#film noir analysis

[esonetwork]

An Introduction To Film Noir | Earth Station One

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An Introduction To Film Noir | Earth Station One

In the back alleys and dark shadows of the golden city of Tinsel Town, lives a genre of desperation, seduction, temptation, and brutality that all fall under the label Film Noir. Mike, Mike, Roby Levy, and Nick Frasier serve up their favorite sexy, smoky, and sour cinematic concoctions from the classic era to current. Plus, Angela’s A Geek Girl’s Take, Ashley’s Box Office Buzz, Michelle’s Iconic Rock Moment, and Shout Outs!

We want to hear from you! Feedback is always welcome. Please write to us at feedback@earthstationone.com and subscribe and rate the show on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, wherever fine podcasts are found, and now we can be found on our own YouTube Channel.

Links The Earth Station One Website Earth Station One on Apple Podcasts The Earth Station One YouTube Channel Earth Station One on Spotify Past Episodes of The Earth Station One Podcast Angela’s A Geek Girl’s Take Ashley’s Box Office Buzz Michelle’s Iconic Rock Talk Show Film Noir Foundation TCM Noir Alley Modern Musicology Louder than War Monsterama

Promos Tifosi Optics Epsilon Three Cosmic Pizza The ESO Network Patreon Unique Crafts by Jenn ESO Network Tee-Public

If you would like to leave feedback or a comment on the show please feel free to email us at feedback@earthstationone.com

[uneeorchidee]

personal style inspired by film noir

Film noir is mostly known for it’s two achetypes — femme fatale, and to a lesser degree, the girl next door. Inspired in 40’s and 50’s, it’s style is made of sharp lines, silky and form-fitting pieces. Alluring, mysterious and always moving with elegance and determination, everyone knows of the femme fatale. I picture a beautiful girl wrapped in long coat, dark sunglasses and stiletto heels, and a sillage of lovely perfume worn on her wrist like a sparkly bracelet.

The silhouette is cut by two horizontal lines, enhancing the waist and the shoulders. It’s usually done by high waisted pants/skirts, and dresses that are tied, wrapped, cinched or cut at the waist. The neckline is either in a sleeveless sweetheart type of style to show off the shoulders, or in a closed/v shape necklines with padded shoulders, creating that sharp line across them. Also seen in more casual type of outfits are long flowy wide-leg pants, or suits. They can also be made out of softer materials to give a sultry touch to the look, rather than androgynous one. This style is more monochromatic and minimalistic in it's colours, patters and layers, but it's always feminine and luxurious, accessorized with elegant details. Some of the go-to pieces are – silk or sheer blouses, balloon sleeves, peep-toe heels, velvet pieces, furr, structured/trench coats, diamond jewelry, long form-fitted/slit dresses, high-wasted pants and suits, sheer hosiery, dark sunglasses, hats/veils, gloves. Actresses to find inspiration from – Gene Tierney, Lauren Bacall, Ava Gardner, Veronica Lake, Rita Hayworth, Barbara Stanwyck

colours – since it was filmed in black and white, the colours had to be bold and with a lot of contrast. deep colours, mostly different shades of black, white, red, green

hairstyle – side parted, lots of volume, with sleek continuous waves framing the face, today known as the hollywood waves

makeup – defined sharp brows, long lashes with minimal eye makeup, lined lips and red lipstick

film noir outfit inspiration

sultry, red lips, enhanced waist, silky dresses, elegant, alluring, sharp lines, wavy hair

[no-leaving-newyork]

Blade Runner - Esper Photo Analysis

[knightgazes]

BLADE RUNNER 2049 & PALE FIRE - ANALYSIS

SPOILERS AHEAD

NOTHINGNESS / EMPATHY

"…And blood-black nothingness began to spin" (704)

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In both Blade Runner movies, the protagonists (Rick Deckard, and Officer K) have to go through the Voight Kampff test which is an “anti-empathy” test given to officers by their police department. This test uses certain stimuli to provoke an emotional response from the recipient since replicants are supposed to lack human emotion, especially empathy. In Blade Runner 2049, Officer K’s test intertwines a pre-memorized section with the stimulus questions.

