The first film of the three classics mentioned earlier to be analyzed will be Chinatown. This Roman Polanski mystery centers around Jake Gittes, who meets a woman pretending to be the wife of Hollis Mulwray, the chief engineer of LA Water and Power Company. This imposter claims to suspect her husband of infidelity, and asks Gittes to take up the case. Gittes later finds the dead body of Hollis Mulwray and gets caught up in a world of crime and deceit that he never knew before.
The idea of deceit is ever present throughout Chinatown, especially when dealing with authority figures or people in positions of great power. The main murder that sparks the Jake Gittes’ spiral into this complex plot is that of previously mentioned chief engineer
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of LA Water and Power Company, Hollis Mulwray. Mulwray himself was distrusted by the majority of the townspeople. At a public hearing for a proposed dam and reservoir, Hollis opposes the project idea. This sends many of the people in attendance into an uproar, as the city is in a devastating drought throughout the course of the film and this project is desperately needed according to many in the town. Some in attendance of this meeting accuse Hollis of stealing water from the city, which clearly shows the lack of trust the people of the city have in this authority figure. This pessimism was one of the main aspects of the definition of film noir that was discussed earlier, and is a large component seen throughout this film. However it is later revealed in the film that Hollis knew about a larger plot where portions of the city’s water supply was being dumped into run off areas in order to worsen the effects of the drought and build general support for the new reservoir. The people were generally untrusting of the wrong power figures, which adds to the complexity of the plot and the various relationships that become intertwined. The theme of dishonesty of people in power continues with several other characters in the film. For example, Noah Cross (who technically holds no official power) uses his immense wealth to control most of the city and treats the people beneath him as pawns to do his bidding for his own personal gain. The District Attorney in Chinatown itself is corrupt, as he specifically instructs the police of the town to ignore any crime that they see committed. Even Russ Yelburton, who was generally seen to be a respectable man by many, tricks the general public for his own personal gain and plays an integral role in the murder of his boss. This shows that in Chinatown, the main authority figures are all part of a larger plot to maintain the town’s corruption. The confusion of who the public does not trust and who is actually maintaining corruption in the film also plays into the larger idea of a complex and intertwining plot that is also seen commonly in film noir (Chinatown). The second classic film to be analyzed is The Third Man.
This 1949 film centers around and American author, Holly Martins, who is gifted a job in Vienna by an old acquaintance and friend, Harry Lime. However when Martins arrives in Vienna he learns that Lime is dead, supposedly killed in a car accident. Martins meets Lime’s local friends after Lime’s funeral and then vows to investigate what he thought to be a suspicious death. One of the main aspects of film noir seen in this film is its characters’ personalities and how those interact to create the conflict of the film. As the film progresses the viewer learns of Lime’s true character, and how before his death he showed a shocking lack of regard for common decency and didn’t seem to have a strong sense of morality. According to his acquaintances in Vienna, Lime sold fake medication to the families of children with agonizing diseases, and therefore Lime was involved in the deaths of several children in the name of money. This coupled with Martins’ desire to believe in his old friend show that the film utilizes characters with obvious moral flaws (who could even be considered “evil”) but still finds a way to keep the viewer invested and interested in their …show more content…
story. Another aspect of this film rooted deep in film noir is its cinematography. The shots in the film are often very angular, which is used to mirror the anxiety and confusion of the characters in the various scenes. Even though it is filmed in black and white, color still plays a large role as well. Robert Krasker (cinematographer for the film) utilized sharp contrast in shadows to his advantage in creating a frightening world in which the story can take place, as seen in the following image: Another technical aspect of the film that contributes to its place in film noir history is the sheer length of scenes.
These long and drawn out scenes where the characters are waiting for the villain to arrive instill a sense of dread and suspense in the viewer which is common in this specific genre (The Third Man).
The final classic of the film noir genre to be analyzed is The Big Sleep. This 1946 crime classic adapted from the 1939 novel of the same name centers around private detective Philip Marlowe who is summoned to the mansion of his new client General Sternwood in order to help solve his daughters extensive gambling debts. Sternwood’s older daughter suggests to Marlowe that her father has started this investigation for other reasons. As people close to the case start to get murdered, Marlowe suspects that the case is more complex that what he first imagined. Similar to the previous two films analyzed, this film centers around a detective case, a common plot point that is seen throughout film noir. As with the other two, this film also incorporates several aspects that are commonly seen in the film noir
genre. First, the two characters of Vivian and Carmen can be considered to be “femmes fatales”, which in film are usually attractive or seductive female characters who lure male characters in, and eventually cause disaster to those men who they become involved with. Vivian and Carmen both fit this description, as shown by their outward and at times seductive behavior within the film. Furthermore, The Big Sleep encapsulates some of the commonly seen tropes in film noir. For example, the plot itself is one commonly seen in the genre; a hardboiled detective investigates a case that leads to one, or more commonly, multiple murders. This is similar to the previous two films looked at based on plot idea and structure alone. The main protagonist, Philip Marlowe, also represents similarities to other film noir main characters. He is a detective who is living in a very corrupted world, and who regularly encounters death and crime during his work. The atmosphere in the film is centered around corruption and mystery, and is built using a common symbol seen in this genre, cigarettes. Smoking is often used to create a sense of mystery or an general sense of crime (The Big Sleep). Overall, these three films all have different aspects of film noir incorporated in them, but each film is a necessary addition to the genre due to their own unique aspects. While analyzing the films of the Coen brothers, all of the above themes, symbols, and various film structures will be taken into account when deciding if the three films selected represent a good example of modern day film noir.
