Dynamic Openings

My first week of this online Investigating Film Noir course consisted of an introduction to the film noir genre. The professor provided links to 4 different films providing a short, five-minute observation into film noir. Our assignment was to analyze the dynamic openings and how they contribute to film noir genre. Below are the clips along with my observation.

Fritz Lang's "M"

The lack of title cards or cast overview takes the viewer straight into the action. The viewing audience can immediately sense the tension on the first woman as she yells at the children to stop singing that awful song. Right away I feel like a voyeur glimpsing into these characters' lives which adds to the creepiness factor. We are overlooking the children playing a game. We watch the woman climb the stairs all the while keeping a distance. It's as though the director is placing us in the shoes of the "man in black".

The fact that a child's sweet voice singing a violent rhyme highlights their innocence. They are oblivious to the dangers around them. In fact they have no sense of danger. It isn't unlike how children today sing "Ring Around the Rosies" which is about the plague, but they are unaware of the rhyme's gloominess.

We are introduced to the "man in black" through his shadow creating an aura of mystery and heightened suspense.

Jean Renoir's "La Bete Humaine"

I have to start by saying that I was watching this clip on my commute to work. I take the CalTrain along the San Francisco peninsula. As the film's train approached its station, my train was also making one of its stops. I was, quite literally, along for the ride. If anyone reading this takes a commuter train, I HIGHLY recommend watching this again during your commute.

The dark touches are quite literal: the dark passage through the tunnels, but I love the contrast of light particularly as the train approaches the other side. There is a sense of relief once you exit the other side; sort of like a rebirth. The music expands on the train's arrival creating an aura of success.

I have a student who is from France, and I had to ask her for some translations and explanations. The title means The Human Beast; it makes it a bit clearer about what I can expect. The train may be a symbol for the conductor. Strong, tough, gritty, maybe even greed? Perhaps the conductor's relationship with the train itself (I was reminded of the silent film The General and Buster Keaton's love for his train).

La Havre is a port city outside Paris. That explains the empty station. It isn't a commuter train but rather used for shipments. The emptiness, though, can still peak the audience's interest. Perhaps some sort of illegal transport or transaction about to take place? A heist?

The light/dark contrast may not necessarily be good and evil, but it can be the two sides of human consciousness. Perhaps some sort of internal conflict? This was usually a common theme in most hardboiled films noir and fiction.

What I found amusing is despite all the black smoke, the engineers continue to enjoy a cigarette.I half expected there would be an explosion of some sort. Regarding smoking as a staple in films noir, the smoke provided most of the ambiance and set a mood. One film that comes to mind, though not a film noir, is "Good Night and Good Luck" with all the cigarette smoke slowly swirling on scene. It almost felt like a character itself. I think to remove it would have changed the mood/tone completely.

Symbols

The train whistle is more of a scream as though in agony.

Fire: can be perceived as a symbol for damnation.

This train: bat out of hell. The speed adds to the suspense (especially when you are, yourself, on a train viewing this clip).

William Wyler's "The Letter"

Technical elements of noir:

• Long single take, panning
• The dolly zoom
•  Use of light/dark contrasts
• Use of shadow
• Tracking shot 

Style elements of noir:

• Serenity abruptly broken by a single gunshot
• The Femme Fatale
• Cold/callous murder

What was most surprising to me was the actual murder itself. Generally, murder is referred and not explicitly shown in classic films. There is always one scene for the shot and the second scene the victim's reaction. In this scene, both murderess and victim occupy the same screen shot lending itself to a new style of film production.

Stylistically, I loved the tracking shot that slowly zooms at the same speed as Bette Davis lowers her arm. The zoom picks up speed once she drops her weapon.

For the moon sequences, after the murder, we see the plantation covered in darkness to signify impending doom, not just for the victim in this scene, but for all those occupying the plantation. It is a place of darkness/danger. The uncovering of the moon sheds light on Davis herself. It's as if nature/God is pointing in the direction of the femme fatale; someone on which the characters and ourselves need to focus.

The moon can also be interpreted as Davis's mental state with particular reference to the term "lunacy" or "lunatic"; root word luna (moon). At the height of her lunacy when she empties the chamber, it's an exposed bright moon. Once the deed is complete, the moon is covered which may signify her return to sanity and realization of her actions. However, since the moon reappears, we note her reaction and those eyes! It's as though she's teetering between sanity and insanity.

Then I considered another subtext on femininity; the phases of the moon and women's reproductive system. Because our cycle is 28 days, it often parallels the phases of the moon (also 28 days). Perhaps this could hint at a moment of hysteria due to the menstrual phase when women are at their most ornery. (I know; it's a stretch.)

Delmer Dave's "Dark Passage"

Ah...Dark Passage! One of my favorite noir films of all time; I just love seeing San Francisco in the 1940s.

We don't get the first person POV until after he emerges from the trash can. What I like about his emergence is the encircling of his character. I can see this two ways: It's almost like a spotlight on him especially since he is being pursued by the authorities. The second way, which is the strongest point for me, is a metaphoric rebirth of his character. He emerges from darkness to light much as with all living mammals that pass through the birth canal. It's especially poignant that he emerges into a naturalistic environment. Of course, this is reaffirmed with his upcoming actions further in the film (I won't spoil the rest of it).

Once we establish the first person POV, we become his character. We, literally, see through his eyes. We also hear his thoughts. We run the same emotions as he does: the fear of being discovered, the paranoia of looking past our shoulders and being asked too many questions. Will we be "found out"?

As per its contribution to film noir, the most obvious is the voice over. This is the first of the daily doses that has it. This is a staple of film noir. Another factor is the screen shot from the trash can. Using the circular shape to highlight the character.