OK, here's the first blog post for our new class: Genre Studies and Writing. We're kicking off the trimester with a study of Film Noir. Before we watch our first Noir film, we want to make sure that we all know what Noir is all about. That context will help us appreciate the films more. So, in class, you were each assigned a few research questions related to Film Noir. Do some research, answer those questions, and then respond to this post. In your response, write each of your questions and what your research revealed in the way of answers. Please also provide links to the sources you used.
Most of us will probably instinctually go to google to research and that's fine. But before you try google, please give this new resource a chance. Visit
http://pioneer.uen.org/k12/ and log in (get the login info from me in class) and then click on the link that says EBSCO and use the search engine there to search for articles that might answer your research questions. When you search, though, be sure to slick the box that says "full text".
Ready ... set ... RESEARCH!
Question when/how did film noir start?
ReplyDeleteFilm noir has been traced back to the years preceding the great depression and the third reich's rise to power, american writers were inspired by Hemingway and started to churn out crime scripts that would reflect a rampant urban setting
http://www.greencine.com/static/primers/noir.jsp
Question do all film noirs have to be black and white?
No, they don't but a lot of noir purists won't consider is a true film noir unless it's black and white
http://www.filmnoirwoodcuts.com/essay.html
this was posted by Tyler M
DeletePosted By: Marina M.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Can a Film Noir be romantic?
Answer: Yes. There can be romance in within the story and between the characters.
Oh and BTW here is the link/ source -- http://web.ebscohost.com/src/detail?vid=3&sid=4c697672-86c1-4400-a081-0b03d9540394%40sessionmgr113&hid=126&bdata=JnNpdGU9c3JjLWxpdmU%3d#db=nfh&AN=6FP2416887846
Delete1. What are some modern film noirs?
ReplyDeleteA few modern film noirs are "True Blue", "Killing Them Softly", and "Good Bye Lover". all made between 1998-2012
http://www.imdb.com/list/PupPO0G3nLs/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-noir
2.Can a Film Noir be happy?
http://somecamerunning.typepad.com/some_came_running/2010/07/some-observations-on-the-happy-end-problem-in-film-noir.html
I'll comment the rest of my answer later
Question: What is a femme fatale?
ReplyDeleteMost cases in film noir, women are viewed as prizes to be possessed by men. The femme fatale reject this idea. They use their sexual attractiveness to gain their independence from the status quo.
http://www.moderntimes.com/palace/film_noir/
Question: What is neo noir?
Neo noir films acknowledge modern technology that wasn't available in the 1940s - 1950s. Neo noir also uses unconventional camera movements that weren't generally used in film noir. Some film theorists argue that any film with crime or detectives can be considered neo noir because of the ambiguity of the term.
http://www.criterion.com/explore/17-noir-and-neonoir
(1) What are the top 10 most favorited and watched film noir?
ReplyDelete1. Sunset Blvd (1950)
2. the Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)
3. the Third Man (1949)
4. Double Indemnity (1944)
5. Strangers on a Train (1951)
6. the Maltese Falcon (1941)
7. Notorious (1946)
8. Touch of Evil (1958)
9. the Big Sleep (1946)
10. Slander (1957)
--http://www.imdb.com/genre/film_noir
(2) What are the top 10 best fil noir?
title director
1. Sweet Smell of Success -(1957)- Alexander Mackendrick
2. the Big Heat -(1953)- Fritz Lang
3. Pickup on South Street -(1953)- Samuel Fuller
4. Out of the Past -(1947)- Jacques Tournelr
5. the Killers -(1946)- Robert Siodmar
6. the Big Sleep -(1946)- Howard Hawks
7. Detour -(1945)- Edgar G. Ulmer
8. Laura -(1944)- Otto Preminger
9. Double Indemnity -(1944)- Billy Wilder
10. the Maltese Falcon -(1941)- John Huston
--http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-film-noir-movies.php
(3) What are some of the biggest names in film noir history?
-Fritz Lang
-Robert Siodmak
-Michael Curtiz
made some of the most famous and classic noirs
--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_noir
1. How did "Noir" get its' name?
Delete- Noir is Black in French like how White is Blanc. French Critics coined the term after the end of WW2.
www.bighousefilm.com/noir_intro.htm
2.Who started Noir?
- This question a little bit harder to answer, because of so vague. But the first director to use this genre is thought to be of John Huston in " Maltese Falcon".
www.filmsite.org/filmnoir.html
3.
Tony
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of shots do they use and how do they qualify as a Noir?
Visual
- Low key lighting, giving it a very high contrast with dramatic shadow patterns. The shadow of blinds on an actor's face is a very cliche example of this.
- Faces partially or completely covered by darkness.
- Known for being black and white but definitely not required.
- Low angles, Wide angles and Dutch angles are commonly used. Also other ways of distortion like a shot of an actor in the reflection of many mirrors and a shot of an actor looked at through a glass.
- Night for night shooting rather than day for night.
Structure/Narration
- Usually complex, filled with flashbacks and editing that sometimes changes the narrative sequence.
- Uses voice over narration to tell the story throughout, in 1st or 3rd person point of view.
- Very often uses flashback to tell the main story.
Plot
- Crime crime and more crime. Elements such as greed, and jealousy are the usual criminal motives. Crime investigation from a private eye, police detective or concerned amature. Thats the most basic, but not dominant plot.
- Full of false suspicions and accusations, betrayals and double crosses.
Character/Setting
- All characters are questionable. Evan the heroes have flaws and questionable motives.
Film Noir is french for Black Film
ReplyDeleteAnyway, i figured out how to post on here. My research. Scarface is not a noir. There is huge debate as to whether or not Casablanca is a noir. Only 16 percent of noir films are not about flawed detectives.
ReplyDelete(Carlos)
Is there a report out there somewhere that says who the first guy was to say film noir.
ReplyDelete(Carlos)
There was supposed to be a question mark in that.
ReplyDelete(Carlos)
Unfortunately I didn't get assigned any questions for this seeing as I came into the class late, but I hope this works out anyway.
ReplyDeleteFilm noir is French for black and white film. Neo-Noir is what we use now to describe a more modern version of film noir. Film noir tends to emphasize cynical behavior and show that most of the crimes involve sexual motivation. I also feel that a lot of film noir focuses on what the career of our main character is, with following narration.
I guess there is not much for me to say after what everyone else has said, but I hope that works.(Angell Chandler)
Good insight about the focus on the career of the main character. I had never noticed that before but I think you are right.
DeleteFor everybody who is looking for the Lingo of Noir here's a link to it with more words and more sayings.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.miskatonic.org/slang.html