In Response to: Group 1

In Response to"How Do You Like Them Apples?":

Rachel,

I too was skeptical of the merits of Film Noir heading into our studying of the genre, mostly for the same reasons you seemed to have been. Having grown up with films such as the Naked Gun series with Leslie Nielsen, I have parody engrained in my brain when it comes to film noir. However, I, unlike you, still have not been won over yet. I just don't think I can shake the instinct to laugh when it comes to true film noir, and since they aren't funny enough to really hold my attention, I couldn't see myself watching a movie like Out of the Past in my daily life (though I love the use of cigarette smoke illuminating the characters and adding to intrigue, as you did too). On the other hand, Chinatown stands the test of time and defeats the convention of classic Film Noir. It carries forth the mystery and captivation of pushing the limits of the law and a femme fatale who keeps us on the edge of our seats, yet it manages to avoid the more cliche aspects of Film Noir, the perfect dialogue and unflappable characters. Essentially, it is a more realistic representation in my book. Oh, and Jack Nicholson doesn't hurt.

In Response to "Out of the Past: A Look Into a Genre":

Anne,

I like your opening example of Howard Norton visiting your class. This introduction seamlessly transitions into an engaging discussion of the language of film genres, and film noir in particular. The "one liners" certainly stick out as a classically "noir" use of dialogue, the witty, sharp comebacks that seem to make the film's heroes stand out as larger than life. While I thought your analysis was pretty spot on, I'd be curious to hear some more of your own opinions in terms of the effectiveness of language, and in general whether or not you enjoy the genre of film noir. Or, since, as you point as, language within a genre does not necessarily equate its individual films, what were your thoughts on Out of the Past itself?

In Response to "Black and White and Read All Over":

Maria,

I must say, your first paragraph describes perfectly how I felt myself coming into this genre, and even coming into this class. It is as if you jumped in my head and ran out with my thoughts. Then again, I suppose many of us, raised in an era far removed from the use of black and white in cinema, would share those interpretations. I agree that now that I have a better sense of what constitutes a genre's "language," I definitely have a greater appreciation for the work. I also must say, I have been a fairly outspoken critic of the film noir genre due to the unrealistic nature of the dialogue. Your point about taking the genre for what it is alllllmost makes me rethink my criticism, especially since I am a huge fan Sin City. However, I'm still not sold, because Sin City visibly appears much more unrealistic, and therefore changes my visual perception and unconscious understanding of the film.

In Response to: "Out of the Past: Classic Film Noir"

Vikram,

Finally, someone comes out and says the truth about this movie. It's a comedy! And a damn funny one at that. True, the artistic and, as you put it, "salient" aspects of the film are marvelous and at times breathtaking, but those aspects are what makes this particular film something to be studied. However, I will never fully be able to come to grips with the absurdity of the dialogue and the motion of the plot. I can appreciate the art, but I will never call myself a real fan.

In Response to: "A Discussion of Film Noir, Out of the Past, and Rick Altman"

Shayna,

I very much enjoyed your analysis of the female character in the film noir genre. You mention Kathie from Out of the Past as the typical femme fatale character, and demonstrate how she is a bit out of the ordinary for the genre in that she indeed is deceiving her love interest, as opposed to many other leads who simply appear to be deceptive. Kathie was my favorite character in this film, the one I found easily the most captivating. In your conclusion, you mention the use of borrowing techniques from other genres, and sight techniques from the  Romance genre within the film. I would argue that romance is a necessary aspect of Film Noir, and thus not a different genre at all.