Film Noir on Sky Arts - Episode 1 The Origins of Noir (1922-1940)

 

Film Noir is a series from 3DD Productions and shown on Sky Arts. Ian Nathan starts by saying it is the "most cinematic of genres" and that it came after the defeat of Germany in WW1, especially in Berlin. Steven Armstrong talks about the industrial revolution which led to a loss of identity (there was a long discussion about industrialisation taking away the human spirit) and Derek Malcolm takes us through it's origins based on German expressionism. It seems that the mood for these films happened before, but the first film that came to the attention of a world wide audience was The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari in 1920. we here that cinema was borrowing from the theatre to take on this art form.

In 1922 came Nosferatu (already noted in the Dracula Unearthed programme reviewed here). Neil Norman talked about the techniques used in these early films and Derek Malcolm told us about the "wonderful black and white cinematographers". Ian Nathan then talks about a key figure who arrives from Austria and whom he calls (the father of noir). And we do get a potted biography of Fritz Lang. (See Series 1 of The Directors). In 1922 he directed Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler and then in 1927 Metropolis. This was the biggest production of all time when it was released. 

Fritz Lang went on to became one of the pioneers of sound and in 1931 he directed M with Peter Lorre. Derek Malcolm called it "an extraordinary masterpiece" and Neil Norman "an amazing film". He talks about (and we are shown) the technique of the camera moving through the window. Then in 1933 came The Testament of Dr. Mabuse. When the Nazis came to power, Lang was off to America  along with many others. Hollywood became a community for these refugees. In 1931 came the first Universal Pictures Dracula. It's cinematographer was Karl Freund who shot Metropolis. 

Frankenstein followed in the same year and the 1931 also saw the birth of the gangster movies with Little Caesar and The Public Enemy with James Cagney. Derek Malcolm said that they wanted to make the most violent movie ever. I think they succeeded. Derek Malcolm said that "film noir went against all the norms of Hollywood". In 1932 came Scarface directed by Howard Hawks and based loosely on Al Capone. This succession of films was interrupted by WW2 and the next film we hear about is 1941's  Citizen Kane. Derek Malcolm said that Orson Welles copied German expressionism which he had seen on all those earlier movies. Neil Norman said "it might as well be film noir",