LIGHT IN THE DARK: CINEMA NOIR
MODERN DETECTIVE NOIR ON FILM.
Detective noir is an enduring genre which goes all the way back to the 1930’s but is typically associated with many films that appeared during the 1940’s and 1950’s, with highlights including The Big Sleep (1946), Double Indemnity (1944) and Kiss Me Deadly (1955).
The term film noir is derived from the French meaning dark or black film, and may typically involve a private detective, a search for personal meaning or pursuit of existential questions, a femme fatale, a doomed romance, and an emphasis on style through expressionistic imagery with a focus on the darkest of blacks and the brightest of lights.
Film noir often deals with dark and light, often visually but also thematically.
Film noir often deals with dark and light, often visually but also thematically. It has changed significantly since its early cinematic inception in the 1930s/40s and so has the terms meaning. Everyone has their own interpretation of what film-noir is, and what it represents, with the term-modern noir having many different connotations.
For me, I see modern film noir as cinema primarily focusing on the detective, and their personal soul searching, with the given crime or criminal antagonist as the catalyst for such a journey, and not vice-versa.
The films themselves are deeply rooted in mood, style, and symbolism, often borrowing from classic 40's noir tropes such as rainy stylistic backdrops, very lurid crimes, doomed romances with femme fatales, and often an antagonist or a crime that has some significant substance or symbolic meaning.
Film-Noir is a tough genre to pull off, with even expert film-makers like Brian De Palma getting buried under the challenge of bringing James Ellroy’s literary noir masterpiece 'The Black Dahlia' to life on the big screen.
Film-makers who have attempted to expand on the themes developed in noir successfully include Ridley Scott. Ridley Scott's 1984 neo-noir masterpiece Bladerunner borrowed from many elements of noir and combined them with science fiction beautifully (neo-noir), and in my opinion flawlessly. Bladerunner is the perfect film in my view. Hence, noir represents a genre that is rooted in a successful film’s DNA, but it takes a master film-maker to tie it altogether.
When we combine human stories with technology and deliver them with style and substance, we meet film as an invention at the best of its ideals.
Anyway, what better way this winter to reach equanimity in our lives than loosing ourselves in film.
’The world is fine place and worth fighting for…I agree with second part’’
SEVEN (1995)
I've been guilty of a couple of these in my time. Hasn't everyone at some point or another?
Seven focuses on a deeply conflicted detective, William Somerset (Morgan Freeman), a disillusioned man who has lost faith in the nature of our crime ridden society but who has none the less lived an altruistic life (he's never fired his gun) and holds on to some hope that society is worth fighting for.
Despite coming up for retirement, he is partnered with young detective David Mills (Brad Pitt) and together they attend a routine homicide, which in William Somerset’s eyes bears the hallmarks of a potential serial killing. Subsequently, they embark on a labyrinthine investigation in pursuit of a serial killer John Doe (Kevin Spacey) who is orchestrating his crimes, possibly, based on his interpretation of the 'Seven Deadly Sins'.
There is an uncommonly in-depth screenplay utilised here both in its characterisation of the detectives and the motivations behind its nameless antagonists crimes.
John Doe : Wanting people to listen, you can't just tap them on the shoulder anymore. You have to hit them with a sledgehammer, and then you'll notice you've got their strict attention.
Seven, at its heart is a detective noir within a horror infused twisted- morality tale that doesn’t give you any answers; instead, it’s left for the viewer to pick up the pieces and draw their own conclusions.
The film contrasts William Somerset’s balanced yet conflicted view of the world with John Doe’s reactive, violent, evil, and unstable view.
Seven comes full circle in the end and it concludes with William Somerset elaborating on a quote by Ernest Hemingway ‘’The world is fine place and worth fighting for…I agree with second part’’. This quote suggests the character has not changed his view on society nor has he reaching any sort of conclusion or solution to his conflicts.
Ultimately, the film Seven is a very mature, intelligent, and interesting mid-90’s cinematic bench mark, which feels as profound today as it did on release back in 1995.
I think they should add bitterness to the Seven deadly sins. I can bypass all of the deadly sins, but my truest test is to finally let go the metaphorical axe I so yearn to grind on various peoples' necks.
A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES (2014)
PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF ALL THE WRONG THINGS
Many critics and cinema goers were divided on this film, and I wasn't sure what to make of it the first time I viewed it, but it's a film that benefits from repeated viewings.
A Walk Among the Tombstones is a dark detective story that takes its time building up its characters, and centres around a lead protagonist, who is actually deliberately not particularly likeable, and this is often a death knell for films, in terms of audience and critical evaluation.
Some critics accused the film of being exploitative; true, there are exploitative elements within the film, but this need not detract from the films overall quality. For instance, there are many classic exploitation films (I Spit on Your Grave/ Sleepaway Camp) that serve as films that have created the foundation for which modern horror cinema stands. All horror filmmakers are under the influence of at least one exploitation movie.
The story follows, a conflicted and hardened private detective Matthew ‘Matt’ Scudder (Liam Neeson) as he comes out of retirement to take on a case involving the lurid death of the wife of a drug trafficker, Kenny (Dan Stevens).
