INITIAL RESEARCH
HISTORY
Film-noir is an "Ideology" with a history its own, it can be used to describe a period, movement and recurrent style.
It's a term coined by French Critic Niono Frank in 1946 which literally translates into "black film" shot in an old, vintage style. It's commonly a Monochrome film even today since they could only project monochrome back un 1946. Monochrome reflects not only the period when the films were first made but also emphasises the shadows of the film -no colour suggests no happiness.
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish"Hollywood crime drama" (film and mainstream), particularly those that emphasise cynical attitudes and sexual motivation.
Although American film critics noted a new tone of violent pessimism in films at the time, a key idea here is that noir should largely be seen as a Retro perspective category, deployed in the first instance by French critics such as Jean-Pierre Chartier (1946).
It has come to define a specific period film history, like German Expressionism or French New Wave. In defining a period of film history, it refers to those Hollywood films of the 40s and early 50s portraying the world of dark, slick city street, crime, and corruption.
Diegetic Sound -Heavy jazz music is normally added to the scene, to give atmosphere to thr=e film noir setting and the feeling of isolation and caliginosity (dim and misty)
All of these create a mysterious and intense feeling which will build up the tension of the film. The element of sophistication but mysterious as well
In every noir films an image of a "person smoking" makes the audience think there might be something more happening than the screen suggests.
2.NARRATIVE
3. EQUILIBRIUM CHARACTER -most commonly
However, the many shades of grey used to come into great play.
There was one part of the scene when Ward, John McGuire is surrounded by people ask "why he did it', they were in pitch black and wearing Black outfits, you were unable to see their face.
In contrast, the protagonist's face was very well lit, as if he was sitting under a light in an interrogation room.
NEO-NOIR FILM
Directed by Christopher Nolan 2008
The DarkKnight is the crime play a persona of Bruce Wayne, the character who is a corrupted by his double identity- as the Batman the dark knight by his traumatic past.
It's also a Neo-Noir Film.
It is a style often seen in modern motion pictures and other forms that prominently use elements of film noir, but with updated themes, content, style, visual elements or media that were absent in films noir of the 1940s and 1950s.
Neo-Noir, unlike classic noir, does not require darkness to be dark. Instead, the darkness resides in the shadows cast by daylight.
We see this in its name (The Dark Knight), but also in the film's sometimes harsh lighting and in the inversion of what ought to be Gotham City's nightlife. Because Batman, the titular Dark Knight, deals his vigilante justice in the shadows of the evening, criminals work during daylight hours instead.
Christopher Nolan, the director doesn't bathe his film too thoroughly in the shadowy darkness of classic noir films, but The Dark Knight still heavily relies on ideas about dark and light.
LACK OF FEMME FATALE There are fewer women in The Dark Knight than there are many classic films noirs. The only female character of any importance is Rachel, who more closely resembles the ingenue foil to a femme fatale than anything else.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1DKL-BNXqw
It's a term coined by French Critic Niono Frank in 1946 which literally translates into "black film" shot in an old, vintage style. It's commonly a Monochrome film even today since they could only project monochrome back un 1946. Monochrome reflects not only the period when the films were first made but also emphasises the shadows of the film -no colour suggests no happiness.
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish"Hollywood crime drama" (film and mainstream), particularly those that emphasise cynical attitudes and sexual motivation.
Although American film critics noted a new tone of violent pessimism in films at the time, a key idea here is that noir should largely be seen as a Retro perspective category, deployed in the first instance by French critics such as Jean-Pierre Chartier (1946).
It has come to define a specific period film history, like German Expressionism or French New Wave. In defining a period of film history, it refers to those Hollywood films of the 40s and early 50s portraying the world of dark, slick city street, crime, and corruption.
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- Film Noir as a genre is popular with cinema audiences, enthusiasts and scholars.
- The genre has had an enduring influence on the international visual culture.
- It continues to have a diverse influence on American cinema.
- So it is best considered by examining the core films, themes, and critical debates.
