"The Da Vinci Code," "Rebecca," and Film NoirIf you've ever seen a film in which the hero is a shadowy figure involved in a dark and twisted plot, and chasing a woman who is obviously up to no good, then chances are you've seen a movie of the film noir genre. Elements of film noir set this genre apart from other genres of film due its dark and sinister atmosphere. Film noir is a genre which is tough to define, mostly because the genre's creators were unaware that they were involved in a stylistic change. Some movie critics would even say that film noir is not a genre in itself, but rather a mood, style, point-of-view, or tone of a film. In any case, film noir involves the use of certain techniques that aren't used by any other genre of film. Elements of film noir involve black and white cinematography, or desaturated colour, low angle shooting and expressionistic techniques, the use of "mise en scene" to portray alienation of its characters, and usually has a strong pessimistic atmosphere.
Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken", 1874 - 1963
A screenshot of Judith Anderson and Joan Fontaine ...
The Da Vinci Code (film)Film noir is also typical of having a plot in which the characters are either involved in a mystery, committing a crime, in a love triangle, or facing a desperate situation. By comparing the Hitchcock film "Rebecca" with Dan Brown's novel, "The Da Vinci Code," elements of film noir manifest themselves through parallels in the alienation and estrangement of its main characters, including the Dark Hero, the Blocking Figure, and the Heroine. Although the "Da Vinci Code" is not of the film noir genre, through comparison with "Rebecca," elements of film noir manifest themselves in the novel in different ways. (Keaney, 4)In the film "Rebecca," and also "The Da Vinci Code," the protagonists face alienation and...