Film Noir and Expressionism

Flashcards reviewing the connections between German Expressionism and Film Noir, key techniques, and stylistic elements.

What is Film Noir defined by?

A dark, moody atmosphere created through shadow, chiarascuro lighting, and oblique lines/shapes.

From what movement does Film Noir draw from?

German Expressionism

What themes are often seen in Film Noir due to the influence of German Expressionism?

Paranoia, claustrophobia, and spiralling entrapment

What visual storytelling imprint did many golden age horror fims borrow?

Expressionism

List some of Tim Burton's expressionistic techniques:

Grotesque characters, stylized mise-en-scène, fantasy landscapes, bizarre painted backdrops, spatial distortion.

What cinematic feature contributed to Citizen Kane's acclaim?

Its advancement into Expressionism.

How did Citizen Kane use expressionistic techniques to portray despair?

Chiarascuro lighting and distorted visual devices.

What visual techniques were employed in Citizen Kane to express Kane's inner psychological state?

Extreme high/low angles, expressive movements, and distortion through a wide-angle lens.

What Camera Angles and techniques are used in Touch of Evil?

Radical Camera angles, disorientating movment, deep focus, wide-angle, chiaroscuro lighting and off-center framing.

What does Welles describe the visual composition of his film as?

A whirling labyrinth

What cinematic expressionistic techniques are featured in The Lady From Shanghai's funhouse scene?

Visual disorientation to convey emotional states, off-center tracking movement, camera see-sawing between high and low angles.

What are the conventions of Film Noir derived from?

German film professionals fleeing to Hollywood, combining expressionist lighting and unusual shot composition.

What narrative element is commonly found in Film Noir, translated from hard-boiled crime novels?

First-person voice overs from the protagonist.

What corrupt journey does Film Noir typically portray?

A journey through an underworld of crime, with falling at the hands of a femme fatale.

What aesthetic characteristics define the visual style of Film Noir?

Unbalanced compositions, strong lighting contrasts, and prevalent shadows.

List motifs of the Femme Fatale:

Long hair, glamorous outfits, extravagant makeup, jewelry, and smoking cigarettes

What is the purpose of expressive lighting in Film Noir?

To express the inner moral dilemmas and psychological instabilities of the anti-hero protagonist.

What did German Expressionism react against?

Realism, turning to extreme distortion to represent inner emotional realities.

What stylistic features are common with Mise-en-scene?

Stylised studio sets featuring twisting and leaning, with deranged perspectives.

What themes are common conventions of German Expressionism?

Journeying into the past and exploring topics in the horror genre.