Film noir remains one of the most iconic stylistic movements in international cinema. Though it has continued today in international media as far as television and video games, it’s most associated with the post World War II movement of dark cinema in Hollywood that shined a harsh light on a society undergoing intense trauma and rapid change. A subgenre of these films is what filmmaker Thom Andersen labels, “film gris.” A series of film noir movies made by socially active communists and left-wingers in Hollywood, that used the stylistic trademarks of film noir and the archetypes of the crime genre to create scathing realist portraits of post-war poverty, disillusionment, and racism. This series looks at three films that particularly focus on the widespread danger of anti-semitism post WWII, exploitative labor in athletics, and the dangers of mob justice. Importantly, these films are works of entertainment that’ll be used to create a wide-ranging discussion on how artists can work within popular formulas to provide though-provoking social commentary and critique.
This month's film is Body and Soul. Due to the length of the film we will be starting promptly, make sure you arrive on time so you don't miss anything!
Questions? Contact Brigid at bblack@somervillema.gov
