Film Noir & The American Dream

In this week's video essay, we take a look at film noir and The American Dream.
Spoilers from:
Double Indemnity
Sunset BLVD
Thanks for watching!
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Special thanks to Christian for Voice Over post processing, check out his channel here:
/ @truefilm1556

[@vicenteortegarubilar9418]

She came to my office like a summer wind, warming the room that used to be cold for so many nights, her red lips contrasted with her dark eyes, darks like the streets she knew as a child. She got near and whisper me in my ear "there is a new jackmovie reviews video, do You want to watch it?" I got hooked immediately. I was in love.

[@Tararu3500]

Vicente Ortega Rubilar Hmmm......inspired by "Out of the Past"?

[@cartervandenberg4771]

Isn't jacksfilms a different youtuber?

[@indowithbadenglish3775]

Lmaomaomaomaooo

[@curiousworld7912]

Film noir is my favorite movie genre - from its German Expressionist look to its take on the oft-failed American Dream. And though I really enjoyed your essay, I wouldn't have minded it being much, much longer. :)

[@RyanLBrown9396]

Film Noir is due for a major comeback thanks to movies like Zodiac, Gone Girl, Drive and Nightcrawler. There’s so much within the genre you can play around with through a modern lense.

[@zakrowe1301]

My top ten noirs Double indemnity The naked city Night and the city The set up Touch of evil The big sleep Out of the past Sunset boulevard The third man The big heat Those are just a few of the ones that are my favourites, although I think pretty much every film noir I've ever seen ( which is a lot) is top ten worthy. But these where just the ones off the top of my head

[@curiousworld7912]

Nice list - I'd add Kiss of Evil and Pickup on South St., as well as a rather odd little movie called Let No Man Write My Epitaph, which was a sequel to Knock on Any Door.

[@zakrowe1301]

+susan price I'm not familiar with the other films you mentioned but I know pick up on south street I've only ever seen it once but i really enjoyed it and from what I remember is definitely worth being on a top ten list

[@JacksMovieReviews]

That’s a pretty solid list!

[@curiousworld7912]

Kiss of Evil has the best 'macguffin' in film, as far as I'm concerned. Even better than the Maltese Falcon. Let No Man.... and Knock on Any Door are very good, if very dark. Pickup is my favorite Richard Widmark film (although Night and the City is fantastic).

[@spankytrump521]

Yes a nice list - a few more - Act of Violence, Crime Wave, Raw Deal, Night Fall, Gun Crazy, Nightmare Alley, Thieves' Highway and Where The Sidewalk Ends

[@thiccboss4780]

the fan series Film Noirchives definitely a must-see companion piece with this

[@mikeacton2203]

Film noir is the essential existential reality of the american dream,the dream is however a nightmare where no one wins and everyone loses

[@goodmanross]

Jack, you should use this as a foundation. This video could be the introduction to a complete series of videos that specifically discuss film noir. This could be followed up with a discussion of noir classics, fusion of noir with other styles (think Big Lebowski or Drive), and the future of film noir as the American Dream continues to take on a new meaning nowadays. If this film genre is a particular interest to you, you should set aside a portfolio of videos specifically for this topic.

[@aphr0d]

Ross Goodman that would be fantastic

[@FiikusMaximus]

I dunno. The combination of diversity and depth of Jacks content is what pulls me in honestly

[@JacksMovieReviews]

This is actually a follow up to another video I made. Here’s a link to that if you’re interested! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWiakoOfoZyVqq8

[@realkingkevin]

Been on a film noir kick lately so this video came at the perfect time, great content as always!!!

[@stacidemantet330]

Great, love film noir, don’t get enough of it

[@Retrostar619]

"How could I have known that murder can sometimes smell like honeysuckle?" Loved this. IMO Your intro is too long before you get to the body of your topic, but It makes a clear point and uses a lot of wonderful footage.

