Codes and conventions of neo-noir films

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Conventions of Neo Noir
Joe Holden and Michael Elson

2.  The classic film noir era introduced new graphic depictions of
eroticism and sexuality, much more so than previous cinema.
Neo noir pushed these boundaries in both heterosexual and
homosexual ways.
Examples:
 ‘Body Heat’ (1981)
 ‘Breathless’ (1983)
 ‘The Crying Game’ (1992)
 ‘Bound’ (1992)
 ‘A History of Violence’ (2005)
Eroticism and sexuality

3.  Many neo noir protagonists have personal
codes that they strive to uphold. Many are
chivalric in nature and involve a criminal code.
An example of this is Bill from ‘Following’
(1998). He sets strict rules for himself when he
starts following strangers on the streets of
London. He also commits several crimes to
protect woman’s honour. This is a key example
of a protagonist’s personal code.
Example:
 Marv from ‘Sin City’ (2005).
Protagonist’s Personal code

4.  Neo-noir are filled with false accusations, betrayals and double
crosses. A twist on the element is that some neo noirs look at
how a protagonist is accused of a crime or misdeed, the audience
is led to believe the accusations are false and the accusations
turns out to be true.
Examples:
 ‘Sin City’ (2005)
False accusations and betrayal

5.  They are much more prominent and used to a greater effect in
neo noir films than they were in classic noirs. Where the
narrators are unreliable and tricks the audience into thinking
something. It is aided by a heavy used of analeptics to further
disorientate the viewer.
Examples:
 ‘Memento’ (2000)
 ‘The Machinist’ (2004)
Unreliable narrator

6.  This type of protagonist was a staple of classic noir films, and is
still popular in neo-noirs as well. The protagonist’s background
and flaws are even more questionable, if anything.
Examples:
 ‘Taxi Driver’ (1976)
 ‘Chinatown’ (1974)
 ‘No Country for Old Men’ (2007)
 ‘Se7en’ (1995)
Cynical, world-weary protagonist’s

7.  This is definitely a characteristic element of
neo noir films. The films move episodically
and deals with the characters, trying to
unravel a mystery as well as having a
hopelessly complex plot that is ultimately
unimportant. Heavy use of analepsis and
achronological narrative is relied on in some
neo noirs films, such as in ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994)
and ‘Memento’ (2000).
Complex plots and analepsis

8.  Was used often in noir films because it added contrast to the
scene and helped emphasise characters or details in the scene.
However today due to the widespread us of colour film and
advanced cinematographic techniques it is no longer necessary
to use chiaroscuro lighting as contrast can be added through the
use of colour instead of just shadow and light.
Examples:
 In the neo-noir film ‘’Watchmen’ (2009).
 ‘The Usual Subject’ (1995).
Chiaroscuro Lighting

9.  This still from ‘Watchmen’ (2009) is an example
of a character framed within a frame as they are
framed by the doorway within the frame.
Bars, diagonals and frames within
frames
This still from Bryan Singer’s ‘The Usual
Suspects’ (1995) also touches on this idea as the
character is framed in a certain way within the
image.

10. One of the most incredible long tracking
shots ever filmed is the 6 minute long
tracking shot in the HBO series ‘True
Detective’. The neo-noir crime anthology
contains some stunning cinematography
and this particular tracking shot was
filmed in one single take.
Long tracking shots and deep focus

11.  Some neo-noir films continue to the use the idea of smoke,
steam, fog or rain to obscure the background of the scene to add
to the sense of mystery. In the case of ‘Blade Runner’ (1982)
however even the foreground characters are hidden in this
obscure way.
Obscured scenes

12.  Neo noir films have used this idea in various ways that differ
widely from each other. Where most films continue to traditional
use of darkness to convey isolation, some films such as ‘Brick’ use
the brightness of sunlight and even white snow (‘A Simple Plan’
1998 and ‘Fargo’, 1996) to the same effect.
 Additionally, where most neo-noir are set in cityscapes and
industrial backgrounds, some films such as David Cronenberg’s
‘A History of Violence’ (2005) have been set in the wilderness, in
small towns or in peaceful looking countryside, which some
believe has a stronger impact on the storyline as it provides an
excellent counterpoint to the violence on-screen
 ‘The Dark Knight’ (2008) by Christopher Nolan’s is an excellent
example of the traditional industrialised urban settings.
Urban settings filmed mostly at
night

13.  Although they were much more popular in the classic noir films,
there are still a few odd appearances of the dutch angle, and
other abnormal, inverted shots in the neo noir films.
Example:
 ‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)
Dutch angles and inverted frames

14.  The level of crime and violence in neo noir
films has definitely skyrocketed since the
demise of the Hays Code and they
basically let violence take centre stage.
Some neo noirs however stick to the
subtlety of classic film noir crime and use
suggestive offscreen violence. Violence in
neo noirs usually tends to convey
something about the character such as
Travis Bickle’s mental state in ‘Taxi Driver’
(1976).
Crime and violence

15.  First person narrative doesn’t factor into neo-
noir quite as much as it does in the classic noir
films, although some films do still choose to
include it as a homage to the classic films. An
excellent example is Frank Miller’s ‘Sin City’
(2005).
First-person voice-voice narration

16.  Shots of water and reflections were quite
prominent in classic noir films, but not so much
in neo noirs, although they’re still a feature in
them.
Examples:
 ‘Brick’ (2005) .
 ‘Prestige’ (2006).
Water and reflections

17.  The character of the femme fatale is a element that is used
in neo noirs just as much as it was in classic noirs.
However the role can change slightly from neo to classic,
and more sympathetic female characters are presented in
neo noirs. An interesting development in neo-noir is also
blurring of the lines between the protagonist and the
femme fatale as sometimes one can be substituted for the
other.
Example:
 Catherine Tramell from ‘Basic Instinct’ (1992).
Femme fatale