Monica Fuentes

 ‘Black film or cinema’ with trends of darkness, lines, shadows, smoke, and shades of grey.  Became prominent in the post WWII era  Lasted from the 1940’s to 1960.

 Feelings of melancholy, alienation, disillusionment, moral corruption, evil, or guilt and paranoia  Involving gangsters, criminals, loners, government agents  Underworld of violent crime and corruption

 Females in Film Noirs who are mysterious, double crossing, gorgeous, unloving, predatory, manipulative and desperate  Usually brings the downfall of the male protagonist  Ex: Phylus Diedreckson in Double Indemnity

 Show the darkness & inhumane side of humanity  Emphasize brutal, unhealthy, shadowy sides of human experiences  Driven by human weaknesses to repeat former mistakes

 Expressionistic lighting, disorienting visual schemes, skewed camera angles  Cigarette smoking-ex: M – police and criminals  Interior settings = low key lighting, venetian blinded windows, gloomy appearances.  Exterior= urban nights with deep shadows, rainy streets, low key lighting

 Usually done is narratives  Complex & drawn-out  Flashbacks  Voice- overs  Explanations to justify the hero’s perspective on life

 Detective thrillers  Corruption-morally or in society  Femme fatales

 Double Indemnity (1944)  M (1931) (really German Expressionism – the forerunner for Film Noir)  Sunset Boulevard (1950)  The Usual Suspects  The Usual Suspects (1995)

 Public Enemy (1931)  Little Caesar (1930)  The Last Seduction (1994)