Film Noir

SCREEN AESTHETHICS
CAMERA CLASS
LECTURER JOHN WIGGINS

FILM NOIR
By Les Snell
11/08/03

We have always had the desire to tell a story. Cave paintings depict warriors battling mighty beasts that roamed the Prairies of the America’s, the forests of Europe and the African continent where it is said the first man walked and hence populated and eventually conquered the Neanderthal. Here in Australia, Aboriginal paintings tell the story of a nomadic existence. These ancient works also tell us the ancient struggle between good and evil, gods and monsters. The question is, why do we feel the need to tell a tale? Is it because the desire for something more, other than the banality of the day to day grind of existing, fuels our imagination, not only to be something else, but also the need to pass it on. For a community to exist in harmony, social order has to be established. Yet, why is man fascinated with the darker forces of human consciousness. Is the unknown more seductive? Of cou...