Typical features of Noir

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NOIR NARRATIVES USUALLY FOLLOW VERY SIMILAR STYLES WHICH
CONTAIN MANY OF THE SAME FEATURES:
A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR BECOMES INVOLVED IN A CRIME
INVOLVING A SEXUALLY MANIPULATIVE WOMAN. OFTEN THE
WOMAN PRESENTS HERSELF AS THE VICTIM AND THE PRIVATE EYE
IS ATTRACTED TO HER. IN THESE SEEKER HERO NOIR FILMS
HOWEVER, THE PRIVATE EYE USUALLY WISES UP IN TIME, SOLVES
THE CRIME AND SURVIVES
A MAN MEETS A WOMAN WHO PERSUADES HIM TO COMMIT A
CRIME THROUGH SEXUAL MANIPULATION. THE CRIME IS PLOTTED
AND COMMITTED. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE MAN AND THE
WOMAN ARE OFTEN KILLED OR IMPRISONED.
SIMPLE AS THESE DESCRIPTIONS MAKE NOIR NARRATIVE SEEM, IT
IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IN FACT NOIR NARRATIVES ARE
OFTEN VERY COMPLEX, FULL OF TWISTS AND TURNS, FLASHBACKS
AND MULTIPLE NARRATIVE STRANDS.

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THESE THEMES HELP THE AUDIENCE TO
IDENTIFY THE GENRE THROUGH WHAT
THEY LEARN IN THE NARRATIVE.
HOWEVER, MANY OF THESE THEMES ARE
EMPHASISED THROUGH CINEMATOGRAPHY
AND MISE-EN-SCENE SUCH AS CRIME,
WHICH RELIES HEAVILY ON GUNS AND
OTHER ICONOGRAPHY TO HIGHLIGHT IT.

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THE REPERTOIRE OF ELEMENTS IS KEY IN HELPING THE AUDIENCE TO
IDENTIFY A FILM AS NOIR. THESE ELEMENTS ARE PROMINENT IN
CLASSIC NOIR AND THUS HAVE BEEN CARRIED THROUGH THE
EVOLUTION INTO NEO NOIR. MANY OF THESE ELEMENTS LOOK AT
THEMES WHICH ARE FEATURED SUCH AS CRIME & VIOLENCE, WHICH
HELP ARE FEATURED IN ALMOST ALL NOIR FILMS, ALONGSIDE A
FEMME FATALE.
THIS ALSO LOOKS AT STYLISTIC FEATURES SUCH AS CINEMATOGRAPHY
AND MISE-EN-SCENE WHICH HELP TO PORTRAY CERTAIN IDEAS TO
THE AUDIENCE. DUTCH ANGLES FOR EXAMPLE HELP TO HIGHLIGHT
THAT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT OR THAT SOMETHING BAD WILL
SOON HAPPEN. SIMILARLY, LOG TRACKING SHOTS AND DEEP FOCUS
SHOTS HELP TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF A SPECIFIC PERSON
OR OBJECT, COMMONLY A GUN OR AN OBJECT WHICH IS
ICONOGRAPHY.