Film Noir

Film Noir is a type of genre created in the 1940's. It orginates from the french. "Film Noir" was first introduced by the famous french critic Nino Frank and used to determine Hollywood crime dramas of that era. "Film Noir" often contains sexual motivations of a 'Femme-Fatal' character. "Femine Fatale" is a woman usually married but want want to get rid of her husband, the character is protrayed as having loose morals too. Low-key lighting and in black and white is also used in "Film Noir" instead of black and white. On the other hand it has been argued to "Film Noir" can be seen to be its own genre in its own right. The black and white colour pallet is used to hisw feelings and motivation, the dark world of the protogonist are in and to create tension using shadows. "Film Noir" is often told in retrospect- the use of voice overs and/or flashbacks, also it has often has a twist (an unexpected ending) and usually set in an urban environment.

Film Noir was in the time period of 1938 and 1955 in oppose to the New Noir which was created in the late 1960's.
Examples of Film Noir- Double Idemnity, Postman Always Rings Twise.
Examples of New Noir- Recreation John Dahl The Last Seduction, Batman.

Film Noir in french means black film. However film noir is influenced a lot by German Expressionism (this means a cinematic movement of the 1910's and the 1920's closely related to the developments in the theatre, photography, painting, scupture and architecture).

The 1940s and 1950s are generally seen as the "classic period" of American film noir.