To start off, classic film noir has been set as a foundation
for many upcoming authors and movie makers to explore new innovative ideas.
That’s where neo-noir comes in by exploring in depth the basic roots of classic
film noir ideologies and its known qualities. Another way to look at it, is
neo-noir expanding on aspects of society by connecting postmodern aesthetics
and references to pop culture.
Although classic film noir followed a pattern of plot with
the male protagonist and the femme fatale killing each other with guilt, or by
other reasons, it’s more common for neo-noir films to let the criminal like in “The
Last Seduction”, femme fatale character, get away and live on from the chaos
planned by her and a puppet. Also, unlike classic noir, neo-noir tends to
create more broad and abstract situations of reality where the main characters
have specific characteristics and qualities, such as Jack in Fight Club exposing
his split personality or alter-ego Tyler Durden, as the character questions his
own masculine identity and self-consciousness. Neo-noir also touches up on
nostalgia from previous works of classic noir tales expressing somewhat of a
recreated version, but with more modernized elements. And the most obvious
difference I think neo-noir doesn’t show as much, is that it doesn’t really
give the feeling of black and white which are always with classic noir, but
remain to have its own dark effects.
Alex, I found your insight with classic noir and neo-noir to be interesting. I liked how you described neo-noir as “exploring in depth the basic roots of classic film noir ideologies and its known qualities and expanding on aspects of society by connecting postmodern aesthetics and references to pop-culture.” I agree with your intake. It feels that neo-noir films are different in artistic vision and that they are now based on modern circumstances. To me, neo-noir is almost like film noir, but with a twist. I also found your intake on neo-noir as “touching up on nostalgia from previous classic film noir films and recreating it with modern elements;” just like how the article described the movie "The Last Seduction" being similar to "Double Indemnity." Instead of the story being viewed from the protagonist’s point of view, neo-noir makes it to where we now view the story through the femme fatales point of view.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Alex. It seems like neo-noir is just adding to missing parts of classic noir. I like how the classic noir gives you more of that morbid feel,it just makes it much more interesting. Like you put it, I don't believe the femme fatale should get away with her dirty work at the ending of films. She should suffer a scary fate just like in classic noir. The novel itself gave us just that and I don't think neo-noir will ever come close. Fight Club was a good movie that showed the alter ego of one character, I guess if most films were like that neo-noir would be that much better.
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