Officer K’s baseline is taken from a section of the poem “Pale Fire” by Vladimir Nabokov. This poem holds significance because it contains themes of reality versus semblance, a prominent theme in the movie. The poem is meant to suggest that, just like humans, replicants are also capable of connecting with one another and perceiving emotion.

FOUNTAIN / REALITY

"And dreadfully distinct Against the dark, a tall white fountain played…" (707)

'"She told her interviewer of "The Land Beyond the Veil"... at the end she mentioned a remote Landscape, a hazy orchard - and I quote: "Beyond that orchard through a kind of smoke I glimpsed a tall white fountain - and awoke."' (750)

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A poet in Pale Fire, named John Shade, wrote that he saw a "tall white fountain" during a brush with death. Later, Shade reads a magazine about a woman who also came close to death and had a similar vision of a "tall white fountain." Shade interprets this as proof that souls can pass onto an "afterlife." Intrigued, Shade asks the woman about the similarity and she replies saying that "'there's one misprint - not that it matters much: Mountain, not fountain.'" Shade’s misunderstanding surrounding his experience and the woman’s story being more than what it actually was is also a theme reflected in Blade Runner 2049.

Officer K thinks that he is the "chosen one" throughout the film but towards the end of the movie, he learns that he isn't the "chosen one" after all. This realization has Officer K feeling disillusioned and it shatters his perception of reality.

These events have made the two characters feel as if they have lived a false reality. Misunderstanding something as greater than it actually is, is a common theme in films and literature. More specifically Neo-Noir films and dystopian novels, where a cynical, hopeless character, must confront their feelings of uncertainty in or about their lives and the world that they live in.

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all quotes are from "Pale Fire" by Valdimir Nabokov

[angfdzfilm]

The Wind Rises, 2013, Hayao Miyazaki

Another reference to post-war cinema, this time a little visit to the noir genre. This sequence can’t be anything but a direct reference to The Third Man, a movie directed by Orson Welles. Set in postwar Vienna, there’s plenty of shadow play to be had in that movie:

Those larger than life shadows were a huge part of The Third Man, and Miyazaki is using them here.

Again, it’s interesting because this movie takes place pre-war... so the post war references happening before the war even starts function as foreshadowing of the horrors that still await. As Jiro later remarks, Japan is going to explode.

[doomed-jester]

I love that Batman: The Animated Series has this sort of timeless aesthetic. I think stuff from Batman Beyond firmly places it in the early 90s, contemporary to the time it was airing, but you absolutely wouldn't get that from watching this show. Televisions are pretty consistently shown to be in black and white, the architectural style is all in on art deco which makes it feel like there's been no new construction in Gotham since the 1920s, the outfits feel very much like they're pulled from the 40s-60s, not to mention all the damn zeppelins. It's this big anachronism stew that leaves the show undatable, so it can never feel dated.

[crybabydraws]

I love you, art analysis.

I love you, looking at the historical context behind a piece of art to better understand it. I love you, looking up the references to other pieces of media made in the piece in order to figure out what 1000 words or more a piece of art is saying. I love you, looking at an artist's life and suddenly the dots of what their piece means or why they made it connect. I love you, little details an artist uses to give new meaning or deeper meaning to a piece. I love you, seeing those little details as an audience member that you know others didn't spot. I love you, finding meaning where there is none. I love you, masters of the skill of finding or making beauty in places others would never expect. I love you, art. I love you, artists.

I love you, art lovers, for aren't all humans just that in one way or another?

(Check the tags for further rambling)

[mare-noctis-studios]

Did anyone else catch the Vanity Fair video on Goncharov?

