Conventions Of The Film Noir Genre example essay topic

The film noir, or black film, is known as a popular phenomenon in American film-making. The era of the film noir began during, and following the war, becoming a common part of the American movie culture in the 1940's and 1950's. Later in the 70's, 80's and 90's, the conventions of film noir grew popular once again in what is considered the post-noir, or neo-noir era. The film noir encourages realism, and depicts dark images and a fatalistic perspective of the world. Notorious for it's American crime and detective films, film noir displays evil, ambiguity, pessimism and paranoia. The plot includes scenes of crime, corruption, murder and predominantly a mysterious femme fatale.

Basic Instinct, can be categorized as a neo-noir film, as it includes these conventions of the film noir genre, primarily the daring and devious femme fatale, Catherine Tramell. From a technical viewpoint, Basic Instinct uses the common techniques in noir films. One of the most popular techniques of the film noir genre, that is evident within Basic Instinct, is the use of low-key lighting and shadows. In the scene where Catherine is brought to police headquarters for investigation, she is questioned in a dark room, where the spotlight is on her. The purpose of this type of lighting is to highlight the character and differentiate her from the background. The use of this lighting is effective, as the audience's attention is drawn directly to Catherine Tramell, and encourages us to deeply analyze her character.

Another technical aspect of the film noir genre, is the use of long, vertical and high-angle film shots. The purpose of this technique is to leave an unsettling impression, creating a mood of alienation and loneliness (Hordes, 1999). An example of this would be the long, vertical, outdoor shot of Nick's apartment building. It is a metaphoric image of a prison, or his world as a prison, emphasizing the fatalistic view of the world.

The scene mimics Nick's entrapment by Catherine Tramell as he knows that he could be the next victim in her evil scheme. One of the most infamous elements of the film noir, is the key player - the femme fatale. She is a mysterious, independent and hardworking woman, who is also manipulative and seducing. She is ambitious, exciting and promiscuous, using the power of sex to obtain what she desires.

Catherine Tramell portrays an ambitious writer, who is wealthy and owns an entire estate. She is independent, living on her own, and is distant with those around her. It is evident that she is goal-oriented, both in and outside of her occupation. In the film, Catherine intensely investigates Nick's professional and personal history, as we see several newspaper clippings spread across her workspace. She is confident and ambitious, true to the character of the femme fatale. Likewise, Catherine uses sexual attraction as a means of manipulating men.

When she speaks to Nick, she speaks close to his face, as if she is going to kiss him. She speaks in a slow and seductive tone of voice. Her movements are slow and graceful and when she walks, there is sexuality in her sway. He is drawn to her sexually and she is fully aware of this. As a result, she plays with this tension and attraction, and eventually he falls victim to her trap. Knowing very well that she is a definite threat, he chooses to pursue her, though his fate lies in her hands.

Although Nick's original intention is to prove Catherine guilty of murder, Catherine actually changes his mind throughout the course of the plot, with her attempts seeming almost effortless. In the end, Nick tries to prove Catherine's innocence in the murder case, and thus displays the power and manipulation of the femme fatale. The resolution at the end of the movie, both encourages and defies the conventions of the film noir genre. At the end of most neo-noir films, the femme fatale dies and falls victim to her own trap.

However, in Basic Instinct, this particular attribute of the film noir is challenged, as Catherine Tramell survives in the end and still manages to accomplish her two goals: she gets the man she desires and she is no longer considered a suspect in the murder case. In contrast to this, Basic Instinct, adheres to the features of the film noir, in that, the resolution of the movie exhibits ambiguity and leaves the audience questioning the innocence of Catherine Tramell: Is she really the murderer, or not? In its entirety, the film reinforces noir moods of paranoia and despair, depicting the dark visual expression of the fatalistic world. Thus, Basic Instinct, can be categorized as a neo-noir as it is possesses many of the technical aspects and aesthetics of the film noir genre..