Difference between revisions of "Film Noir as Genre (Discussion)"
From Screenpedia
Jump to navigationJump to search (added narrative vs. theme) |
(rearranged groups) |
||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
==Readings== | ==Readings== | ||
| − | ===Raymond Borde and Étienne Chaumeton (''' | + | ===Raymond Borde and Étienne Chaumeton ('''Groups 6 and 1''')=== |
In "Toward a Definition of Film Noir," Borde and Chaumeton look mostly at aspects of narrative and theme in their definition of noir. | In "Toward a Definition of Film Noir," Borde and Chaumeton look mostly at aspects of narrative and theme in their definition of noir. | ||
| − | #What do they mean "moral determinism" (as a theme)? And how | + | #What do they mean "moral determinism" (as a theme)? And how are ''private'' detectives different from ''police'' detectives? |
| − | #In terms of narrative, how do they characterize the "hero" of noir (as in ''Lady from Shanghai'')? And how do they characterize the ''femme fatale'' (that is, what is a femme fatale and how does she fit into noir?)? | + | #How do they believe noir has "renovated the theme of violence"? |
| + | #In terms of narrative, how do they characterize the "hero" of noir (as in ''Lady from Shanghai'')? And how do they characterize the ''femme fatale'' (that is, what is a ''femme fatale'' and how does she fit into noir?)? | ||
#Are these elements present in ''Out of the Past'' and ''The Maltese Falcon''? | #Are these elements present in ''Out of the Past'' and ''The Maltese Falcon''? | ||
| − | ===Raymond Durgnat ('''Group 3''')=== | + | ===Raymond Durgnat ('''Group 2 and 3''')=== |
"Paint It Black: The Family Tree of the Film Noir" covers eleven aspects of film noir. Some of these (most of them) are related to narrative and others to theme. | "Paint It Black: The Family Tree of the Film Noir" covers eleven aspects of film noir. Some of these (most of them) are related to narrative and others to theme. | ||
| Line 26: | Line 27: | ||
#*Blacks and reds | #*Blacks and reds | ||
#*Guignol ("geen-yol") | #*Guignol ("geen-yol") | ||
| − | # | + | #Which of these aspects are present in ''Out of the Past'' and ''The Maltese Falcon''? |
| − | ===Paul Schrader (''' | + | ===Paul Schrader ('''Groups 4 and 5''') === |
In "Notes on Film Noir", Schrader claims that “film noir is not a genre.” In considering his comments, provide examples from ''Out of the Past'' and ''The Maltese Falcon''. | In "Notes on Film Noir", Schrader claims that “film noir is not a genre.” In considering his comments, provide examples from ''Out of the Past'' and ''The Maltese Falcon''. | ||
#Why is it not a genre, in his view? Do you agree or disagree? | #Why is it not a genre, in his view? Do you agree or disagree? | ||
| − | #What does he mean by the term "stylistics"? And what aspects of noir stylistics does he note? Can you think of examples from ''Out of the Past'' and ''The Maltese Falcon'' that contain these elements? | + | #What does he mean by the term "stylistics"? And what aspects of noir stylistics does he note? Can you think of examples from ''Out of the Past'' and ''The Maltese Falcon'' that contain these elements? (See the screen shots linked to below.) |
#Although Schrader is mostly interested in stylistics, he does also discuss the "over-riding noir theme." What is it? Is it present in ''Out of the Past'' and ''The Maltese Falcon''? | #Although Schrader is mostly interested in stylistics, he does also discuss the "over-riding noir theme." What is it? Is it present in ''Out of the Past'' and ''The Maltese Falcon''? | ||
| Line 39: | Line 40: | ||
#How is noir "antitraditional"? What do they mean by this term? How is antitraditional style found in noir? | #How is noir "antitraditional"? What do they mean by this term? How is antitraditional style found in noir? | ||
| − | #What purpose does this visual style serve? In other words, what does it mean? | + | #What purpose does this visual style serve? In other words, what does it ''mean''? |
{{Gallery | {{Gallery | ||
| Line 45: | Line 46: | ||
|width=400 | |width=400 | ||
|height=300 | |height=300 | ||
| − | |lines= | + | |lines=3 |
|align=center | |align=center | ||
|File:InALonelyPlace00008.jpg|alt1=Humphrey Bogart looks demented.|"A strange high-light under [Humphrey] Bogart's eyes injects a sinister, demented quality into his mock description of his part in the murder..." | |File:InALonelyPlace00008.jpg|alt1=Humphrey Bogart looks demented.|"A strange high-light under [Humphrey] Bogart's eyes injects a sinister, demented quality into his mock description of his part in the murder..." | ||
Revision as of 15:43, 9 February 2015
Narrative vs. Theme
- All Groups: To understand genre, it helps to distinguish "narrative" and "theme." What is your understanding of these two terms and the difference between them?
Readings
Raymond Borde and Étienne Chaumeton (Groups 6 and 1)
In "Toward a Definition of Film Noir," Borde and Chaumeton look mostly at aspects of narrative and theme in their definition of noir.
- What do they mean "moral determinism" (as a theme)? And how are private detectives different from police detectives?
- How do they believe noir has "renovated the theme of violence"?
- In terms of narrative, how do they characterize the "hero" of noir (as in Lady from Shanghai)? And how do they characterize the femme fatale (that is, what is a femme fatale and how does she fit into noir?)?
- Are these elements present in Out of the Past and The Maltese Falcon?
Raymond Durgnat (Group 2 and 3)
"Paint It Black: The Family Tree of the Film Noir" covers eleven aspects of film noir. Some of these (most of them) are related to narrative and others to theme.
- Which aspects are narrative and which are theme?
- Crime as a social criticism
- Gangsters
- On the run
- Private eyes and adventurers
- Middle-class murder
- Portraits and doubles
- Sexual pathology
- Psychopaths
- Hostages to fortune
- Blacks and reds
- Guignol ("geen-yol")
- Which of these aspects are present in Out of the Past and The Maltese Falcon?
Paul Schrader (Groups 4 and 5)
In "Notes on Film Noir", Schrader claims that “film noir is not a genre.” In considering his comments, provide examples from Out of the Past and The Maltese Falcon.
- Why is it not a genre, in his view? Do you agree or disagree?
- What does he mean by the term "stylistics"? And what aspects of noir stylistics does he note? Can you think of examples from Out of the Past and The Maltese Falcon that contain these elements? (See the screen shots linked to below.)
- Although Schrader is mostly interested in stylistics, he does also discuss the "over-riding noir theme." What is it? Is it present in Out of the Past and The Maltese Falcon?
Janey Place & Lowell Peterson (Group 1)
As is obvious from the title, "Some Visual Motifs of Film Noir," Place and Peterson are principally concerned with noir's imagery.
- How is noir "antitraditional"? What do they mean by this term? How is antitraditional style found in noir?
- What purpose does this visual style serve? In other words, what does it mean?
Bibliography
All from Alain Silver and James Ursini, eds., Film Noir Reader (New York: Limelight, 1996).
- Raymond Borde and Étienne Chaumeton, “Toward a Definition of Film Noir,” 17-25.
- Raymond Durgnat, “Paint It Black: The Family Tree of the Film Noir,” 37-52.
- Paul Schrader, “Notes on Film Noir,” 53-63.
- Janey Place & Lowell Peterson, “Some Visual Motifs of Film Noir,” 64-75.
