American CinemaAmerican Cinema The test is postponed to tomorrowThe test is postponed to tomorrow Today – Film Noir Notes – begin movie #1Today – Film Noir Notes – begin movie #1 Wednesday – Unit 3&4 test – Continue Wednesday – Unit 3&4 test – Continue

Movie #1Movie #1 Thursday – Finish movie #1 – Begin movie Thursday – Finish movie #1 – Begin movie

#2#2 Friday – Continue Movie #2Friday – Continue Movie #2 Monday – Finish Movie #2 – start WesternsMonday – Finish Movie #2 – start Westerns Tuesday – Film Noir dueTuesday – Film Noir due

HumanitiesHumanities

Today – The Seven Wonders of Ancient GreeceToday – The Seven Wonders of Ancient Greece Wednesday – Renaissance notesWednesday – Renaissance notes Thursday – Start Thursday – Start Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet Friday – Finish Friday – Finish Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet Monday – turn in Monday – turn in Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet reviews – reviews –

Renaissance visual art samplesRenaissance visual art samples Tuesday – Renaissance music samplesTuesday – Renaissance music samples Wednesday – Practice samples – note cards for Wednesday – Practice samples – note cards for

test (3x5)test (3x5) Thursday – Renaissance unit testThursday – Renaissance unit test Friday – No school (Fall Break)Friday – No school (Fall Break)

Film NoirFilm Noir

““Black FilmBlack Film””OrOr

““Dark FilmDark Film””

BackgroundBackground

The The film noirfilm noir genre was genre was born from crime films: born from crime films:

audiences grew bored audiences grew bored with the criminal with the criminal protagonistprotagonist

wanted more of a hero wanted more of a hero during war timesduring war times

Lasted from 1945-ish Lasted from 1945-ish to 1950-ish (according to 1950-ish (according to traditionalists)to traditionalists)

Some Some film noirfilm noir films have films have criminals and criminals and private eyes, but private eyes, but not all private eye not all private eye or crime films are or crime films are film noirfilm noir..

Darkness of the Darkness of the SettingSetting

Cities:Cities: Mean, nasty places where anything can Mean, nasty places where anything can

happen at any momenthappen at any moment Violence and crime occur often, usually Violence and crime occur often, usually

randomlyrandomly Sex: strip clubs, bars, sultry women Sex: strip clubs, bars, sultry women

aboundabound Cities are grimy, dirty places with lots of Cities are grimy, dirty places with lots of

shadows.shadows.

Fog:Fog: Fog obscures, makes things Fog obscures, makes things

unclear and unknownunclear and unknown Fate, mystery, futureFate, mystery, future

Water:Water: What lies under the water?What lies under the water? Rarely can the audience see below Rarely can the audience see below

the surface of waterthe surface of water Sometimes choppy and tumultuousSometimes choppy and tumultuous

Casablanca (1942)

What Lies Beneath (2000)

Darkness of the Setting

LightingLighting Film noir uses Film noir uses high contrast lightinghigh contrast lighting with with

lots of shadows. lots of shadows. Sometimes props are the only source of Sometimes props are the only source of

lightlight

This is called This is called low key lightinglow key lighting..– Little Little key lightingkey lighting (principle source of light) (principle source of light)– Mostly Mostly fill lightfill light (lights from side or back) (lights from side or back)– Comedies & musicals use Comedies & musicals use high key lightinghigh key lighting to to

create uniform light with little contrastcreate uniform light with little contrast

Notice the Brox Sisters in 1929’s Singing in

the Rain. What do you notice about the

lighting?

What do you see for lighting in this image of Bogart from Casablanca (1942)?

Darkness of Darkness of Humanity:Humanity:

ItIt’’s a world of paranoia and entrapments a world of paranoia and entrapment Male protagonist feels trapped and Male protagonist feels trapped and

overwhelmed by a situationoverwhelmed by a situation Chance plays a larger role than fateChance plays a larger role than fate Heavy use of camera work to show Heavy use of camera work to show

craziness and entrapment:craziness and entrapment:– Bars or lines in front or behind characterBars or lines in front or behind character– Tight framingTight framing– Odd anglesOdd angles– Slow tracking shotsSlow tracking shots– Backward tracking shotsBackward tracking shots

Femme FataleFemme Fatale A A ““dangerous womandangerous woman”” who traps or pulls the who traps or pulls the

male protagonist (usually a common, everyday male protagonist (usually a common, everyday Joe) into a world of crime and dangerJoe) into a world of crime and danger

She is sexy, dangerous, often filled with She is sexy, dangerous, often filled with ““mad mad love,love,”” greed, or jealousy greed, or jealousy

Often, one or the other, maybe both, will die.Often, one or the other, maybe both, will die.

AKA – The Spider WomanAKA – The Spider Woman– Ensnares the hero in a web of danger, lies and Ensnares the hero in a web of danger, lies and

deathdeath

Postmodern Film Postmodern Film NoirNoirEven though Even though film noirfilm noir died out, it still died out, it still

exists:exists:– Small details have been taken from the Small details have been taken from the

classics (symbols, lighting, characters)classics (symbols, lighting, characters)

– Some feel Some feel film noirfilm noir must be black and must be black and white, others feel that high contrast can white, others feel that high contrast can be achieved through vivid colorsbe achieved through vivid colors

Our MoviesOur Movies

Casablanca – Casablanca – 1942 – Michael Curtiz1942 – Michael Curtiz Chinatown –Chinatown – 1974 – Roman Polanski 1974 – Roman Polanski