The Soloist (Foster, Krasnoff & Wright, 2008), is based on a true story of Nathaniel Anthony Ayers Jr. who develops psychosis and becomes homeless. In the film, Nathaniel is considered a cello genius who is discovered on the streets by Steve Lopez, a journalist from the Los Angeles Times. Steve was searching for a city story and he decided to write a newspaper article about Nathaniel. Nathaniel always had a passion for music. He was a child prodigy and attended Juilliard School of Music. However, he faced many complications at Juilliard, particularly hearing voices speaking to him. Unable to handle the voices, Nathaniel dropped out and ended up living on the streets of Los Angeles. Steve and Nathaniel develops an unexpected friendship, in which Steve tries to help Nathaniel to live a normal life; having a home, treat his mental disorder, and to fulfil his dream of being a cellist again.
In conclusion, the 1946 film adaptation of Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep is a successful adaptation of the novel and representation of the genre. True to the novel, Philip Marlowe is guided by his personal moral code throughout his investigations. The plot follows the basic formula of the detective novel. First the detective, residing in a large city, is introduced and he is presented with a case to
While there are many different ways to classify a Neo-noir film, Roman Polanski’s, Chinatown captures many. The 1974 movie consists of many of these elements, including both thematic and stylistic devices. One of the main themes of neo-noir film that is constant throughout the film is the deceptive plot that questions the viewers’ ideas and perceptions of what is actually happening in the film. Every scene of Chinatown leads to a twist or another turn that challenges the practicability of the film’s reality. All of the never-ending surprises and revelations lead up to the significant themes the movie is trying to convey in the conclusion of the film.
The noir style is showcased in Sunset Boulevard with its use of visually dark and uncomfortable settings and camera work, as well as its use of the traditional film noir characters. In addition, the overall tone and themes expressed in it tightly correspond to what many film noirs addressed. What made this film unique was its harsh criticism of the film industry itself, which some of Wilder’s peers saw as biting the hand that fed him. There is frequent commentary on the superficial state of Hollywood and its indifference to suffering, which is still a topic avoided by many in the film business today. However, Sunset Blvd. set a precedent for future film noirs, and is an inspiration for those who do not quite believe what they are being shown by Hollywood.
The Big Sleep (1946) is a film noir directed by Howard Hawks and was the first adaption from Raymond Chandler’s 1939 novel of the same name. The film stars Humphrey Bogard as hard-boiled private detective, Philip Marlowe, and Lauren Bacall, as Vivian Rutledge. The title The Big Sleep is synonymous with death and the word “Big” refers to an everlasting sleep. While Sean Regan is found dead after subsequently disappearing, Marlow is always up throughout the night trying to track down leads. The dark mise-en-scene contributes to the gloomy and mysterious tone of the movie. Furthermore, the director never references the title in the film leaving the audience more perplexed. In the lecture, Gillian states that film noir is dependent on black and
Film Noir is a genre of distinct and unique characteristics. Mostly prominent in the 40s and 50s, the genre rarely skewed from the skeletal plot to which all Film Noir pictures follow. The most famous of these films is The Big Sleep (1946) directed by Howard Hawks. This film is the go to when it comes to all the genre’s clichés. This formula for film is so well known and deeply understood that it is often a target for satire. This is what the Coen brothers did with 1998’s The Big Lebowski. This film follows to the T what Film Noir stands for.
Nathanael West’s The Day of the Locust is said by many to be the best novel to be written about Hollywood. When we immediately think of Hollywood, we think of a glamorous story, in the picturesque setting of Los Angeles, full of characters with abundance of talent living the much sought after American dream. This is perhaps what sets West’s novel apart from the rest. The story is full of characters that have a vague impression of the difference in reality and fantasy in life. The characters are submerged in their lives in Hollywood, with what seems to be a false reality on how the world works. The untalented would-be actors, withering vaudeville performers and prostitutes place a certain grotesque over the novel from the beginning, and in a world of certain fantasy and chaos like this, violence is bound to come to the fore as a theme in many different forms. The protagonist of the story, Tod Hackett, is different to the rest of the characters in the novel. Tom is a talented artist, but still has a good view of reality by times, so Tom can act part as an observer in the novel. Tom however has been sucked in to the fantasy world also life has become somewhat submerged in the fantasy world.