Such a cool look behind the scenes from the mind of the director himself

[subterraneanmothra]

Detour's imbuing its vision of death with a shade buried amongst its violent expressionism. Here every setting is enclosed by surfaces constantly in danger of collapse, drowning and disintegrating with the characters still inside. it is by this means that it achieves fabular detemporalization: everything that /is/ is caught in the fleeting, frightened gazes of its characters, detached from history and existing not in the Now but in a space that is precisely Nowhere. This does not result in a film that presents its occurrences as impossibly singular, but instead infinitely archetypical.

"A piece of paper crawling with germs. Couldn't buy anything I wanted."

The only constant is this implied third observer, who never arrives to witness the impact of the events of the film to bring judgement, for every observer is promptly swallowed into the same monad. In this way, the film offers the perspective of the Father as an apocalyptic camera pointed at Al, who seeks the tendrils of creation.

[unchataparis]

And Volkswagen rolls onto the field.

I figured that Miraculous would have a car collab sooner than later due to all the vehicles appearing in Season 4. And having it to be Volkswagen, most well-known for their Beetle cars, is perfect.

Ladybug's car is definitely Beetle, and to up the insect motif, the doors fold up like wings and are transparent, spotted with dots, resembling a beetle's compound eyes. Chat Noir's car is much more brawny by comparison, an ID.4, taller, bigger wheels, utilitarian interior which mimics the finesse and might of a black cat.

Some fun facts about these cars, as you can see from the poster, every character in the film will be boasting new Volkswagen goods, from the Dupain-Cheng's chunky ID. Buzz to Gabriel's sleek, luxury ID Vizzon.

These vehicles are also fully electric, adhering to both Miraculous' consistent eco-friendly views which they've explored in Sangsure and Inverso, and Volkswagen's "Way to Zero" guideline to zero car emission. Volkswagen has taken an advance towards electric mobility with a clear commitment to the Paris climate goals.

Speaking on the collaboration, Jérémy Zag quotes:

"Ladybug and Cat Noir represent the new generation, and the vehicles in the film embody that modernity. For me, it is crucial to convey an essential message: taking care of our environment to live in a better world tomorrow."

A prototype of Ladybug's Beetle at the Parisian film premiere.

On the interactions in the trailer: Ladybug and Chat Noir has a very hand-over-foot relationship in the TV show. They're prone to crashing onto each other, hitting each other, or generally just making good mockery of one another. But from all the trailers and promo I've seen in the movie so far, the two of them seem to have a much more distant, although no less unique, relationship.

Weak points and blunders are teased at, they do have a tendency to playfully condescend the other, but there's an element of gentleness which I feel that the show's Ladybug and Chat Noir doesn't really have. These two are strangers, basically, feeling their way around a new, fragile partnership. They're not the intimate friends of the show. Chat Noir doesn't seem to be in love with Ladybug (not yet) and Ladybug seems to hold some share of reservation for Chat Noir, not completely trusting him.

"Rematch?" "You don't stand a chance."

Which I like. While it's different from the show, the point of a multi-verse is to be able to explore different aspects of the characters. What if there's a Ladybug and Chat Noir that doesn't get along? A Chat Noir who isn't in love with Ladybug, or a Ladybug who doesn't like her partner?

Final detail: You can see the sparkle/dust on his mask!

[jennifergarlen]

New on my blog - understanding the open ending of THE DAMNED DON’T CRY (1950), starring Joan Crawford.

[mehlsbells]

One of my favourite 'inconsequential' scenes in cinema. Merely two guys having a chat. Setting, sharp dialogue, and even sharper looks, make it sheer perfection.

[dduane]

...Okay, this illustration's a little less chaotic than the last one was. :)

The Feline Wizardry Bundle's over here.

WARNING: contains (within the Young Wizards universe) the Grand Central Terminal worldgates and their wizardly feline micromanagers, the truth about what's really underneath Manhattan, critical analysis of cat food brands, attempted assassinations of royalty, nukes on the moon, film noir postwar Los Angeles, and true love... all at 25% off the usual retail price.*

With the usual sad caveat: UK friends, unfortunately we can't sell to you due to Brexit. Our apologies.

