Neo-noir
May 26th 2011 09:07
Neo-noir: contemporary film noir from Chinatown to The Dark Night.
By Douglas Keesey
'Noir films' are about dark situations, and often use a large amount of imagery in the film that reflects symbols of the situations playing out. Everything may be dark and inky at times, more or less cloaking something; innocence often gets smudged and maimed in Noir film, and there is almost always some kind of femme fatale.
Neo-noir, new noir films are easy to pick I suppose for the most part because they remind you so much of earlier noir films. The charged up private detective story has been done so often we expect it to look and go a certain way. The Departed, the Scorsese film of recent times, is a remake of a Japanese film and is quite neo-noir for example. There are many to look at and some have quite a lot of significance in the story of noir film.
Looking at modern film and linking it back to less modern film is the primary occupation of some film historians, and it feeds into the whole areas of film making, film studies, design, art design, and so many other areas of study; almost worship.
The development of one style of film making and its eventual influence on other films made is relatively easy to understand - a particular mood is created with a particular look, and certain types of stories lend themselves to the dark, mysterious atmosphere required to capture an audience hook, line and sinker. The Roman Polanski film Chinatown is a good example. While a detective is engaged to find out something he is actually being used. Simple idea of a double cross being played out, but fascinating to watch. The period drama aspect of the film creates a sense of ease and naivety on one level; less complicated days. This is of course not the case - the world opened up in the film is actually dark and evil, not reflective of a simple world at all.
The examples and references drawn by writer Douglas Keesey provide a very clear and comprehensive guide to what noir and neo-noir is. There are some twenty colour plates offering still moments from some well loved films. Often with books like this it is what they leave out that becomes the curiosity. Here there is no mention of Alfred Hitchcock which does seem a little curious, but then maybe he is a whole other thing and I simply do not know it. I suppose the traditionalist approach is to group certain films together under a particular type of film, much in the same way music is categorised, and Hitchcock probably doesn't fit all too comfortably into noir given his style is so specific to him although Brian De Palma is listed, and it is a well known fact that he is deeply inspired by Hitchcock, so go figure. Maybe I am missing the point that it is neo-noir and not before Chinatown. Vertigo is mentioned fleetingly as one of the noir films of the nineteen forties and fifties, so maybe I am picking at straws here. Family Plot rates no mention, nor Frenzy.
Time to accept that there are a whole new list of films being spotted in what is a new modern era. Certainly the list of other films of interest do lead all the way up to last year (twenty-ten) without too many surprises.
Overall it is a very interesting and informative read, and regardless of things that may not appear listed here, there is plenty to occupy the student and general reader at more than one sitting and it will lead you towards a great set of films in a fascinating genre to seek out and enjoy.
David Jobling
By Douglas Keesey
'Noir films' are about dark situations, and often use a large amount of imagery in the film that reflects symbols of the situations playing out. Everything may be dark and inky at times, more or less cloaking something; innocence often gets smudged and maimed in Noir film, and there is almost always some kind of femme fatale.
Neo-noir, new noir films are easy to pick I suppose for the most part because they remind you so much of earlier noir films. The charged up private detective story has been done so often we expect it to look and go a certain way. The Departed, the Scorsese film of recent times, is a remake of a Japanese film and is quite neo-noir for example. There are many to look at and some have quite a lot of significance in the story of noir film.
Looking at modern film and linking it back to less modern film is the primary occupation of some film historians, and it feeds into the whole areas of film making, film studies, design, art design, and so many other areas of study; almost worship.
The development of one style of film making and its eventual influence on other films made is relatively easy to understand - a particular mood is created with a particular look, and certain types of stories lend themselves to the dark, mysterious atmosphere required to capture an audience hook, line and sinker. The Roman Polanski film Chinatown is a good example. While a detective is engaged to find out something he is actually being used. Simple idea of a double cross being played out, but fascinating to watch. The period drama aspect of the film creates a sense of ease and naivety on one level; less complicated days. This is of course not the case - the world opened up in the film is actually dark and evil, not reflective of a simple world at all.
The examples and references drawn by writer Douglas Keesey provide a very clear and comprehensive guide to what noir and neo-noir is. There are some twenty colour plates offering still moments from some well loved films. Often with books like this it is what they leave out that becomes the curiosity. Here there is no mention of Alfred Hitchcock which does seem a little curious, but then maybe he is a whole other thing and I simply do not know it. I suppose the traditionalist approach is to group certain films together under a particular type of film, much in the same way music is categorised, and Hitchcock probably doesn't fit all too comfortably into noir given his style is so specific to him although Brian De Palma is listed, and it is a well known fact that he is deeply inspired by Hitchcock, so go figure. Maybe I am missing the point that it is neo-noir and not before Chinatown. Vertigo is mentioned fleetingly as one of the noir films of the nineteen forties and fifties, so maybe I am picking at straws here. Family Plot rates no mention, nor Frenzy.
Time to accept that there are a whole new list of films being spotted in what is a new modern era. Certainly the list of other films of interest do lead all the way up to last year (twenty-ten) without too many surprises.
Overall it is a very interesting and informative read, and regardless of things that may not appear listed here, there is plenty to occupy the student and general reader at more than one sitting and it will lead you towards a great set of films in a fascinating genre to seek out and enjoy.
David Jobling
A world-weary detective, a seductive femme fatale, a mysterious murder - these elements of classic film noir live again in more recent hardboiled detective films from Chinatown to Sin City. But the themes and styles of noir have also spilled over into contemporary films about gangsters, cops and serial killers (Reservoir Dogs, The Departed, Se7en). New hybrid genres have been created, including psycho-noirs (Memento), techno-noirs (The Matrix) and superhero noirs (The Dark Knight).
Beginning with an introduction that shows how the new films noir have drawn upon contemporary social and historical events as well as the latest technological advances in filmmaking, this book discusses the new films noir that have made the biggest splash in the field (landmarks), the directors who have become cult figures of the new film noir (auteurs), films from non-English speaking countries (international) and neo-noirs that put a new spin on past noirs (remakes).
The main credits and a plot summary are given for each new film noir, followed by an indepth analysis containing original insights into the meaning of the film. 'Factoids' also present fascinating facts, behind-the-scenes anecdotes and lively quotes from the cast and crew.
- kamerabooks.com
Beginning with an introduction that shows how the new films noir have drawn upon contemporary social and historical events as well as the latest technological advances in filmmaking, this book discusses the new films noir that have made the biggest splash in the field (landmarks), the directors who have become cult figures of the new film noir (auteurs), films from non-English speaking countries (international) and neo-noirs that put a new spin on past noirs (remakes).
The main credits and a plot summary are given for each new film noir, followed by an indepth analysis containing original insights into the meaning of the film. 'Factoids' also present fascinating facts, behind-the-scenes anecdotes and lively quotes from the cast and crew.
- kamerabooks.com
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David Jobling
