What is film noir?

Film noir was always put as the cinema effect for a Hollyfood crime film. It was stretched with its popularity in the 1940's/1950's and exceed its popularity with its simple recordings and continuious customers making a visit to the cinema many days during the week.

With film noir obviously being in bloack and white, it was always put in a low key black and white because of the way in which it was made but it also showed the effects of the American depression and reflected on that.

Many classic ones were always performed to a meledramic stage to over emphasis on what was happening in the film. The question of whether film noir qualifies as a distinct genre is a matter of a ongoing debate.

Plot structure: often twisted and complex (maze-like)
Non-linear/uses flashbacks.
Non-chronological

Stylist - lighting i- high contrast, lots of shadow, obscurity, dramatic angles.
'Class' - difficulty/clashes/unrequited love/poor judgement.
Depression - death/assasination/crime

Film noir - the title was evolved and is now used to describe genre in itself.
Microcosm within the film of the larger society. Film topics are an over dramatic version of real-life.

Conventions and Non-Conventions

In the first five minutes to the opening sequence on 'I Am Legend', I looked into the conventions and the non-conventions. I looked into the conventions and the breaking of conventions to a typical sequence on the start of a film. For example, at the start of I am Legend, there is shown a recording of a television programme which is related to the news. The producers have tried to show a sense of verismilitude.

Here are the conventions and non-conventions which i picked on during that short time.
Conventions:
- Exposing the story to the audience
- Characters
- Enigma
- Different racio in the screen from the effect of the news channel to the present day
- Post medern talking
- Establishing shots

Non-conventions:
- Exposing of the characters
- Nothing to interupt the film. For example, there are no titles or the names of the main actors to break up the film and almost break the way in how the producers wants the audeince to feel so involved in the film and make it as real as possible.