Pulp noir
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pulp noir is a term used to describe media that constitute a sub-genre of things influenced by various "noir" genres. Pulp noir is marked by its use of classic noir techniques, but with urban influences. Various media include film, illustrations, and photographs.
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[edit] In film
Whereas film noir directly involves characters living bleak existences to accomplish a goal with odds against them, pulp noir often portrays a grittier, one-man army. Typically, the main character has no distinguishing abilities, but can hold ground against seemingly impossible odds.
Examples of films that have been referred to as pulp noir include:
- The film adaptation of Frank Miller's Sin City [1]
- The Clint Eastwood film Million Dollar Baby [2]
- The Paul McGuigan film Lucky Number Slevin [3]
[edit] In other media
Some illustrations and photographs are described as being pulp noir. For example, the Maureen Dowd book Are Men Necessary? When Sexes Collide features cover art that was called pulp noir for its depiction of a stereotypical urban scene of shady men on a subway car leering at a sexy, confident woman. Recently, some video games, such as the Max Payne third-person shooter series, have been portrayed in a film noir style. [4] SF Weekly journalist Matt Smith used the term to describe the act of "sprinting to the crime scene, skidding on my heels, and yelling at everyone and nobody in particular: 'Who's in charge here?'" [5]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Ebert, Roger. "Sin City", Universal Press Syndicate, 2005-08-19.
- ^ Verniere, James. "FROM THE HUB TO HOLLYWOOD; Clint: Not planning to retire from biz", The Boston Herald, 2004-12-18.
- ^ Seebach, Heather. "Slevin's luck has run out", The Diamondback, 2006-04-06.
- ^ Levy, Ariel. "Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture", The Village Voice (New York), 2005-11-22.
- ^ Smith, Matt. "Noir You See It, Noir You Don't", SF Weekly, 2005-08-10.
