Film noir and neo noir are films that date to the early 1940”s and continue into the twenty fist century. You could say that a film noir and a neo noir will have similar but different elements; they both have a protagonist, corruption, cynical stories, flashback, and a voice over narrators, murder and a femme fatale. The difference will be that film noir is made in black and white, it has low-key lighting, filmed mostly at night, and the femme fatale is more seductive. Where neo noir is made in color; there will be some black and white scenes. More violence, nudity and harsher language, the emergence of a serial killer and the femme fatale is more independent, less reliable on men and it portrayed as pure evil and intelligent woman.
Let’s compare” Double Indemnity” a classic film noir and “Fight Club” a neo noir. With Double Indemnity you use your imagination. Sex is just a passionate kiss. If someone were to get shot it is not graphite. Its femme fatale is more evil, her seductive and sexuality is her main weapon in weaving her web around a man. Now Fight Club a movie about a white collar male who forms a fight club underground. Fight Club will leave little for your imagination. The language is strong; there is sex, nudity, violence, bloody scenes. The femme fatale in Fight Club is a complete nut case that has a filthy mouth, not beautiful.
In Heather Fireman article she quotes “Noir is not just noir anymore-its evocative power is a kind of vernacular to deal with the condition of modern culture.” I agree with what she said that noir is not just noir anymore, the kind of language neo noir uses is not enjoyable.
I, in full, understood what you wrote on your blog, very good translation of both neo-noir and noir. You analyzed the article very good. You helped me understand the two more. I agree with every thing you said. On the history of noir, the way it was evolve into the 21st century. The color and elements involved with the hollywood film industry. Of curse one of the big cons is the language used, like in Fight club, as to double indemnity. Very good. Look to reading more of your blogs.
ReplyDeleteHi Bobbie!
ReplyDeleteI like your perspective! You gave me a different look into neo-noir vs. film noir. Thanks! I enjoyed reading the contrast between Double Indemnity and Fight Club. I havent seen the movie, Fight Club, but from reading your post, I guess you have. Now you have made me want to go out and rent the movie, to go and find out for myself the deeper meaning that you received from comparing that film with the book we read. Thanks again!
I agree with the way you interpreted the article. I found neo noir just uses classic noir to remake noir but it cannot ever be as good and real because we no longer live in the times in which noir was first made. To try to redo something without the benefit of having real life experiences only gives subordinary results. A remake is never as good as the original
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