[@00HoODBoy]

Film noir is probably my favourite genre if i had to pick. If its done well it simply fascinates me, how everything is fucked up( which makes it real imo) and if Theres beauty its bittersweet. I think it taught me important lessons and im glad to See noir surfacing even in comic style Video games now.

[@zakrowe1301]

Same here, I absolutely love film noir the majority of my dvd collection is noirs.

[@JacksMovieReviews]

I love it. It’s not a genre that’s easy to watch whenever, but when you’re in the mood-nothing’s better!

[@zakrowe1301]

+Jack's Movie Reviews yeah, you're completely right if you're in the mood for it, they're great

[@vesselunseen]

I’m making my first feature film as a director. I’ve been on multiple feature productions, but this is my first one as a writer/director. I found your reserve and information to help and encourage a lot as a prepare to shoot first day of my film Eyes On The Night.

[@mathieunolet8236]

That's great. Just keep doing what you want to do, those who like it will stick around and you'll find new viewers. I personally quite like this because most film channels talk about a single film in a video (which is perfectly fine) but talking about genres and filmmakers and film movements is a good and welcomed change of pace

[@ThomasPollock95]

Great work as usual Jack! Not stopped by in a while. Great piece on Noir, one of my favourite genres for sure. Noir is somewhat an influence on my current project, which I hope you will get a chance to see when its finished!

[@JacksMovieReviews]

Great hearing from you Thomas! I hope all is well on your end! Let me know when your current project is wrapped up, I'd love a chance to see it!

[@tanner4598]

I like these more essay type videos as well!!! Love your stuff man!

[@JacksMovieReviews]

Thanks Tanner!

[@seen921]

This was good. And there’s so many layers you can uncover. Film Noir through the years. Archetypal characters. A top ten list. I’d say do more.

[@Horror-Man]

A video on some underrated horror films like Whatever Happened To Baby Jane, Frailty, Society, Deadgirl, etc. I think would be interesting for this channel.

[@zakrowe1301]

sifat shams I absolutely love whatever happened to baby Jane. That scene where she does her routine but as an adult still gives me the creeps. It one of those films that you wish you could see for the first time all over again

[@Restlesswriter13]

I have come to appreciate Film Noir more as I've gotten older and now have two indie movies under my belt; one as a producer with my husband, and one as a director with my husband as the videographer. One of these days I'd like to create a Film Noir indie film. That may be a long time coming, however. I have to have the right story. Thank you for posting these commentaries on Film Noir.

[@corpusfusion1574]

you did a good job in describing the film noir genre. i'm a filmmaker just starting out, i'm made two noir short films.

[@rrafferty9192]

Thanks, Jack. Loved this. neo-noir next?

[@f12mnb]

Nice! I'm curious why you think we don't see more films like these anymore - as you point out - (1) can be filmed in and around LA, (2) not that expensive, (3) common easily understandable themes, (4) often good scenes for actors to show their skills - ? so why don't we see more ? Is the 2014 film Nightcrawler a film noir? It shows the extend the Jake Gyllenhaal character will go to for success.

[@zakrowe1301]

I agree as Somone that absolutely loves film noir, I would love to see more films made in that style. And I'd say night crawler is definitely a noir. It's a shame that the majority of what we get in cinemas these days are just super hero movies with no real substance and CGI and that's what people think makes a good film these days.

[@JacksMovieReviews]

I think it’s about what will sell. A lot of film noir in its heyday was low budget. I think it’s very possible to see a resurgence.

[@12ealDealOfficial]

Just speculation here, but thinking on the question, my first thought was of the state of Hollywood and how it switched form being a "dream factory" to a propaganda machine. Film Noir was a criticism of LA and the wooing power of the American dream (and the moral degradation which comes with the blind pursuit of it), according to Jack's great video; escape was the only reprieve left to the characters. The characters had to escape to some place, and my mental image was of a stereotypical suburb with houses guarded by white picket fences, or some such image of the postwar- late '40s. This image, the counter symbol of Hollywood vice, had a connotation of families and general WASP culture embedded within. Looking at the closest example of a modern Noir that I can think of, with Hollywood in full propaganda mode, it seemed like BR 2049 attempted to subvert the escape motif- Harrison Ford escapes (to Vegas, an illusion where Elvis is a hologram projected in a Korean casino) but Sean Young dies in childbirth, and escape is never what K attempts to do at all (he has no reprieve aside from finding humanity in either A) aiding some kind of resistance, or B) protecting his pseudo-surrogate father so that he can see his daughter).

