Paul Schrader Film Noir

I found Paul Schrader’s article to be very interesting. I had always heard about Film Noir but never knew exactly how to classify it. I erroneously thought Film Noir was a genre category. It is interesting to see that it is actually a diverse range of films that are categorized by similar styles. The fact that these films may be in different genres was surprising to me. Another interesting idea in the article was about the history and interpretation of Film Noir. Film Noir’s dark themes were inspired by the American citizens unhappiness with politics and society after World War II. These films literally use extreme darkness and lighting to show their dark feelings about the period. Film Noir has a unique look and had a unique commentary about American discontent. I believe however, that the idea of films as social commentary about American discontent is present in other film eras. This occurs especially when the American public is discontented.  Some of today’s films often have some social commentary about our society as well. Film Noir’s reflection on the American public’s discontent, resonated with people in the 1940’s and continues to resonate well with today’s world.