As we saw in The Maltese Falcon, this movie showed a lot of the conventions of film noir that helped define the genre.  Since “noir” literally means black in French, the most important aspects are the use of black and white and striking shadows. These create the stylized look and feel as well as helps set the mood for the rest of the film. Some more apparent ones: taking place in a detective’s office with the “wild and unpredictable” smooth-talking, womanizing detective, a murder mystery ensuing, most of the main characters becoming suspects, the heavy dialogue, and added love stories. A few subtle conventions can also be seen that are built upon in later movies. For example; the use of window blind shadows, and the bright lighted/neon signs in the background at night.
While we are on the topic of conventions, I wanted to discuss the difference between conventions and clichés. Is there a difference? If so, could conventions ever become a cliché?
“I wanted to discuss the difference between conventions and clichĂ©s. Is there a difference? If so, could conventions ever become a clichĂ©?”
Great questions. I’d say that this is certainly possible and perhaps unavoidable. Can you think of any film conventions that have become clichĂ©?
To me, clichĂ©s are conventions that aren’t particularly done well in a genre, yet we see them over-used and abused in recurring films.
Off the top of my head, one film convention that has become clichĂ© are the victims in slasher flicks. After Halloween the movie, most slasher flicks feel they need to have unlikable, idiot, partying teens for the killer to kill off and one nice girl that the audience doesn’t want to die. This has been seen way too many times in horror movies, and it needs to stop.
Seriously.
“To me, clichĂ©s are conventions that arenât particularly done well in a genre, yet we see them over-used and abused in recurring films.”
But couldn’t a clichĂ© be a convention that was once good but has since become over-used?
Interesting that clichĂ© has its origins in printing – http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=cliche
“But couldn’t a clichĂ© be a convention that was once good but has since become over-used?”
That’s true but when I think of a good convention, I think of that as being a staple of a genre; such as the heavy shadows in a noir film. Without these conventions, there wouldn’t be a genre.
Good point. One question that we’ll face later in the semester, then, is how movies that aspire to be seen as part of a genre once that genre has been firmly established signal the conventions of the genre without employing clichĂ©d elements of them. Let’s remember this conversation when we turn to films like Blade Runner (and The Big Lebowski, if we wind up watching it). It may be the case that cliched conventions are given small twists that still remind people of the conventions enough to signal a sense of belonging to the genre but that are innovative enough that they don’t simply repeat clichĂ©s.