genre and used the traditional quest, investigation, or journey format, but made their actions look even more absurd or meaningless, thus showing how existentialism was more prevalent
than in classic noir films. With more indie and art house film productions making creative films and not relegated to just showing them as box office productions or other major film
labels, it has allowed for a greater variety of neo-noir productions to be shown. Furthermore, viewers can watch these kinds of films on DVDs or other media formats, unlike in the past
where they had to go to the cinema. Besides that, viewers are more knowledgeable about film productions today and do not necessarily need to have a perfect ending with a moral
resolution; they can better appreciate cinematic creativity today than in past years.
4.7 Three Types of Neo-Noir
According to Jerold J. Abrams, neo-noir can be divided into three types: past neo- noir, present neo-noir, and future neo-noir.
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Past neo-noir is more theological in nature. An example of past neo-noir is Angel Heart about Detective Harry Angel Mickey Rourke who
is hired by Louis Cypher “Lucifer” Robert DeNiro to find Johnny Favorite who suffers from amnesia. Harry Angel also suffers from amnesia, and it turns out that actually Lucifer is
making him remember his past. The devil wants Harry Angel to remember his past, so that he can take his soul, as was previously agreed upon when Harry was Johnny Favorite. This is
similar to the literary figure Faust, who is a successful scholar but dissatisfied with his life, which prompts him to make a deal with the devil for unlimited knowledge and world
pleasures in exchange for his soul. Another good example is Pulp Fiction 1994 with Jules Winnfield Samuel Jackson and Vincent Vega John Travolta who are sent on a quest to
retrieve a briefcase that glows inside, which is a similar quest with Raiders of the Lost Ark several years before about retrieving a golden mystical object.
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Abrams, Jerold J., “Space, Time, and Subjectivity in Neo-Noir Cinema”, from Conard, Mark. The Philosophy of Neo-Noir. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 2009, p.10.
For future noir, it generally deals with science fiction and alien themes. A good example that fits into this category is Blade Runner 1982, as Detective Rick Deckard
Harrison Ford has to find four humanoid replicants and kill them. The replicants have a limited lifecycle of only 4 years, and they want their creator to make them live longer. Like
other noir detective stories, Deckard also goes on a quest to find himself and after meeting Rachel, a human-like replicant Sean Young. Then he starts to question his own identity, and
it is assumed at the end of the film that he is also a replicant, although not explicitly stated so. Blade Runner also has low-key lighting; indoor shadowy images; a voice-over narration by
the protagonist detective; dark, gloomy, rainy, and life-less settings; as well as apparel typical of traditional noir characters. Deckard is often seen wearing a trench coat. Rachel looks like a
traditional femme fetale of 1940s noir, as she has her hair tied in a bun and wears a jacket with shoulder pads just like Mildred Pierce. The similar clothing styles and appearances of
Mildred Pierce in Mildred Pierce and Rachel in Blade Runner can be viewed from their similar styles in appearance.
In considering the film Blade Runner from an existential perspective, Jean-Paul Sartre in Existentialism and Human Emotions states that existence precedes essence in humans only.
This means that when humans are born, they can determine the course of their existence, but human-made things like androids have their essence first in the minds of their creators and
are programmed to do limited or various functions according to how their creators design them before they are in a physical form. Therefore, in androids, the essence comes before the
existence. Sartre argues that if one thinks about God in the traditional sense, then God will be just like the scientist who makes androids and has their final determination in mind before
they are created. Sartre eliminates God from this equation, so that humans can make their own determination and not be pre-determined by God. As Sartre did not believe in God, he
thinks that humans decide what they want to be through their own actions. Sartre believes people become more human by developing emotions over time.
The Bourne Identity 2002 and Memento 2000 are examples of present neo-noir where the protagonists suffer from amnesia or deal with self-discovery like in other neo-noir
works. As traditional noir has detective characters who go after criminals to solve cases, instead of trying to do a self-discovery or reconcile amnesia although there are various
traditional noir stories with amnesiac characters after WWII related to wartime veterans who suffer from psychological problems, the detectives are still trapped in the noir world they
live. This theme is also found in neo-noir films, as protagonist characters or detectives may go through some kind of self discovery, but ultimately they are unable to complete a self-
discovery or many questions will still remain.
4.8 Portrayals of Classic and Neo-Noir
