Film Noir

Film Noir was not a concept I was completely familiar with before reading Paul Schrader’s notes on the subject. While I have heard the word thrown around many times, I could not define it or come up with a list of movies that exemplify Film Noir characteristics. I Found Schrader’s commentary on the origins of Film Noir to be particularly interesting, especially relating to war and post war disillusionment. It is fascinating to think about how the whole movie industry completely shifted during periods such as the Great Depression or wars. During the Great Depression, filmmakers had to focus on upbeat movies to take viewers to away from their troubles and into a new world. And, during the war, the industry focused on creating allied propaganda. It only makes sense that once there was finally a period of calmness, all the pent up frustration and artistic juices would come flowing out. It seems natural that the films would focus on realism after the war. Everyone was affected by the horrors of the war and the public wanted to see films that portrayed the honest truth and the bleakness of the world post war. Schrader says that people neglected Film Noir because its dark plots were considered an “aberration of the American character” (62).  It is interesting that Film Noir was born out of the public’s desire for truthfulness, yet for so long Film Noir remained underappreciated and understudied for this very reason.