Film Noir Research

Our teacher had mentioned film noir a couple of times in this last week so I decided to research about what exactly is Film Noir?

Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classical film noir period was from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. Film noir in this era was associated with a low-key black-and-white visual style that has roots in German Expressionist cinematography.

Film noir conventions

Characters

·         Corrupt cops

·         Alienated protagonist

·         Misogynistic man

·         Femme fatal (seductive women)

Visual Style

·         Low key lighting

·         Low angle shots

·         Wide angle shots

·         Shots of characters reflection

Iconography

·         Dark sidewalks

·         Rain drenched streets

·         Flashing neon signs

·         City is villainous

·         Cigarettes

·         Guns

·         Trench coats

Settings

·         Urban settings such as New York and Chicago

·         Bars

·         Lounges

·         Nightclubs

·         Gambling Den’s

·         Industrial settings such as factory’s and power plants