FILM NOIR

Like a tantalizing mirage, film noir haunts modern filmmakers. Noir is the genre of night, guilt, violence and illicit passion, and no genre is more seductive. But the best noirs were made in the 1940s and 1950s, before directors consciously knew what they were doing “We called them B movies,” said Robert Mitchum.

Film noir is not a style in Cinema it is a sub-genre, it presents frequent use of flashbacks and contains intricate plots. The genre was prevalent mostly in American crime dramas of the post-World War II era. 


Early examples of the noir style included dark, stylized detective films such as Lawrence Kasdan’s Body Heat(1981) a film about passion and murder.

GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM

The beginning of Expressionism in films starts through the concept of expressionism in painting, over the year expressionism are in theater, literature and later on in film. The style of German expressionism gives emphasis on designs especially on the stylized visuals. Expressionism is more on realistic than just an art, it gives us an idea how paintings comes to life. But still, the art is there even with the characters because they wear heavy make-up and costumes during the beginning of expressionism in theater and even in the film. The usual setting of German expressionism in film happens in dark areas but not totally in darkness because they use lights to show and emphasize the shadow of the character.

One of a good example of German expressionism is The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari which is much known designed in an expressionist style. The film has an unrealistic sets, lighting, self-conscious or obtrusive camera. During 1940’s and 1950’s expressionism is used as style in film especially when film noir starts in American cinema.