Film Noir to Neo Noir

white potato vine 1 Rachel stump spud Professor Charlotte E. Howell Film 2700 12 November 2012 leger Count 1411 Film Noir to Neo-Noir A shake up in Cultural Tides Film noir of the forties captivated audiences by dint of its distinct gain of storytelling. Strongly influenced by German Expressionism, these adopts begin a authorized look and expressive stylus that still resonates with modern audiences today. Like separate classical Hollywood genres, convey noir seek to add up to light tensions felt indoors society, namely those that affected hands by-line reality state of war II.Neo-noir impressions pay a great deal less economic aid to fond com custodytary. Like subscribe noir of the past, modern-noir elevates musical mode over narrative however, the genre has seen material changes in regards to narrative, the disappearance of the femme fatale, and the prevalence of onscreen effect due to shifting heathenish tides. In observing examples of film noir and it s contemporary version, neo-noir, it is lapse several elements in regards to the style and boilersuit feel of these films have to the loftyest degree remained the analogous through aside the years.In Nicolas Winding Refns neo-noir, produce, a sense of otherworldliness is portrayed through several night shooters, intense shadows, and an boilersuit dark alternatively downtrodden mood to the film. The scenes in the film take place at night and invariably in an urban setting. All of these elements atomic number 18 Murphy 2 extremely typical of classic film noir as well as German Expressionism. Drives narrative unfolds with surprisingly small(a) dialogue. Instead Refn focused scenes on the mood, further strengthening the style of the film. Similarly, Curtis Hansons L. A. underground keeps with traditional film noir in elevating the style of the movie above its narrative. This is d matchless through the heavy emphasis of the urban cityscape. As the title suggests, Los Angeles , is a major factor within the film. The peppy, orange-filled paradise portrayal of L. A. in the films opening scene sharply contrasts the corrupt, crime-ridden town faten throughout the simpleness of the film. In addition, voice-overs and flashbacks, typical elements of film noir, atomic number 18 extensively used. The genre has seen great changes in regards to its affable commentary, however.Noir films of the forties strongly reflected the social climate of the time. In several respects, film noir batch be seen as the staminate equivalent to melodrama. Just as women dealt with the crisis of womanhood in post- fight years, men also struggled with their masculinity as well as adjusting to their revolutionary roles in an ever- ever-changing society. After World War II, many Americans, especially men who had experienced the atrocities of war firsthand, took on a more cynical outlook on the world. Film noir of the forties sought to bring these feelings of isolation and chan ging attitudes to light.Like many men re subprograming from the war, the heroes were disenchanted and often really isolated. In many respects, their fate is predetermined. In Tay Garnetts The Postman Always go Twice, the audience gains a sense that can Garfields character, Franks, fate is already sealed as soon as he first plots, and neverthelesstually carries out the murder of Coras save. This action intelligibly serves as a marker in the downward spiral of Franks life. Similarly, in Billy Wilders Murphy 3 Double insurance policy, Fred MacMurrays character, Walter, irrevocably alters the course of his life when he gives in to Phylliss pleas to murder her husband.In ii of these instances, the motivation underside this clearly wicked acts is lust. Both takeoff rockets seem somewhat lost(p) against these forces. Both films also end with little doubt as to the fate of the protagonists. In The Postman Always go Twice, the film ends with Frank awaiting his punishment on e xpiry row. Similarly, Wilders Double Indemnity ends with Walter, critically injured from a gunshot wound inflicted by Phyllis, confessing his role in her husbands murder. This clearly reflects upon the attitudes of manlikes during the 1940s as helpless against the imposing forces of an tyrannical society.Neo-noir films differ from their film noir counterparts because they are no longer reflective on social and pagan tensions. This is simply because the tension is non as widespread or hard felt in todays society. In the ending of Refns Drive, the strange driver, though stabbed in the abdomen, clearly lives. It left over(p) up to the lulu to decide what strain of life he will strike in the prox. In Hansons L. A. Confidential, the future of the city is somewhat unclear, but some(prenominal) protagonists in the film are met with at least(prenominal) somewhat happy endings.The male protagonists in neo-noir films are also some(prenominal) more strong-willed. Their actions, th ough at time extreme, are seen as justified to the viewer and made by the protagonist alone. hostile earlier noir films, the protagonists are at least somewhat in control of their future. This turn within the genre clearly reflects changing attitudes within society, as the helplessness and isolation men felt after the war is no longer felt on such a large scale. Murphy 4 The influence of culture on the content of noir films is especially evident in the disappearance of femme fatale in neo-noir films.The 1940s tag a major shift in sex roles with the start of World War II. As men left for war, women took up jobs in the workforce and in factories in order to help with the war effort. This brought about a new sense of freedom for women. When men returned home from the war, however, this shift was non necessarily seen in a controlling light. The emergence of the femme fatale in film noir clearly reflects that in the eyes of men, womens changing roles in society often presented a bane to perceived masculinity as well as established gender roles of the day.The femme fatale of noir films is invariably portrayed in a negative light. She is in most cases seen as the major driving force behind the protagonists tragic end. Furthermore, the protagonist is usually helpless against the advances of these women. Femme fatales, such as Cora in The Postman Always Rings Twice and Phyllis in Double Indemnity, are almost always met with an end even more bleak than that of the protagonist. In these two films, the femme fatales are both killed with little thought. Neo-noir films, however, access code female characters in a a good deal more favorable light.The relationships between protagonists and these women are based on respect, rather than unspotted lust. Thus, the actions of the protagonists appear often more justified. This can be accredited to the changing cultural tides since the 1940s. Womens independence is generally no longer seen as a threat to male masculinit y and thus is virtually extinct thematically in neo noir films. This is especially evident in Drive as well. The nameless drivers love interest, Irene, is characterized by her innocence rather than her sexuality. Murphy 5 Even in L. A.Confidential, Lynn, a prostitute, has a relationship with one of the protagonists, however, the relationship is based on love rather than lust. Film noir arguably would not translate well to modern audiences if not for its integration of onscreen frenzy. Like German Expressionism, 1940s film noir drew a definitive reaction of aggravation and psychological restlessness from its audiences. In Double Indemnity, the scene in which Phylliss husband is dispatch is brief and little is shown. The audience is shown only Phylliss cold, detached expression succession her husband is murdered next to her in the passenger seat.In the 1940s, filmmakers didnt necessarily need to show Phylliss husband being murdered in order to give the axe a strong psychologic al reaction from audiences. With the repeal of the Hays Code, however, audiences have get under ones skin somewhat desensitized to the mere implication of violence. L. A. Confidential and Drive both use violence as a means of eliciting this equivalent reaction. Perhaps the most memorable scene in Drive occurs in an face lift where the driver, in order to protect himself and Irene, not only kills a man, but event to unleash all of his anger by stomping the mans head into a gruesome, bloody pulp.In L. A. Confidential, numerous murder scenes and ill-fitting police interrogations illustrate how violence is flat used in neo noir to elicit the strong emotional and psychological discomfort that typified 1940s noir. Certainly the strongest influence on the evolution of film noir has been societal and cultural changes throughout time. These changes have served, however, to maintain film noirs relevance with contemporary audiences while still keeping with specific tutelage to the over all feel of the film and high level of stylization.