During the investigation Matt Scudder discovers that the crime may be part of a series of murders carried out by a pair of sadistic and violent psychopaths (David Harbour & Adam David Thompson), who have their eyes set on committing another crime.
As the investigation progresses, we learn more about private detective Matt Scudder, his past mistakes and his conflicted persona that is trying to get to grip with his own demons, whilst making amends by helping a homeless boy TJ (Bradley Adams).
The film has some of the trappings of the typical fare film star Liam Neeson has become accustomed to, but it digs deeper than that in the narrative, and succeeds visually with a very sharp and gritty modern noir style, presented in some striking under saturated cinematography (present in its dark grey colour palette and overcast skies), and moody lighting.
A Walk Among the Tombstones isn't so much just about the lurid crime at the heart of its story; rather, it's an exploration of the detective himself. It's his anxieties, his guilt, his fears, and his walk among the tombstones, if you like, with the unpleasant crime at its core serving as a catalyst for this detectives exploration and personal soul searching.
Matt Scudder has a particularly harsh back-story, so it stands to reason that the catalyst for his redemption is equally harsh. That is the compromise with redemption psychologically, and the films story, which is based on a novel by Lawrence Block, smartly explores these themes.
A Walk Among the Tombstones isn't the high octane, fast paced, action film many Liam Neeson fans have grown accustomed too, but it is an intelligent, well made, detective drama that harks back to the classic rough around the edges pulpy detectives that flourished in noir literature of times past.
Overall, this a very moody, dark, and atmospheric walk among the tombstones that is surprisingly well crafted, and is considerably deeper than meets the eye.
DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS (1995)
This story follows down-on-his-luck character Easy Rawlins (Denzel Washington), who, after getting laid off work, has an encounter with sleazy gangster DeWitt Albright (Tom Sizemore) who convinces him to become a private detective, and investigate the disappearance of Daphne Monet (Jennifer Beals), the devil in a blue dress of the title. Along the way, Easy gets help from his trigger-happy friend Mouse (Don Cheadle) whose volatile disposition gets the job done but with questionable consequences.
This film just works on every level. It benefits from a solid foundation in Walter Mosley's source novel, it's stylish to a fault, the screen-play is rich & layered with substance, and the film captures that ever so rare smoke-filled cinema noir feeling with fine casting and a flawless sense of the 1950's in some really articulate set and costume design.
The films greatest strength is in the way it turns the genre upside down by highlighting the flaws of being a detective: the sacrifices, the mistakes, human necessity, and the feeling of doubt and anxiety in the films conclusion as Easy asks himself was it really worth it and does it really mean anything.
The essence of the story speaks to the fact that good intentions, no matter what they are, don't always result in a clean-cut positive outcome, and there is no such thing as easy money.
That is the line between fiction and reality that the film crosses, as such truths are a common fact of life.
VERONICA MARS (2014)
She Thought She Was Out...
There are plenty of male cinematic detectives, especially in film-noir, but not many females. In this case I've chosen Veronica Mars, as played by Kristen Bell.
She's smart, tough, and balances her way in the world with her passion: solving local mysteries.
Veronica Mars ran for 3 seasons and was cancelled, but a Kick-starter campaign to bring the character back to the big screen resulted in an unprecedented 2 million dollars and ended up raising 5. The subsequent film 'Veronica Mars' was released in 2014 and like the television series has neo-noir aesthetics and style running through it.
The story involves Veronica Mars returning to her hometown of Neptune (set in a fictional part of Southern California) to investigate the murder of a former high-school friend.
Where Veronica Mars succeeds is in its eponymous characters smooth transition to the big-screen, some 8 years after the cancellation the series. It accomplishes this and retains a nostalgic value for fans of the series, whilst offering something new.
I think the story needed some spark but it's within its neo-noir trappings that it tells a fairly understated tale.
You don't need to have seen the original television series to enjoy this movie, and if anything, it's an accessible introduction; a new 8-episode series of Veronica Mars will appear on the streaming service Hulu sometime this year.
The flesh is weak, Johnny. Only the soul is immortal, and yours belongs to me (Louis Cyphre)
ANGEL HEART (1987)
Alan Parker’s 1987 modern- noir detective- mystery hasn’t aged a day. The film itself is set in moody rain-swept New Orleans in the 1950’s and this is captured in what is amongst the most handsome, confident, and articulate cinematography I’ve ever encountered on film.
Robert DeNiro plays the mysterious Louis Cyphre, who has a job for private Detective Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke). The job involves Harry Angel seeking out a missing man, a crooner by the name of Johnny Favourite, in order to ascertain whether he’s alive or dead, as Johnny Favourite owes Louis Cyphre a collateral, of sorts, that will be forfeited in the event of his death.
“No matter how cleverly you sneak up on a mirror, your reflection always looks you straight in the eye.”
The story then follows Detective Harry Angel’s decent into the dark and murky New Orleans rain- drenched backstreets in pursuit of the elusive Johnny Favourite.
