Light and Noir

Painting a Dark Picture “Noir” means “Black” in French. Style and message are dark, gritty, violent, corrupt or even evil. The look and message are both “dark”. It is the “ugly truth”.

Noir Style Often described as a more realistic view. Low-key lighting seen as more realistic than big production diffused light. Low-key light is more dramatic - “Chiaroscuro”. Typical studio light has back light, soft reflected light, etc.

Narration Typically Film Noir has a voice-over. The narrator is typically the main character. He is usually a detective.

Visual Impact Contrast between dark and light, underneath lighting, separate foreground and background lighting, odd angles and compositions, wide-angle lens, the use of fog/steam, glistening sweat, etc. Visually powerful, but also conveys a "vision" of the world.

Dir. John Huston Screenplay: John Huston & Dashiell Hammett 3 Oscar Nominations Humphrey Bogart Mary Astor Peter Lorre Maltese Falcon