Blog entry # 3 (Detective Keyes)

One of the characteristic of film noir is that there is usually crimes involve, and when there’s a crime, it only takes couple characters to write an effective story, the killer, victim a witness and the detective. We already know that the killers in the story Double Indemnity are Walter and Phyllis, and the victims are Mr. Nirdlinger, Lola, Lola’s mother, Sachetti and the three kids murdered by our femme fatal. Murder is a problem, often times a mystery and when there’s a problem, we look for solutions or find answers.

In this story, Mr. Keyes assumes the role of a hard-boiled detective. He works at the company for a long period of time and he knows everything about it, he is someone who is hard to fool when it comes to the business because he handled million of them and he’s aware that people are willing to kill for money, not only that he is knowledgeable about the company but what makes him a good detective is his personality “He’s big and fat and peevish, and on top of that he’s a theorist, and it makes your head ache to be around him, but he’s the best claim man on the coast, and he was the one I was afraid of” (56) He is suitable on this role because he’s  a very curious guy like how Walter described him he is a theorist. He assumes everything and wants to know everything, I don’t think it’s about the money or the company anymore but he just want to uncover the truth behind Mr. Nirdlinger’s death. He study and analyze every possible things that happened in the accident and surprisingly got most of them right, He is certain that it is a murder and not suicide; he knows how a criminal like Walter thinks. He looks beyond the situation or facts that are presented. He even figured out that Mr. Nirdlinger was never on the train, that he has to get rid of that guy Jackson, Keyes know that no one would really recognize the Nirdlinger because it’s dark and he’s wearing an eye glass, just like how Walter thought about it. Another quality of Keyes that made him a detective type is that he is persistent ,the argument he had with Mr. Norton whether it’s a suicide or not shows how hard headed he is “…All right he wants to wait her out, make her sue-that suits me. He’s going to cover the dead man, find out what he can about why he may be committed suicide. That suits me; I am going to cover her” (67). Keyes truly play the detective role well because he scared Walter and that’s the reason why he thought of killing Phyllis, he knows Phyllis can turn him in, at that time Walter knows Keyes got him.

            Keyes character is pretty obvious, we already know he is the major detective in this story but I also thought Sachetti made his little share of curiosity. Unlike Keyes, Sachetti did everything secretly, I think he did a pretty good job; he played it safe by sleeping with his enemy. He’s investigating about the death of his father and the murder of the 3 kids. He pretends that he likes Phyllis so he can be closer to her but he didn’t expect that he will fall in love with Lola, I actually like that idea, I think he is the only person who played Phyllis and manipulated her in some way.

           

Blog Entry # 2 (Double Indemnity p. 3-70)

Double Indemnity is a masterpiece of its own, I have not read any book about noir and this one gives me a better understanding about the concept. “Nightmarish, weird, erotic, ambivalent and cruel” is how Raymond Borde and Etienne Chaumeton described noir on their article “Towards a Definition of Film Noir”. Double Indemnity falls perfectly under this category and I will base that on two things, one is the plot and second is the characters.

            Borde and Chaumeton state that “it is the presence of crimes which gives film noir its most constant characteristics…Few cycles in the entire history of film have put together in seven or eight years such a mix of foul play and murder” indeed, this are all present in this story. A foul play and a murder that is brilliantly plan in a span of six weeks by two people (Walter and Phyllis) all because of money and the idea of love that they thought they have. The murder is plan carefully and with accuracy, from the place, the materials and the people, a program of a stage accident designed to kill a man is what they created and studied for weeks. The evil course of actions takes place on a car and the railroad; it was described in full details. It is like a living nightmare reading this book; I feel the darkness, the danger, the suspense and the fear of the characters, Like I’m part of it, a main witness hiding on the bushes watching the murder, shaking to death and scared to get caught.
           
            The other element of noir that this story has is the characters. “He is often enough masochistic, even self-immolating, one who makes his own trouble…At times he is a passive hero who allows himself to be dragged across the line into the gray area between legal and criminal behavior” is how Borde and Chaumeton described the characteristic of the protagonist. It is played well by Mr. Walter Huff; an insurance agent fell in love with his client’s wife. The mastermind of everything, the reason for killing is love and money. He planned everything on his own without knowing that he is being played and manipulated by the sweet and lovely femme fatal in the character of Phyllis. In agreement with Borde and Chaumeton “femme fatal is fatal to herself, frustrated and deviant, half predator, and half prey, detached yet ensnared. She falls victim to her own traps” Her first attack is the night he invited him over when their maid is off, a little kiss is how their team up started.  It was his idea and she goes along with him, I know there something odd about her, by playing innocent, she follows him too much and let him do all the dirty work. She has him around his neck controlled like a puppet without him knowing it, blinded by his emotions and interest to her is the power she has over him. She is very dangerous in a way that no one can see it, everything is an act, it is her own show, directed by her, produce and written by Walter but all the credits goes to her.

            The last aspect that can determine that this story is indeed a work of noir is because it is a crime from within. The author did a good job on touring us inside the mind of a criminal like Walter, how it works, why he does it and how he does it. To be able to see what a criminal see and feel how he feels gives me chill, it is the ghastly side of life and this story illustrate a fatalistic interpretation of a reality. So there is no doubt that Double Indemnity is classify as a work associated with film noir.

Neo Noir

     "New Black", from the Greek word neo, new; and the French word means black. Perhaps, film noir is dramatically developed and improved since this dark films came out between the early 1940's and the late 1950's. It was unrecognized and unappreciated kind of films because of it's scary themes and its dark visualization, especially when people became aware of this after world war II. I would think that after great depression, the last thing we would love to see is a dark movie that involves killing and characterized by conflicted antiheroes. According to David Ansen and Tara Weingarten from their article "The Neo Noir 90's" teenagers are not interested on this movie at all and stated that the only audience who enjoys film noirs "are directors,film students,critics and the most ardent,generally upscale film enthusiast" (Ansen and Weingarten). Despite of it's unique theme, noir films made their own name and reputation and constantly improving until it became into a lifestyle on it's own. From low budgeted movies and mostly independent films, they spend millions of dollars to pull through such doomy and dangerous movies. They also become a television shows, tons of them watched by billions of people, whether its about serial killers, crime scene investigation or just a psycho murdering bad people (Dexter) you would be amaze how many of us actually enjoy the thrill and evilness we get from this movie. Not only that noir is something we watch but eventually became part of our culture, a clothing line, a brand, fashion shows, advertisement, all derived from this classic movie.I have a perfume from victoria's secret name Noir tease, the color, the style and the smell. It's a beauty.I personally like it, the idea of the film, the darkness and mysteriousness it brings to the audience.