Cinematography

The First movie I watched was The Hitch-Hiker. Below are the 3 still captures I chose to depict the noir in this film.

This photo captures noir because it is an example of a distinct shadow. The silhouette in this photo depicts a hitch-hiker which ends up being the the actual hitch-hiker killer in the movie. However, before we know this, the shadow represents the mystery of a traveling  stranger. It creates feelings of curiosity as well tentativeness, because you want to know more but you’re not sure how much.

This image depicts the accessories of noir. This gun as well as the dark leather coat the Hitch Hiker is wearing are classic noir accessories. In another aspect, still’s main effect is to train your focus to the imminent danger of the gun. It makes you look at the and think about what this situation really could mean. It also purposefully excludes the face of this man, making it a more uncomfortable sight through not allowing you to focus elsewhere.

Because of the darkness in this shot, it is difficult to make out the man and the setting, but it also creates an unsettling sense. In this image, the man stands alone on a boat dock. These aspects imply solitude, as well as, a dark, open, never ending space in front of you and only one way to go. What you can’t see is the hitch hiker and the other man coming up behind the camera. The hitch hiker following this man means that he can’t turn around; he can’t go back. Although with that knowledge, he is not alone, the camera reverting back to this angle physically shows you that the he is alone in the situation. Furthermore, the fact that he turned around to look back means that he is unsure of the actions he is being coerced to do.

Another aspect of noir in this movie is the time frame. This movie was released in 1953, which was the prime time for the noir tone.

_______________________________________________________

The second movie I chose for my reflection was Chinatown. I actually thought this movie was pretty good and I enjoyed it, unlike my movie buddy. Below are 3 pictures of this film that I chose to depict its noir.

This picture has multiple aspects of noir. Firstly, the Mrs. Mulwray-impersonator is a definitive noir character. She is dressed in in the black noir fashion, with fur and a hat with a veil. She is smoking a cigarette, and in this photo blowing the smoke across the man in the back’s face. Another aspect in this still capture is the venetian blinds, a classic noir affect, as well as, the grittiness of the build environment which peaks in on the filing cabinet.

In the next photo, the noir is simply the silhouette of Gittes. The fence creates a repeating geometric shape, like the ones we observed in the video about photography this week. And the sky lets us know that its late in the day, creating a sense of mysterious.

Finally, this last photo below, I chose to depict the characters captured in an intense fraught moment. The man on the left is perturbed because he doesn’t want Gittes walking around the building, but Gittes does so anyway while snooping for information. The man then finds him, as seen here, and suggests he leaves. Personally, I find this man a little creepy with the red chrysanthemum he is wearing.