Horror noir

For the "black horror" genre, see Black horror.

Horror noir (sometimes referred to as noir horror or hyphenated as horror-noir; lit. 'black horror') is a film subgenre that blends elements of both horror and noir. It combines the dark, atmospheric qualities of noir with the suspense and fear typical of horror, creating a hybrid genre that integrates aspects of both. These films typically feature a mysterious or unsettling atmosphere, often centering on psychological drama, tension, and darker thematic elements, particularly those related to crime and its consequences (often depicted in crime dramas, which explore criminal activity and its effects). Common themes include corruption, deception, isolation, alienation, violence, revenge, paranoia, and the unknown, all presented through the visual style of film noir. Horror noir often follows protagonists who face not only external threats, like supernatural forces, but also internal struggles.

A film genre of this type invites the audience or is meant to experience fear, suspense, and anxiety, often through supernatural or psychological themes. It encourages viewers to confront their deepest anxieties and explore the darker aspects of human nature, often through intense, unsettling situations. It typically aims to provoke an emotional response, whether through shock, terror, or a sense of unease, while also challenging societal norms and exploring taboo subjects. Unlike traditional noir, horror noir incorporates supernatural or occult elements, introducing unexplained and unseen events into the dark, shadowy settings typical of noir. The genre may include graphic violence, often linked to themes of revenge or retribution. This violence usually serves as a manifestation of deeper psychological or moral struggles within the characters.

Films described as horror noir films include Among the Living, The Mask of Diijon, The Night of the Hunter, The Phantom Speaks, The Red House, The Spiral Staircase, or, more recently (among what may be called neo-noir horror films), Blood Simple, Shutter Island, Lost Highway, and Mulholland Drive.

History

The horror noir genre can trace its roots back to the broader development of film noir, which emerged during the 1940s. Film noir itself was shaped by a combination of American crime fiction, psychological thrillers, and European cinematic influences, particularly German Expressionism. This genre embraced dark visual aesthetics, with heavy contrasts of light and shadow, and psychological themes, often involving morally ambiguous or complex characters and bleak narratives.

In the 1940s, horror and noir began to merge in cinema, with early examples showing that horror films and film noir were considered "virtually indistinguishable." As a result, this hybrid genre was rare and not yet well-defined. Many horror films from the 1940s through the 1950s adopted stylistic elements of film noir, including its use of shadows, contrast, and suspenseful atmosphere, although these films often had limited budgets. The economic conditions of the U.S. film industry in the 1940s and 1950s are known for the rise of B-grade films, particularly in the noir genre. B-films, produced quickly with lower budgets, often featured shadowy visuals and minimal sets, contributing to the distinctive noir style. The piece also explores the influence of German Expressionism on film noir, with directors like Fritz Lang and Billy Wilder bringing expressionist visual techniques to Hollywood. The Motion Picture Production Code (Hays Code) also played a role in shaping the industry during this period. Additionally, neo-noir gained popularity, establishing a modernized interpretation of noir that contributed to the genre's ongoing evolution. The blend and crossover of horror and noir in mid-20th-century films highlights how these genres shared dark, atmospheric visuals and fatalistic themes. Examples include Nightmare Alley (1947), Strangler of the Swamp (1946), and Night Has A Thousand Eyes (1948), which combined noir’s shadowy lighting with horror’s supernatural elements, as well as Val Lewton's Cat People, suggesting how the genres influenced each other, particularly during this era in which later films like Angel Heart continued to merge these elements. Such films bridged classic horror of the 1930s-40s and the genre’s resurgence in the 1950s.

In Horror Noir: Where Cinema's Dark Sisters Meet, Paul Meehan states that "when it first emerged as a genre during the 1940s, film noir derived its distinctive visual style from the horror film", meaning that as film noir emerged in the 1940s, it borrowed visual techniques commonly used in horror, thus forming a stylistic bridge between the two genres. Meehan further explains that "both horror and noir exist inside a haunted universe of night and fear first conjured by Germany's expressionist filmmakers in the 1920s", suggesting that both genres share a common atmosphere of fear and darkness, originally developed by German filmmakers of that era. The German Expressionist films of that era used intense shadows, strange angles, and eerie settings to create an atmosphere of unease and mystery. This style influenced later horror and noir films, giving them a “haunted” quality, where characters face a world filled with night, dread, and psychological tension. For instance, Blood Simple, the Coen Brothers' debut film, combines elements of horror and noir. It explores how the film pays homage to classic noir through themes of crime and betrayal while incorporating horror’s suspenseful atmosphere and stylistic tension. By blending these genres, Blood Simple creates a unique tone, playing with audience expectations and genre conventions. This approach is believed to have helped establish the Coens' distinctive cinematic voice.

The horror noir genre has evolved through a mix of horror and noir elements, first rooted in German Expressionist films of the early 20th century, like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), which used stark lighting, exaggerated shadows, and psychological themes that influenced both horror and film noir. As film noir emerged in the 1940s and 1950s, its themes of moral ambiguity and fatalism began to blend naturally with supernatural or unsettling horror elements, leading to some of the first horror noir films. For example, Jacques Tourneur’s Cat People (1942) utilized film noir’s shadowy visuals to evoke a suspenseful, supernatural horror atmosphere, setting a model for horror noir storytelling that explores complex, often unsettling themes in human nature and society.