Mickey Rourke encapsulates the archetypal nourish detective and adds his own troubled and emotive style to the mix. Robert De Niro’s performance is eccentric but it works. I can’t imagine the film working without a somewhat eccentric/humorous performance.
There’s a lot on offer here, but the cinematography is flawless, with every frame measured, and every nuance captured: from the beauty of the rain fall, and the often-dreamlike skylines, Angel Heart comes to life vividly and confidently.
Like all the best films, Angel Heart is littered with symbolism and metaphorical scenes. The final scene where Harry Angel enters an old metal framed elevator and descends down is amongst the most perfectly crafted and original endings cinema has ever produced.
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (2017)
Kenneth Branagh’s interpretation of Agatha Christie’s novel is not traditional detective film noir nor is it neo noir, but as many critics have stated he pays homage to 1930’s noir and it’s a very impassioned and conflicted portrayal of the fastidious Belgian detective that fits perfectly with the conflicted personas amongst this list and in modern detective film noir.
The story follows obsessive detective Hecule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) as he attempts to solve a murder, whilst a passenger on the famous Orient Express train service in the 1930’s. The film has quite an extensive cast including Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Daisy Ridley, and recent best actress Academy Award winner Olivia Colman.
Kenneth Branagh give’s this material a much-needed volt of energy, with an energetic, stylish, and confident directorial flourish, which is complimented by much needed vibrant cinematography, a welcome and much needed change from Geoffrey Unsworth's now dated hazy soft-focus photography present in 1974 version.
It makes no sense to suggest Kenneth Branagh's remake or adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express was unnecessary, as many critics have suggested. In my opinion it was crucial in order to
give this material a fresh coat of paint, and make it accessible for younger audiences and film-fans who couldn't get on-board with the previous versions, like me.
Murder on the Orient Express is a dark tale about morality, justice, and people, which is set on-board a train, so the 2017 version benefits from utilising close up and intimate scenes of faces, and conversations, as the camera glides through the various components of the Orient Express. This richer more confident approach, stylistically, is a crowning improvement on previous adaptations, in my view.
Here, Kenneth Branagh in the role of the titular detective captures more than just the character of Poirot himself. He captures the spirit and essence of the Agatha Christie penned source material in the form of his interpretation of the role; here, Poirot is a man at odds with his own fastidious personality when it comes to the balance and rule of law and right and wrong—Murder on the Orient Express is a veiled morality tale, and Branagh wisely racks up the tension for the masterfully delivered conclusion.
The films conclusion speaks to the nature of justice being served in the form of death, which is made more powerful by Poirot’s unwavering opposition to it.
For the naysayers, it’s not so much how any given film tells Agatha Christie’s much respected classic but how they deliver it—that is the payoff for audiences. In the latter part of the film, it comes close achieving something quite brilliant in the passion and power it conveys, thus surpassing any previous adaptations in my view.
BLADE RUNNER (1982)
1982's science fiction detective noir Blade Runner is a great film. Why?
I think when a film makes such an impact that it changes not only how we see the future of cinema, but how we interpret people and the world around us, then it's an important film.
What I mean by that is Blade Runner has served as such an inspiration to other film-makers over the past 37 years that it has directly got into their creative DNA, and cinematic culture in general.
Also, Blade Runner was an articulate look at artificial intelligence, the flaws of consumerism, corporate greed, and asked existential questions surrounding human purpose, meaning and whether we can harness the human condition or recreate it.
All this and it still managed to have an excellent score by Vangelis and truly unforgettable production design that has just has never been bettered and continues to influence many film-makers to this day.
If you've never seen Blade Runner it follows world weary detective (or Blade Runner) Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) as he's given the task of hunting down and a group of replicants who've escaped an off-world colony. Along the way, Rick Deckard gets side-tracked in a romance with an employee of the Tyrel Corporation, Rachel (Sean Young), who might not be what she seems.
As present in many detective noir stories, the film concludes with Rick Deckard questioning what he’s done, and the justifications for it.
A sequel Blade Runner 2049 followed in 2017, and it was great, but it didn't come close to replicating was achieved here.
CONCLUSION
In many ways like horror, my favourite genre, detective fiction deals with life and death and everything in between. Although, as where horror deals with human fears and anxieties from a view of us all, detective fiction tends to focus on individual anxieties and fears, often existential fears.
It does this by borrowing the real-world dynamics of a detective trying to solve a crime. Then it romanticises these dynamics, stylises them, and turns them inwards.
Just like film-makers use horror to explore life and death, they use detective fiction to explore morality, right and wrong, good and bad, and the existential grapple with the human condition and what if anything it means.
Noir is a style of detective fiction, and it’s one I’m fond of. As I’ve said before, style is an integral part of any film and if you can create style and substance in a film, you’ve met film half-way at the best of its ideals.
To close, iconic French film director Francois Truffaut once asked, “is the cinema more important than life”. For me personally, film represents the best of all of us, our creation, our skills, our imaginations and our interests, as well as a reflection of our own fears and insecurities.
In other words, real-life is film, and film is real-life.
