Movie Noir Film Noir - 1841 Words

#1 Film Noir is a film genre that has a very distinct style and mood. But what exactly this style and mood are seems to vary from scholar to scholar. Like all genres, different people have different feelings about what makes or does not make a film noir. In this essay, I will be analyzing film noir definitions from Naremore, Harvey, and Borde and Chaumeton; to understand how each party views film noir in their own subjective way. In Naremore’s book, he describes film noir as a genre that is very hard to define, as it was named by film critics instead of film-makers, and the name was established well after the most definitive noir films had been made (11). Naremore seems to have a very fluid definition of noir. But for the sake of this†¦show more content†¦Naremore does speak of the social and political elements of film noir in his book, but the definition he underlined for us in the introduction was about style and period. Fortunately, Sylvia Harvey touches on the social aspects of film noir. She especially points at how film noir comments on working culture in America and its dark side. People went from working for themselves, to working for corporations, and thus became isolated which led them to risky behavior to escape the mundanity of their day to day lives (26). Double Indemnity, she writes, follows this thought process well. Walter Neff, she says, began his non-business relationship with Phyllis Dietrichson as a â€Å"means of escape from the boredom and frustration of a routinised [sic] and alienated existence† (27). Usually women were the scapegoat in the working man’s quest for liveliness. I think Harvey has a valid point about film noir’s commentary on American working culture, and a deadly form of escapism. But, I think her saying that it is the fault of the women in the films is erroneous. Perhaps in Double Indemnity, it is fair to say that Walter Neff would not have turned to the dark side had it not been for his infatuation with Phyllis. But with film noir as a whole? In Detour, we have aShow MoreRelatedMovie Noir : Film Noir1392 Words   |  6 Pagesdirected many film with different genres including Film Noir. Film Noir translates to â€Å"Dark Film,† the name was given by the French after watching Hollywood crime thrillers that began to show after World War II. These films typically had dark lighting style closely related to those in German Expressionist films. However, Film Noir borrows its form from influences of major Hollywood popular genres, using themes that were related to social context and civilian life in the United States. Two films tha t demonstrateRead MoreEssay about Film Noir and Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard1099 Words   |  5 PagesFilm Noir, a term coined by the French to describe a style of film characterized by dark themes, storylines, and visuals, has been influencing cinematic industries since the 1940’s. With roots in German expressionistic films and Italian postwar documentaries, film noir has made its way into American film as well, particularly identified in mob and crime pictures. However, such settings are not exclusive to American film noir. One noteworthy example is Billy Wilder’s film Sunset Boulevard, which followsRead MoreBaz Luhrmann s The Great Gatsby934 Words   |  4 Pagesthis semester, we have watched a variety of films. These films have taught us more about certain times of history as well as how the movie’s production has been changing over time and improving. 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Also, both movies contain a sense of tragedy in the final scenes; in the movie M, I felt somewhat sympathetic toward the mentally ill killer even though I knew he was the serial killer and might be pretending to get away. The feeling of sympathy toward the serial killer in the presence of his victim’s families also made me feelRead More film crime Essay1549 Words   |  7 Pages Film genres are categories, classifications or groups of films that have a similar, familiar or instantly recognizable patterns, techniques or conventions that include one or more of the following: setting, content, themes, plot, motifs, styles, structures, situations, characters, and stars (filmsite.org and notes). There are many categories of film genre. These categories can cover practically any film ever made by man, although f ilm categories can never be precise. By isolating the various elementsRead MoreMovie Analysis : Noirs 2620 Words   |  11 PagesFilm noirs are unique because the viewer experiences the film in a special type of way that is different from typical comedy, romantic, or action films where a person actually sympathizes with the character and hopes everything turns out well for the people in the end. Film noirs focus on themes such as doom, darkness, death, and failure. The characters in film noirs are usually flawed and unlikable, as they act hopeless and unexcitable even when things are going well or as planned. AdditionallyRead MoreChinatown: Above The Film Noir Genre Essay1597 Words   |  7 Pageshas all the elements of a film noir: the presence of a beautiful but dangerous woman, otherwise known as the femme fatale, a gritty urban setting, compositional tension (highly contrasting light and dark colors or oblique camera angles), and themes of moral ambiguity and alienation. Chin atown, however, is different. 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