Ifrah Khalif

Film Noirs is a French phrase literally meaning "Black film" and has roots in European films
of the 1920s and 1930s, especially German Expressionism films. However, film noir was
more popular in America in 1940s and 50s and their storyline were based on books with
dark themes such as detective and gangster novels. The characteristics of film noir often
employed daring camera angles with lots of shadows and contrast and these films are
usually stylish classic crime dramas that revolve around murder, scheming or sexual
motives. Film Noir like most genres did consist of sub genres such as Sci-fi and Parodies. Also
Film Noir was made during and after the Great depression, which meant that most people
instead of going out would stay at home and save money. At this time crime ruled the
streets gangsters and crime around every corner and that is the foundation of Film Noir.
The conventions of film noir can be divided into four main sections: such as themes and
moods, characters, camera work and Mise-en-scene. With no doubt these sections features
that are echoed nowadays in crime thriller movies.
Firstly, film Noir films are generally occupied with many conventional moods and themes
because the mood that has been formed is regularly maintained and better by the camera
work, characters and mise-en scene.

Mood and themes

Here are some frequently seen moods and themes within film noir.
Enigma (mystery) Within Film noir a mystery created through a hidden shots or extreme
lighting.
Crime Use of props, such as guns and femme fatale destruction.
Gender There is a power difference between male and female
Discovery and suspicion- clues, murder, suspects, cops harsh bright light for discovery,
dark, dim and obscured light in confusion.
Lust- Femme fatal and the other types of women- clothing, lighting
Deceit and Betrayal
Concealment- lighting
Bleak hard boiled tone- lighting, facial expressions

Ifrah Khalif

Characters
When it comes to characters within film noir there are several characters, but majority of
them would consist of 4 key characters. Such as, anti-hero, the Femme Fatal, villain and girl
next door.
Anti-hero usually has a corrupt history, however has come out of it as a better man and
because of his loneliness in life, he wonders about the rights and wrongs. Anti-hero is
normally shown as ex policemen or investigators, journalists.

To an extent to could be said that The 1940s conveyed a major challenge between gender
and family roles. The males were combined with the industrial mobilization for the war
effort, which therefore made women the primary source of factory workers for the huge
number of jobs available. Further to this, the previous female stereotype of the housewife
financially dependent on the male was no longer existent. This was called the Rosie-theRiveter syndrome. Soldiers returning from the stresses of war came home to changed and
independent women unlike those they had left behind. Ascending from this new male
anxiety and eternal male fantasies of women was the femme fatale, who is usually seen
wearing a tight dress high heels and red lipstick and her power is that she lures men in to
her secret plots and creates tension or problems between the men in the film and getting
herself in danger.

Ifrah Khalif

Numerous of noir villains are shown to be wealthy, socially powerful individuals. Where as
with most action or horror films the villains are poor, lower class, or societal outcasts,
however, in noir films it is rather conventional to have villains in three piece suits and fur
coats, dining in the luxury of creations, and drinking the most expensive drinks and a fancy
cigar to someone just before they either conduct some business or have their guest killed. A
primary example would be Kasper Gutman, one of the antagonists of the film, The Maltese
Falcon, and he is also known as the Fat Man for obvious reasons.

The marrying type also known as the girl next door is the innocent, happy girl within a film
noir who is opposite to the Femme Fatal and unlike the femme fatale, the marrying woman
extremely intimidates to control the hero. She pressures him to fulfil his socially approved
role of husband and breadwinner that is a role that he finds limiting, dull, and even
brutalising.

Ifrah Khalif

Camera work
Film noir are well known for its use of low-angle, high-angle and Dutch angle shots.

Low-angle is when the camera is positioned low on the vertical axis, often at knee height.
This technique is sometimes used in scenes of opposition to illustrate which character holds
the higher position of power
High-angle is used in order to show a contrast between the victim and the villain,

Dutch angle shot is also known as the canted angle and it often from a low position that is
usually used to help to create a shaking unbalanced feel. Dutch angle shot is originated in
1930s German cinema, causing it to become known as the "Deutsch angle"; this was then
corrupted to "Dutch angle". Some examples may start with a normal angle and then shift to
a Dutch Angle. Others may start with a Dutch Angle tilted in one direction, and then swivel
to tilt the other way, which is even more shaking.

Ifrah Khalif

Other type of disorientation conventional that relatively common in film noir include shots
of people reflected in one or more mirrors, shots through curved or frosted glass or other
distorting objects, such as during the strangling scene in Strangers on a Train, and special
effects sequences of a sometimes bizarre nature.

Looking at the above picture the use of Extra-long shot creates sense of confusing. For
instance when you first look at the picture it looks like the woman is being followed, but
when look closely you can clearly identify that she is standing behind him. Furthermore,
with the use of two characters however, the angel creates space between the two, and with
distance, doubt arises as to why there is space between the two.

Ifrah Khalif

Mise-en-scene
The mise-en-scene is separated into four categories that establish the scenes. They are
location, lighting and colour, costume and Props.
Major aspect in creating a successful film noir movie is the location in which it is set.
Stereotypical noir settings are:

Location
Rural locations e.g. warehouses, factories, refineries, abandoned buildings
Bars, lounges, clubs
Diners, Gambling dens
Docks, seaside, promenade
Urban locations e.g. L.A, New York, San Francisco
Police station
Alleyways, empty streets

Ifrah Khalif

Lighting and colours

Within film noir lighting and colour are the biggest factor because the use of contrast colour
is vital in highlighting characters and objects. Dark pools of shadow and scattered spots of
light are not only used to highlight but were also used symbolically. For example In films
like The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (1920) the use of canted angles in an already moody and
dark atmosphere, highlighted the characters descent into madness. Film noir worlds arent
just places that drama happens. The dark, determined environments mirror the internal
lives of the characters that live there. It is another character. Soft lights were used on
female characters to give them a gentle and non-threatening look, even on the seemingly
non-threatening vixen who would turn out to be the films femme fatale.

Costume and props

The most common used props within film noir would be a gun. As film Noir takes the dark,
mysterious route and ideas in film making, a gun would be the perfect prop to fit in. A gun is
a strong simple of power, violence and terror because it holds dominance and status to the
owner. There is nothing seen 'good' about owning an armed weapon, and those who are in
control who are not in the armed forces are instantly seen to be 'dangerous' people as they
have the potential to take and end a life. Its also what we stereotypically expect to see a
gangster in possession of; another Film Noir convention.

Ifrah Khalif

Females are usually seen wearing dresses that reveal their chest and ankles, whereas the
man would be wearing smart outfit and hat.