FILM NOIRVictor Hsiao, Stephen Huang, Kevin Wang

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’sMaltese Falcon (1941); Murder, My Sweet (1944); Double

Indemnity (1944); The Woman in the Window (1944); Laura (1944)

History Emerged from German Expressionism and

Italian Neo-RealismGerman Expressionism (Post WWI)

○ Dark mood and deeper meaning; symbolism

Italian Neo-Realism○ Documenting stories of poor and working class

American Film Noir combines bothDifficult moral/economic conditionShadowing for dark mood

Started in 1940’sStranger on the Third Floor (1940)

History cont.

Hays CodeHeavily affected due to the harsh look it took

on American life Neo-Noir begins in 1950’s

Hays Code evaporatesTribute to Noir

Psycho (1960) – first neo-noir Quinton Tarantino

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

History cont.

Neo noir is everywhere; past or presentEmulation of Citizen Kane (1941)Raging Bull (1980)L.A. Noire (PS3)

Characters Hero/Anti-hero

Corrupt charactersVillains Hard-boiled

detectivesCopsGangstersGovernment agentsSociopaths/killersCrooksWar veteran

Politicians Petty criminalsAverage Joes

Morally ambiguous

Characters (cont.) Women

Dutiful, reliable, trustworthy, loving Femme Fatale

Mysterious, double-crossing, unloving, tough, unreliable, manipulative, desperate○ Phyllis Dietrichson (Double Indemnity)

Characteristics Lighting Deep focus Interior settings

Low-key or single source lightingVenetian blinds

Dark, claustrophobic, gloomy Distorts time

Non-chronological order Usually has a gun Femme Fatale Black and White

Characteristics cont.

Cigarettes/cigars Costumes

Men○ Fedoras, suits and ties

Women○ Floppy hats, low neckline, makeup

Mood Dark Suspenseful Melancholy Alienation Bleakness Pessimism Ambiguity Moral Corruption

Evil Guilt Desperation Paranoia Disillusionment Disenchantment

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

Romance Noir

Deadly femme fatatles Self-destruction Examples

You Only Live Once (1937)The Letter (1940)Double Indemnity (1944)The Woman in the Window

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

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

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

FILM HISTORY 1920’S

1920’s

Silent film’s were predominant throughout the decadeBigger, costly, more polished

○ Assembly line process

Organized into genres Easily recognizable characteristicsVarious genres appearing throughout this

time

1920’s cont. Big Five

Warner Bros. Pictures (1923)Paramount Studios (1927)RKO (Radio – Keith - Orpheum) PicturesMetro – Golwyn – Mayer (MGM) (1928)Fox (1912) became 20th Century Fox (1935)

Little ThreeUniversal PicturesUnited ArtistsColumbia Pictures

1920’s cont.

Expressionism flourishes after WWI Silent comedy flourished Charlie Chaplin Don Juan (1926)

First film with synchronized soundtracksNo dialogue

The Jazz Singer (1927) – Warner Bros. Silent film studios went out of business 1930, silent films disappeared

1920’s cont.

Major MusicalsThe Broadway Musical

○ First musical/sound film to win Best PictureOn With the Show

○ First all color sound musicalThe Gold Diggers of Broadway

○ The Gold Diggers (1923) remake

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

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 dolliesMicrophones on booms

Vitaphone Company (1925)Vitaphone – obsolete by 1931Meant to record music and sound effects