ELEMENTS OFFILM NOIR

FROM THE FRENCH, MEANING “BLACK FILM” OR “FILM OF THE NIGHT”

HUM 110: Introduction to American FilmNorth Seattle College

Historical Context

World War II, post-war disillusionment (1940s)

Soldiers returning home and women losing their jobs

Post-war realism – audiences wanted authenticity and “realistic”

Influence of German Expressionism

Narrative and Themes

Crime/mystery/thriller/gangster genres “Hard-boiled” pulp fiction detective No happy endings Use of flashback and voice-over common Tight dialogue, witty banter, use of slang Violent (murder usually, and corruption) Sexual undertones, suggestive double

entendre, verbal sparring Moral ambiguity, fate Isolation of cities

Mood and Feeling

Isolation Claustrophobic World feels off-balance (constant

juxtaposition of light/dark) Doom Fear Betrayal Hopelessness

Style: Lighting

Traditionally shot on black and white film Harsh low-key lighting causes stark shadows and

silhouettes (the impact of German Expressionism) Rich, dark blacks with high contrast light – called

“chiaroscuro” Beams of light used as highlights or spotlights Heavy use of wide-angle lens with deep depth of field Light used to create vertical, horizontal, or angular

lines

Style: Setting and Props Urban City: sprawling,

sordid, seductive, dense, alienating, corrupt, dirty

Dark rooms, night, neon lights

Rain-soaked streets with litter and steam coming from manhole covers

Lavish furnishings in cramped spaces

Back alleyways and back doors

Taxis, bars, apartment buildings

Men in suits and hats, women in dresses

Cigarettes/Smoking

Style: Music

Saxophone solos Jazz influenced with piano or trumpet

Character: Femme Fatale a woman: glamorous,

sexually available, dangerous, determined, beautiful, strong-willed, scheming, manipulative

Desires wealth/power Wears revealing or

provocative clothes with dark lipstick – has curls, high heels, gloves, fur coats

Smokes seductively She mixes cocktails,

lounges in dressing rooms, and floats around in charge

Character: Conflicted Anti-Hero

single man, usually a detective or private investigator (former cop), psychologically flawed

tough, cynical, morally ambiguous, smug

tempted and seduced by the Femme Fatale

Clean shaven and in a suit and hat