The term
"film noir" was invented by the French in the early 1940s to describe
popular Hollywood crime films of the time. The phrase literally translates to
"black film" in French, and the films were distinguished by their
black-and-white visual style, which was popular from the early 1940s until the
late 1950s.
The majority
of cinema noirs dealt with the tensions that arose as a result of World War II.
This was also the time when this style began to take shape.
Stranger on
the Third Floor (1940) was the first identifiable film noir, but several films
with noir elements had already emerged, such as Fury (1936) and You Only Live
Once (1937).
The majority
of the ideas and concepts for the noirs were based on American literary works,
especially best-selling crime novels. Fear, paranoia, and treachery were all
prevalent themes in noir films. Film noirs were distinguished by several
characteristics, which are listed below.
Visual
Style:
Film noirs
were easily identified by their visual aesthetic, which used low-key lighting
in typically gloomy, smoke-filled interiors with characters' faces completely
or partially obscured by the shadows.
Blinds were utilized
to filter light, and neon lights were employed on occasion. As indicated by
Leave Her to Heaven (1945) and Niagara (1945), film noirs were shot in a
black-and-white colour combination.
In addition,
varied perspective views were a hallmark of cinema noirs. The slightly skewed
Dutch photos are an example of these angle shots. Long shadows, gloomy alleys,
and streetlights blinking on and off in poorly lit streets were common in
outside shots shot in metropolitan areas.
Femme Fatales
in Film Noirs: Film noirs often included a female character who would utilize
her feminine characteristics to seduce the central male character, causing him
to fall or be arrested.
There were
two sorts of females: one who was dependable, trustworthy, and loving, and the
other who was ethically dubious (femme fatale).
She wasn't
always known to the main character at the start of the movie, and she got in
the way of the male protagonist and his wife at times.
The main male
character may have been attempting to get away from his former life and ended
up falling into the femme fatale's trap.
The male
protagonist character found these female characters almost fascinating, and
they would tempt him to commit crimes out of envy or lead to his incarceration.
They were
frequently depicted as attractive ladies who took advantage of every
opportunity to attain their goals. The majority of femme Fatales were killed
off at the end of most noir films.
Characters
and Plots:
In some of
the stories, the characters would be suspects in theft or fraud cases, and a
tough-looking investigator would investigate the crime. These films included a
lot of false suspicions, double-crosses, and treachery.
The
protagonist's function was fluid; he would shift from one to the next, becoming
the hunter one minute and the prey the next.
The plots
were convoluted, with multiple flashbacks and music in the background. As
represented in Sunset Boulevard, some were distinguished by a dilemma at the
conclusion.
Film noirs
were also connected with urban settings, with the majority of them taking place
in tiny towns shown as a maze (Silver, Ursini & Duncan 2004, p. 62).
Bars,
nightclubs, and gambling in cramped rooms were all commonplace. As shown in
White Head, the finale was generally placed in complicated locales, such as a
train station, refineries, or an ancient shut-down factory.
Tone,
Mood, and Morality:
Film noirs
were often negative, with storylines about characters who found themselves in unfavourable
situations. They also represented a world that is harsh, corrupt, brutal, and
unforgiving, as well as moral degradation.
The
characters were frequently of morally dubious character living in the
underworld of sex and criminality, and the tone of the noirs was typically
regarded as dismal (Snyder 2001, p. 162). Alienation, pessimism, sadness, and
evil were the key moods explored in noir films.
The Film
Noir Movement's Influence on Contemporary Cinema:
The 1940s
Film Noir trend has survived to this day, with filmmakers incorporating film
noir elements into their projects. Thirst (2009), The Salton Sea (2002), A
History of Violence (2005), and Batman: the Dark Knight are examples of
contemporary noirs (2009).
A closer
examination of A History of Violence finds parallels to early cinema noirs. The
story takes place in a little Indiana town where a guy named Tom Stall lives
with his wife and one child.
When it is
revealed that Tom's true name is Joey Fogarty and that he is not from Indiana,
the tale becomes even more complicated.
The story
takes place in a little Indiana town where a guy named Tom Stall lives with his
wife and one child. When it is revealed that Tom's true name is Joey Fogarty
and that he is not from Indiana, the tale becomes even more complicated.
Before going
to Indiana and adopting his Tom Stall character, he had a falling out with his
gang comrades in Philadelphia. In this picture, like in Out of the Past, there
are multiple killings.
Another film
noir approach is the use of flashbacks to illustrate scenes of Tom's rupture
with the mob.
The film noir
movement made a significant contribution to modern filmmaking, and the methods
developed during this time are still employed today. Scholars are still
debating whether film noir was indeed a cinematic genre; others believe that it
was more of a visual style.
Despite the
lack of agreement on the subject, this was a significant step forward in the
growth of the film business.
Written By -
Tanya C
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