From the shadows of a dingy alley, the silhouette of a man steps forward, surrounded by a cloud of cigarette smoke and darkness, a frame that sets the mood for a classic Film Noir.<\/p>\n
The 1940s and 50s black and white films were derived from detective novels and were inspired by German Expressionism. Film Noir reflected on human anxiety to captivate an audience focused on mystery, surrealism, and seduction. The films created a foundation for the film and cinema industry to expand into a combination of sophisticated horror, thriller, and drama. Film Noir translates to ‘black film’ which is portrayed through lighting, music, and camera angles.<\/p>\n
In the majority of Film Noir films, the mood and music foreshadow the outcome of the movie, by being dark and melancholy. Using filming techniques such as altering the camera angles and creating smoky and bleary effects exposes the audience\u2019s perception of the character and their stereotypes. Originally the films were shot in dreary greys, blacks, and whites, enhancing the stereotype of the characters and exposing the cynical side of both the character and the filmography.<\/p>\n
Due to the latter of these movies having a complex narrative, the portrayal of characters had to be clear to be understood by the audience. The overexposure of stereotyping a character is prominent with four characters that form the structural arc of a traditional Film Noir.<\/p>\n
The anti-hero is the male lead of Film Noir, often having a bad past, coming out a better man; he\u2019s quick-witted and over-dramatic, and tends to narrate the film guiding the audience along with the film. The fears and anxieties in the film often stem from the anti-hero\u2019s own issues, which at the time would have mirrored the public’s. Humphrey Bogart is a Film Noir favourite starring in many, most famously Philip Marlowe in The Big Sleep and Samuel Spade in the Maltese Falcon.<\/p>\n
The next character that we see is the iconic femme-fatale, morally ambiguous, devious, and seductive, flirting with the anti-hero for personal gain. She also tends to be part of the villain\u2019s plan, often backfiring; if she isn\u2019t responsible for her own downfall she tends to be the reason for the anti-hero\u2019s undoing. Joan Bennett\u2019s portrayal of Kitty March in Scarlet Street is one of the most scheming femme fatale\u2019s in Film Noir!<\/p>\n
The femme-fatale often overshadows the girl next door; if there is one, she\u2019s often who the anti-hero doesn\u2019t notice but after a bad experience with the femme-fatale, he realises his love for her. In other Film Noir\u2019s the girl next door can play the female lead, however, they often don\u2019t play a role as large. Most notably, Cathy O\u2019Donnell\u2019s portrayal of Keechie in They Live by Night depicts this role perfectly.<\/p>\n
The final character is the villain, they\u2019re often dangerous and have hurt or killed many people in the film whilst having extensive plans to harm or murder the anti-hero. Orson Welles portrayal of Captain Hank Quinlan in a Touch of Evil is one of the most conniving, evil villains in Film Noir History.<\/p>\n
Film Noir has been incorporated into modern films; as well as the films being popular, the directors were incredibly influential, too. Amazon Prime\u2019s adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald\u2019s The Last Tycoon included a characterisation of the infamously perverted Fritz Lang who helped set the foundation for German Expressionism. The show exposes both his early genius and his perverseness.<\/p>\n
The themes of Film Noir have carried on throughout films in modern society, having newer forms of this consisting of neo-noir, hyper-noir, and pulp-noir. A strong reason for Film Noir still being relevant today is because the themes of fate, morality, and self-destruction, subjects that are faced by every person at some point in their lives.<\/p>\n
Top 10 Classic Film Noirs<\/strong><\/p>\n Kiss Me Deadly 1955 Robert Aldrich<\/strong><\/p>\n An anxiety-filled, murder mystery that fills every nerve ending with distrust and distaste for those you hold close, a perfect Film Noir.<\/p>\n