Actors/ Actions
There is usually an anti-heroic male within a film noir, this mean he will usually be a detective and not look or act like your typically hero, these stereotypical characteristics include being clean, honest and getting what they want without breaking the law. A film noir anti-hero will not, they are the antagonist protagonist in a sense because they are the bad good guy. This is because the characteristics of a film noir hero could include being rough, bent in his occupation i.e. being a detective, tough. With the use of all these characteristics the audience is still able to identify him as being the hero of the film. This could be through his actions or past a most anti-hero’s will have a dark past which is what causes them to have these characteristics. The way in which the anti-hero talk’s is also a typical characteristic of these individuals as they tend to have a wise come back and sly attitude which can be said is what makes them so attractive to the femme fetale’s.
For example Batman in the dark night could be considered an anti-hero as he is known as being the back superhero as he breaks the law to get what he wants, also as with his voice and stance he is always seen with a typical femme fetale.The femme fetale in film noir is the typical ‘sex symbol’ and this could possibly be one aspect as to why these types of films appeal men. The femme fetal is known for wearing clothes which will show off her best features and hug her bounteous ‘every girl wants to be her’ figure. She will normally be seductive towards the anti-hero which is subsequently is shared to the audience; this will be conducted possibly through her movements and/or stances. She will possibly be quite a strong minded woman who is reluctant to love and therefore she does not get along with the anti-hero. She could also be the antagonist of the film as she can be used to trick the anti-hero to do go to places or do things to trap him.
Make-up/ Hair
The hair and make-up of an anti-hero is traditionally stubble, short brown hair, but with promenade features such as eyes of nose. This could be used as a sign of his past and how rough it truly was as we as an audience are often not shown the past, it is only described to us, it is then signified through the use of props, costume or in the case make-up/ hair such as the stubble. I believe the stubble can show the anti-hero’s past through the fact that he is unable to keep himself completely clean and does not take as much care of himself based upon the fact that what happned in the past is always on his mind.
The femme fetal however is created as almost a contrast to the anti- hero by having platinum blonde hair which could signify her intelligence as blondes are known as being dumb, however sometimes this can be contrasted with the fact that some femme fetals have the intelligence to trick the anti-hero even if this is under the control of the antagonist. However in some ways they can have low intelligence because they decided to get involved with the antagonist and in the end need to be rescued. She will also normally wear bright red lipstick; I believe this to be a seductive tool but it can also be used to symbolise the devil she is showing through the use of colour, although as the lipstick can be removed it could be staid that she can also have the antagonist inside her wiped away making her a protagonist, therefore as the audience we would assume the antagonist of the film has told her to wear it to get the anti-hero to do what she wants.By Laura Thorpe
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