Stylistics, Codes & Conventions FILM NOIR Stylistics, Codes & Conventions

Film Noir: Cinematography 1 Film Noir cinematography is often distorted, skewed and uncomfortable to look at, to put the viewer at unease. This reflects the tone of noir. Low & High Angles

Film Noir: Cinematography 2 Extreme Close Ups Deep Focus (depth of field)

Film Noir: Cinematography 2 Reflections, views & faces obscured through objects Use of Dutch tilts/Canted angles or irregular framing of shots

Composition and lighting Shots of characters’ reflection in mirrors – suggests complexity of character Night for night filming (instead of day for night)

Film Noir: Mise-En-Scene 1 Urban settings, often the ‘wrong end of town’ and seedy areas Rain and damp streets = pathetic fallacy and for purposes of emphasising the odd angles of light

Film Noir: Mise-En-Scene 2 Low Key Lighting (Chiarascuro) Use of venetian blinds High contrast images. Dark blacks & whites (few greys).

Film Noir: Mise-En-Scene 3 Everyday urban locations Downbeat hero – jaded and cynical

Film Noir: Sound Film Noir sound was used to complement the feeling of pessimism and foreboding that was reflected in the films. Melancholy downbeat music Use of quiet and silence Often discordant and grating music Sudden noises Voice over of protagonist Sound effects and ambience of the city & suburbia

Film Noir: Editing Film Noir editing follows many of the traditional crime characteristics but they are generally told non linearly. Non –linear start at the end, then tell story in flashbacks Use continuity editing generally. Some montage Can and did use jump cuts and jarring juxtaposition Occasional use of CU then move out to reveal action

Film Noir: Narratives “Which ever way you turn, fate sticks out it’s foot to trip you up” Crooks Amnesia Black widow Psychological Heists Double Crosses Gangsters Sin and punishment Downward spiral One wrong decision Murder Drugs Whodunnit Sexual obsession

Film Noir: Characters 1 Two Film Noirs characters that appear with regularity are the down at heel Private Eye and the deadly Femme Fetale.

Film Noir: Characters 2 Henchmen/Thugs Detectives Beautiful women Film Noirs have a variety of characters but here are some that appear time and time again in film noir. Henchmen/Thugs Beautiful women Police Corrupt politician/govt Crooked police Detectives Sam Spade/Marlowe Gangsters Millionaires The “Fall Guy”

Generic Conventions Of Film Noir

Characteristics of gender representation Corrupt Cops Alienated Protagonist Misogynistic Men Hard-boiled attitude Femme Fatale The redeemer

Iconography Dark Sidewalks Rain Drenched Streets Flashing Neon Signs City Is Villainous/Hostile Alcohol/Alcoholics Cigarettes Guns Trench Coats

Themes Transgression Of Social Norms Someone Evil Going Against What You Would Normally Expect Taboo Guilt Corruption Seeking for redemption Longing for escape Running from and finally accepting fate

Settings Urban Setting – LA, New York, San Francisco and Chicago Thought Of In The Sense Of A Labyrinth Bars Lounges Nightclubs Gambling Dens Industrial Setting – Refineries, Factories, Train-yards and Power Plants

Narrative Devices in Classic Noir Detailed (sometimes convoluted) storylines Flashback structure Voiceover narration Often use of first person perspective (we know only as much as one character) A tragic end is signaled from the start

Make a list of examples of the film noir influence on Blade Runner These can be in: Cinematic style Genre conventions Gender representation Narrative devices