2. Definition
• A French phrase literally meaning “black film”
that developed in the early 40’s; refers to a genre
of mostly black-and-white films that blossomed
in the post-war era in American cinema, with
bleak subject matter and a sombre, downbeat
tone; the plot, low key lighting often in night
scenes, camera angle, the setting, iconography,
characters, and other elements combined to
present a dark atmosphere of permission,
tension, cynicism, or oppresion.
3. Film Noir is…
• It is a French term meaning “black film”
• The movies are not misleading they do not
make you think there is going to be a happy
ending.
• The films are usually at night, They are full of
shadows, there are lots of scenes filmed in
alleys.
4. …
• Almost every character smokes cigarettes
• The films are shot in black in white or they
give you the feeling that they are due to use of
shadows and light.
5. Women in film noir
• Women ‘femme fatal’ are unreliable and
deadly characters that would kill or love you in
any given moment in time
• The women presented in film noir : low
necklines, floppy hats, mascara , lipstick ,
dressing rooms, high heels, red dresses, elbow
length gloves, gangster or criminal boyfriends.
6. …
• She is very manipulative in the way she uses
her attractiveness and cunning intelligence to
control both sides of men in the film.
• The femme fatal is often the cause of her own
downfall as she tries to be on both sides of the
fight until she cant control it anymore and she
slips up leaving herself trapped in a corner and
this can often lead to her death.
7. Men presented in film Noir
• The men: Fedoras, suits and ties, shabby hotel
room for a home, well known within the
police force, drink problem.
• They also always seem to have a troubled past
that has left them bitter and hard to read:
often it is hard for the audience to decide the
motives of the male character as he often will
do some criminal like things. He is also often
very passive of other peoples criminal acts.
8. …
• The life of a man in film noir is quite regularly a
one of toil and loneliness.
• He is an anti-hero as he lacks the characteristics
of your stereotypical hero but the audience can
see this mans floors and so they can identify
more with a hero that has problems also the anti-
hero often works outside the mainstream way of
doing things and often tries to challenge the
mainstream ways.
