In this Neo-Noir film we have the introduction of color. This was interesting because we had to analyze scenes in color while still trying to retain the noir themes. Thankfully shadows are still black even in colored film. So during the film we had the use of shadows very visible especially when he was tailing his different leads. We also have presence of a femme fatale. This femme fatale is fatal indeed. I believe she offers the biggest plot twist from all the text we have experienced thus far. She provides such a dynamic that changes the scope the entire film as to where she is involved with something very taboo. The plot twist that she provided was the biggest that any femme fatale.

In “The Setup” we have a film noir that does not appear to be a film noir until the very end. During the course of the film we have a very slow build up of the background and plot. We have our protagonist Stoker competing in a boxing match. It unfolds to this under handed deal where Stoker is supposed to take a fall in the match but no one tells him because he is considered to be a washed up boxer without a shot. Stoker manages to win against what could be considered to be the younger version of himself. This results in the deal he knows nothing about blowing up in his face. Then we take the plunge into noir. A four on one fight breaks out and Stoker ends up with a broken hand and empty dreams.

In Blade Runner we have a film that could potentially be called a noir film. We have a detective trying to solve a mystery. As he gets more involved in the case he gets pulled deeper and deeper into the conflict. We have femme fatale that turns out to be the enemy and falls in love with our protagonist Rick. He has to go against what he has been doing his entire so that he can be together with her.

    In “Murder My Sweet” we see a classic noir film in action. We have a detective get entwined in different conflict that revolve around him as gets deeper and deeper into the case. Now for the film it can be argued that there are two femme fatales in this film but I would stick with one, Helen or Velma. As a femme fatal would she does end up double crossing Marlowe but we do not find this out towards the very end. Marlowe admits many times he is not the brightest detective so during his investigation he is never able to piece together that he is on a wild goose chase which attests to his inability to really solve this crime. In other noir films our detectives are the best of the best where here we are left with a detective that only knows as much as the audience. What makes this film different from the others is that Marlowe has a happy ending after the bloody ending in which most of the people he comes into contact with meet their demise. I found this happy ending characteristic of the film very strange compared to all the other films we have watched up until this point. I was sure there was going to be another twist before the credits rolled but alas nothing. Perhaps the negative part of the ending was that he would be temporarily blind but this pales in comparison to other film’s protagonists.

In the film “Out of the past” we see yet another detective getting involved in a case he has to solve. It starts out with our detective Jeff in a small town actually living a false life going under a different identity His past catches up to him and now he has a new objective. To retrieve certain information for his old client who he double crossed. In the is noir film we have Jeff the hardboiled detective who actually attempts to escape his terrible decision. The femme fatale in this film I believe is the most corrupt from all three films we have watched so far. Kathie did not hesitate to kill anyone and every time she appeared in the film it meant some kind of trouble for Jeff. The relationship with the femme fatale starts much like the other 2 noir films. Jeff was called in and given a case to find her and bring her back. The reward was high enough to warrant the thought of going after her. Once Jeff met the femme fatale it was all downhill from there. She convinces Jeff to run away from Whit, the reward and be with her. Jeff is so infatuated he does just that. We can see that this is the classic noir film femme fatale set up. The private investigator tosses aside his case to get the girl.

In this film we see that Jeff is not interested in the femme fatale anymore but he cannot seem to escape her and her web of lies no matter what he does. He is also less morally corrupt than the other main characters. He made a mistake accepting the femme fatale and he tried to get away and lead a completely different life with a new woman. Instead of the main character looking for trouble the trouble finds him and does not want to let him go.

The protagonist is constructed in a non-traditional manner. We see the conclusion of the movie unfolding in the beginning and he tells the story as a confession to his boss.  So as he tells his story he develops himself which I do not seen done regularly. He comes off as a macho health insurance sells man. He does not take no for an answer and he keeps it smooth for the ladies. He also knows how to tip-toe his way around fraud apparently. He also appears to be a romantic because of the way he approached a married woman as if he stood a chance and admits to falling for regardless of the circumstances.  Neff fits the bill of being determined which can be assumed to be obtained through his line of work as a sales man but also is obvious when we see he would do anything for a chance with Phyllis which is pretty much how he lands himself in all this trouble. Planning murder after a little tease.

The femme fatale in this movie is Phyllis. Towards the beginning of class we began to describe a femme fatale using everything we knew about a femme fatale from everything we have seen whether it was a film or a television show. Phyllis fit the bill like a glove. It was like she read a copy of the list the class constructed and went out and played her part. She was devious, had a thing for the main character, she leads him into the pits of danger with her beauty and she is dangerous to boot. The reason why she is dangerous is because we learn that she has something to do with the first wife’s death. Most of the film is centered around her getting what she wants and her willingness to do as she pleases. She, as the femme fatale would, also leads our protagonist Neff to his doom. I believe Phyllis is the model for a femme fatale without a doubt.

I have never really seen a black and white fil from start to finish so this was a new experience for me. From past studies I knew that older movies rely on lighting to set the mood of the current scenario. With the lighting in the movie it was easy top see if the scene was serious or not so serious.
In Maltese Falcon we a what can be described as a hard boiled private investigator. He’s tough, rough, has bark and bite. We can see it from his attitude and the way he tries to get the upper hand in every situation. He also does a lot of things a bad guy would do. He lies to the cops and tries to keep secrets for his own personal gain. But he does it in the name of justice and the greater good. “The end will justify the means”
Because this a noir film shadows play a big role. We also see shadows over the faces of our hero when he is being portrayed in a series manner. When his partner was murdered we saw the shadow. When the mood was light everyone’s faces were illuminated nicely. Also the music played a big role in plot development. When scenes began to speed up or the plot was thickening there was music to accompany us at every twist and turn