EXAMPLES OF FILM NOIR FILMS
CODES AND CONVENTIONS THAT CHARACTERISE THE FILM NOIR GENRE:
- ICONOGRAPHY -Visual images & Symbols
Usually based on everyday urban setting to make the Mise-en-scene more realistic and believable
normally set in abandoned areas e.g. empty streets
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Dodgy Dusk
Dim Fog
Darkness Mid shot to Close up
Gloom Rain and damp street
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Diegetic Sound -Heavy jazz music is normally added to the scene, to give atmosphere to thr=e film noir setting and the feeling of isolation and caliginosity (dim and misty)
All of these create a mysterious and intense feeling which will build up the tension of the film. The element of sophistication but mysterious as well
In every noir films an image of a "person smoking" makes the audience think there might be something more happening than the screen suggests.
It is the person reflecting, waiting and thinking
CODES AND CONVENTIONS THAT CHARACTERISE THE FILM NOIR GENRE:
2.NARRATIVE
- Voiceover -a production technique where a voice that is not part of the narrative is used
- Fast forward and flashback
- Often uses the Good cop; Bad cop routine
- Elliptical -the narrative device of omitting a portion of the sequence of events, allowing the reader to fill in the narrative gaps.
- First person narrative
- Convoluted ending
CODES AND CONVENTIONS THAT CHARACTERISE THE FILM NOIR GENRE:
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- Detective
- Hero
- Femme Fatale -an attractive and seductive woman, especially one who will ultimately cause distress to a man who becomes involved
- Gangster
- Protagonist
- Criminal
- Corruption
CODES AND CONVENTIONS THAT CHARACTERISE THE FILM:
STRANGER ON THE THIRD FLOOR
- The first film noir ever made
- 1940 -directed by Boris Ingster and written by Frank Partos with Nathanael West
- An Urban setting
- Heavy shadows -darkness creates the sense of unknown fear
- Diagonal lines
- Voice-over narration
- A dream sequence
- Low camera angles shooting multi-story staircases
- An innocent protagonist falsely accused of a crime who is desperate to clear himself
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| A screenshot from the Stranger on the third floor Trailer |
ANALYSIS THE TRAILER
MISE-EN-SCENE
Obviously, I like almost every film noirs, the scene is all in Black and WhiteHowever, the many shades of grey used to come into great play.
There was one part of the scene when Ward, John McGuire is surrounded by people ask "why he did it', they were in pitch black and wearing Black outfits, you were unable to see their face.
In contrast, the protagonist's face was very well lit, as if he was sitting under a light in an interrogation room.
SETTING
the set in the scene without it actually being seen; even though lighting effect probably helped the low film-noir budge.
the fact that the interrogators are also in complete darkness compared to the protagonist's face is to show moral standing.
EDITING
Short length used to be a lot longer than it is nowadays. The length of shorts in this scene is quite lon. There were some short edits, like the short of one f the interrogator's face.
Music that was used in the "Stanger on the third floor"
SOUND EFFECTS
Diegetic Sound At the beginning, many orchestral instruments, for example, trumpets were used to build up the dramatic tension. These make the audiences feel like they were in the film; feel the sense of panic as much as the Mike does. The Jazz music was also used before the voiceover began which in that time they normally used this scene to introduce all the characters' names and roles in the film.
Non-Diegetic Sound A voice-over and the actors talking in the scene.
THE DARK KNIGHT
NEO-NOIR FILM
Directed by Christopher Nolan 2008
The DarkKnight is the crime play a persona of Bruce Wayne, the character who is a corrupted by his double identity- as the Batman the dark knight by his traumatic past.
It's also a Neo-Noir Film.
What is a Neo-noir film?
It is a new-black; from the Greek neo, new; and the French noir, black.It is a style often seen in modern motion pictures and other forms that prominently use elements of film noir, but with updated themes, content, style, visual elements or media that were absent in films noir of the 1940s and 1950s.
Neo-Noir, unlike classic noir, does not require darkness to be dark. Instead, the darkness resides in the shadows cast by daylight.
We see this in its name (The Dark Knight), but also in the film's sometimes harsh lighting and in the inversion of what ought to be Gotham City's nightlife. Because Batman, the titular Dark Knight, deals his vigilante justice in the shadows of the evening, criminals work during daylight hours instead.
Christopher Nolan, the director doesn't bathe his film too thoroughly in the shadowy darkness of classic noir films, but The Dark Knight still heavily relies on ideas about dark and light.
LACK OF FEMME FATALE There are fewer women in The Dark Knight than there are many classic films noirs. The only female character of any importance is Rachel, who more closely resembles the ingenue foil to a femme fatale than anything else.
