Part 10/13:
However, not all films with darker themes are considered noir. Visually bright, overly flat-lit movies like Laura or Out of the Past with too much daylight don’t capture the signature noir aesthetic.
Noir’s Influence on Modern Cinema
The impact of film noir persists today. Directors like Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver), Quentin Tarantino, and Christopher Nolan draw heavily on noir tropes: voice-over narration, morally ambiguous protagonists, urban decay, and melancholic atmospheres. Even major franchises subtly echo noir’s themes—Star Wars’ dealings with smuggling and double-crosses, or Raiders of the Lost Ark’s adventure echoes.