By virtue of his era of origin, initial vigilante character, and surrounding
dark pulp atmosphere, Batman is certainly historically noir if any
super-hero is. Post-modernism has nothing to do with it:
"The first Batman story, "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate," was published
in *Detective Comics* #27 (May 1939). Finger said, "Batman was originally
written in the style of the pulps",and this influence was evident with
Batman showing little remorse over killing or maiming criminals and was not
above using firearms." (Wikipedia)
Mark
On Wed, Jul 23, 2008 at 11:23 AM, Steve Novak <Cinefrog@comcast.net> wrote:
> Sorry friends but Batman noir???!!!....a superhero
> noir??????!!!!!!!!...arenąt the two words almost opposites...
>
> I guess that is part of another post-and super-post-modern version of
> noir???
>
> Seriously: I just donąt get this at all!..
>
> Montois
>
> On 7/23/08 10:42 AM, "William" <smilliam.wiff@earthlink.net<smilliam.wiff%40earthlink.net>>
> wrote:
>
> > I was a little dazzled that the "disappearing pencil" trick got past
> > censors in a film that was guaranteed to attract kids (I saw
> > 5-year-olds at my showing).
> >
> > I think Batman has always been superhero noir. The character's roots
> > are a mish-mash of gothic novel tropes with a Dick Tracy rogue's
> > gallery. Then the works that redefined him in the 80s-90s (Dark Knight
> > Returns, Year One, Killing Joke, Arkham Asylum, The Animated Series)
> > were all heavily influenced by classic crime fiction and existentialism.
> >
> > That's a pretty good noir pedigree if you ask me and Nolan has been
> > very smart at pulling all this together.
> >
> > The exploration of the Joker's motives was definitely the most
> > compelling part of the film and Nolan made his world view dominant by
> > giving him that final up-is-down, right-is-wrong levitating soliloquy.
> > It's good that Ledger was such a force in the film because without him
> > the movie is basically a Sharper Image(™) Death Wish 3.
> >
> > Hopefully (though I doubt it) Alan Moore got a paycheck because the
> > best Joker moments were all from Killing Joke.
> >
> > --- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com <rara-avis-l%40yahoogroups.com><mailto:
> rara-avis-l%40yahoogroups.com <rara-avis-l%2540yahoogroups.com>> ,
> > "Nathan Cain" <IndieCrime@...> wrote:
> >> >
> >> > Has anyone else seen The Dark Knight? Would anyone else say it's a
> >> > superhero noir? This was a rather surprising movie, especially for a
> >> > summer blockbuster because of the villain's utter lack of motive
> >> > beyond a desire to cause chaos and because (Spoiler Ahead):
> >
> >
> >
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
-- Mark R. Harris 2122 W. Russet Court #8 Appleton WI 54914 (920) 470-9855 brokerharris@gmail.com[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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