What exactly does "Film Noir" mean?

:shrug:

"Ride The Pink Horse" is on TCM tonight and it is supposed to be a good one in that category.

I think I get it. :)

Film noir is a film style and mood primarily associated with crime films, that portrays its principal characters in a nihilistic and existential world. Film noir is primarily derived from the hard-boiled style of crime fiction of the Depression era, (many films noir were adaptations of such novels), and may first be clearly seen in films released in the early 1940s. 'Noirs' were historically made in black and white, and had a dark, high-contrast style with roots in German Expressionist cinematography.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_noir

I don't agree with many of the films on their "notables" list, though. When I think "film noir" I think of "The Trial," directed by Orson Welles, as it epitomizes the surrealness I associate with the genre. Watching it is like dreaming while awake.

But I can't find it anywhere. Not even online (to download, I mean).

Used DVDs starting at $2.92. Plus shipping, of course.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004YKQD/102-0471750-1456133?v=glance&n=130&s=dvd&v=glance

It's not yet available from Netflix, but you can save it for when they do have it.

I'm Canadian, so no dice on Netflix, and I have no way to order shit online anyway, which is why I was looking for a download of it.

"Cowboy Movie" !!!!

:hi:

"noir" is black.

:D :D

of Hollywood types who were often blacklisted, usually bc they were Jewish, liberal, etc. This film genre was brilliantly subversive in its social commentary by often depicting the fascism of McCarthy era politics allegorically through construction of urban landscapes, mood, lighting, and archetypical characterization.

usually a crime drama with no good guys. The hero is conflicted and often almost as bad as the bad guys. Nihilistic, existential.

Film Noir tends to be oddly romantic with no direct conclusions. Was the Good Guy really the Good Guy or just as bad as the Bad Guy? Will he get the girl or will she betray him? (He usually gets her and she betrays him. But did it have to be that way?)

Not exactly feminist since usually the Bad Girl seduces the Good (perhaps not so good) Man into doing Bad Things.

It's reality a morality tale. Well, originally that was what it was. Then it became some weird thang about the Good Man standing strong against Evil and Women. There's been a slight resurgence recently in portraying the fact that morality isn't always obvious, that Good Men can do Bad Things - for love, for justice.

(There have also been attempts to show women as the conflicted good guys. A nice and very welcome twist on the genre.)

Khash.