[@daltonlee5839]

Thank you for yet another quality video. I just want to know why this channel doesn’t have more subs. You deserve it

[@matthewstroud4294]

"The American Dream" is a package-deal. It puts together two opposing ideas, with hope of using one to taint the other. "Americanism", based upon the founding principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, is a worthy and psychologically healthy orientation. It relies on using reason to reach your goals, and always rooting those goals in what is possible. It contains a benevolent view of life, where happiness is possible and other people can be of great value to any individual. "The Dream" part of the deal, is the idea that anything is possible, no matter what is true in reality. That your whims can "make it happen". The haters of the first, use the irrationality and disaster of the second to do their work, in this awful marriage of good and evil.

[@AssasinZorro]

You combined broad picture with specific examples well, good job!

[@JoJo-xp6wr]

More videos like that, more videos on noir films, again, thanks Jack, you're an amazing teacher.

[@danielfittipaldi3705]

There are also the stylistic characteristics of the genre, which are also really interesting, you should have talked about that too

[@zakrowe1301]

Yeah there's definitely a certain vibe that goes along with noir that is quite like any other genre

[@JacksMovieReviews]

I’m a step ahead of you! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWiakoOfoZyVqq8 :-)

[@EpicGeopolitics]

This was great. Really wish it had been longer.

[@danielbwroblewski]

It was good. I also like taking a single movie or pair of movies and analyzing them specifically -- showing all the small details that make the movie great.

[@MadAboutFilm]

Thanks for a nice way to pass 6 mins. A lot of interesting observations. But you forget one of noir's key appeals: the one or few outstanding moral characters often at the centre. (Edward G Robinson in Double Indemnity or Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon.) And/or surprise moral fibre found in an amoral character. (Gloria Graham's in The Big Heat.) You also miss any mention of the central thread of romantic love, so prominent in many film noirs. Often the key transformative force, for good or ill. 💜

[@drunio1504]

A good and relatable cinematic theme, well developed. After all, my family and I saw and lived the concept in LA. Like the film characters' It was our dream.

[@dundeechelsea01]

Superb analysis of Noir and featuring hard the real hardboiled classics................. Excellent

[@michaelharrington7656]

Well done. I would like to see a more extended 50 minute essay by you.

[@adria4379]

Great review man!!

[@dougmann777]

I think that film noir was the last great take down of the American dream, oddly coinciding with horror and scifi comics in the late 40s and early 50s, until the comics code took effect. Television softened everything, made entertainment about buttressing the status quo, until the rise of networks like HBO and Netflix. Here's my top dozen: 12 KISS ME DEADLY 11 DOUBLE INDEMNITY 10 THE ASPHALT JUNGLE 9 PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET 8 NIGHT AND THE CITY 7 DEAD MEN DON’T WEAR PLAID 6 LA CONFIDENTIAL 5 OUT OF THE PAST 4 BLADE RUNNER 3 THE THIRD MAN 2 THE MALTESE FALCON 1 THE BIG SLEEP

[@ranaventuras905]

Thank you for these noir video analisis, they are solid gold to me

[@HomburghGuy]

Good video. By my estimation I've seen over 150 films in this genre. My favorite, Ride the Pink Horse, is one of the lesser known ones. It's also one of the few that's not set in Los Angeles so it has its own unique atmosphere.

[@boombang5750]

Jack have you also noticed one common trait in all noir i.e. most of the crimes and key events takes place during night, specially those crime and events that have huge impact on the plot of the film??

