When the heat rises, so does the tension. Here’s what you need to write a sunshine noir.
Film noir is all about showcasing the underbelly of the modern world. The genre has a special place in the heart of cinema. Influenced by the highly stylized set pieces and chiaroscuro lighting, the morally ambiguous anti-heroes must find their own humanity through their rejection of the absurd reality of the film.
Film noir is constantly updating itself to comment on the underbelly of the current world. As new generations rise to power, new conflicts and social issues become relevant to these hard-boiled protagonists. While neo-noir is still prevalent in cinema today, “new dark films” fail to comment on the absurd realities of our day-to-day lives. Enter “sunshine noir.”
While noir has its place in Hollywood, this specific subgenre’s heart belongs to Los Angeles and its history with crime, politics, and social and economic status. Films like They Live, Pulp Fiction, Mulholland Drive, and L.A. Confidential can all be defined as sunshine noir.
Author: Alyssa Miller
This article comes from No Film School and can be read on the original site.
