I'm back to tell you more about...
Thrillers-ish!
To spice thing up a little I'm diving into a sub-genre of thrillers: Neo-Noir (Sometimes referred to as a stylish modern crime-thriller).
I'm sure you have at least watched at least one film that mixes these two genres but I'm going to discuss that later in this posting. For now I'm going to discuss some characteristics of both genres and the result of the combination of these two.
These films are usually fast paced and have a mysterious atmosphere around the plot or characters.
Other characteristics are
1- Urban locations, the "bad part" of town.
2- Dramatic scores are used to build tension, crime jargon/code words in dialogue
3-Some films exaggerate these criminals and may fall into stereotypes to represent them (Male, tattoos)
Some of my personal favorites are:
Thriller Movies- If you want a detailed explanations of this genre you can visit the "genre research" posting, I'm still going over some key elements of this genre to refresh your memory.
These types of movies often incorporate an element of suspense, characters are innocent victims that are not accustomed to danger and they take place in either a an urban setting that is highly populated or sometimes in isolated locations unknown to the main character. Editing is fast-paced and the identity of the antagonist will be most likely hidden.
So... What happens when you mix both genres?
The beautiful hybrid of Neo-Noir is born. To put it in the most simple terms, these movies combine the suspenseful atmosphere of thrillers with a crime plot.
Some features of these films are:
 |
| Femme Fatale |
- Characters: an Anti-Hero which is like a protagonists that lacks conventional heroic attributes. Along with the Anti-Hero there may also be a Femme/Homme Fatale which is an attractive and seductive character who ultimately pushes the protagonist into dangerous situations (ex. Jane Smith in Mr. and Mrs. Smith / Amy Dune in Gone Girl).
- Themes and Organization: False accusations and betrayal, existential dread, corruption, and paranoia. The level of violence is these films has increased over the last coupe of years.
They often present complex plots with plot twists and Achronological narrative/analepsis -The narrative doesn't go in chronological order- are often used, this may be achieved with the use of flashbacks or flash forwards Ex. Pulp Fiction (1994), Memento (2000).
 |
| City of Tiny Lights (2016) |
-Setting: Obscured backgrounds are a common feature in these types of films, this effect is achieved with the use of fog, smoke, steam, and/or rain. Urban settings are also prominent (mostly at night) to create a sense of isolation. Some films in these genre have been set in peaceful looking settings like countrysides or small towns to counterpoint the violence on the screen.
-Shots and Angles: Long-tracking shots paired with dutch angles or inverted frames that reflect the instability of the film.
-Sound: As with most films, diegetic and non-diegetic sound will be used to add a layer of depth to the narrative. However, Neo-Noir films will also rely on a first person voice-over narration.
What is Neo-Noir | Netflix
This video summarizes the key elements of a Neo-Noir films and provides some visual examples... And it is made by Netflix so it's worth it.
Over the next few days I'm going to explore films that fall over this type of genre and I will be giving you my thoughts... I will become a film critic if you will.
Watchlist:
Drive (2011)
Nightcrawler (2014)
The Handmaiden (2016)
Femme Fatale (2002)
Heat (1995)
Chinatown (1974)
No comments:
Post a Comment