The art of film is something that goes beyond what you can see on the screen, much like Steemit. What makes films great is the fact that emotion bleeds through the screen. Directors are painting a blank canvas frame by frame. Film Noir is the most important genre in the history of film, its core influences lead to the creation of many timeless films throughout the ages. Film Noir is a very important subculture in American history, and Steemit can bring a new light to it!
At its most basic components, Film Noir is German Expressionism brought to the Hollywood screen. It is more than self-evident that these influences play a paramount role in the composition of said Film genre. Ambient lighting formation and harsh shadows accompanied with an extremely melancholy mood are key points to any good Film Noir. From a technical standpoint this style of shooting is not really too unique, however it is the story inside of the film that sets it apart from what people call German Expressionism. A perfect example of this is the 1941 film The Maltese Falcon. Although this was a very low budget movie it still dazzled cinemas across America it truly set the standard for many Film Noir films after it. The mood is perhaps one of the most important stylistic choices for this genre of movie. Many a time the settings include dank crime filled cities ridden with low morale and an overall mood of depression.
For the most part, male lead actors fit into an archetype almost all Film Noir films follow suit in. Cynical men who are seldom caring about the world around them. Only worrying about one thing, their inhibitions and their inane desires in the world. Just as men fit into an archetype women fall into one as well. They are portrayed as desirable, and unattainable women with a much darker intent for the future in mind. Although this may seem generic it gives a lot of room for characters to grow into these traits. A shift in gender roles was a huge part of the Film Noir movement. Women were no longer slaves to the kitchen. They became veterans of a harsh crime filled crime workforce. The gender roles shifting into the cinema quite literally transcended into our own society. Put simply without the Femme Fatale in Film Noir it would be nowhere near the same. The Vixens that were presented on the Hollywood screen would be remembered as long as the film has existed.
The moral of the American public was at an all-time low during the 40’s-50’s. The Great Depression blew over us like a dust storm, there is a juxtaposition here with cryptocurrencies operating on the same market forces, rising and then falling so low. Much like the 1940's a depression soon followed after. Right now humans are in the same state of mind with the fear of people losing money. There is a similar distrust with banks today just like back then. More and more people are putting money into cryptocurrencies just like how people were putting their money under the bed to avoid the bank system. Budgeting for large scale Hollywood productions was brought down, however this worked in favor for Film Noir because the budget required was not large at all. The stock market finally crashed, and so did the general morale of most Americans. People were starving, quite literally dying of hunger. America destroyed itself, and this was reflected with Film Noir. Russia and the U.S were not agreeing on terms during this time, communism was rampant throughout the world, and America did not want to be infected with this ideology. Out of this a wild new concept was birthed, McCarthyism. Actors and directors were being blasted on the spot for being communists when in reality they weren't. This turned Hollywood into a festival of blood, people were calling each other out left and right because they themselves did not want to be called out. Combining this with the beginnings of World War 2 the American public was desolate of happiness, and of course Hollywood showed this. This is why Film Noir became so successful in the theatre. It was as if people could relate to something, they began feeling attached.
Films are a reflection of how directors feel, and Steemit is a reflection of how the community feels. Without directors, the movies that are loved today wouldn't even exist. Orson Welles is a perfect example of a director who quite literally changed the Film Noir landscape forever. Citizen Kane is a classic example of what movies of this type should be. Bleak, melancholy, and emotionally riveting. John Hutson is also another prolific Film Noir director, with his adaptation of the book The Maltese Falcon. This movie showcases death as more than just being put into a grave. It crucified what it meant to feel pain, and what it meant truly lose everything. Although this sounds depressing many Americans felt like nothing was left for them, because of this people at the time felt true relation with these topics of death, rebirth, and loss. As stated before Femme Fatales cater to a crucial role in the hierarchy of Film Noir. Double Indemnity showcases this like no other before, giving Phyllis Dietrichson from the movie the dominant role throughout its runtime.
To conclude, Film Noir is the most important genre in the history of film. Without it some of the greatest movies of all time would have never existed. Getting down to it, all humans are the same. The same carnal instinct to win against all odds is practically embedded within. Directors are the spine of all of these productions, Orson Welles’s Citizen Kane, Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity and John Hutson’s The Maltese Falcon do more than encapsulate what it means to be a Film Noir movie. They are living and breathing entities that showcase what it means to survive. These Directors will live on forever, with the memory that they pushed a whole collection of movies into the generation of tomorrow.
Thank you guys for reading! Shout out to @ackza for telling me about Steemit :)
Works Cited
“Film Noir Femmes Fatales.” An award-Winning, unique resource of film reference material for
film buffs and others, with reviews of classic American-Hollywood films, Academy Awards history, film posters., www.filmsite.org/femmesfatales.html.
“Film Noir - Films.” An award-Winning, unique resource of film reference material for film buffs
and others, with reviews of classic American-Hollywood films, Academy Awards history, film posters., www.filmsite.org/filmnoir.html.
Sehayek, Marnie. “A Very Brief History Of Film Noir.” Culture Trip, 17 Aug. 2016,
theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/california/articles/a-very-brief-history-of-film-noir/
Sengupta, Anindya, et al. “What is Film Noir?” Filmsnoir.net,
filmsnoir.net/what-is-film-noir/
.“The 20 Best Neo-Noir Films Of The 2000s.” Taste of Cinema - Movie Reviews and Classic
Movie Lists, www.tasteofcinema.com/2014/the-20-best-neo-noir-films-of-the-2000s.
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