Three examples of Neo-noirs

Sin City (2005)
This contemporary film noir was adapted from graphic novels; it uses classic noir characters such as seductive femme fatales, corrupt policemen and grotesque murders. The narratives include disgusting, harsh real life stories such as paedophilia and torture. By using comic book elements it makes the film modern and the digital effects make the film break out of the stereotypical structure. A list stars such as Bruce Willis and Mickey Rouke play the good guys, both narrating their own stories, this is a characteristic of early film noirs which used voiceovers. Bruce Willis also plays a policeman who gets betrayed by his partner and the whole film is set in “sin city” an urban city with gambling clubs, it looks dark, constantly rains and is overall quite scary, this is another theme used in early Film noirs.

Pulp Fiction (1994)
Pulp fiction is directed using contemporary film noir features, the non-chronological order breaks away from the usual linear structure, there are three distinct narratives which intersect, it uses parallelism as the opening sequence, a hold up at a diner, is repeated at the end with the two main characters involved in the hold up, this also makes the narrative course circular as it overlaps. This film is described as a neo-noir; similar to earlier films it uses violent murders, gangs and police who are heroes. Pulp fiction uses monologues to reveal each characters view on the situation and their lives in Los Angeles. The narrative uses shocking scenes, lots of drama, sexual tension and stars classic film noir stereotypes shown in the 1940s and 1950s; Uma Thurman plays the femme fatale and uses her sexuality to get anywhere she can.

Brick (2006)
Brick was written and directed by Rian Johnson, the narrative is a tough detective story that takes place in a lonely suburbia, and it mixes film genres crossing film noir with teen stories. The main storyline is that a high school student who avenges the death of his ex girlfriend, whom he still loved. The main character, Brendan, is a hardboiled ‘detective’ trying to find out who killed his ex girlfriend and becomes wrapped up in the local drug crew, throughout the story he is reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart’s iconic character Sam Spade from “The Maltase Falcon”, Rian Johnson was heavily influenced by Dashiell Hammett, the characters all use 1940s gangster vocabulary which gave the film an old fashioned twist.