*Well, not the true love. That's full price as usual. If, indeed, not priceless.

[annebonnydyke]

So you’ve had fun Goncharov posting and now you actually want it to be real

(Disclaimer that this is my own opinion based on the vibes I get from Goncharov and you might not necessarily agree with me. Also blanket content warning most of these work deal heavily with domestic abuse, violence, racism, and sexual assualt)

1. The Godfather Part 1 and 2- as far as I can tell this is where most of the Goncharov gifsets come from. This is one of those movies people constantly tell you is amazing and when you finally sit down and watch you get upset bc they were right. They’re regarded as some of the best and most important movies in the film canon for a reason. Mafia movies about the corruption of the soul, inescapable cycles, being doomed by The Narrative™ and of course young hot and sexy Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.

2. House of Leaves- for people who enjoy the interpretation of a nonexistent work part of Goncharov, House of Leaves is partly a horror story about a house that bigger on the inside, partly an academic analysis of the nonexistent record of that horror, partly the story of a man’s psychological unraveling, partly a critique of cold academic analysis, and partly a love story. If your favorite part of Goncharov was the metanalysis of a work that doesn’t exist and trying to fit all the pieces together this ones for you.

3. The Handmaiden- for all the people who love Katya and Sofia, two women stuck in their place in the world, who love each other but end up betraying each other. The Handmaiden is psychological thriller about a Korean pickpocket who is sent to con a Japanese noblewoman out of her fortune. Deals heavily with themes of deceit, betrayal, queer love, imperialism, and a woman’s place in a world controlled by men. My favorite movie of all time, highly recommend.

4. Black Sails- truthfully only tangentially similar vibe-wise to Goncharov but as a black sails blog the mutuals would have my head if I didn’t include it on this list and trust me the Goncharov to Black Sails pipeline is very real. Fans of clock symbolism and being being trapped by The Narrative™ will greatly enjoy this one. also that Katya/Sofia and Eleanor/Max/Anne parallels are real and I can prove it and don’t get me started on the Silver and Andrey parallels.

5. Bound (1996)- another one for the Katya/Sofia girlies out there. Two women hatch a plot to steal millions from the mafia, but will they make it out alive? Great style and cinematography and much more punchy and action heavy than the the rest of these. Its a very good modern film noir and the first feature film directed by the Wachowski sisters. Also a much shorter movie (1 hour and 48 minutes) if longer runtimes aren’t your thing.

Honorable Mentions

1. Goodfellas- I personally haven’t seen Goodfellas yet so can’t really give my opinion on it however if you actually want a mafia movie directed by Martin Scorsese starring Robert De Niro here’s one you can actually watch. My friend Angel says this ones really good and I trust their opinion

2. War and Peace 1966-67- again I haven’t seen this one but my friend Bianca really liked this one and tells me whenever she pictures Goncharov she imagines this. From what I gather people who are interested in how soviet history affected the art of the time and enjoy complicated relationship drama will enjoy this one. Also if you’re into very long media this one is split into 4 parts and clocks in at a crisp 7 hours.

If anyone has other suggestions let me know! I love getting recommendations :)

[gale-gentlepenguin]

Gale's Analysis: 5 things the movie did better and Vice Versa: Miraculous version.

So for this little post I will be writing things I would list that the Miraculous Movie did better for me than the show did and vice versa.

I think both medias have flaws but both also give us something great and I think both should be appreciated.

Rules:

I wont be mentioning ANYTHING asthetic (Thats a budget thing and I wont penalize the show for not having the budget the movie does) These are purely writing choices and scene inclusions.

2. These choices doesnt always mean that the show or Movie handled something badly, it just means I prefer how they were handled. by the Respective media.

3. I will only be including things that are covered in both the film and movie.

4. I would love to hear what you guys preferred and your opinions

I will start off with the Movie and alternate.

