Monthly Archives: November 2012
Modern film noir – public enemies (2009)- trailer analysis
IMDb – This is the story of the last few years of the notorious bank robber John Dillinger. He loved what he did and could imagine little else that would make him happier. Living openly in 1930s Chicago, he had the run of the city with little fear of reprisals from the authorities. It’s there that he meets Billie Frechette with whom he falls deeply in love. In parallel we meet Melvin Purvis, the FBI agent who would eventually track Dillinger down. The FBI was is in its early days and Director J. Edgar Hoover was keen to promote the clean cut image that so dominated the organization through his lifetime. Purvis realizes that if he is going to get Dillinger, he will have to use street tactics and imports appropriate men with police training. Dillinger is eventually betrayed by an acquaintance who tells the authorities just where to find him on a given night.
Trailer Editing.
After looking at modern film noir trailers I have began to notice that they are all based on the early 1900’s, basing the sound and mis en scen on this era by dressign the sets in the way they would have been done in reality then, they are not modern interpretations they are a pastiche towards this style.
Lighting: Unlike other trailers i have looked at of this genre, Public enemies does not always follow the conventional style of film noir, the lighting is often quite subtle and bright but the story line behind these scenes builds up the dark tension instead of the lighting.
Mis en scen: based on the american gang crime era of the 1930’s, the sets are dressed to display this, men in black over coats similar to other trailers i have analysed, old motor cars that we now label vintage, dark, run down buildings.
Editing: Titles are used during this to shot actors or actresses linked to their characters, they are short and simple but straight to the point, they highlight the most important moments within the film and explain the basic storyline. Voice overs are also used from sections of the film, along side short sharp clips creating an action montage.
Sound: Non-diegetic, eerie music of violins plays to add the dark atmosphere. An action shot is partnered with rock music to add an intensity.
Modern Film Noir. The Wolfman (2010) – trailer analysis.
Storyline
Lawrence Talbot’s childhood ended the night his mother died. His father sent him from the sleepy Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor to an insane asylum, then he goes to America. When his brother’s fiancée, Gwen Conliffe, tracks him down to help find her missing love, Talbot returns to his father’s estate to learn that his brother’s mauled body has been found. Reunited with his estranged father, Lawrence sets out to find his brother’s killer… and discovers a horrifying destiny for himself. Someone or something with brute strength and insatiable blood lust has been killing the villagers, and a suspicious Scotland Yard inspector named Aberline comes to investigate.
Trailer editing.
I began looking at this more modern trailer to compare how the film noir genre had changed or stayed the same over the years.
Lighting: The lighting of this trailer is very similar to the trailers produced in the 1930’s, extremely dark lighting has been produced artificially during filming and editing using filters, unlike the more natural lighting used then.
Mis en scen: The buildings used are dressed down, making them run down, dirty and in some cases looking darker enhancing the lighting. The actors have been dressed in an upper class sense to match that of the 1930’s in the same way that i was hoping to do with my characters in my trailer.
Editing: Through out the trailer, a voice over is used in the same way it has been used in the Frankenstein trailer (1931) it explains the storyline in a subtle but creepy manner, the person speaking is often shown mid conversation during the trailer, making him an actor within the film, telling the story to a friend. As the tension builds within the trailer, the clips become faster and in turn the music fastens.
Sound: During the trailer, eerie music is used to set the atmosphere, however, diegetic sounds are incorporated to enhance the bigger moments within the music such as cries, screams, gun shots or growls from the main character.
bharperchs 