What is Film Noir?

By definition film noir is a style or genre of cinematographic film marked by a mood of pessimism, fatalism, and menace. This term was originally by a group of French critics; to American thriller or detective films made in 1944-1954. This was the work of directors such as Orson Welles, Fritz Lang and Billy Wilder.

Film Noir is inspired by Americas' crime fiction and described as describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations and was brought to the screen by European émigré directors whom of which shares a storytelling sensibility.Film noir of this era is associated with a low key black and white visual style that has roots in German expressionist  Cinematograph It is famous for its hight stylised, overly theatrical and imagery drawn from the earlier era of German 'expressionist' cinema but became popular in the US during the Great Depression.