What is Neo Noir?

Neo (greek for "new") and Noir (french for "Black") is a branch off from Film Noir which uses a majority of the same stylistic devices, but has updated themes and some visual devices

The most easily accessible Neo Noir and recent movie would be "Sin City" by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez (2005).

The film was nearly completely digitally, which then allowed the producers to enhance the contrasts between white and black. This is what gives it the film noir feel. It allowed the directors to play around with the shadows and the light.




what makes neo Noir flims "neo" is the fact that they are aware of modern technology and so can in turn use it to create certain effects. In the image above, the use of a colour filter to make one character yellow is an example of a neo noir device.


as mentioned before, neo noir also uses updated themes than film noir, these are themes based on "identity crises, memory issues and subjectivity, and technological problems and their social ramifications" (wikipedia).

a good example of a movie using these neo noir themes would be Blade Runner by Ridley Scott (1982). the use of technology (robots) and a deep rooted discussion on morality and religion are themes that are based on Film Noir, but that have been developed to become relevant to the modern day.

Neo Noir still uses the same stock characters as Film Noir. for example the femme fatal character in Sin City would be the characters of Goldie/Wendy. And in Blade Runner would be the character of Rachel.

The hero with doubtful morals who often plays a sort of vigilante is also visible in both of these neo noir films. Marve being it in Sin City and Rick Deckard in Blade Runner.



Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982)