Schrader Readings and Film Noir

To my suprise I really enjoyed Schraders reading, it was insightful and informative. I was immediately shocked to learn that film noir is actually not a genre but defined by its tone. This makes sense since sometimes the lighting of different shades of black and shadow can have more depth than the plot itself, or even be a reflection of the dark plot. Watching "Double Indemnity" before having done the Schrader reading was a learning experiment for me. Without knowing much about the film I was truly able to grasp what a film noir is all about. The play on black tones and white shadows slivering through the crevasses which were thoughtfully placed there, all create a dynamic in the film which essentially plays a tremendous factor in the dialogue. At a certain point, the fact that a light is turned on or off can hold great meaning in the scene. The play on the color black, projects a mood which is dark, mysterious, and impatient- at any moment with the flicker of a light we expect something to happen.

I have never really considered film noir to be interesting but after viewing "Double Indemnity" I realized that it is truly not only a tone but an art. Since every single detail which causes a shadow or light to come through, or even prevent it, has been carefully done on purpose and in essence working side-by-side with the verbal dialogue to tell a story.