Reflection on Noir Films

Killer’s Kiss

The first film I watched was Killer’s Kiss. Killer’s Kiss does an amazing job of capturing noir characteristics and they are all over the place in this film. To start off with setting I did a little research and found that, Kubrick the director of this film, started shooting with a basic Hollywood theme of sound and lighting but Kubrick became frustrated and move the shooting which featured an old apartment, a dance hall, and a train station which embraced the typical noir setting. To me Kubrick’s use of setting in this film was his largest portrayal of noir. He featured an aspect of the tough city life, the few scenes of Broadway, and the beat down, unsettling apartments. The three main characters, the boxer, the girl (who was a dancer) and the gangster also fit many of the noir films.

He Walked by Night

The second film I watched was He Walked by Night. To be completely honest I was kind of mad at myself for watching this film. I didn’t exactly enjoy it. It did though incorporate aspects of film noir. To start, of course the black and white setting. Something that jumped out at me that hasn’t in the other noir films was actually the music. I’m not sure if it was just me but the music was terrific and just added so much more cynical, suspenseful drama to the film. Probably just me! Next, this film featured the crazy, creepy, cop killer that everyone loves in a noir. The cop was unquestionably the highlight of the film. Lastly, the chase that took place in the sewer system at the conclusion of the film incorporated the classic noir ending.