Deep Focus: Understanding Film Noir
You do know how to whistle, don’t you? You just put your lips together and… blow.
Do you love the shadows cast by venetian blinds? Are you thrilled by a brutal double-cross? Do you consider taking up smoking (again) whenever you watch Bogie light a cigarette? We invite you to dig into the details of Hollywood’s most breathtakingly cynical film cycle with our sophomore “Deep Focus” event on understanding film noir. “Deep Focus” is an interactive lecture series presented by Learning & Outreach at The Cinematheque. Co-hosts Chelsea Birks and Christine Evans will be your Joe Gillis and Max von Mayerling for the afternoon (you get to be Norma Desmond), and will guide you through the history, cultural influences, and aesthetic markers of film noir. Participants will then hone their analytical skills by watching and discussing Fritz Lang’s The Big Heat (1953). Whether you are a noir newcomer or a seasoned aficionado, we guarantee you will learn something new! Top of the world, Ma!
Standard ticket rates apply for this “Deep Focus” lecture and screening.