It may altered a lot, mainly because of the social and cultural changes throughout the years, but it has survived and regenerated, remaining one of the leading features in the history of cinema. The genre of film noir has passed from the classic period of the " 40s to the present cinema, yet loosing nothing from its charm. But what is this special " ingredient ” that makes film noirs still so exciting and everlasting?
It ' s almost impossible for someone to define what is a film noir so I will just try to describe it, rather than define it. Personally speaking, a film noir can be described as more of a sense of a mystic atmosphere than a “ type ” of filming. Boarding the borders of what is characterized as film noir, I would say that it is a “ dark film ” . Literally, film noir means “black film ” in French, and the main reason is perhaps because of it ' s melancholic atmosphere. Totally depicting the almost “ doomed ” period before the World War II, the film noir was a depiction of a sinful story under the shadow of alienation, moral corruption, double-crossing, guilt and evil. In other words, one could say that “ film noir ” is the depiction of the underworld, with it ' s main characters focusing on the figures of detectives, gangsters and, of course, the anti-heroin of “ femme fatale ” .
This stereotype is being described in this specific essay, on an attempt to figure out how it has changed throughout the three periods of “ film noir ” from the " 40s until today.
Mostly though the main question is why the stereotype figure of femme fatale has survived as one of the most desirable film characters. In this essay I will attempt to present that this specific figure has influenced the women " s way of “ acting ” today in their everyday life, or even better the way women today want to be seen.
For this reason, there will be presented and described three representative movies from each period. From the classic one of the " 40s- " 50s is the “ Out of the past ” of 1947, with Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer, in the leading roles, directed by Jacques Tourneur. The second movie from the neo-noir period of 1960-1970 is the 1964 ' s film “ The killers ” with Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson and Ronald Reagan, directed by Donald Siegel. Last but not least, the nowadays film noir cinema will be represented by the “ Basic instinct ” of 1992, with Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone under the direction of Paul Verhoeven.
The reason for these movies being selected is mostly because they depict in the most suitable way the figure of the femme fatale. The anti-heroin of femme fatale presented in the above mentioned movies, define the power and the way social changes affected women ' s role. Personally, I believe that these movies show the ultimate feminine strength that affected the men ' s almost “ weakness ” to rule them. Men are toys of the femme fatale ' s irresistible allure. It ' s a game of the women ' s power over the men. Even though the latter believe, that they can finally conquer them, still, they cannot. But in the end men are captivated by this untouchable “ dream ” . This, though, will be analytically presented and explained later on.
Instead of an Intro
Why would someone though, be interested in a stereotype that exists for so many years in cinema? Would it be easier if we just let it be? What if this specific stereotype would be in fact the pattern of the modern woman? Could this be true?
Lets commence by saying that a modern woman wants power, money, credit for her work, and of course, the absolute freedom. Man, on the other hand needs to be the master of the game. He wants the same things. So what is the solution when a stereotype is a “ man ” in a woman ' s body? The ultimate embody of the two sexes find their answer of that timeless question on the figure of femme fatale.
One of the “ bad guys ” of the film noir is in fact the guy, all people want to became or to reign. In this specific essay I will attempt to enlighten this character that I think, it affected the most, the way people are acting today in their every day life. Even though there have been many decades since the first " invasion ” of the femme fatale " s stereotype in cinema through film noirs, my guess is that now we can almost clearly see the results of this figure in real life.
Starting back from the 40s I will try to prove that nowadays real characters have been in a way subconsciously formed under the veil of a femme fatale. Always getting what she wants. And always want more than she can gets.
