WHAT IS NEO-NOIR?

Neo-Noir or Contemporary Film Noir, is a style of film modern film which features elements of Film Noir but with updated themes, style and visual elements. Neo-Noirs usually incorporate both thematic and visual elements of Film Noir.


Neo-Noirs reflect the classic Film Noirs in many ways, including giving the audience the same feeling of anxiety and insecurity. Film Noirs featured a lot of smoking, gangsters and henchmen in suits, Neo-Noirs tried to complement this, Film scholar James Naremore said 'the chief function of these four tough guys is to light cigarettes with Zippos and model a peacock collection of suits and accessories' when referring to the characters in Mulholland Falls.

However, there are many differences of Film Noirs and Neo-Noirs. For example, Neo-Noir films reverse the way that Film Noirs made the audience build a relationship with the Anti-Hero. Neo-Noirs also feature unconventional camera movements to remind the audience they are watching a film and not partaking in the story.


Examples of Neo-Noir include: Taxi Driver, Resevoir Dogs, L.A. Confidential, Thieves Like Us, The Long Goodbye, Mulholland Falls, Body Heat, True Confessions.