dark, alleys, and linear shafts of light seeping through half-closed venetian blinds--these are the visual elements we typically associate with film noir. More often, however, the genre can be defined thematically, usually relating to the protagonist’s futile efforts against forces out of their control (Defining Film Noir). The world portrayed by these films does not make much sense and there is no apparent rhyme or reason behind the inevitable twists and turns. This atmosphere of uncertainty is intensified
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had never heard of the film noir genre. To my surprise, this was one of the most intriguing and entertaining genre’s I’ve ever been exposed to. “Casablanca” directed by Michael Kurtiz was an amazing film that really opened my eyes to the genre. There are many elements to this genre, cinematic and thematic, that made me really enjoy this film. The first cinematic element of this genre that was interesting me was the sense of physical darkness in the film. Any scene is this film was filled with darkness
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mystery movies to me, but there was something compelling about them. I was intrigued. I find that as I watch these movies again I’m able to view them with a more critical eye looking for what made them so special. Prior to World War II American films were about singing, dancing and happy endings. The occupation in Europe changed all that. Many European directors, artists and actors escaped to America and brought their artistic visions and hellish nightmares with them. The movies they made provided
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Classic noir films reinforce the myth of the private eye; a hard-boiled detective, able to restore order, solve the crime, and ensure justice prevails. Chinatown challenges this myth, reversing genre and stylistic conventions through the protagonist Jake Gittes, a private eye unable to control the crimes his sleuthing unveils. Gittes dresses stylishly in crisp white suits, differing from the trademark trench coat and fedora of his stylistic predecessors, and enters the film with an air of confidence
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Film Noir and Romance: It’s No Fairy Tale Baby Film Noir may not seem like a very romantic subject considering how many of the couples in the films are eventually lead into their death or a prison term. There are some romantic aspects to these type of cinema. Even if a couple does have a tragic end, there is always some sort of romance in the middle. It could be lust or love, but it is usually there. While all Film Noir never ends as fairy tale, an audience can look at most of the films and see
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The film "The Usual Suspects" (Bryan Singer, U.S.A., 1995) has a plot that circles around and around before finally hitting the mark. It is hidden under deceit, lies, and misgivings. Because everything is told from the perspective of one person, or in the first person, nothing is clear. Could that person be lying? Or is it that he is just the mere pawn of a darker and more evil force, without even realizing it. Maybe he is just giving the facts. These shades of gray are very successful in manipulating
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THE NEO-NOIR '90S Contents 1. Ten Best Noir Rentals Listen Pause Loading | Download MP3 Help | | | Section: THE ARTS 'L.A. Confidential' is one sign that this is a decade of danger, at least in our fantasies. It's stylish to be sultry and shady. AFTER WORLD WAR II French critics became aware of a new mood gloomy, doomy and dangerous--in Hollywood movies, They coined a term, film noir, to describe these crime-infested, shadow-draped, black-and-white movies. What they couldn't have
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For Writing 39B, we were assigned a project that allowed us to present our knowledge of the genre conventions that are used in the genre of Noir. We read the novel Double Indemnity throughout the course, and we also watched its film adaption. For this project, I decided to write a script that portrayed a man’s struggles of trying to make a name for himself in the show business in Las Vegas. Through his struggles, the message that I presented in my script is that the difficulty of accomplishing one’s
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1. What do you think were some of the major changes that came to the film industry in the 1950s and 1960s? What forced these changes? During the 1950’s and 60’s there were so many changes that occurred which transformed the film industry forever. After World War II, soldiers came home and began to have families. People began moving to the suburbs, away from urban centers. The baby boomers began to be born and a whole new generation was formed. Studio control of when and where movies were
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Weiner 1 Jacob Weiner Daniel McClure California Culture October 1, 2014 California Sunshine and Noir California, the Golden State, where the sun is always shining, the waves are always crashing, and dreams are coming true. Right? Well, not exactly. It hasn’t always been sunshine and smiles for the great state of California. The state has gone through a variety of stages both economically, and politically. Throughout these phases, there have been a fair amount of themes that have helped build
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