able to comprehend the grey areas of life. In addition to that, some more difficult concepts and/or themes may be too difficult for younger audiences hence missing the message/point of the film.

Most characters in a film noir are normally older, this gives us as indication of their main target audience as main characters are normally easier to empathise with if they are in a similar age bracket as the audience. Also, we’re looking at a setting of the 40s and 50s, a very classic area where some young people now don’t really appreciate because they didn’t grow up with it.

It is definitely more of a male audience as most film noir plots are focused on a male protagonist or male anti-hero.

Progression of Film Noir

Some believe that film noir over the years has evolved and progressed to fit in with today’s modern society. Today, films with features and aspects of film noir are called neo-noire, which is defined as ‘a film set in contemporary times, but showing characteristics of a film noir, in plot or style’.

Examples would be:The Getaway (1972)Body Heat (1981) Reservoir Dogs (1992)Fargo (1996)Collateral (2004)

Other sub-genres are also being classified such as the Graphic Novel Noir where examples are: Watchmen(2009)Sin City(2005)The Dark Knight (2008)