Re: Re: RARA-AVIS: noir vs hardboiled

BaxDeal@aol.com
Mon, 7 Dec 1998 15:44:14 EST while I agree with the general assessment of hard-boiled being an attitude, I
don't feel as many here do that it has to necessarily involve
institutionalized corruption.

and while noir certainly reflects a visual style in film, the French refered
to the genre as "black" more for its nihilistic philosophy rather than because
most of works of the original era were filmed in black and white.
specifically, noir reflects the view that we are all doomed. therefore, a
novel, which has no visual style to speak of, can certainly be both hardboiled
and noir. if the characters (particularly the protagonist) has enough mental
and emotional toughness, it qualifies as hardboiled. and if no matter how he
or she strives, he or she is fucked in the end, the story is noir.

that's my opinion and it should be yours too.

John Lau
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