Feedback on progress

A promising stat to your web-log and some imaginative ideas in your practical work.

You discuss the codes and conventions of the film noir in some detail and de-construct the opening sequence of 'Seven'. 

Remember to identify what you can see, or denote.

Explain how the director has created meaning (Connotations)

Widen your analysis to fully explain your points and demonstrate a full understanding.

Film noir

The codes and conventions of film noir

Characters

Vladimir Propp identified 7 types of characters. These are a villan, a doner, a helper, a princess, a false hero, a dispatcher and a hero. There are two types of women in a film noir and these are a princess who is trust worthy and loving, or a femme fatale who is the bad girl, most often guilty and are dangerous. The prettier they are, the badder they are. They are often made out to be superior over the male also, and this is emphasized by using a high angle shot of the woman at the top of the stairs and a shot-reverse-shot to show the man at the bottom, as if she is the ruler of the house. 

Use of the camera

The filming is done in dark alleyways, and single rooms often with just a single light source, and low key lighting is used, with a black and white affect. There are usually blinds in the offices and a detective typically sits in a chair with a glass of whisky or some similar alcohol and holding a cigarette. The single light source creates shadows everywhere and this is key in a film noir. There is often an enigma or a hook which is the base to the whole of the story, it is what is to be found or discovered and this is done throughout the whole film. Like a mystery that needs to be solved.

Sound
Voice-overs are used in film noir's because it is a quick way of giving lots of information and it also helps you emphasize with the main character as you are in their shoes, so they are the main character and you are seeing it from their perspective. They have a musical sound track made by an orchestra to match the type of situation, so if it is tense they will use a strings composition.

Clothing

The iconography of the detective is important as this is a main clue for the films. They have the long coat, a hat and wear a shirt and trousers most of the time. The iconography of the secretary who works for the detective is also important,they will be in a little dress and dressed up beautifully with perfect makeup and a sweet little voice. The femme fatales are usually very sexy and are deceiving under there coats and scarfs. They are flirty and try to act innocent to persuade the detective in to believing them. They are always very pretty and heavily made-up so people cannot resist them.

Language
The representation of men and women in the 1940's was very different to how it is now. Women were seen as a housewife and if they strayed from that tradition then they were seen as dangerous.

Analysis of 'Maltese falcon'

The 'Maltese falcon' is set in San Francisco, America. This is pointed out straight away due to the big bridge which is a key icon to San Francisco. We see the establishing shot straight away and then also a subjective point of view shot which shows the detective is in his office. Detective Spade is on his chair at his desk and addresses his secretary in a way that would not be used nowadays, calling her 'sweetheart', 'precious' and 'darling'. This shows how the representation of men and women have changed since 1940. She is very glamorous which is typical of a film noir and she does everything he tells her. When the femme fatale comes in draped in a fox scarf and dressed up beautifully it is obvious that she is as guilty as sin as she portrays her self so sweetly and innocent that it is to good to be true. She drops the anigma straight away telling the detective that her sister has gone missing, when it is obvious that she knows where she is really. There is a shot reverse shot between the femme fatale and the detective showing close ups on their faces. She is English and speaks in a very posh accent, attempting to get sympathy. She is setting up the puzzle for the detectives to solve and she manipulates the men, twisting them around her little finger. Archer and Spade think they are in control of what is going on when really it is as if she is teaching them a lesson. There is also a softer focus used on the femme fatale to show her as a more perfect character. 

A lot of different camera shots are used including an over shoulder shot, a mid shot, high angle and low angle shots and a shot reverse shot. There is very low key lighting again and often just a lamp or a single light source lighting the whole scene. This creates a mysterious feel and shadows are developed everywhere. Specific music is used leading up to the death of Archer and the lighting becomes darker before he is shot. Still images are also used and props specific to film noirs, for example a newspaper, guns, etc.