IN CELEBRATION OF
Neo-noir
Coined in the 1970s, 'neo-noir' is a film genre that rose to prominence during the New Hollywood era after films like Chinatown and Taxi Driver subverted the usual tropes associated with film noir and redefined the genre for modern audiences.
However, as time went on, the genre began to become more expansive and unrestricted on what it could be. Films like Blade Runner brought neo-noir into a cyberpunk setting and placed the detective in a high-tech dystopia. Then The Dark Knight anchored a superhero film with neo-noir elements by exploring moral ambiguity and corruption within the crime-ridden, urban landscape of Gotham.
The classic noir of the 1940s and 50s was characterised by the hardboiled detective, the femme fatale, themes of corruption and tragedy, and a cynical sentiment that echoed the attitudes of the time following World War II.
But in the 70s, neo-noir became known for its vibrant colours and high contrast lighting, opposed to the classic black-and-white, shadowy cinematography. The femme fatales were subversive, the protagonists were conflicted antiheroes and themes of revenge, paranoia, and alienation were the primary focus of these new stories.
Another attribute from this new, modern era of noir, is its graphic depiction of violence and sexuality. In the 40s and 50s, the Hays Code restricted a lot of directors at the time by enforcing censorship on what studios deemed unacceptable for American audiences.
But without those restrictions, filmmakers were able to push the boundaries on what they could show, and with that freedom came an unglamourised depiction of violence and explicit sexuality that portrayed intimacy as something to be distrusted.
So the importance of neo-noir cannot be understated. The genre has given many creatives an outlet to express current societal fears and the prevalent dissatisfaction with corruption in our world.
Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese
on the set of 'Taxi Driver'
Recommended Watchlist
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Chinatown (1974)
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Oldboy (2003)
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Se7en (1995)
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Get Carter (1971)
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Blade Runner (1982)
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Fallen Angels (1995)
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Memento (2000)
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Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
Check out the list by the BFI
Learn more about the genre from these YouTube Videos below