Comments on: The Big Heat (1953): Film Noir As Social Criticism http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/the-big-heat-as-social-critique.html filmsnoir.net: an oasis of noir in a desert of banality Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Noir Digest: Noir City 2010 | film noir http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/the-big-heat-as-social-critique.html/comment-page-1#comment-2618 Noir Digest: Noir City 2010 | film noir Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:32:25 +0000 http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/the-big-heat-as-social-critique.html#comment-2618 [...] The Big Heat [...] [...] The Big Heat [...]

]]> By: Little Dave http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/the-big-heat-as-social-critique.html/comment-page-1#comment-2302 Little Dave Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:12:02 +0000 http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/the-big-heat-as-social-critique.html#comment-2302 Film Noir to me is a reflection upon the world experience from the depression and World War II. Bitterness with the feeling that upper class had it rigged to win. Little guy struggles against the power structure to try and win one (on rare occasion). The game is rigged, but fight on anyway. Film Noir to me is a reflection upon the world experience from the depression and World War II. Bitterness with the feeling that upper class had it rigged to win. Little guy struggles against the power structure to try and win one (on rare occasion). The game is rigged, but fight on anyway.

]]> By: film noir » Dark Art: What Makes a Film Noir? http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/the-big-heat-as-social-critique.html/comment-page-1#comment-94 film noir » Dark Art: What Makes a Film Noir? Wed, 24 Oct 2007 09:14:38 +0000 http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/the-big-heat-as-social-critique.html#comment-94 [...] have not read The Philosophy of Film Noir, and my post of June 20, The Big Heat: Film Noir As Social Criticism, is purely coincidental, but Fujiwara’s discussion of the influence of Eureopean [...] [...] have not read The Philosophy of Film Noir, and my post of June 20, The Big Heat: Film Noir As Social Criticism, is purely coincidental, but Fujiwara’s discussion of the influence of Eureopean [...]

]]> By: From Lloydville http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/the-big-heat-as-social-critique.html/comment-page-1#comment-18 From Lloydville Thu, 21 Jun 2007 20:55:26 +0000 http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/the-big-heat-as-social-critique.html#comment-18 You make a good point -- film noir definitely derived in part from European existentialism . . . but existentialism itself was influenced by Poe, via Baudelaire, so the lines of connection are complex. We can't see film noir as simply a European product, an import, because it was so wildly popular with the American public -- which must reflect an existential malaise that did reach North America after WWII, aroused by the horrific spectacle of the conflict and by the atomic bomb. It reflected a subconscious dread deeply rooted in the American psyche. You make a good point — film noir definitely derived in part from European existentialism . . . but existentialism itself was influenced by Poe, via Baudelaire, so the lines of connection are complex.

We can’t see film noir as simply a European product, an import, because it was so wildly popular with the American public — which must reflect an existential malaise that did reach North America after WWII, aroused by the horrific spectacle of the conflict and by the atomic bomb. It reflected a subconscious dread deeply rooted in the American psyche.

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