In the 1960s and 1970s, directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Roman Polanski continued to evolve the genre with films like Psycho and Rosemary’s Baby, which combined psychological horror with noir’s tense, shadowy style, creating a sense of paranoia and existential dread. More recent films have expanded horror noir's scope to include contemporary societal fears, as seen in works like Get Out (2017), which blends horror noir techniques with social critique on race and identity, and Nightcrawler (2014), which combines psychological horror with a noir lens to examine media ethics and ambition.

Key developments in the film genre

Origins and early examples

Some early examples of horror noir appeared as film noir rose in popularity. Films like Cat People (1942) and I Walked with a Zombie (1943), directed by Jacques Tourneur, are often cited as pioneers of horror noir. Produced by RKO, these films combined horror with noir visuals, using shadows, ambiguity, and psychological suspense.

1950s and 1960s expansion

The blending of horror and noir elements continued through the 1950s and 1960s, as Cold War anxieties and social tensions found expression in horror genres. Horror noir films like Night of the Hunter (1955) and Carnival of Souls (1962) further cemented the genre, incorporating noir’s visual and thematic style with horror’s psychological and supernatural elements.

Revival in neo-noir and 1980s cinema

In the 1970s and 1980s, neo-noir and horror noir saw a resurgence, with films like Angel Heart (1987) and Body Double (1984) adding noir aesthetics to horror narratives. These films explored darker psychological themes and were visually influenced by noir’s stylized lighting and shadow effects, often set in urban landscapes.

Modern influence

Contemporary horror noir continues to be seen in films such as Se7en (1995) and Sin City (2005), which use noir elements to heighten horror’s impact, emphasizing psychological horror and moral complexity.

Cinematic style

In horror noir films, typical elements from classic film noir, such as low-key lighting, intricate plots, morally complex characters, and confined or urban settings, are used to enhance horror themes. Originating in the 1940s and 1950s, film noir focused on crime stories and featured dark visuals and morally conflicted characters. In horror noir, these noir elements are combined with horror themes, including supernatural aspects like or that might involve ghosts, monsters, or other unsettling figures. These films often take place in shadowy urban settings and involve protagonists who are haunted or psychologically disturbed. Both horror and noir genres share a sense of doom and fatalism, creating atmospheric tension and eerie visuals that define the horror noir style.

The cinematic styles and techniques in horror noir combine elements from traditional noir with the unsettling ambiance of horror, often adopting visual and thematic motifs that underscore darkness, ambiguity, and psychological tension. These techniques often borrow from both horror and film noir, blending visual and narrative tools to create a distinctively unsettling style.

A hallmark of both noir and horror noir is the use of chiaroscuro lighting—a technique from German Expressionism that creates stark contrasts between light and dark. Shadows, often cast dramatically across characters and settings, add depth and a sense of looming danger, heightening the horror element. This use of light and shadow reflects inner conflicts, as well as the duality of good versus evil, common in horror noir themes. For instance, horror noir often uses shadowed environments, such as urban decay or desolate interiors, to evoke feelings of isolation or entrapment.

Another common technique is Dutch angles and low-angle shots, which create a sense of disorientation and unease, complementing horror noir’s psychological complexity. These angles make scenes appear unstable, which can mirror the instability or moral ambiguity of characters. Additionally, distorted reflections—seen through mirrors or broken glass—are frequently used to symbolize fractured identities or distorted perceptions, particularly in stories dealing with supernatural or psychological horror.

Horror noir also employs nonlinear narratives and flashbacks, which are common in classic noir and serve to layer complex backstories that gradually reveal characters’ motives. This technique builds suspense and mystery, often leaving the audience in suspense or with a feeling of unease as pieces of the plot are revealed out of order.

Films such as Angel Heart (1987) and Se7en (1995) employ noir’s visual style—shadowy, high-contrast lighting, urban desolation, and claustrophobic framing—alongside horror elements like serial killers or the supernatural to intensify the suspense.

Subgenre differences

Gothic horror

Horror noir and Gothic horror are similar in tone and atmosphere, but they differ in style, setting, and storytelling elements. Both genres use shadowy visuals, create tension through atmosphere, and explore darker sides of human nature, often with mysterious or suspenseful narratives. However, while Gothic horror is more likely to involve supernatural beings like ghosts or vampires, horror noir tends to focus on horror grounded in human psychology, though it can also feature supernatural elements if handled in a noir style. Gothic horror has its origins back in 18th-century literature, which typically emphasizes eerie settings, such as haunted castles or isolated mansions, mostly focusing on psychological dread, supernatural events, and sometimes tragic romance. It often explores themes of isolation, madness, and the supernatural within a framework that reflects Victorian anxieties around social and moral decay. Classic Gothic films like Dracula (1931) and Frankenstein (1931) present characters struggling with internal and supernatural forces, often set against gloomy, elaborate backdrops that evoke a sense of the uncanny.

