Film Noir...a dead art from?

Blaine

Blaine

Mr. Hollywood
What makes Film Noir. Black and white? The femme fetale? The central character’s never ending downward spiral?

I was watching the doc “American Cinema” film noir episode again and the statements were made: “That style was tied to a time and place and that time and place is gone.” And “If somebody really wanted to make a film using that kind of dialogue, that very terse Chandler/Hammett/Hemmingway type dialogue would it sell today? I don’t know…I don’t think so.” My question is: can a film noir movie find an audience today?

I guess it all depends on the definition of film noir. To me, movies like “Body Heat” (one of my all time favorites) or “The Last Seduction” would, had they been made during that period (and in B&W) have easily fit into that category. I guess we would probably call them Neo-Noir today.
 
Can a Film Noir find an audience today?

Of course. "LA Confidential", one of the greatest noirs ever.

Film noir isn't a genre, its a style.

I think the main ingredients for a film noir are low key, moody lighting. Yes, a main character who has nowhere to go but down. Cigarettes in the hand of every character. The chandleresque dialogue. Detectives. Beatiful woman.... I could go on, but i cant think right now...

Great thread, by the way.
 
I agree about it being a style thing. "LA Confidential" is also on my list of modern noir, as is "Under Suspicion", the 1991 version with Liam Neeson. It is also the thing that makes "Blade Runner" my favorite Sci-Fi movie (Sci-Noir?).

I think it can certainly reach across genres. To me it's a vein that needs more mining. Done well, it makes the viewer think, not just go along for the ride.

With the advances in technology, though, I think care needs to be taken not to make them too "slick". To me, at least, noir has a gritty, dare I say, B-movie feel.
 
Film Noir will always be here; at least in influence if not the classic example.

Sin City is a nice recent example. I think Tarantino's film's reak of Noir (especially Jackie Brown). Memento is another one. Se7en has Noir roots.
 
Hmmm. "Sin City" yes. I've got it, watched it and funny it didn't really hit me as noir, I guess because of the way it's stylized. But yes, I can see that. Black & White (for the most part) too.

"Jackie Brown" is my favorite Tarantino movie, and yes it definitely fits, too.
 
Mentioning Bladerunner also reminded me of Dark City which would definitely fit as noir.

I just bought Chinatown on DVD. Such a great movie.

And I like Mulholland Falls which would also be noir.
 
Blaine said:
Hmmm. "Sin City" yes. I've got it, watched it and funny it didn't really hit me as noir, I guess because of the way it's stylized. But yes, I can see that. Black & White (for the most part) too.

"Jackie Brown" is my favorite Tarantino movie, and yes it definitely fits, too.
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Funny you say that, because when I saw it, I thought it screamed noir. Mostly because of how it was stylized. I mean, black and white, terse dialogue, constant narration, beautiful women... I thought the whole point was to make it look like noir. I mean, the story is simplistic: revenge, booze, broads, and bullets (the last three actually taken from a sin city book). I don't watch a lot of noir, but I always assumed that's what noir was about too. There's even a double cross or two in Sin City.

The super violence and people flying around, that is not characteristic of noir i guess (not really sure), but i think that helped coin the phrase "hyper-noir" when describing the movie.
 
spencer said:
Funny you say that, because when I saw it, I thought it screamed noir. Mostly because of how it was stylized. I mean, black and white, terse dialogue, constant narration, beautiful women... I thought the whole point was to make it look like noir. I mean, the story is simplistic: revenge, booze, broads, and bullets (the last three actually taken from a sin city book). I don't watch a lot of noir, but I always assumed that's what noir was about too. There's even a double cross or two in Sin City.

The super violence and people flying around, that is not characteristic of noir i guess (not really sure), but i think that helped coin the phrase "hyper-noir" when describing the movie.
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No. I agree completely. It was just the whole grahic novel thing. I was never a big fan of comic books (or graphic novels) and it just played against the whole thing for me. I liked the movie, agree it fits the category but just let the comic book factor get in the way. :thumbsup:
 
Ah, understood. The comic book thing I can't get enough of. Well, yes I can, when you do a comic book styling like The Hulk... That can get crappy. But when it's done well, done to exaggerate colors or style (Sin City, and Dick Tracy), then I like it.

I don't read much comics any more, but I did read the Sin City books, and those are quite a treat. A fun thing is going through the comic when watching the movie. When they said it was almost exact to the comic, they weren 't joking by any means.

I think that new movie 300 is based off a Frank Miller comic too--I wonder how that one is going to turn out.
 
Yea 300 is being directed by Zack Snyder who did the dawn of the dead remake. Holding out for some footage but it could be cool.

One I'm eager for but has been in development hell is The Watchmen. I think there were some recent rumors about it getting another shot. Who knows.

Ohh and I am most excited about the big screen adaptation of Ex Machina. That's probably my favorite monthly title of all time.
 
Pointless question.
Noir is. Love it. You may wonder if it is dead until your next script screams for that shooting style. Noir will come for you.
 
yeah matt s right plus modren noir is made just look at everything david fincher makes its a beautifully crafted films.
 
Miller's Crossing, The Killers and The Conformist are three of my favorite examples in addition to the ones here.

Love the noir.

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"Miller's Crossing" was good. And "Blood Simple" The Coen brothers seldom make a misstep.Haven't seen the other two.
 
Miller's Crossing....ah what a movie. Would you say it was one of the most elegant Noir films? I'm searching my brain for another to beat it.
 
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