Film Noir and Femme Fatale.

What is Film Noir?

Film noir is a type of film developed during and after WW2, they reflected the anxiety, pessimism and paranoia within society at the war time and rarely had happy endings. Film Noir is recognised for specific characteristics such as lighting; directors often made use of shadow and contrast, frequently using long haunting shadows and blacked out figures. Film noir often used Chiaroscuro lighting connatating the dark, doomed, unhealthy side of society, human nature or love.  Also the lighting was used to represent the characters within the society at the time. The characters specific to Noir films include villians, cops, gangsters, socio-paths, killers, war veterans, politicians and Goverment agents. Characters who are often moraless "low-lifes" from the gloomy unseen world of corruption and voilent crimes. The females in Film Noir were usually two types the innocent, faithful, loving type or they were "femme fatales". The settings and location of the films usually included claustrophobic spaces, blinded rooms (often connotating constriction with reference to prison bars), dark suspicious alley ways, wet murky streets, abandonned warehouses, low rent apartments and hotel rooms.

What is femme fatale?

Femme fatale (literally meaning fatal woman in french) is a type of woman often used in art, literacy and film- particually in Film Noir. The women classed as "femme fatale" were extremely manipulative, sensual and possesive, the Femme Fatale rejects the conventional roles that maintream society chose for women. The idea of Femme Fatal evolved form the character Salome in the old testiment, Salome was a woman who used her sexual power to get her own way- much like in the films, she danced in front of a powerful leader to get John the Baptist beheaded. Usually in film the femme fatale tries to achieve her chosen desire by ruthlessly using her charm, occasionally lying, her beauty and her sexual allur, often ending in her own destruction and the destruction of the men that fall under her charm. The way the women have been portrayed almost supports the existing social order and the definition of gender roles by creating a strong, independant, powerful, woman that had never been seen in cinema only to capture her and to punish her in the end. The femme fatale usually meets a bad ending; for example Posion Ivy in Batman & Robin is an extreme example, as her "poisonous" kiss killed various heroes and is eventually captured by the new Batwoman. This is because the Femme Fatale is a construction of a paternalistic society, she is a male construction and reflection of the misogyny in the 40's, which still exists today. There are still signs of Femme Fatale in films nowadays however they have changed and shaped within time.





This is a clip of the film Gilda, a Femme Fatale originating from 1946 meaning it was one of the first "Femme Fatale" films. It is a traditional representation of the femme fatale as the woman is highly confident, has lots of sexuality and attitude.

These are images of the 2003 film Kill Bill. I wanted to compare The Bride to Gilda, The Bride in this film shows signs of a modern style Femme Fatale. Unlike Gilda however attractive she may be she doesn't use sexual allure to get want she wants, however much like the Gilda she is a strong, deviant female who would do anything in her power to. This is visible in the picture above and even in the title "kill bill". Perhaps the way she doesn't use her sexuality gives a modern twist on Femme Fatale and suggests that nowadays women don't have to be sexy to be powerful. Also the fact that she survived and wasn't "tamed" like Gilda also shows a reflection on modern day women.