[@JacksMovieReviews]

That’s a great point, night adds to the aesthetic of film noir and compliments it really well!

[@dnightwalker]

Thank you for using actual film Noir music instead of that cliche Jazz one that everyone uses on their Noir videos!

[@mckster56]

Great work, thanks for sharing

[@classicmodernfilms7602]

I also enjoy Noir. I’ve also noticed how they take place in Los Angeles . Even the neo noirs of Chinatown or LA Confidential.

[@JacksMovieReviews]

Two perfect examples!

[@classicmodernfilms7602]

Jack's Movie Reviews I just noticed my bad writing. XD

[@cam21333]

I’m obsessed with film noir. Great video!

[@carloscavalcanti3071]

Loved the ideia of a discussing video about the genre. I belive it upgrades the Chanel. Id only like to say that i missed a deeper analisis on the genre. Though i really loved It. And agreed só much with your point of view

[@JacksMovieReviews]

Thanks Carlos!

[@pabloalvez915]

Great video, loved it. Yet, for me, New York is much darker and grittier than Los Angeles. Maybe it's just me, but I've always perceived LA as a sunny, laid-back and hedonistic place, whereas NY seemed to possess a gothic, merciless kind of quality about it. Keep up the good work! Stay safe 👍🙏

[@sunnyrathod1369]

Great video and a very good in-depth analysis. Film-Noir is my favorite genre. Make such videos more of different genres of movies. It would be interesting to know your opinion on them. I have also a suggestion for you - Make a video of the best old classic movies of all time or do a review of them individually. That would be fascinating to watch!

[@patticarpenter4382]

Love film noir. I would love to see single film dissections of various film noir movies.

[@bluecollarlit]

Love this video, thank you.

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

You have just helped me so much with my writing with this!

[@khambrelgreen9945]

As a fan and student of the genre for nearly twenty years l disagreed with a few of yr points. However, thank you for creating a piece on my favourite type of films. I wish you continuing success.

[@stuarthaden5488]

How can you see me? How can I see you? What nonsense. I like watching film noir. I like the content, story, dialogue, design, style of the thirties and forties, down to earth, realism of all the different social classes. Your analogy with The American Dream is pertinent. More like a Nightmare. Perhaps you would make each five minute sequence to address: the home, lifestyle, fashion, workplace, automobiles, recreation, heroes and villains. Thanks.

[@mashster3919]

I like this type of content, continue to do so, you're good at it. Cheers.

[@michaelduby7244]

Nicely balanced but nothing is ever certain. You get your pool. =x=

[@ricardocantoral7672]

This was great video. I would say a great noir double bill would be Double Indemnity and The Prowler.

[@thanktheuniverse9438]

I never understood what 'film noir' really meant - so thanks for the details. I've just kind of taken notice of this genre by picking up a very hard to find copy of Nightmare Alley. Cheers.

[@nicktoth1515]

Good video! Would love to see more analysis’s on different genres. Continuing on with the theme of ‘The American Dream’ it’d be great to see your take the gangster genre!!!

[@happygolucky5534]

Good one! If you haven’t done it, I’d like to see modern noir and how they’re influenced by classic noir films.

[@superspartan112]

I think you did great, Jack! :)

[@ekulda]

Good review. How about doing a screenplay review of Film Noir. Its basic, but the acts are the 3 act structure mostly heavy on character action.

[@aphr0d]

Awesome video! My favorite film noirs are the ones with ambiguous settings

[@restlessentertainment9760]

Aphro Like David Fincher’s Seven?

[@MANJYOMETHUNDER111]

Great video. I also love Noir in both literary and cinematic fiction.

[@jameslesterart1421]

Loved this, could you possibly do more like this, where you look at many examples and discuss things such as the way x concept is presented in cinema :)

[@MarkAS56]

This type of video is a great idea, just wish it could be longer.

[@jiffyb333]

Certainly interesting, although I would love to know your personal recommendations for film Noir to watch.

