Film Noir

1. Themes

1.1. Crime

1.2. Drama

1.3. Mystery

1.4. Thriller

1.5. Gothic melodrama

2. Setting

2.1. Police station

2.2. Abandoned Buildings

2.3. Parks

2.4. Crime scenes

2.5. LA

2.6. San Francisco

3. Narrative devices

3.1. Flash backs

3.2. Strong use of suspence

4. Sound

4.1. Melancholy downbeat music

4.2. Heavy breathing

4.3. Silence

4.4. Voice over

4.5. Ambience of the city

5. Editing

5.1. Non-linear

5.2. Continuity editing

5.3. Use of CU

6. Characters

6.1. Protagonist - Detective

6.2. Police

6.3. Femme Fatal

6.4. Private eye

6.5. Crooked police

6.6. Millionaires

7. Visual Style

7.1. Black & White

7.2. Silhouettes

7.3. Low-key lighting

7.4. Smoking

7.5. Era

7.6. Deep focus

7.7. Close ups

7.8. Irregular framing

7.9. Reflections

7.10. Dark blacks & whites

7.11. Light/dark contrast ( chiaroscuro )

7.12. Venetian blinds

8. Iconography

8.1. Hats

8.2. Trench coats

8.3. Crime scenes

8.4. Torches

8.5. Guns

8.6. Smoking

8.7. Rain and damp streets

8.8. Drungs