Does "film-noir" actually exist?

[Brotherofwill]

I don't know why all the people here are trying to define "Film-Noir". Seems to me you wanted some examples of where that stereo-type of detective/lady/office/cigarettes scene thing came from.

I'd love to know myself.

I personally have no idea, but my guess is it might come from a film series rather than a few famous movies. You know, where each episode starts with him in his office and another smoking babe coming in to get a job done. That's my guess. Otherwise it just might be mostly parody, like lots of stereotypes.

 

[Fridge]

The last film that I consider film noir is actually my favorite film Blade Runner. Ok its a sci-fi but its very much a film noir as well.

Well to get technical, that Tom Cruise/Jamie Foxx movie Colateral is a film-noir.

I forgot about that, good point it kind of is.

 

[tigermilk]

I don't know why all the people here are trying to define "Film-Noir". Seems to me you wanted some examples of where that stereo-type of detective/lady/office/cigarettes scene thing came from.

I'd love to know myself.

I personally have no idea, but my guess is it might come from a film series rather than a few famous movies. You know, where each episode starts with him in his office and another smoking babe coming in to get a job done. That's my guess. Otherwise it just might be mostly parody, like lots of stereotypes.

The stereotype comes from a mix of a broad collection of films and aesthetic trends being drawn together and discussed by critics. If I was going to offer a concise argument that may well be it, but as can be seen above conciseness is not my strong point.

 

[Jumping_Over_Fences]

I love film noir! My favorite is Laura.

Thank you! I do not see enough love on that film. It is just so good, but so many people have not seen it, or even heard of it before.

OT: It may not be film (okay, "it isn't" would have been a better choice of words), but read the hard boiled detective novels and stories. These are what the Film Noir genre was based on. The Big Sleep and Maltese Falcon were both based on novels by Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett respectively.

I haven't read much Dashiell Hammett aside from The Maltese Falcon, but that is a great novel. Raymond Chandler is amazing, it has all the ideas you are looking for, just in book form.

 

[Sjakie]

I'm just gonna say 'Marlow' and now disappear from his tread.

 

[tigermilk]

I'm just gonna say 'Marlow' and now disappear from his tread.

I shall just say 'Marlowe' because I am a petty prick. I do promise though to keep my minor corrections exclusively to the subject of film noir and specifically names and terms linked to film noir. Sorry.