[@owenmcgee8496]

A popular expression back then was that "there is no such thing as an honest millionaire" (for similar reasons, many said there's no such thing as a "happy" millionaire). Maybe by the sixties - when there were now many were millionaires of humble backgrounds through rock music and professional sports - that idea lost its popularity, culturally or otherwise

[@maureencora1]

My Favorite Film Noir Movie is "Dead Reckoning".

[@bluman4317]

Please do Chinatown!

[@ludwigmarcial]

There was no movement. Film Noir were known as Film Noir until years laters. They were crime movies. French film critics years later called a group of movies that shared some similarities "Film Noir". It was definitely not a movement. German Expressionism, was a movement, and the precursor of what now we call Film Noir. One thing that is amazing about those movies are the femme fatales and how they were created out of the fear of emasculation the ww2 had when returning home and seeing their wives, girlfriends and sisters working.

[@-david-5141]

There is no spoiler list in the description for me. Anyway congratulations for 70k subscribers :)

[@indowithbadenglish3775]

You should put the movie title in every footage

[@mr.sandman4782]

I think i like both types of videos but the "movie review" videos are my favorite. Love the videos, keep them coming

[@owenmcgee8496]

5:47, is that Edward G Robinson near the end of Little Caesar? Doesn't look like it, but it does look like him...what film is it?

[@mikesmith6838]

There is also the phenomenon of films being grossly overrated based solely upon the L.A. set and film critics preoccupation with it. A few examples are Chinatown, Pulp Fiction and Mulholland Drive. All decent movies, but no where near the quality the hype pumps them up to be.

[@MusicNguyener893]

I can’t recommend Wind River enough, I would love to hear your thoughts on it

[@JacksMovieReviews]

Step ahead of you! kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWm7d4WMp6-roZo

[@CraftDutch]

very nice video man

[@theclassicmanila-style8435]

The long goodbye

[@jackfahy2283]

Yes now

[@thomasbillich7230]

KICK-ASS BROTHER NOIR!

[@TweetBomb]

Awesome video! Any way I can get the name of the song playing in the beginning?

[@cam21333]

TweetBomb it’s the theme from Laura (1944)

[@TweetBomb]

@@cam21333 Thank you!

[@boombang5750]

I really enjoyed your video Jack, I "liked" it. Do you consider Prisoners starring Jake Gyllanhal as a neo noir film?

[@JacksMovieReviews]

To an extent, I think a lot of the stuff with High Jackman is 'noiry'

[@boombang5750]

+Jack's Movie Reviews Your video essays are the best and I think you are very polite to your audience too(unlike other KZbinrs) . By the Do you think Gone Girl is a noir?

[@jtcbrt]

I'm a man who likes talking to a man who likes to talk. My nationality is Drunkard. That makes me a citizen of the world, but I was born in New York City, if that'll help you any. I never ran guns to Ethiopia, but I did run the subway to Astoria. I crashed out of the Big Apple and landed in the desert, north of Vegas. I came here for the waters, but I was misinformed. And I'm shocked, shocked to find there's gambling going on out here. The last book I read was the TV Guide. It felt good in my hands, like the small of a woman's back, but it smelled like trouble, so I dropped it like a hot potato. You want me to count three or somethin', like a movie? I'm no kibitzer. I'm just a guy who's paid to do other people's laundry. I get $25 a day plus expenses, but you're good, you're very good, so in your case, I'll make an exception. I've spent most of my money on women and beer. The rest, I just wasted. I collect blondes and bottles, but it's getting to be like trying to find a beer mug full of Fei Tsui jade. I'll keep pounding the pavement 'til they pull my license. Maybe something will drop in my lap. Maybe it won't.

[@lexxier23]

Great video.

[@JacksMovieReviews]

Thanks Lexx!

[@louisrelf5903]

What is that tune playing in the background?

[@kittymarch4203]

Laura theme by David Raksin

[@EB-ut1lj]

Can someone please tell me the title of this song at the beginning?

