Film Noir Thoughts

For the period style of Film Noir, the cinematography and lighting is a main formal element. The expressive Chiaroscuro lighting within the cinematography highlights the similar thematic idea of the dark and light interior motives of the characters, within many Noir films. Double Indemnity (1944, Billy Wilder), was a film made during the main Noir period (widely believed to be1941-1958). Many have said that Double Indemnity has been one of the most influential films of this period. Its classic story of deception and murder making it the quintessential Noir film. Both formalist and realist aspects contribute to Noir films' overall style.

It can be said that Noir films are equally formalist and realist. This has created themes and plots that are slightly over the top but could still happen in real life. The characters' dialogue and their general concerns are realist but the amount of killing and their dark motives are more formalist. Aspects such as the invisible Hollywood continuity editing brings in the realist part where as the expressive visual style is a formalist technique. The light and dark interior motives of the characters is a theme present in films made during the movement and those inspired by the style (Neo-Noir).

In Double Indemnity the theme is similar to other Noir films because the characters' motives actually change. This is seen throughout the film in the main couple. With Walter in the beginning he tells her he won't help her kill her husband. On the surface, it seems his love for her pushes his dark motives forward so that he can help kill him. It can be seen however that really he helps her commit the crime because of his own dark desires in his secret want to murder someone. Manon (2005, 19), describes this as “Walter's forced separation (and a lack of physical satisfaction) from Phyllis, (even in the start of the romance), so that it is the crime that will succeed and not his relationship”. With the character of Phyllis, she says she had the idea coaxed into her that she wants to kill her husband, when it is then known that it was her dark motive the whole time. The use of dark and light interior motives is seen in many Noir films from the period, including Murder, My Sweet (1944, Dmytryk), and Spellbound (1945, Hitchcock). This theme is closely linked with the Chiaroscuro lighting and cinematographic visual style.

Within the Period Style of Film Noir, the cinematography and lighting mostly contribute to the visual style. Being highly distinctive, the Chiaroscuro lighting style involves using a key light (rather than the standard 3-Point Lighting Technique) to create a huge contrast in the light and dark on the screen. This produces deep shadows and "little to no mid-tones in the image," (May, 2008). Originally used in the German Expressionist film movement (1919-1927), it has translated over to the Noir movement. When married with other cinematographic elements such as the black and white film stock, this effect is distinctly effective in portraying, "the world of dark, slick city streets, crime and corruption," (Shrader, 2010, 1). It also helps to show the major theme of the light and dark interior motives of the characters because they typically good and evil of the characters are represented through the light and shadows. 

The intense visual style with the shadows and the decision to use black and white film, are techniques within the medium that have been deliberately drawn attention to, (making them formalist). The low key lighting is used throughout the film but is clearly seen in a typical scene that is present in many Noir films; when Walter goes to see his boss in his office and the shadows from the venetian blinds are projected onto Keye's back. The Hollywood continuity editing style is realist. By using regular shot types such as medium-close ups, and wide shots mixed with pans, Wilder is using the camera as if it were a another person in the room, (Ryan and Kellner, 1990, 83), and not interrupting the narrative. This is also seen when high and low angle shots were not for representational means, merely as a character’s point-of-view, (for example when Walter first sees Phyllis up the stairs). These formal elements are in every Noir film because they are what make up the movement. During the period, the Noir films were often played as the 'B Feature' before the more popular 'A Features', (which had higher budgets, and more publicity). But even if the audience was forced to view them, they were still popular, so it can be seen that the techniques that were once enjoyed in Germany, were popular again. Borde and Chaumeton said that through the link between the cinematography and the theme of the characters interior motives, these films “gave the public a shared feeling of anguish or insecurity . . . a state of tension created by the disappearance of their psychological bearings,” (2002, 13). This was Wilder's plan in Double Indemnity as the characters unknown motives add tension to the story.

The cinematography and lighting are key to the overall atmospheric style that was intended in the Film Noir movement. This is seen especially in the case of the expressive Chiaroscuro lighting, which helps to portray the theme of the characters dark and light interior motives. This is all seen in the film Double Indemnity as it is a key representation of Noir films from the period style. These films are still being mimicked today in the form of Neo-Noir films.

The modern version of Noir films, (Neo-Noir films) has brought the movement back for a modern audience to appreciate. The only difference between this and the original movement is that they are new, more intense and thus more suited for modern audiences. A main film in this movement is Sin City (2005, Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez). Having three interlinking crime melodramas and that classic black and white expressive visual style, it is clearly influenced by the original Noir Film movement style. Being written originally as a comic by Frank Miller, he had a distinct impact on the film. He was influenced by the main formalist and stylistic aspects of original Noir films that link with thematic ideas and the narrative in Sin City. His work on these main areas has largely helped to define the modern Neo-Noir movement, through this movie.

