Blade Runner and Double Indemnity Blade Runner (1982), an essential film in the science fiction canon, depicts Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) as he tries to track down the last replicants (bioengineered androids) on Earth. His mission to “retire” the remaining replicants turns complicated when he falls in love with one of them, causing him an existential crisis. Although Blade Runner is a notable example of the science fiction genre, it shares many similarities with some of the classic films noir. For the purpose of this paper, a comparison based on visual style, character types and narrative patterns between neo-noir Blade Runner and classic noir Double Indemnity (1944) will be made. Visual style is one of the many elements that these two …show more content…
In Double Indemnity, Barbara Stanwyck’s character is the quintessential femme fatale: seductive, cunning, manipulative, and evil. Phyllis and her stepdaughter—the only other female character in the story—truly exemplify the virgin/whore dichotomy. Although the male protagonist is morally ambiguous and complex in Billy Wilder’s film, there are no gray areas when it comes to the women; they are perceived as either good or evil. Blade Runner however, goes beyond good and evil. At first, Rachael seems quite cool and in complete control of the situation, but Deckard is able to break down her walls and uncover her emotional side. Even though she is noble, she still has a dangerous quality to her, which prevents her from becoming a two-dimensional character. Although the viewer’s first encounter with Rachael might suggest she is the femme fatale type, Pris (a female replicant) is closer to the archetype. When Pris meets the genetic designer, Sebastian, outside his apartment, she uses her femininity to trick him. More specifically, Pris manipulates Sebastian to make him believe she is homeless and defenseless, which causes him to bring her into his home. Even though Pris seems to genuinely like Sebastian, she realizes he is quite naïve and uses that to her advantage. However, her motivations are more complex than …show more content…
Its visual style is comparable to that of classical films noir such as Double Indemnity because it features low-key lighting, urban settings, and the iconic Venetian blinds to create a gloomy atmosphere. Additionally, these visual elements emphasize the pessimism, anxiety, and overall isolation of the protagonists, which have very similar traits. Both Rick Deckard and Walter Neff are anti-heroes who have questionable morals and seem to be alienated individuals. Although both male protagonists are alike, the female characters in Blade Runner are far more complex than Phyllis Dietrichson and her stepdaughter. Rachael is noble but has an edge to her, while Pris, in spite of her manipulative actions, seems to genuinely like Sebastian and is trying to ensure the survival of her species. An additional characteristic that set Double Indemnity and Blade Runner apart is the fact that the latter does not make use of the voice over / flashback technique. Instead, Ridley Scott’s film opts for a more ambiguous ending, which makes it more thought
Film Noir, as Paul Schrader integrates in his essay ‘Notes on Film Noir,’ reflects a marked phase in the history of films denoting a peculiar style observed during that period. More specifically, Film Noir is defined by intricate qualities like tone and mood, rather than generic compositions, settings and presentation. Just as ‘genre’ categorizes films on the basis of common occurrences of iconographic elements in a certain way, ‘style’ acts as the paradox that exemplifies the generality and singularity at the same time, in Film Noir, through the notion of morality. In other words, Film Noir is a genre that exquisitely entwines theme and style, and henceforth sheds light on individual difference in perception of a common phenomenon. Pertaining
It is impossible to deny the similarities of characters, setting, cinematography and more, between The Return of the Secaucus Seven by John Sayles and The Big Chill by Lawrence Kasden. This paper will focus on the similarities and differences in the themes between the two movies. Specifically, focusing on relationships, aging, and death. The two films differ in many aspects but parallel in other ways. Impacts of these themes within the two movies are important to recognize because they are relevant to everyday life, relatable, and realistic.
Billy Wilder’s film Double Indemnity uses a considerable amount of German Expressionism techniques. A crystal clear example of this is at the end of the film when Walter goes to meet Phyllis at her house, when he opens the door a long and sharp shadow appears across the wall. This is a technique used in one of the most famous german expressionism films Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. In order to get this effect, Wilder is using low-key lighting so the shadow is obvious to the audience. In this film, long and sharp shadows as well as inky blackness often appear on the screen, this is a major characteristic of german expressionist films. The mise en scene reinforces the darkness in the style and tone. These films emphasize
Janey Place and Lowell Peterson article “Some Visual Motifs of Film Noir” establishes noir as a visual style and not a ...
Duckworth, A.R. (2008). Blade Runner and the Postmodern use of Mise-en-scene. Available: http://ardfilmjournal.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/blade-runner-and-the-postmodern-use-of-mise-en-scene/ Last accessed 21st Dec 2013.
TELOTTE, J. P. (1989). Voices in the dark: the narrative patterns of film noir. Urbana, University of Illinois Press.
