Blog #2: Film Noir (Touch of Evil and Cape Fear Analysis)

1.
"[Noir] is a descent into Hell both externally and internally from which you can't escape until it's over with." -Kathryn Bigelow 

In Touch of Evil, the main characters Vargas, Susie, and Uncle Grandi are caught in Quinlan's conspiracy. It is interesting to see how each character affects another. The events inTouch of Evil are set into motion when the bomb goes off in the opening sequence. "Hell" resides within the character of Quinlan, who is doomed even before the movie starts. He is on a straight and narrow path to self-destruction. This differs from the other characters, who are dragged along with Quinlan until he is finally put down.

2.
"[The femme fatale] is very strong, very smart, and she's extremely sexual." -Janey Place

Suzie from Touch of Evil has one of the characteristics that Janey Place describes here: Extreme sexuality. This shows in the way she attracts Grandi and how she outstretches in the hotel bed. Her body is what attracts Jo Grandi to make a deal with Quinlan to rid of Vargas, Grandi wants to move in on her. Orson Welles creates an atypical femme fatale with Suzie. Welles probably wanted to show that a femme fatale could be innocent, especially since most noir films had never done that before. It is difficult to argue that Suzie is also intelligent and strong (given that she is overpowered and kidnapped easily). However, I think if Vargas had kept her around, she might have proved useful to distract Grandi while Vargas investigated. Tanya is mysterious and beautiful, and keeps her eyes on Quinlan. She sees him for who he is, and in this way the audience can begin to doubt Quinlan with Tanya's skeptical glare. For the most part, Tanya stays out of trouble. She is the opposite of Suzie, making sure not to flaunt herself. She is intelligent and strong (she owns her own business).

3.

 In Touch of Evil the Mexican border is the first night scene we see. The blackness of the surrounding desert heightens the idea of darkness around a speck of light (Vargas' hometown). Deep focus is used to show men following Suzie as she walks back to the safety of her hotel. Deep focus allows us to see Grandi's men running in the streets, we can focus on either one. In the scene where Suzie is harassed from the building across the street with a man shining a light at her face. This is dramatic light and shadow. When Suzie answers by screwing the light-bulb off and throws it, Welles is subverting another noir cliche.

4.

Scorsese implements wide angle close-up shots (subject is facing the audience, but talking to a person behind them) multiple times. Shadow begins to overtake the Bowden household, which appears bright and cheery in the beginning, but slowly gets darker as Mrs. Bowden and  Danielle take refuge in the confines of the home. Cape Fear is shot in the alleys and streets of a real city (on-location Fort Lauderdale, Florida). There are scenes when real passerby can be seen. Heavy use of green screens differentiate Cape Fear from classic noir, as does the sexual threat posed by Max Cady (DeNiro). Scorsese, like noir, doesn't show anything he's not supposed to show (avoiding censorship), but the assault on both Danielle (Juliette Lewis) and Lori Davis (Illeana Douglas) are graphic because of what the viewer imagines occurs. The assault on Davis is external physical violence, while Danielle's molestation is that of an internal tainting. Bowden (Nick Nolte) is an imperfect candidate as a noir protagonist. He fits the bill since he is corruptible in trying to start a relationship with his colleague and how he handles Cady's case 14 years prior. Color photography in Cape Fear is used to show sexual arousal, and impulse, as in the fireworks scene when red, green, and yellow filters are used.