1. Life in the Dark Nelson IB Film Studies

2. Film Noir: What is it? "A term coined by French critics to describe a type of film that is characterized by its ____________ tone and ___________________ mood." (The Film Encyclopedia, Third Edition, by Ephraim Katz). Literally means “black film” Films of the 40’s and 50’s that portrayed the world of _____________________________________.

3. Q: Is film noir a genre? A: No, It’s a ________ of filmmaking commonly found in crime, mystery, or thriller genres Rather than PLOT being supreme, it is TONE and MOOD  cynicism (selfish motivation/assigning blame)  ______________(looking to the past)  darkness  ____________________ (crooked cops, double-crossers)  _____________ themes  hopelessness... which led to a harsh uncomplimentary look at American life

4. Influences I.War and Postwar Disillusionment II.Postwar Realism III.German Expatriates IV.The Hard-Boiled School of Writers

5. Influences – Part 1 I. War and Postwar Disillusionment A._________________________________ B._________________________________ C._________________________________

6. Influences– Part 2 II. Postwar Realism A.affected every country involved in WWII B.______________________ C.suited America’s mood and desire for more _______________

7. Influences– Part 3 III. The German Expatriates A.Left Germany to escape Nazi control B.John Alton, Fritz Lang, Otto Preminger, Billy Wilder, Robert Siodmak C.______________________________

8. Influences– Part 4 IV. Hard-boiled Tradition A._________________  “romanticism with a protective shell” B.Writers from _____________________ C.Protagonists lived out a narcissistic defeatist code D.Ernest Hemmingway, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, James M. Cain

9. The Hard-boiled Detective Calvin & Hobbes – “Tracer Bullet” Clip: The Maltese Falcon

10. 3 Phases Wartime (1941-1946) – ______________ ___________________________________ Postwar realistic– crime in the streets, _______________________________ Psychotic action & suicidal impulse (1949- 1953)  root causes: ________________ ___________________________________ END– McCarthy, ___________, color

11. Visual Motifs– Part 1 I. Lighting A.______________________________ B.______________________________ (less soft focus) C.______________________________ D.______________________________ E.___________________  highest contrast F.______________________________  fatalistic, hopeless mood

12. Low-key Lighting Out of the Past (1948)The Big Combo (1955)

13. Unique angles of throw Out of the Past (1948)

14. No Fill Light The Big Combo (1955)

15. Equal Lighting on Setting and Char. Clip: Call Northside 777  Out of the Past (1948)

16. “Night-for-night” Scarlet Street (1945)Night and the City (1950)

17. Visual Motifs– Part 2 Cinematography –___________________  Each char. equally hopeless –Wide angle lenses for ______________  Clip: Touch of Evil

18. Deep Focus  Undercurrent (1947)  The Lady From Shanghai (1947)

19. Visual Motifs– Part 3 Mise-en-scene –Designed to ___________ –Compositional balance w/in frame is often off World is ________________ Figures placed irregularly in frame ________________ framing devices (doors, windows, metal bedframes, shadows) Objects in foreground  characters less important Objects take on importance by creating ________________ ______________________________________ Oblique & vertical lines (buildings, city streets, venetian blinds) > horizontal  ____________________ Water  Freud again?!

20. Internal Framing/Masking Touch of Evil (1958) –Clausterphobia/ entrapment The Killing (1956)

21. Internal Framing/Masking (cont.)  Second Chance (1953)

22. Internal Framing/ Masking (frames)  Fallen Angel (1945)  stability vs. instability

23. Compositional Balance with Objects  Laura  Unfair emphasis on femme fatale in portrait Sleep, My Love (1948)

24. Compositional Balance with Mirrors Kiss Me Deadly (1955)Lady from Shanghai –Welles’ balance with fragmented “self” (id vs. ego) and femme fatale

25. Oblique Angles D.O.A. (1950) –Never “on the level” Raw Deal (1947)

26. Visual Motifs– Part 4 III. Framing, Angles, & Editing A.Often withhold __________  spatially disorienting B._____________ juxt. with extreme _________  fatalistic “rats in a maze” effect C.Juxt. extreme distances and angles D.__________________ E.Camera movement is minimal  $$$ set-ups

27. Unconventional Camera Angles  Touch of Evil (1958)  Lady From Shanghai (1948)

28. Dutch Angles  Pickup on South Street (1953)

29. Effects of Visual Motifs No character has ________________ _______________ become relative (both in shadow) _______________ constantly shifting

30. War makes it all possible (sigh) –Fast film –Lighter, hand-held cameras –Fast film –Magnetic stock for sound

31. Narrative Motifs  Love of romantic narration (_____________)  “temp perdu” – _______________  Complex chronological order  ______________________________  Out of the Past, Double Indemnity, Memento, Pulp Fiction  ______________  denies effect of progress  Flawed leading man  “Femme fatale”  __________________________________________ ____________________________________________

32. Themes Upwardly mobile forces of the 30’s have ended; frontierism has turned to ________ ____________________________ Passion for the past and present, but also a ________________________ No one can be trusted The world is unforgiving and hopeless

33. Here’s what you’re looking for: _____________ What do you notice in this clip? CLIP: Double Indemnity

34. Important films to check out: The Maltese Falcon T-Men The Big Sleep The Big Combo Double Indemnity Touch of Evil The Postman Always Rings Twice Out of the Past In a Lonely Place Sunset Boulevard

35. Other Important Figures Directors: Billy Wilder, Howard Hawks, Orson Welles, Otto Preminger, Nicholas Ray, Robert Siodmak Writers: Raymond Chandler, Earnest Hemmingway, Daschel Hammett, John M. Cain Actors: Humphrey Bogart, Robert Mitchum, Lauren Bacall, Veronica Lake Cinematographers: John Alton

36. Hero, or Noirish Anti-hero? (Dun dun dun!!!)

37. Works Cited http://www.midnightpalace.com/index.php ?option=com_content&task=view&id=133 &Itemid=54