Place and Peterson- Film Noir

It’s interesting to think of a film style as being primarily defined by lighting, camera angles, and directorial style. This article highlighted (no pun intended) the significance of juxtaposing light and darkness within film noir. The author states, “Small areas of light seem on the verge of being completely overwhelmed by the darkness that now threatens them from all sides.” The noir lighting is extremely effective in terms of giving the audience clues within the film. In my experience re-watching film noirs, I’ve found that lighting is often used to foreshadow future events. For example, shadows may be cast on characters fated to die, or high-key lighting may be used on characters that have secret knowledge, etc. Female characters in noir tend to have more light on their faces to soften their features, while male characters’ lighting accents sharp facial features. The film noir style primarily calls for low-key lighting to create eerie effects. Camera lenses, angles, and uniquely balanced shots are significant in shaping the genre as well. A wide camera lens, for example, can give the impression that the viewer is a member of the picture being created. Bizarre angles and claustrophobic framing create certain moods and suspense. In terms of balancing the shots, directors use certain objects in a frame to create eeriness. These objects become significant because of their prominent display in the frame. A good example used by the author is Edmon O’Brien’s shadow in The Killers. In this photo, the shadow takes up even more of the frame than the actor in order to make a statement relevant to the plot.