How does Double Indemnity establish its centre as a Film Noir? There are many aspects of the film ‘Double Indemnity’, directed by Billy Wilder, 1944 which establish its centre as a Film Noir. Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. One aspect of the film which labels it as a Film Noir, is the Low-Key lighting used throughout the film; the effect of which creates dramatic shadow patterning and light/dark contrasts.
Jeepers Creepers + Psycho essay Alfred Hitchcock produced the film ‘Psycho’ in 1960; the certificate is a 15 due to the graphic murders. The genre is horror, but also there is a sub genre, which is drama because there is a vast amount of romance in the film. Many films have been influenced by Hitchcock and his director techniques and his most successful film ‘Psycho’. Mostly because of the shower scene and the way intensity is built. The film was originally going to be filmed in colour, but because of the excessive violence and graphic nature, mainly the shower scene, it would not be allowed, so they filmed it in black and white.
Modern day exploitation films often come with a cult following such as slasher films like the Halloween and Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies during the 70’s. More recently however the success of the Scream franchise in the 90’s continues to this day. These types of films serve to operate outside of mainstream Hollywood, the stories depicted act to legitimatise the extreme violence and or sexual undertones of the movie. The concept of Exploitation cinema can be difficult to define however many of us are easily able to distinguish them by their subjective ‘trash aesthetic’ which permeates the films look. In contrast to mainstream cinema exploitation films seek to undermine the established quality of Hollywood movies, attacking them with perversity, superficial storylines and references to 'forbidden' and cheap production values.
As I look down the list of movies to watch to write this paper I realized I had recently seen a movie titled Crash that embodied a lot of stereotypes that are constantly a problem in our country today. I had been meaning to watch this movie because of its great reviews it had received. The title of the movie Crash could not have been more perfectly placed. In America we found ourselves in the most culturally mixed Country, and with that are sure to bring differences and racism. Like a car crash we are accidently placed in situations everyday that bring out our own stereotypes towards others that we sometimes do not even realize.
The elements of film noir, like the use of black and white, ads to the authentic nature of the film, almost touching on the style of a documentary. The use of black and white is purposely done, because at this time, it was possible to make films in colour. Not only does the black white give the film that realistic raw look on the docks, but also the use of the grainy, unclear filter that creates a poverty, dirty look over the film. Not only do the film noir elements give the film authenticity, but also the fact that the film is based on Malcolm Johnson’s Pulitzer Prize winning articles that expose the waterfront corruption and the film is shot on location in Hoboken, New Jersey. Although Terry, the protagonist, overthrows the philosophy of D’n’D (dumb and deaf) and becomes a conscientious person, he is partially responsible for his fate.
The end of World War II marked a new generation of cinema in America, and a new, darker film genre called Film Noir began to take over Hollywood. The genre itself translates into “Black Film,” due to the low-key lighting visuals, and common themes revolving around cynicism. Film Noir contained certain thematic elements that greatly differed from other films at the time. Most of the stories revolved around crime and mystery, the protagonist was commonly referred to as an antihero, and all of it seemed to take place inside a bleak world of hopelessness and corruption. Contemporary films that follow the same formula, or pay homage to the classic Film Noir structure are called Neo-Noir films.
Then the movie jumps back to the day before the crash. It instantly goes to Dorri and Farhad buying a gun. The guy selling them the gun gets in a dispute with Farhad because the man insults Farhad for not speaking English. Then the scene jumps to Anthony and Peter discussing how racist Anthony thinks their waitress was and that he felt she deliberately was being slow because they were black. Anthony also thinks every white person on the street is sizing them up because of their color and that all the white people fear them.
La Haine Film Summary Director and writer, Mathieu Kassovitz’s La Haine (1995) is absolutely a must see film. It is set apart from other crime and drama genre films because of the way it is written and directed. Kassovitz covers all types of themes captured in this film, from anger and violence to poverty and injustice. The way in which the themes are captured is very different from the average theme filled movie. The film begins with three friends, Vinz, Said, and Hubert.
The title of the poem gives the effect of a newspaper headline which is also impersonal, leaving the pictures in the readers mind very chilling and sinister, although most of the images are created by metaphors. One of the metaphors used is the word ‘starfished’, creating the image of the couple’s arms and legs spread out in an attempt to protect themselves from falling. Another effective metaphor used is ‘ragged diamond’. This helps you to imagine the shattered glass on the ground glinting in the streetlights, because of all the sharp edges. Onomatopoeia is also used in the poem and is a very effective technique.
During the film Good Night, and Good Luck, George Clooney and Grant Heslov express their concern of fear through acting stylisations, authentic footage imbedded within the film and effective choice of music and lyrics. A secondary idea presented by Clooney and Heslov includes initiating a visual sensation of time and place for the audience, with the use of film noir and effective employment of set design. The era of McCarthyism encompassed fear and concern, the acting and char acterisations in Good Night, and Good Luck effectively conveyed this idea. The expression of the characters, in particular Ed Murrow, during the See It Now sequences, portrays expressions of grim anxiety. The dramatic acting in the film is abundant with prolonged eye contact and intense line delivery, combining the two to illuminate the fear of persecution and job loss.