also been the basis behind the works of artists such as Arson Roje and Guy Debord
whom have both created works that were inspired by the unique noir style (Naremore
1998: 256). Similarly, an aftershave advertisement appropriately entitled "Noir"
which was launched in the early 1980's, along with many other visual advertisements
particularly aimed at men, have distinctly incorporated the use of these noir like
features such as dark shadows and melancholy colours to promote their products.
Hence the point can be made that the iconography of film noir's visual style has been
experimented by the contemporary arts and implemented as a marketing ploy to
appeal as a cult symbol in pop culture, thus showing its influence over different
aspects other than that of film itself.
The various themes with which the classical 'old school' film noirs have embodied
were also shared in some of the more popular radio programs in the 1940's and 50's.
Themes such as seduction, forbidden love, greed, deceit, fear and cynicism, all of
which were conceived in classic noir films such as Robert Aldrich's Kiss Me Deadly,
Howard Hawks' The Big Sleep and Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity, were also highly
prominent in the field of radio entertainment. Programs such as Nero Wolfe by Rex
Stout, Boston Blackie by Richard Kollmar and Philip Marlowe by Raymond Chandler
delved mainly into the realms of crime investigation whereby the main protagonist
would have to endure and experience the aforementioned themes.
One of the most common attributes that 'old school' noirs and 'new school' or 'neo'
noirs have is that they always convey a "plot involving crime and violence, usually of
a personal, passionate nature" (Gunning 1999: 151). The 'crime' narrative was more or
less a prerequisite when it came to establishing a film as belonging in the noir genre
back in the 40's and 50's, but the narrative itself was being utilized in other forms of
media entertainment such as radio programs, novels and in 'grown-up' comics.
Popular comics which incorporated the crime narrative went by such names as
Behind Prison Bars, Crime Does Not Pay and Gangsters And Gun Molls. The comic
entitled Crimes By Women by the Fox Features Syndicate had the added similarity
with film noirs by featuring vicious femme fatales who committed the crimes, only to
be put to justice at the end. The EC comics entitled Crime Superstories and Shock
Suspense, as James Naremore mentions in his article, "were filled with restless
suburban marriages, neurotic killers and corrupt police" (Naremore 1998: 258).
Clearly these characteristics are synonymous with what is expected to be conveyed
from the crime narratives in noir films.
With any other film genres, noir films have distinct characters with roles, which can
be easily familiarised with. The main character is usually a male within the ages of
20-45, and is either a detective or some other authority figure. He is portrayed as a
hard-nut loner who is depressed about his life and is highly vulnerable. This
incomparable antihero is stuck in a life that has no happy ending, no matter how hard
he tries to change it. His female cohort, on the other hand, is elegant and beautiful,
and always uses her sexuality to get what she wants. She is career-driven and devious
in her ways, always having ulterior motives to her actions. This femme fatale is
described as a "self-consumed, anti-domestic, anti-social female" and thus "causing
all manner of social mayhem" (Morris 2000: 1). While films can depict these
character roles considerably well, it is in literary works whereby character roles are
defined and established with greater depth. Classic novels such as the original
interpretations of The Postman Always Rings Twice, They Shoot Horses Don't They
and The Maltese Falcon conveyed the noir motivated characters with exceptional
detail and subsequently were the basis behind the films which also garnered great
success.
The argument pertaining to whether neo-noir films have, in effect, betrayed the purity
of the original style can be highly debatable. The most obvious distinction between
the two is the difference in cinematography. Old school noir films were shot
inevitably in black and white and also in a specific screen size of 1:33. Many
'traditionalists' argue that noir films "required the format for which it was originally
conceived" and rationalise that "the use of colour and the wider screen sizes... have
ensured the genre's disappearance" (Hirsch 1999: 11). The counter-argument to that
claim is that, in the modern age, contemporary audiences have been passively
educated that all film experiences are merely to entertain and escape from reality.
Thus, it can be said that these audiences would not appreciate, let alone notice the
importance of adhering to the old school cinematography and, quite possibly deter
from it due to its unfamiliarity and 'boring' imagery. Roman Polanski's film
Chinatown is considered as the first neo-noir film that used colour and widescreen
capabilities to visually enhance its noir experience. The majority of the key scenes
were shot in daylight and the "color palette used was a real dull series of colors"
(Kiesow 2000: 1). This effect gives the film a sense of realism, thus making the
locations artistically beautiful and the characters and the time period in which it was
set more authentic and believeable, while at the same time shifting the emphasis of
the dark tone essential to noir to its narrative and character depiction.
The implicit sexuality and violence that exists in contemporary neo-noir films is also
a point of discussion to be raised in this argument. Due to the strict censorship codes
that existed in the 1930's through to the 1960's, old school noirs had to adopt
measures to imply sex and violence in its films. Writers Borde and Chaumeton
contend that "censorship actually heighten the effectiveness of certain films by
forcing directors to rely on the power of suggestion" (Naremore 2002: 16). However,
recent neo-noir films such as Jerry Goldsmith's Basic Instinct and Martin Scorsese's
Taxi Driver can be seen as clear examples of the importance of sex and violence to
likewise increase the sense of reality and conviction in the films, especially in the
portrayal and experiences of the characters. The sex scenes in Basic Instinct plays an
important part in determining the volatile relationship between the lead character and
his female partner, since it is apparent that Detective Curran is risking his life every
time when they do have sex and thus exemplifying the power that this female has over
him. This obviously adds to the noir effect of having a dominant femme fatale as not
only a lover but also someone who is able to, at her discretion, take his life in the
process. Similarly, the violence shown in Taxi Driver, especially in the final scenes
when Travis brutally murders 'Sport' and his associate, plays a key role in determining
the kind of life that Travis leads. The fact that he was considered a hero after
committing the murders illustrates that he lives in a extremely dark and disturbing
society whereby killing is not only tolerable, but praised by his peers. This 'doomed'
life of Travis and the seedy environment, which surrounds him, are seen as key noir
elements which enhances the effectiveness of the film.
In summary, it can be seen that the characteristics of noir can be loosely identified in
other areas of the media, hence the phrase "noir mediascape". Characteristics such as
noir iconography, themes, narratives and character portrayals have been implemented
in other media sources such as radio, literature, comic books, magazine
advertisements and even the contemporary arts. The debate regarding whether neo-
noir films have betrayed the purity conveyed in classic noir films can be analysed by
looking into the key differences in cinematography and the use of implicit sex and
violence. By examining key neo-noir films such as Chinatown, Basic Instinct and
Taxi Driver, it is evident that these differences does not deter from the essence of the
noir genre and, in fact, works in its advantage to strengthen the noir experience.
