Film Noir.

Film Noir;

Film Noir is a very stylized form of cinematography that incorporates several different techniques that set a bleak and enigmatic atmosphere. Characters that commonly appear in film noir include the gangsters, the detectives, the cops, and the dangerous femme fatale women dolled up in seductive and glamorous dresses.The lighting in film noir is often dark with a single source of light; this heightens the eerie atmosphere and bleakness that occurs in film noir. The camera angles use close ups and mid shots to build up the emotional tension. This is then dispersed with extreme long shots of lonely and vulnerable characters walking through urban landscapes which tend to involve bridges, lamp posts, steps and several other city related objects. Obscured shots are often used which make the audience feel as though they are spying on the characters, this increases the tension and mystery of the plot line. Several extreme angles are used which modern day films are not overly familiar with, low angle shots implying power and dominance mixed with high angle shots to suggest vulnerability and anxiety. This is mixed up with dramatic tilt shots that give the impression of confusion and disorientation. The use of space within film noir can suggest the emotional distance between characters and can also suggest suspicion, deceit and betrayal. Common themes that reappear in film noir are the idea of crime, lust and an impending feeling of doom and darkness. Suspicion and betrayal are other popular themes within film noir a long with crime, spies and deceit. Cigarettes and guns reappear as significant props within film noir a long with sophisticated costumes including, trench coats, suits, hat and glamorous dresses for the ladies. Often very strong shadows and silhouettes heighten the enigma and tension of film noir, signifying the differences between the shady characters and the hero’s/heroin’s. An example displaying several of the film noir characteristics is Double Indemnity by Dir. Billy Wilder, which was made in 1944.

Collage;

film noir

 Costume in film noir;

Iconic clothing is use to heighten the highly stylized methods adopted by film noir. The audience can instantly tell a lot by the character by the way they dress. Their life style, their intentions, their job, the costumes tell the audience how they should feel about a character. However film noir could mix it up a little and dress their shadiest character in the sharpest of suits to confuse the stereo types. Costume was an area in which film noir could not stint. Expense and class were prominent factors in the costume box.

Wide-lapelled solid suits were adopted by the men. It would appear the only way you could tell a man’s social status was by the cut of the suit, or the cleanliness of his shirt. Interesting ties were used to brighten up the dull, suburban male uniform. This usually represents the criminal persuasion of the character. It typically works like this; the flashier the suit and the silkier the shirt the most corrupt the character within these clothes.

 

Coats are a reoccurring feature full of symbolism and double meanings. A coat can be used to signify ownership of a woman, a man’s wealth, or even the prospects or intentions of a character. Costumes tell the audience what the dialogue doesn't need to. No self respecting villain would be caught dead in anything less than a smoking jacket for example.

 

Women’s costume was a lot more complex than the straight forward man suit. Due to their parts played in the war women were rein venting themselves a whole new image. Gone were the days of being at stay at home mum and answering on your man’s every beg and call. Women stepped out in the most exquisite and glamorous dresses that had the viewers in awe.

The 40’s saw the rise of the tough women sporting, big shoulders, small waists, masculine suits, hard lines and sometimes even trouser were the giveaway signs of a woman not to be messed with.

Film Noir can reel in corruption from the most unexpected areas, the nice girl in her gingham aprons, baking cookies covering up her crazy femme fatale streak by playing the perfect wife to an older man completely oblivious to her evil ways.

The sensuous gowns clung to every contour of the female body accentuating every seductive curve of the dangerous femme fatale characters, making them dangerously irresistible to even the most level headed of men.

 

Women would occasionally allow herself to be spotted in her negligee or even just a towel. This says much about the type of woman on screen. No nice girl would be seen in her underwear by a man, this is the work of the seedy woman that can probably not be trusted.

 The fur coat played a big part in the female attire featured in film noir a long with headwear. Jewellery and accessories were used as clear symbol. From ankle bracelets, to brooches, lost necklaces all reveal a lot about the characterisations of women.

Tight jumpers, tight skirts and tight blouses were sported by the new deadly teenagers. Their tight shocking clothing was juxtaposed by childish ankle socks and hair ribbons in a deliberate attempt to shock the audiences of film noir.

Setting;

 

Typically film noir sees the use of small towns, suburbia, rural areas or open roads to set their story lines in. Wide cityscapes can be used to suggest the loneliness of a character amongst their large, bleak surroundings. Film noir would also see the use of Chicago, LA, San Francisco and New York during the Prohibition period (which sure the uproar of gang warfare and corruption). Bars, lounges, night clubs and gambling dens were the usual places the protagonists would find themselves in the classic lose-lose situations. The climax of the film tended to commence in visually complicated and often industrial settings including, factories, train yards and power plants. Bridges, lampposts, stairs and alleys are also destinations that continuously crop up in film noir, heightening the claustrophobic feel of the dark dinghy and mysterious sets which compliment the enigmatic storylines perfectly.