Did everyone has taken a moment to imagine which neighborhood that you like to live? The Chinatown neighborhood of Chicago is one of the historic neighborhoods. According to Harry Kiang’s Chicago’s Chinatown, “In 1890, 25 percent of the city's 600 Chinese lived along Clark between Van Buren and Harrison Streets, in an area called the Loop’s Chinatown. After 1910 Chinese from the Loop moved to a new area near Cermak Road and Wentworth Avenue, mainly for cheaper rent” (Encyclopedia of Chicago). The Chicago has two Chinatowns at the Southern part of the Chicago. Thus we can know that the old Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood is called the Loop’s Chinatown and located at Clark between Van Buren and Harrison Streets; the new Chicago’s Chinatown located
NAREMORE, J. (1998). More than night film noir in its contexts. Berkeley, University of California Press. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=42280.
Howard Hawks chose to film The Big Sleep in the genre of film noir; this seemed like the obvious choice for a hardboiled detective novel. Film noir is the "'dark film,' a term applied by French critics to [the] type of American film, usually in the detective of thriller genre, with low-key lighting and a somber mood" (Bordwell 479). By using this genre of filmmaking, Hawks had an effective vehicle with which to retain the tone of Chand...
Hawks' version of The Big Sleep is known to be one of the best examples of the film genre-film noir. "Film noir (literally 'black film,' from French critics who noticed how dark and black the looks and themes were of these films) is a style of American films which evolved in the 1940s." (The Internet Movie Database LTD). Film noir typically contains melancholy, and not so moral themes. Another characteristic of film noir is just because the main character has the title hero, that does not mean that he will always be alive at the end of the book, or that the hero is always "good." Marlowe in The Big Sleep is a prime example of this concept. In the novel it is questionable how lawfully moral he actually is, concerning the situation of turning Carmen into the police for killing Sean Regan. This aspect of Marlowe's character added yet another difficult task of formatting The Big Sleep to the big screen-the question of how the audience (media) might react to such a personality trait was now placed before the writing staff (IE production codes).
Adapted from the novella written by James M. Cain, Double Indemnity is a melodramatic film noir that highlights the conflict its characters face through adultery and murder which develops from the dissatisfaction and alienation that arose in the era of modernity as shown in most noir films. Unlike most noir films, Double Indemnity set the bar in terms of structural themes to follow and elements that eventually came to be considered essential in the noir genre. The film was seen to be a full embodiment of what the genre should be. Double Indemnity is an archetypal noir film, which portrays noir elements through its style, the characters, its writers’ backstory and the history of Los Angeles, the city in which it is set. This essay will examine how Los Angeles is integrated not only into the location but also into the storyline of the characters and their motivations but also the filmmakers’ lives. It does this through characteristic noir motifs like “the urban cultural landscape, the lack of rootedness of the characters, and the self-deceptions that center their world” (p. 437) affect the protagonists in the film. Double Indemnity’s use of Los Angeles as its primary location exposes the innate decadence and decay of the city through film noir stylistic elements. Billy Wilder directed Double Indemnity and the film became the archetypal noir film because it embodied all the characteristics of a typical noir film, which include “claustrophobia, paranoia, despair and nihilism” (Place and Peterson, p. 327) course kit source. Los Angeles, the city used primarily as the location in the film becomes not merely a backdrop but a character in the film through its physical and implied characteristics. The context through the stories of Wild...
One characteristic that almost all Film Noirs have in common is a certain mold of protagonist. While most genres of movie have a heroic, or at least optimistic and generally positive...
The film stays in line with classic noir in many ways. The usage of dark sets and high contrast lighting, which creates heavy shadows on the actors faces, makes the movie feel like it all happens at night and in dark alley ways. The story focuses on the inhumane parts of human nature. Each of the main characters experiences some kind of tragedy. For Vargas his tragedy was in dealing with Quinlin who has set out to frame him and his wife. For Quinlin his entire life represented a man consumed with darkness who lives his life with a “Touch of Evil.” Menzies was a hopeful man who looked up to Quinlin but was let down. For the viewer, film noir represents truth, even if it is not a truth that all people would like to hear.
Chinatown also reflected the time period in which it was made. Released in 1974, the movie was made in the final years of the Vietnam War and after the Watergate scandal. These two scandals, one focused on the disingenuousness of the government in reporting the war effort, mixed with the lack of purpose in actually fighting the war, and the other dealt with a spying campaign that tried to undermine democracy essentially, which lead to distrust of the government. You get that sort of distrust within the movie as I established earlier with Noah having officials and the police in his pocket, as well as immunity from prosecution. This makes the film sort of an artistic cultural critique of the current culture at the time, where people just lost