[@kittymarch4203]

Laura’s theme by David Raksin

[@dontaylor7315]

Jack it's "films noir" not "film noirs." And Hammett used San Francisco settings most often. That said, I loved this video!

[@richardtaylor5394]

enjoyed it . too short

[@sakshivora4805]

Can sin city be considered a film noir?

[@JacksMovieReviews]

I’d definitely say so!

[@khambrelgreen9945]

Sakshi Vora being modern it is more of a neo noir. The differences are slight but exist.

[@zakrowe1301]

Khambrel Green Neo noir to me always meant to me that it was a film done in the stereotypical noir style and aesthetic but wasn't an actually a noir story just that they used that style as more of a gimmick , if that makes any sense. For example I would consider nightcrawler to be a noir but I would consider la confidential to be Neo noir. And if any modern noir film is Neo noir and the classics are just noir, where do you draw the line between classic and modern?

[@christopherwibberley8984]

I have a large collection of film noir on 16mm

[@sfermigier]

What's the movie with the car explosion at 1:50 ? I remember seeing it like 25 years ago but can't remember much more (except it being really good).

[@khambrelgreen9945]

Stefane Fermigier The Big Heat I believe

[@sfermigier]

It is indeed. Thanks.

[@royfr8136]

? What exactly did you say that shows a lot of research?

[@jimking623]

I prefer the singular film discussion

[@bhotaling1]

Not for nothing Noir took off after everyone returned from WWII. While It's A Wonderful Life bombed.

[@rh5466]

I think you did okay. Not great, but not too bad.

[@AcrossTheStereo]

What movie is it at 5:52 ?

[@albiefraser4057]

Filmnoire is a French invention, only 73 movies listed as genuine noirs, no noirs after 1959

[@BaquePhotography]

I live in LA, I'm typing this in LA. Whenever someone I knows "goes home" I always feel like they lost. Lost at their dream and its always sad. That being said, its not that hard to live a Hollywood dream, Im doing it, and if I can, kid you can too........

[@DoctorQuackenbush]

So, while I understand that, in film noir, the "bad guy" can't win, I don't buy it in "Sunset Boulevard". I don't see Joe as a bad guy: just a failing writer.

[@overlydramaticpanda]

(I know this comment is two years old by now, but anyway...) I think one of the things that separates film noir from general mysteries/thrillers/crime films is that it tends to not only be the "bad guys" that can't win - the morally ambiguous protagonist isn't really allowed to win either. The bad guys have to unequivocally lose (admittedly this really only applies to classic films noir thanks to the Hays Code which forbade films to show characters profiting from illegal actions; in neo-noir, it's become more common to see the bad guys win) but the protagonist can't just waltz off into the sunset with everything they've wanted either. They have to lose *something* - a lot of the time it's their lives, other times it's their potential love interest, occasionally it's any financial profit or their self-respect or the belief that they're above taking criminal action. In Sunset Boulevard, Joe (the morally dubious protagonist) "wins" in the sense that he finally gets through to Norma, if only for a few moments, and is able to at least make the decision to get out of the hell he's placed himself into...but he still loses his life for it.

[@AnupKumar-bt7xb]

Sir Plz. watch ulgulan a krantee movie of jharkhand ranchi kapital🕊️💰in India and O*Blige?.

[@AnupKumar-bt7xb]

🕊️✈️

[@TheSparrow002]

:D

[@JacksMovieReviews]

:D

[@anastasiosgkotzamanis5277]

Al Bundy and Traci Lords.

[@ahmedgalindo2756]

I'm a big fan of your reviews, but this is one of my least favorite videos of yours. I think it's because I have not seen the movie you're reviewing and your description does not make me want to see it.

[@FlymanMS]

So Scarface (1983) is kind of a film noir I guess.

[@zakrowe1301]

I guess you could say so.

[@zakrowe1301]

But I also think there's a certain vibe that goes with a noir (which is obviously subjective to the viewer ) that scar face doesn't have for me

[@JacksMovieReviews]

In a lot of ways. The first one from the 30’s definitely is.