Key features of Noir

Germain

Cinematography

• Long shots are used to show all of the subject & their surroundings

• Low angle shots are used to give certain characters power –femme fatale in double indemnity.

• Narrator used to provide extra detail & explanations

• Complex shots rarely used to save money

Mise-en-scene

• Props/iconography: Cigarettes, lipstick, guns, trilby, trench coats, rain running down windows, briefcases, money.

• Settings: Raining streets, new York city, alleyways.

• Lighting: Dark – opposing ecstasy mood with its pessimism, Black, Night time shots, low fill lighting – shadowy texture – therefore lighting is crucial. Chiaroscuro lighting, wide-angle, deep focus shots, high angle long shots, choker, close-ups, unbalanced compositions, usual framing devices, absence of establishing shots, jarring.

• Language used in film noir is very specific, language used illustrate lack of happiness to suit the darkened theme.

Editing

• Black & White filming

• A lot of fading in & out & dissolving

• Flashbacks for continuity – dreams or murdering

Sound

• Lots of dialogue, non-diegetic music and classic music/jazz or instrumental

• Sound added exaggerates the drama & effects

Themes

• Messages: mournful, death, fate, murder, corruption, sexual obsession, money, deceit, manipulation, betrayal

• Ideology: Power of vision and greed – Men & women were greedy, women were very seductive – lipstick, men had bad fate because of femme fatales but some women died too because of bad men

• Mood: claustrophobic, paranoid, anxious, despair, pessimistic, brooding, menacing, nihilistic (someone who believes in nothing)

Characterisation

• Femme fatales; darkened, Manipulative & greedy using men to get what they want, dirty, sexual, slutty, superior, provocative clothing, femme fatales can also be very masculine characters with guns as phallus symbol – basically the evil character

• Anti-hero males – popular in film noir - loser like characters –drink & smoke too much - earns little

• Male detectives: main characters – badly fated but all alike –hero

Narrative

• Classic femme fatales: the male meets & fall for a girl – femme fatale and manipulates him sexually. Crime is plotted & committed – usually ends up with bad fate as a consequence.