1. The seedy side of the film world . . .
Film Noir
The seedy side of the film world . . .

2. Film Noir “Black Film”--coined by Nino Frank 1940s-1950s
Derived from pulp magazines and novels (i.e. Dashiell Hammett, James M. Cain, Raymond Chandler)
Roots: German Expressionism (i.e. Nosferatu and Cabinet of Dr. Caligari)

3. Film Noir Crime stories Elements of determinism
Corruption in the world controls characters
Poses the question “Why me?”
The answer: “For no good reason.”

4. Film Noir: Narrative Non-linear (flashbacks) Plot twists
Complex plot lines
Dialogue: witty, acerbic
Voice-over narration

5. Film Noir: Conflict Whodunnit?
Struggle against unexplainable and uncontrollable forces in the world
Psychological (internal conflict)
Dark sides of human nature

6. Film Noir: Mood Melancholy Pessimism Disillusionment Paranoia
Desperation
Guilt

7. Film Noir: Female Characters
Sexy seductress
Uses the male
Powerful (exerts it over the male character)

8. Film Noir: Male Characters
Anti-hero (corrupt)
Hard Boiled detectives
Criminals
Gangsters
War veterans
Disillusioned and taken by corruption
Haunted by their past

9. Film Noir: Mise-en-Scène
Interior
City streets
Rainy streets
Night scenes
Sparsely decorated set
Venetian blinds
Cars
Cigarette smoke

10. Film Noir: Style Low-key lighting Shadows Fractured light Deep focus
Skewed angles

11. Film Noir: Classics Maltese Falcon (1941)d. John Huston
Double Indemnity(1944)d. Billy Wilde
Detour (1945)d. Edgar G. Ulmer
The Big Sleep(1946)d. Howard Hawks
Dark Passage(1947)d. Delmer Daves
Lady from Shanghai (1947) d. Orson Welles
Sunset Boulevard (1950)d. Billy Wilder

12. Film Noir: Neo-Noir
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)d. Arthur Penn

13. Film Noir: Neo-Noir
Chinatown (1970)d. Roman Polanski

14. Film Noir: Neo-Noir
Mean Streets (1973)d. Martin Scorsese

15. Film Noir: Neo-Noir
Body Heat (1981)d. Lawrence Kasdan

16. Film Noir: Neo-Noir
Blood Simple (1984)d. Joel Cohen

17. Film Noir: Neo-Noir
Blue Velvet(1986)d. David Lynch

18. Film Noir: Neo-Noir
Fatal Attraction(1987)d. Adrian Lyne

19. Film Noir: Neo-Noir
Basic Instinct (1992)d. Paul Verhoeven

20. Film Noir: Neo-Noir
Usual Suspects (1995) d. Brian Singer

21. Film Noir: Neo-Noir
L.A. Confidential (1997)d. Curtis Hanson

22. Film Noir: Neo-Noir
Black Dahlia(2006)d. Brian DePalma