It is generally agreed that the era of classic Film Noir spanned almost two decades, from the early 1940's to the late 1950's. The term 'Film Noir' was coined by cinema critics and historians in retrospect, to define a genre of film that revolved around dark themes of pessimism, fatalism and menace. The characters didn't necessarily take the moral high-ground, and events generally took a turn for the worst, leaving the main protagonist tied in a web of betrayal and corruption. The dark, gritty cinematography exhibited all of these thoughts and emotions in a stylishly bleak package. Over the decades, Film Noir evolved into different styles, and it's trademark conventions have been utilised in a variety of genres. The impact of Film Noir can clearly be seen in the violent work of Quentin Tarantino, the psychologically unsettling The Dark Knight, and even the thoughtfully evocative District 9.
The Dark Knight borrows a great deal from Film Noir in terms of characterisation. The main plot also revolves around moral dilemmas, which expose the depraved personalities of heros and villians alike. Desaturated colour palettes and gloomy night-time environments are used to present Gotham City as a true dystopia, whilst close-ups and awkward angled shots make the Joker look infinitely menacing.
To get a good idea of the trademark conventions of Film Noir as a style, we looked at the introduction sequence to Casino Royale. As the first Bond film that returned to the core themes of Ian Fleming's 007 novels, the director has chosen a style heavily influenced by Film Noir to reflect the new persona of Bond and his gritty circumstances. Below is the essay that I wrote to analyse the use of Film Noir conventions within the clip.
Please click 'full' at the bottom of the box for a full-screen view of the document.Casino Royale - Film Noir Essay
No comments:
Post a Comment