History of Film Noir

Study Notes

Origins and Influences of Film Noir

Emerged in the early 1940s in Hollywood, characterized by dark atmosphere and morally ambiguous characters.
French critics coined the term "film noir," translating to "black film" or "dark film" in the late 1940s.
Influenced by German Expressionism, which introduced stylized lighting and psychological unease.
Hardboiled detective fiction from writers like Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler provided gritty narratives.
Economic hardship during the Great Depression and trauma from World War II reflected a sense of disillusionment mirrored in noir themes.
French Poetic Realism emphasized doomed characters and fatalistic themes, influencing noir's tone.

Classic Noir Period (1940s - 1950s)

Known as the "classic" film noir period, with foundational films like The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Double Indemnity (1944).
The Maltese Falcon introduced the classic noir detective; Double Indemnity established the femme fatale trope.
Key characteristics include low-key lighting for danger and claustrophobia, non-linear narratives, and themes of existential angst, alienation, and identity.
Prominent films: Laura (1944), The Big Sleep (1946), Kiss Me Deadly (1955).

End of the Classic Period

The classic noir period declined in the mid-1950s due to several factors.
The rise of color film diminished the black-and-white aesthetic of noir.
McCarthyism and the Red Scare led to blacklisting in Hollywood, stifling creative expression.
Television's popularity diverted audiences from cinemas, reducing demand for darker genres.

Neo-Noir (1960s - Present)

Neo-noir emerged as a modern update of classic noir, revisiting its themes with contemporary relevance.
1960s-70s resurgence included directors like Polanski (Chinatown, 1974) and Altman (The Long Goodbye, 1973).
Notable neo-noir films blend classic elements with new issues, such as political corruption.
1980s-90s expansion by filmmakers like the Coen Brothers (Blood Simple, 1984) and Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, 1982), introducing "tech-noir."
21st-century neo-noir continues with directors like Christopher Nolan (Memento, 2000) and David Fincher (Se7en, 1995).

Legacy and Influence

Film noir significantly impacted cinema, inspiring crime thrillers and cinema techniques worldwide.
Established character archetypes like the antihero and the femme fatale, alongside defining visual styles.

Key Traits of Film Noir

Visual Style

Chiaroscuro lighting creates mystery, danger, and moral ambiguity.
Urban settings evoke alienation through rain-soaked streets and dark alleyways.
Oblique angles and reflections symbolize deception and fractured identities.

Themes

Moral ambiguity presents characters as flawed and often antiheroes.
Fatalism portrays characters trapped by fate and circumstances, leading to bleak outcomes.
Common themes include betrayal, deception, crime, and existential angst.

Character Archetypes

Antiheroes are flawed individuals navigating morally gray situations.
Femme fatale as a manipulative, seductive figure leading protagonists to ruin.
Hardboiled detectives exemplify cynicism and isolation, often operating in gray moral areas.

Plot and Narrative Techniques

Crime and investigation central to the narrative, revealing societal corruption.
Use of flashbacks and nonlinear storytelling emphasizes character complexity.
Voiceover narration conveys inner turmoil and reflects existential themes.
Twists create suspense and tragic revelations rooted in betrayal and deception.

Psychological Complexity

Protagonists experience guilt, paranoia, and mental unraveling.
Explores dynamics between sexuality and power, often charged with tension.
Identity themes reveal characters living double lives or grappling with true selves.

Atmosphere

Dark, gritty mood permeates through visuals, setting, and storytelling.
Claustrophobia and isolation evoke characters' entrapment in their circumstances.
Tension builds through suspenseful interplay of shadow and light.

Fatalism

Characters’ doomed destinies underscore the inevitability of their tragic choices.
Dark endings reinforce themes of moral failing and external pressures.

Impact of the Hays Code on Film Noir

The Hays Code imposed restrictions on violence and crime, necessitating moral consequences for wrongdoers.
Characters often must face punishment for their actions, reinforcing the genre's fatalistic tone.
The femme fatale typically meets a tragic end as a result of her immoral behavior to fulfill the Code's requirements.
Filmmakers utilized symbolism and implicit storytelling to navigate the constraints, using visual and narrative methods to convey themes of moral complexity.

The End of the Hays Code

The Hays Code began to decline in the late 1950s, leading to the rise of neo-noir.
New rating systems enabled more explicit content, fostering complex and morally ambiguous narratives, as seen in films like Chinatown (1974) and L.A. Confidential (1997).

Description

Explore the evolution of film noir, a cinematic genre that flourished in the early 1940s. Discover its defining characteristics such as dark atmospheres and morally ambiguous characters, and learn about the themes prevalent in these films, including crime and corruption.