What is film noir?

Answer 1

Film Noir (literally 'black film or cinema') was coined by French film critics (first by Frank Nino in 1946) who noticed the trend of how 'dark', downbeat and black the looks and themes were of many American crime and detective films released in France following the war, such as The Maltese Falcon (1941), Murder, My Sweet (1944), Double Indemnity (1944), and Laura (1944).

It was a style of black and white American films that first evolved in the 1940s, became prominent in the post-war era, and lasted in a classic "Golden Age" period until about 1960 (marked by the 'last' film of the classic film noir era, Orson Welles' Touch of Evil (1958)).

Answer 2

Film Noir is from the period before before they could use colour in films. The films would come out looking dark with lots of shadows and often had dark broody stories.

Answer 3

Noir means "black" in French. For cinema it is a description of a film's style that explores the darker sides of the human mind.

Typically shot in B/W, they had to compensate for low budgets by being more creative with lighting and camera angles, contrasting light and dark to enhance moods or symbolism.

Try to watch "Double Endemnity" "D.O.A" or "The Maltese Falcon" Also check this site:http://www.filmsite.org/filmnoir.html

Answer 4

Film Noir usually makes me think of the old black and white, private eye type stuff.

... it was a dark night, then she walked into my place.

Answer 5

Apparently (according to my son who studies film at uni) it originated in France Film noir (black cinema) was filmed in the 50's in Black n white it has certain styles and conventions, tends to be detective stories, it has femme fatales, smokey bars, rain soaked streets and Venetian blinds. Humphrey Bogart style.

Answer 6

Generally movies that tend to be placed in a dark, cold world. Things like crime, drugs, and drama. They usually were filmed in black in white to enhance the dark dramatic feel of the film.

Answer 7

Dark moody films

Answer 8

genre of film between 1940 and 1960, originating in the United States, employing heavy shadows and patterns of darkness, in which the protagonist dies, meets defeat, or achieves meaningless victory in the end.

Answer 9

its a style of film and film genre it's usualy gritty and dark usuasly about gansters and dectectives