What differentiates Film Noir to other genres is the typical codes and conventions that these films must include, for example large use of shadows that may be used to overshadow the location or characters. Film noir must also include specific character traits such as the femme fatal, a dangerous female and a main protagonist who usually fits into a investigator role, the plot mostly revolves around crime or criminal activity.
The film sin city is renounced for its use of this noir aesthetics within its narrative and follows these rules in order to produce a modern neo noir work. The film is based of comic book stories that follow three vigilantly type figures that each have some sort of mission usually to save or avenge a female from corrupt police or other dangerous figures. Firstly The film follows the film noir roles as the characters shown are given traits of those you would find in the genre, all the main protagonists seem to be hard ass, battle scared men with corrupt enemies, police and inspector characters and dangerous women here and there (most notably in the blonde narrative). The role of the women in this film is quite clear, to be hunted by the men or for sexual purposes, yet the femme fatal of the story still produces a dangerous aura.
The age of the film world can also be commented on as film noir aesthetic purely the reason was that the genre was one of the 1950’s and therefore most original noir films were set in that time era. The clothing such as trench coats and fedora hats, props and attitudes can all be attached to this era strengthening the bond between the film and noir genre.
Editing plays a large part of noir as the film must follow a distinct style of black and white which sin city follows although the film places emphasis on several characters and objects by using colour.For example blood is yellow that is easily noticeable as it contrast with black and white allowing for a more outlining effect. Colour is used as a means to single out what is coloured in the frame to everything else that is going on.
The relationship between the shadows and the city within the film is quite interesting as the city resembles a safe zone due to its use of film noir shadows allowing the protagonist to hide himself. No doubt danger may happen within the city but the protagonist always escapes or survives due to the shadows, although once the character leaves the city he is venerable and danger is present. For example the farm that is a shared location among the several stories acts as a place where good characters are injured if not killed.
Sin City uses these techniques well producing a Neo noir film that works as well as noir back in the 1950’s without dumbing down todays technology. I believe this film plays homage to a genre that in today’s film world is clearly to be dead.
liammccosh 