The Key Aspects of Film Noir

Film noir means "black film" in French and features more negative themes then positive, with an overall dark and shadowy outlook. They are often filmed in low-key black and white though many more modern films which are filmed in colour are also recognized as film noir. The film noir period is generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s.

Narrative and Plot:

·         Many Film Noirs have crime (often murder) and the investigation as a basic plot. Within this plot there is frequently greed and jealousy behind the criminal’s motivation. The crime is never simple.

·         Other common plots; implicated heists, murderous conspiracies often involving adulterous affairs, false suspicions and accusations of crime, betrayals and double-crosses.

·         Film noir can use elaborate story lines which often involve flashbacks and flashforwards, which can disrupt and sometimes obscure the narrative sequence.

·         Voiceover narration is often used, mostly done by the protagonist as it is often a narrative written from their point of view. But less frequently a secondary character may present a voiceover. It is sometimes used as a structuring device which can explain the complex storylines.

·         The protagonist is always led to the killer and generally, there aren’t many happy endings.

Characters:

·         Film noirs tend to revolve around a protagonist, who is emotionally wounded and morally questionable, often men who have fallen from grace with a bad past. The typical protagonists in this film style are generally isolated and bitter.

·         A character often identified in Film Noir is the Femme Fétale, a beautiful woman who is often merciless and more dangerous than the main antagonist.

·         Other characters that often appear in this film style are; Antiheroes, corrupt policemen, jealous husbands and washed-up writers.

·         Mostly, characters in Film Noir illustrate the worst in society and human behaviour.

Setting:

·         Film Noir opening sequences often begin with an establishing shot of an urban setting (Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Chicago in particular).

·         The city is presented in noir as a labyrinth, full of bars, lounges, nightclubs, and gambling dens which are often used for action scenes. The highpoints of a considerable number of film noirs take place in visually complex setting, creating a claustrophobic and disorientated mood.

·         Most often set during the evening but with bright, artificial lights from lampposts that create an eerie atmosphere due to the dramatic shadows which are formed.

·         Often, in Film Noir it is raining, which creates a dull and seedy effect.

Visual Style:

·         The shadows which are created by blinds or banister rods are often casted upon an actor, a wall, or an entire set. This is an iconic visual technique used in film noir.

·         A characters face may be partially or completely masked by darkness which suggests shady intentions and hidden agendas.

·         Low-angle shots and wide-angle lenses are common in Film Noir. Shots of people reflected in one or more mirrors, shots through curved or frosted glass or other distorting objects are also relatively common.

·         Often there are disorientating visual schemes, often filmed with a shaky camera.

·         There is often cigarette smoke and fog which an often act as a shield for the characters as it is often used to cover faces, hide people or a silhouette effect can be used to create an threatening atmosphere. 

By Rebecca Gatfield