From my blog you have already learned a few things about Noir and why I enjoy it so much. But some of you out there may still not understand why I like it or why I think that you should like it. So I’m going to explain it to you as best I can, because let’s be honest here, you all deserve to love Film Noir’s as much as I do… They are great! Seriously great.
I understand that there are a lot of people who just have a distinct problem with watching old black and white movies. They are simply labeled in your mind as taboo and boring. And in some cases this is true, some old films are boring, but not anymore than we have boring films that come out today. So dispel that notion if only for a short time and give a true film noir a try. There is something about film noir and black and white film that just come together to make some of the most strikingly beautiful images you will ever see on the silver screen.
Many of you have probably seen a film noir and not even realized that that is what it was. Let me ask you this, who is one of the most renowned and still recognized filmmakers in American history? Have you ever heard of the movie Psycho? Or maybe the classic movie Notorious? Or even Vertigo? Yes, I am talking about Alfred Hitchcock, the great master of noir. And yes many of his films do fit into the genre of film noir. And most people I believe have seen at least one of his films. He is a piece of American culture, and if you haven’t seen one of his films, you most definitely should get your hands on one of his movies and watch it!
Then we come of course to the debate on the best movie of all time. What are the two most common contenders in this battle? Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane, and Michael Curtiz’s Casablanca. Now people, what do these two films have in common? They are both FILM NOIRS! The cold stark reality of film noir’s has a draw to audiences which is almost inexplicable, but it is obviously there, and they are loved worldwide.
Don’t think that noir’s no longer hold a place in society today because they do. The offspring of film noir’s, the neo-noir is just as prevalent as its classical form. I’m going to list all of the film’s from the last five years that have a heavy noir influence that have been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture: Winter’s Bone, True Grit, and Black Swan (2010). A Serious Man (2009). No Country for Old Men (Won), and There Will Be Blood (2007).
I hope that you are starting to see the trend here. Even though many people don’t know what film noir is, most people have seen them and love them. Film noir is an important part of film culture, a big part of American society. Anyone reading this will have most likely seen one of the many films mentioned in this post. Now that you know that it is not just a movie, but a piece of a much bigger genre of film, I hope that you will learn to respect and love film noir’s as much as I do. They have continually been my inspiration in my own work, and even if you aren’t a filmmaker I think that they can still inspire you.