Adapted from the novella written by James M. Cain, Double Indemnity is a melodramatic film noir that highlights the conflict its characters face through adultery and murder which develops from the dissatisfaction and alienation that arose in the era of modernity as shown in most noir films. Unlike most noir films, Double Indemnity set the bar in terms of structural themes to follow and elements that eventually came to be considered essential in the noir genre. The film was seen to be a full embodiment of what the genre should be. Double Indemnity is an archetypal noir film, which portrays noir elements through its style, the characters, its writers’ backstory and the history of Los Angeles, the city in which it is set. This essay will examine how Los Angeles is integrated not only into the location but also into the storyline of the characters and their motivations but also the filmmakers’ lives. It does this through characteristic noir motifs like “the urban cultural landscape, the lack of rootedness of the characters, and the self-deceptions that center their world” (p. 437) affect the protagonists in the film. Double Indemnity’s use of Los Angeles as its primary location exposes the innate decadence and decay of the city through film noir stylistic elements. Billy Wilder directed Double Indemnity and the film became the archetypal noir film because it embodied all the characteristics of a typical noir film, which include “claustrophobia, paranoia, despair and nihilism” (Place and Peterson, p. 327) course kit source. Los Angeles, the city used primarily as the location in the film becomes not merely a backdrop but a character in the film through its physical and implied characteristics. The context through the stories of Wild...
The futuristic aspect of these films seems to be the main theme that connects the two films, but there are of course many other similar aspects that these films share, such as gender roles and the idea of masculinity v.s femininity, which we touch upon as class discussion when we’re talking about the film Blade Runner. ...
In today’s society, it is not uncommon to find a reproduction of a novel in movie form. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick is no exception since it was reproduced by Ridley Scott when he made the movie Blade Runner (1982). However, after watching Scotts film and reading Dick’s novel the audience can see that there were major differences between these two works. These modifications ranged from the location that it took place, to the characters involved in the story. As a result of the alterations, the meaning behind the novel also shifted when it was reproduced into a movie.
The only real way to truly understand a story is to understand all aspects of a story and their meanings. The same goes for movies, as they are all just stories being acted out. In Thomas Foster's book, “How to Read Literature Like a Professor”, Foster explains in detail the numerous ingredients of a story. He discusses almost everything that can be found in any given piece of literature. The devices discussed in Foster's book can be found in most movies as well, including in Quentin Tarantino’s cult classic, “Pulp Fiction”. This movie is a complicated tale that follows numerous characters involved in intertwining stories. Tarantino utilizes many devices to make “Pulp Fiction” into an excellent film. In this essay, I will demonstrate how several literary devices described in Foster's book are put to use in Tarantino’s film, “Pulp Fiction”, including quests, archetypes, food, and violence.
From a structural perspective, movies and novels appear as polar opposites. A film uses actors, scripts, and a set in order to create a visual that can grab and keep the attention of their viewers. However, an author strives to incorporate deeper meaning into their books. Despite these differences in media, 1984 and The Hunger Games present unique, yet similar ideas.
Run Lola Run, is a German film about a twenty-something woman (Lola) who has 20 minutes to find $100,000 or her love (Manni) will be killed. The search for the money is played through once with a fatal ending and one would think the movie was over but then it is shown again as if it had happened ten seconds later and changed everything. It is then played out one last time. After the first and second sequence, there is a red hued, narrative bridge. There are several purposes of those bridges that affect the movie as a whole. The film Run Lola Run can be analyzed by using the four elements of mise-en scene. Mise-en-scene refers to the aspects of film that overlap with the art of the theater. Mise-en-scene pertains to setting, lighting, costume, and acting style. For the purpose of this paper, I plan on comparing the setting, costume, lighting, and acting style in the first red hued, bridge to that of the robbery scene. Through this analysis, I plan to prove that the purpose of the narrative bridge in the film was not only to provide a segue from the first sequence to the second, but also to show a different side of personality within the main characters.
In this essay the following will be discussed; the change from the age of classical Hollywood film making to the new Hollywood era, the influence of European film making in American films from Martin Scorsese and how the film Taxi Driver shows the innovative and fresh techniques of this ‘New Hollywood Cinema’.
Barsam, R. M., Monahan, D., & Gocsik, K. M. (2012). Looking at movies: an introduction to film (4th ed.). New York: W.W. Norton & Co..
“Entertainment has to come hand in hand with a little bit of medicine, some people go to the movies to be reminded that everything’s okay. I don’t make those kinds of movies. That, to me, is a lie. Everything’s not okay.” - David Fincher. David Fincher is the director that I am choosing to homage for a number of reasons. I personally find his movies to be some of the deepest, most well made, and beautiful films in recent memory. However it is Fincher’s take on story telling and filmmaking in general that causes me to admire his films so much. This quote exemplifies that, and is something that I whole-heartedly agree with. I am and have always been extremely opinionated and open about my views on the world and I believe that artists have a responsibility to do what they can with their art to help improve the culture that they are helping to create. In this paper I will try to outline exactly how Fincher creates the masterpieces that he does and what I can take from that and apply to my films.