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FILM NOIR

Chinese International School

Y11 MYP

2010-2011

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W

hat is Film Noir? French for black film

Genre that peaked in the 1944-1955

period

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Origins

Detective novels of Dashiell Hammett

1929-34

Detective novels of Raymond Chandler

1933-43

Femme fatale novels of James Cain 1934-

42

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T

hemes Contemporary world that has lost its moral

certainty.

Prevailing cynicism of characters Reaction to: Atomic bomb, Cold War,

totalitarianism, propaganda, Hollywood

blacklist, corrupting power of government& press, men returning from WW2, crisisof liberal movement.

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Protagonist Not the traditional hero; Average and

conventional.

Often a war veteran or detective

A loner

Introverted

Troubled Hard-boiled

Pessimistic

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Antagonist

Femme Fatale

Lures, tempts, seduces the hero

Usually already possesses another mane.g. an older, proprietary husband.

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T

he GoodW

oman

The opposite to the femme fatale

Wife or girlfriend associated with home /

nurturing / rehabilitation.

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Characteristics The seeker-hero is on a quest

Repeatedly tested, interrogated, attacked,

persecuted

Either emerge safely, uncorrupted or killed.

Things are not what they seem

People change identities Plot has unforeseen twists and turns.

Usually a first-person voice-over

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T

he NoirW

orld External

- Exteriors settings: Dark, mean streets of the big

city, or a too perfect Los Angeles, with itsbeaches, apartments, palm-lined trees;

- Interior settings: Nightclubs, cafes, policestations, haunts of the underworld

Internal- Violence / trauma / nightmares of the heros

mind

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Cinematography Hard / undiffused look

Looks like a tabloid newspaper

Cluttered, dark, claustrophobic interiors framed or restricted by

camera frame

Many night scenes

Dutch angle and deep focus shots

Stark light / dark contrasts

Low key lighting

Bleak, fatalistic overtones of despair / madness

Heightened expressionistic scenes with elements distorted /

nightmarish / grotesque / exaggerated

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Iconography Telephones

Voice recorders

Newspapers Dark sidewalks

Rain-drenched streets

Flashing neon signs

Fairgrounds & Carnivals

The city as a villain / dangerous / hostile

The border town or casino

Imagery of water and alcohol that represent merging andrelease

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General Principles World of film noir is where protagonist is out of his

depth

Film noir recognizes peoples inherent capacity fordisaster

Actions of the protagonist leave the viewer with a senseof moral ambiguity and a sense of the lesser of twoevils

Protagonist is isolated; he fights alone yet must be partof society

Protagonist earns his own damnation / redemption

Film noir often ends with a sense of futility /meaninglessness.

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Plot Structure

Set up- Protagonist on the edge of a world of dubious values

- Protagonist has maintained integrity and is in control of his situation.- Protagonist uneasily accepts the status quo.

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Plot Structure

Conflict- Protagonist drawn into a situation for ambiguous motives (sexuality,

money)

- Protagonist acts according to experience, but without completeknowledge.

- Opposing forces manipulate protagonist, usually without himknowing.

- Protagonists flaws emerge. Goes through process of moral self-

discovery as hidden elements of his situation are revealed.- Protagonist provokes others to take action against him.

- Clash for power / shift in balance of power occurs.

- Movement continues towards catastrophe

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Plot Structure

Resolution- Recognized defeat: protagonist aware of error and longs for a

simpler time when life was less complicated.- Defeat occurs due to a character flaw.

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Neo-noir

Crime thrillers of Don Siegel e.g. DirtyHarry (1971)

Science fiction of Ridley Scott e.g. BladeRunner (1982)

Predatory women of Adrian Lyne e.g.

Fatal Attraction (1987) Hard boiled cops of Curtis Hanson e.g.

L.A. Confidential (1997)

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Film Noir

"Double indemnity" (Billy Wilder,1944)

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Criterion B Film Noir

Heat (Michael Mann, 1995)

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Criterion B Film Noir

Infernal Affairs, (Andrew Lau & Alan Mak,

2002)

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Criterion A - Due 5/10/10

You are to write a 1000 word critical analysis

essay on ONE of the following titles:

The history and evolution of Film Noir;

An indepth study of a Film Noir luminarys

work;

Film Noir and culture today;

Film Noir and Hong Kong cinema.

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Criterion B - Due 29/10/10

In groups of 4, create a 6-7 minute Film

Noir.