An Exploration of Film Noir

Film noir, also known as “black cinema” or “dark film,” is a style of early twentieth century film that features stories revolving around characters that are caught in hopeless situations with little to no hope of redemption. These films are often characterized by their unusual visual elements, such as sharp angles, shadows, and high contrast lighting. The term was first used to describe these movies because many of them have predominantly dark cinematography. In our guides, we look at some of the most influential and famous movies and the biggest movie stars of the era.