(Spoilers if you havent seen the movie or the season 5 finale of the show)

5. Movie: Using Criminals as Akumatized villains

Its such a simple idea, as the Akuma often use the negative emotions of the individuals, and thats what I loved about the movie. Of course if the logic is the more negative the emotions the more powerful, why not recruit the people who let their lives get ruined by their negative impulses.

It ups the danger factor and allows for more cartoonish violence. They get defeated and then get sent to jail. Maybe it makes Akuma seem simpler, but I like it and it results in a villain song that slaps.

5. Show: The way the Heroes were chosen

While on one hand I enjoyed the Kwami picking their chosen in the movie. I actually like how Fu tested the ones in Origins. Both Marinette and Adrien demonstrated their kind hearted and caring natures before getting the miraculous. In the movie we do see Marinette save Fu though unrelated to being chosen, which was great but we dont see Adrien ever do that before becoming Chat noir. And I feel that loses something in the process.

4. Movie: Powers: Stronger together (Not just the song)

The cat and Ladybug miraculous get more powerful when used together. That is something I have wanted since the beginning of the series. It lets both miraculous stand out from the other miraculous and shows why having these two together is such a big deal. This movie does drill it into the viewers head, but its such a cool concept and it is something I wish was in the show.

4. Show: Powers: Lucky Charm

I miss when Ladybug summons an object to help defeat the villain. i know in the movie they go a bit different with how the powers work, but I miss the random items that would then be utilized in order to help them best the bad guys. Marinette is still her clever self when she wants to be in the movie... but it isnt as clear and would have elevated the movie.

3. Movie: Tikki

I think Tikki f***ing kills it in this movie. Her energy, curiosity, her flair. HER RAP! Tikki is exactly what I picture when I see a Kwami of Creation. She was perfect for getting Marinette's butt in gear and being the instigator. She is Marinette's Motivator not her conscience. Tikki has been doing this for Eons and she knows what to do.

3. Show: Plagg

By a MASSIVE Margin, Plagg is much better portrayed in the show. His bond with Adrien is much more pronounced, his personality isnt reduced to being lazy and making Fart jokes. Plagg in the movie does give advice, but Show Plagg has a much more innate care for Adrien even early on. Plagg's bond with Adrien in the show is one of the best things about it.

2. Movie: Ladynoir

Oh I can hear a TON of anger forming from seeing this on my list. But let me explain. I like the fact that they didnt get along right away and grew to like eachother. In the show it makes sense to have them more in sync off the jump, but in the movie it shows how their powers are LINKED to them being closer. So the development is great. And while the show has the appeal of the lovesquare and identities being a secret. The Movie doesnt have that limitation, they are doing the secret identities for their own benefit. Chat noir gets to be more open with Ladybug. And Stronger together as a duet f***ing slaps. Now in the show there are some ladynoir moments that are amazing "Us against the world." Fantastic. And i would argue the show has highs the movies never reached, BUT The problem is though, in the show, that basically gets tossed to the side so often its hard to appreciate it and the lows are more present. In the movie, it is able to keep that basis steady. Plus this movie was made for Ladynoir, lets face it.

2. Show: Marinette and Adrien (As Characters)

I think it is obvious to say that the show has a lot more time to flesh out Marinette and Adrien. Now I do enjoy their movie incarnations, but seeing How Marinette developed her confidence overtime and her reasons for being how she is, as well as Adrien wanting more love and acceptance. The movie never really gets to show how kind and caring both of them are. Something the show gets to demonstrate. Though the flaws are there, it is a deeper ocean to explore. Movie Marinette and Movie Adrien are wonderful, but when it comes to the core, the originals shine brighter.

1. Show: Adrinette (As well as Ladrien and Marichat)

Yes I am swapping back to the show before the movie. I dont care its my list. Adrien and Marinette are f***ing adorable. The umbrella scene is still one of my favorite moments in the series, and seeing how the two fall in love is wonderful. Its a slow burn and its usually pretty damn good. Granted the love rival bump was stupid, but hey not everything is perfect. Also the Ladrien (while not much as much as the other sides) exists in the show and gets a lot of mileage. And Marichat, do I even have to explain? Most of you marichat stans are still watching Elation. The show handles the core aspect that the viewers WANT to see. The slow burn romance. That is where its at. And while the movie does show Adrien and Marinette having some cute encounters, some stuff was cut and it just cant hold a candle to the adrinette in the show.