Neo-noir

Additionally, neo-noir is a modern revival of classic noir; it sometimes blends with horror elements but retains a focus on crime, moral ambiguity, and psychological tension rather than the fear and supernatural aspects central to horror noir. It is typically set in modern contexts and may not necessarily include supernatural elements. While horror noir focuses on intertwining both horror's elements of fear and noir's sense of doom, neo-noir may only focus on crime and existential themes without the supernatural or terror. They may share some stylistic and thematic elements; however, the tone and focus of neo-noir often remain grounded in crime and psychological drama.

Horror noir is rooted in film noir. It leans more into human corruption and existential dread, employing crime, mystery, and psychological horror. Like film noir, horror noir often explores the darker aspects of human nature, incorporating elements of crime and psychological conflict. It also adopts the distinctive visual style of noir, including the use of shadows, unconventional angles, and moody settings. According to various sources, each genre emphasizes different elements—horror noir often centers on the horror aspects (fear, violence, the unknown) while incorporating noir's crime and psychological tension, whereas supernatural noir leans more heavily into the supernatural forces that drive the plot. The distinctiveness of each subgenre lies in the balance between crime, the supernatural, and the psychological undercurrents that each one explores.

Key figures in the genre

Directors and cinematographers known for their work in the horror noir genre often combine noir’s shadow-driven visual style with horror’s intense atmosphere. Figures such as Roman Polanski, John Carpenter, and William Lustig are frequently noted for their use of suspenseful imagery, psychological complexity, and dark visual language, which are key elements of horror noir. Polanski’s Chinatown (1974), although mainly a neo-noir, incorporates a sense of hidden truths and underlying threat that aligns with horror noir aesthetics. Carpenter’s Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) merges noir’s mystery-driven narrative with horror’s visceral elements, employing subjective camera angles and dramatic lighting techniques to create an atmosphere of psychological tension and ambiguity.

Directors of photography such as John Alcott, Conrad Hall, and Oswald Morris are notable for their contributions to the horror-noir genre, particularly through their innovative use of lighting and camera techniques. Alcott’s cinematography in The Shining (1980) utilizes atmospheric lighting and signature tracking shots, which work together to heighten a pervasive sense of dread that aligns with horror noir conventions. Similarly, Hall’s work on Night Moves (1975) employs a desaturated color palette, enhancing the film's dark and suspenseful tone. Morris, known for his work on Moby Dick (1956), used deep shadows and contrast to create a visually moody environment, embodying the dark, atmospheric qualities central to the horror noir aesthetic.

Criticism

The horror noir genre has faced various criticisms, particularly concerning representation and race. Historically, the genre has often marginalized Black characters and depicted them in negative or stereotypical roles. For much of the early horror film landscape, Black actors were frequently relegated to servant roles or portrayed as comedic figures. This trend began to shift with films like "Night of the Living Dead" (1968), which featured a Black protagonist and highlighted social issues relevant to the Civil Rights Movement.

The documentary "Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror" explores these themes by analyzing the evolution of Black representation in horror films. It discusses how the genre has often reflected societal attitudes towards race, including the problematic portrayal of Black characters as monsters or as expendable figures who often die first in horror narratives. More recent films, such as Jordan Peele's "Get Out" (2017), challenge these conventions by addressing racial tensions directly and subverting typical horror tropes.

Critics argue that while horror noir can provide a space for exploring complex narratives, it must also confront its past and strive for more equitable representation. As awareness of these issues grows, there is a push for filmmakers to acknowledge and rectify historical misrepresentations and to tell richer, more nuanced stories that include diverse perspectives.

The criticism made was mainly for its depiction of Black characters and themes, often tied to cultural stereotypes and historical contexts. Scholars argue that this genre has long reflected and influenced societal perceptions of race, utilizing horror as a lens through which racial anxieties are projected and explored. For instance, Robin R. Means Coleman, author of Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to Present, contends that early horror films frequently portrayed Black characters as threats or “others” in ways that reinforced negative racial stereotypes, reflecting the dominant racial attitudes of their times. These portrayals are seen as both a reflection of and a response to the social climate, from depictions of “dangerous Blackness” to themes that emphasize Black invisibility or sacrifice (Coleman, 2013).

Additionally, critics have noted that horror noir’s modern narratives often employ tropes like the “sacrificial Black character” or “magical Black character” who supports the white protagonist’s journey. This trend persists even in films with progressive undertones, such as Candyman or The Shining, where Black characters play limited or archetypal roles that reinforce rather than challenge existing stereotypes. Some critics argue that while recent films like Get Out have made strides in representing Black protagonists as central to the plot, the genre as a whole has yet to fully escape these embedded tropes and present a more nuanced portrayal of Black experiences in horror cinema (Culture Crypt, 2019). Studies such as Coleman’s Horror Noire and its film adaptation provide cultural and historical analyses that explore these themes in American horror, examining the genre’s evolution and its impact on broader social narratives.

Films described as horror noir films

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External links

List of horror noir films at IMDb

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