The height of the classic noir period was the simultaneous pinnacle of propriety in media. Hollywood leaders, fearing the “monkey see, monkey do” potential of cinema, erected the Motion Picture Production Code in 1930 to ensure films didn’t endorse immoral behavior. During its reign, adherence to the code’s moral censors could make or break a film’s popularity by severely limiting its distribution.
As a result, noir films of the 1940s portray the seedier sides of life while notably excluding graphic violence, lustful kissing, or even showing men and women sleeping in the same bed. While many of these films feature adultery, their kisses are more like quick clashes than lingering, amorous gestures, and the adulterers rarely enjoy their affairs before being offed in the end. Murders are shot suggestively rather than explicitly – in Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity, for example, Barbara Stanwyck’s stone-cold stoicism is all the viewer sees as her character’s husband is choked to death in the car passenger seat beside her.
The scene of the crime | © Paramount Pictures
Pressured by television culture and successful foreign films with more lenient standards, the code’s puritanical grip on Hollywood began to loosen, reflected in films like the morally ambiguous noir Fallen Angel (1945) and Anatomy of a Murder (1959), which deals with murder and rape – both films were directed by Otto Preminger, whose pushing of boundaries significantly influenced the genre. In 1952, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that film is protected under the First Amendment, and in 1968, the Production Code was thrown out in lieu of the MPAA film rating system.
Harrison Ford and Sean Young in ‘Blade Runner’ | © Warner Bros
Meanwhile, the private eye trope waned, and trends like science-fiction noir surfaced in the early ‘60s and ‘70s with films like Jean-Luc Godard’s Alphaville (1965)and Richard Fleischer’s Soylent Green (1973).
Film noir elements have found their way into modern classics like Roman Polanski’s Chinatown (1974) and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982). Christopher Nolan’s Memento (2000), Robert Rodriguez’s Sin City (2005), and Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive (2011) are some of the recent high-profile titles that pay homage to the genre.
All in all, film noir has left an indelible mark on the medium, and its compelling characteristics will continue to influence cinema well into the future.
Become a Culture Tripper!
Sign up to our newsletter to
save up to $1,665 on our unique trips.
Culture Trips launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes places and communities so special.
Our immersive trips, led by Local Insiders, are once-in-a-lifetime experiences and an invitation to travel the world with like-minded explorers. Our Travel Experts are on hand to help you make perfect memories. All our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
All our travel guides are curated by the Culture Trip team working in tandem with local experts. From unique experiences to essential tips on how to make the most of your future travels, we’ve got you covered.
Source link : https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/california/articles/a-very-brief-history-of-film-noir
Author :
Publish date : 2017-01-10 03:00:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