Its the beauty and love that has me still holding onto the show... no matter the writing choices it has taken. And trust me when I say MY LOVE for the lovesquare has been tested more than Heracles.

1. Movie: Gabriel Agreste

If someone told me I would ever have sympathy for Gabriel Agreste. I would looked them in the eyes and LAUGHED at them. But somehow this movie did what the show failed to do. They turned this neglectful asshole into my favorite part of the movie. The movie makes me understand WHY he is so absent with Adrien, yet still show how much he loves his son. He is a widower lost in grief filled with Survivor's guilt. He is so lost and desperate to bring her back that he was willing to sacrifice his own heart to get her back... but then, he sees his son, damaged by his own hands. He sees the monster he became and it broke him. He fell down and realized he had done something inexcusable in his mind. He let his loss hurt his little boy.

The movie doesnt get as much time as the show to flesh out Gabriel, but sweet kwami does the movie show more than enough. We see his intial reluctance, we see his grief win over and then his obsession and hatred growing. We see him get disheveled and at the brink yet still checking on his son. We see him realize how far gone he is and just let the darkness take control, and finally we see the revelation! Him waking up to the truth, what he did to his son. He breaks down, he confesses. THIS is a Gabriel that you understand how he fell. This Gabriel was shown to the Audience. But you know what the best part is? He isnt shown as a hero, Paris knows he became a villain. He does get to hug his son and apologize, but he acknowledges his wrongs.

The show did have a chance to do that (I would say season 2 was their best bet) But sadly they tossed that out and the ending of the Agreste arc (as far as we know because everyone says its not the end. But its the end.) Was not what I call good.

So when it comes down to it, Gabriel Agreste became the Villain once dreamed he would be in this movie.

_______________________________________________________

[wen-kexing-apologist]

7 Days Before Valentine

It's the first episode so I won't do any analysis, but I will give some Stray Thoughts:

7 Days Before Valentine has quickly ascended to the top of the Queer Asian Shows With Phenomenal Lighting pack. It gained my loyalty to watch the show regardless of whether it ends up good or bad within the first minute and a half of the episode, based entirely on the lighting they had going on.

I think I saw someone else mention this, but the style of this show feels like a mix of old detective noir pieces and also stage plays. I was worried about the script a bit at the beginning of the show, but once I realized how much this show seemed to be emulating noir films, that concern went away and I got with the program.

Aside from the lighting itself, the cinematography is brilliant

I am intrigued by the concept of this show, and do want to know how the rest of the narrative unfolds.

I really love how much Tu Punnasack's history as a playwright/in theater bleeds through his work. The sets always feel like they belong on a stage, the blocking of a scene often feels like it belongs on a stage, and as someone with a lot of theater study under their belt, I love how legible that style is in Punnasack's work.

I need to admit now that I will probably give this show a lot more wiggle room than I would others because Tu Punnasack is responsible for 180 Degrees Longitude Passes Through Us the show that sent me in to the biggest emotional distress of my life, and one of my favorite pieces of media ever.

BUT I will probably give less wiggle room to the actors in 7 Days Before Valentine because I know what Pond, Nike, and Mam were able to give us in 180 Degrees.

With that in mind, I am worried about whether or not Atom, who plays Sunshine is a strong enough performer for me to get emotionally invested in his character arc. I hate character's with Sunshine's brand of immaturity and so Atom has a lot of work cut out for him to get me to care about Sunshine.

I think Jet who plays "Q" has done a lot of interesting things in his limited screen time.

Ultimately, this show is a visual/technical feast and I do plan to stick with this for awhile, even if it's just to see some fun lighting design happening!