Film Noir was named by French critic Nino Frank in 1946, literally meaning "Black Film". It is said to have taken large influence from German expressionism , aided by the influx into Hollywood of European writers, filmmakers and academics. Its names derives from how dark, shadowy and downbeat the visuals and themes are. One of the first Noir-labelled films was Fritz Lang's 1931 magnum-opus 'M'.
The style is thought to become so successful as
it took on the darker depression in society duri
ng and following the War. The shadows of Nuclear war are also prominent, given America's role in the Cold War. The threat of mass-destruction casting over the life of each everyday American. The prominence of McCarthy's 'Red Scare' is also vital, fuelling the core messages of Film Noir's narratives of betrayal and deception.
The style is said to have ended its 'Golden Age' in 1958, with Orson Welle's 'Touch of Evil'. However, the ending of classic noir gave birth to the Neo-Noir, film noir which encompassed the current climate, deliberately rejecting the audience from narrative involvement. Whilst film noir built itself upon the audience's relationship with the protagonist, its successor actively pushed viewers away with unconventional camera angles and narrative constructs.
Examples of neo-noir include Frankenheimer's 'The Manchurian Candidate', Siegel's 'Dirty Harry' and even Ridley Scott's 'Bladerunner'.
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