Film Noir

Film Noir started in the 1930's where it was used in most types of genre. Back then films from the genre 'Film Noir' were known as black and white films, until 1940 when a film called "Stranger on the third floor" used some new cinematic techniques. These techniques were similar to the sort that we use for Film Noir now in the 21st century. The new effects used in this particular film were, dark or dim lighting effects, dreary settings, filtered lights and generally dark themes and characterizations. The early 1940's to late 1950's was known as the classic period of Film Noir. The early films were usually crime drama's, they included a sense of moral ambiguity (no right and wrong) which meant the audience would have respect for the 'villian' type characters because things happened to them which made the audience feel sorry for them.


The common character types that feature in Film Noir are, a Private eye, business man who was married to a trapped housewife which was usually the femme fatale character. The femme fatale character is an alluring and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. They are usually trapped housewives who charm a sales man or drifter character into freeing them from their husband who treats them badly (the business man). The Sales man and Drifter are seen as oportunists, they both seem to survive on their wits, they are good talkers which helps them to pursuade people, it also suggests that they could be shallow because they don't actually care about people's feelings but they act like they do.

They tended to be an atmosphere of fear, mistrust, loss of innocence, and paranoia between the characters.

The endings weren't optimistic.

There was a non-linear narrative used in some films - using flash-backs and flash-forwards.

There was a censorship in film at the time, which was enforced by they Hollywood production code. A few examples of this code were that, in the end the villians had to be show as getting punished for the wrongs they had done, and guns were usually only used by the police (who were enforcing the law) because if normal people were shown carrying and using guns it would then seem like they were premoting it to the audience.