Why This Matters to Carrie

Film noir matters because it is a staple part of society that whether known or unknown, impacts individuals which in turn impacts culture. I would have never thought about film noir and its relevance until taking the class. In fact, I didn’t even know what film noir was. I had to look it up on Google and then was hesitant about whether or not I would like it. To my delight, I started to become obsessed. I would tell my friends about it all the time and what I had learned and referenced myself as a femme fatale, much to their dislike. Now that I know what it is, I see the effects of it across so many movies. Like when I had watched Batman with Robert Pattison, I thought it seemed like a type of noir and then looked it up to discover it was neo noir - I was like, wow! I’ve discovered something new - and then to my excitement, we began to learn about it in class. Understanding film noir and having a comprehension of neo noir gives dictation of how society has transitioned, dramatically so.
Film noir is thought provoking because it's more palatable, especially in relevance to films today. While that statement can easily be argued, it is an opinion that can either be shared or combatted - I just think that on occasion movies can be overwhelming and maddening because of color and violence. With film noir, while there is violence, it is more hidden away - in fact, it’s refreshing in a sense; seeing neo noir and the blatant uncomfortableness of it turns viewers away. There is already so much violence as seen in the media, it’s disheartening to see it continuously reflected in cinema as well. Something more serious in wanting to be a staple perspective gives more connection - today, it’s like a puzzle in trying to figure out films. Too often after a movie I have to look up what it meant, but with film noir, it’s a straight arrow; both a weakness and strength.