As a style Neo-Noir is typically more formalist than realist. The original Noir movement was more equally weighted but with the case of Sin City it is more stylistically and thematically intense. Conrad describes this as, "Neo-Noir filmmakers are quite aware of the meaning of noir and quite consciously working within the noir framework and adding to the noir canon," (2006, 2). Miller's themes themselves are similar to the ones in Noir films but take it to the next level. This is seen with the case of a classic theme of the characters' dark and light interior motives. In the film, there is a large distinction between the good and evil characters. It is the unwavering morals of the characters such as Hartigan, Marv and Dwight, that show the 'light side' of the city. The extremes of the 'bad guys' are worse than found in regular a Noir film too. This is evident with the cannibalistic Kevin and the child rapist and murdering Roark Jr (or 'That Yellow Bastard'). There is also the case of Hartigan's partner, who frames his partner for Roark Jr's crimes because he is secretly being paid off by his rich Senator father. Miller's impact on his is seen in his other stories, most of which are set in a gritty street environment that Dargis describes as "…a series of ugly melodramas featuring a cruel aesthetic… and pessimistic outlook," (1997, 28). These include: The Spirit (Miller, 2008), along with other comic stories such as Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Miller, 1986). It can be said that his boosting of the formalist elements have allowed his narrative themes to take the original Noir movement to a new audience.

The main formal element that Miller had the most impact on as the writer and co-director was that of the narrative. As the writer, he dramatically affected the whole film. His personal style of Neo-Noir narrative is seen as a manipulation of the typical narrative style of a Noir film. They are stronger and more intense than regular Noir films. This is better for the modern audience that they are aimed at. There are many elements that make up the narrative that have been manipulated by Miller. In Sin City it is the hero characters that use narration. This is often a staple of the Noir movement as the protagonist often uses narration to tell the story (Horsley, 2009, 9), but this is extended in Neo-Noir films such as Sin City because there is multiple Narrators. Another aspect of the narrative that has been enhanced is the order of events. With original Noir films, they are often told in reverse. An example of this is with Double Indemnity(1944, Billy Wilder), as the story is told from after the event has taken place in the form of narration and flashbacks. Telotte and Kozloff see this as giving these films a distinct "retrospective approach," (1988, 4). This is taken to the next step in Sin City as Miller has used three interlocking stories, told in past tense at different times, to tell the tale of the unforgiving city. 

The formal element of narrative is more formalist than realist. It is over the top and is used to draw attention to the film medium. The only realist aspect is that in a sense that these stories could happen in real life but they are still very over powering. This intense narrative is used with other formal elements such as; expressive Chiaroscuro lighting reminiscent of German Expressionist films, formalist cinematography and special effects, to create a intensely visual and thematic story. The result is a film that "explores anxiety and inner conflict whilst cloaking itself in a surrealist style," (Hilscher, M, 2008, 211).The audience reaction to this film was phenomenal. There had not been many other Neo-Noir films such as this in a few years leading up to this film. The way multiple stories were told through narration in a non-linear format created "an instant classic" (Gordan, 2005). When Miller was involved with his other movies such as The Spirit (Miller, 2008), audiences then expected the narratives to be complex and an advancement on the Noir movement. Miller had created a major impact on the Neo-Noir movement through his use of narrative in this film. 

The Neo-Noir film Sin City was highly impacted on by the writer Miller. He manipulated the formal narrative elements common to most original Noir films to create this story. He did this by heightening the sense of formalist characteristics within the narrative and made a more intense story suited for Neo-Noir films and modern audiences.

REFERENCE LIST

Borde, A and Chaumenton, E. 2002. A Panorama of the American Film Noir, 1941-53. San Francisco: City Lights.  

Conrad, M. 2006. The Philosophy of Neo-Noir. Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky.

Dargis, M. 1997. "A Cruel Aesthetic." N For Noir: Sight and Sound. (1): 28-32. Accessed April 16, 2011. http://gateway.proquest.com.ezp01.library.qut.au/openurl?_ver=Z39.882004&res_dat=xri:iipa:&rft_dat=xri:iipa:article:article:fulltext.iipa00353071

Gordan, D. 2005. "Monsters Ball." Newsweek, March 29.

Hischer, M. 2008. "Melodrama and Film Noir on Today's Big SCreen: How Modern Audiences Experience Yesterday's Classics." Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts. (2): 203-212. Accessed April 16, 2011. doi:10.1037/a0012700

Horsley, L. 2009. The Noir Thriller. UK: Macmillan Publishers. 

Manon, H. 2005. "Some Like It Cold: The Fetishism in Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity." Cinema Journal: Journal of Society For Cinema and Media Studies 44. (4): 18. Accessed April 13, 2011. doi: 10.1353/cj.2005.0033

May, T. 2008. "Chiaroscuro Lighting: Playing with Light and Shade." Thomas May Photography (Blog), December 8. Accessed April 12, 2011. http://www.thomasmayphotography.com/photography-techniques/chiaroscuro-lighting-playing-with-light-and-shade/

Rodriguez. R and Miller, F. 2005. Sin City. Produced by Bob and Harvey Weinstein. USA: Troublemaker Studios.

Ryan, M and Kellner, D. 1990. "Camera Politica: The Politics and Ideology of Contemporary Hollywood Film." 1st ed. USA: Midland.

Shrader, P. 1971. Notes on Film Noir.  LA: The First Los Angeles International Film Exposition. Accessed April 13 2011. http://michelebeverly.com/Documents/Notes of Film Noir.pdf

Telotte, J and Kozloff, S. 1988. Invisible Storytellers: Voice-over Narration in American Fiction Film. California: Berkeley.

Wilder, Billy. 1944. Double Indemnity. Produced by Buddy DeSylva. USA: Paramount. DVD.