Matias Llopis IB Film Blog: The third man (1949)

The context of the film:

Where and when was it set, and what social and politic themes does the film explore?

The film was released in the 31 August 1949 at the UK. It was filmed at Vienna at different parts of the city.

Genre:

What genre is the film? (You need to know this in depth) Technically, what are the features of this genre, and this film? Find 3-4 images to illustrate your point.

The genre of the film is Film Noir. This kind of films were developed during and after World War II. It was a style of black and white American films created in the 1940´s, and lasted until about 1960.

Characteristic:

It has dark, shadowy images filmed in black and white. They are often at night and usually in a gritty urban setting. Many times the setting is nameless. Very often the films are based on a type of crime or a detective story. Characters are usually pretty likable and they sometimes smoke during the film. The main character is always facing a moral dilemma or any kind of threat. Women are usually dangerous and independent. It is common to see a director of a German school. The use of the flashbacks (a change of time from past and present) is very present . There is a voice over narrator, which are used mainly during flashbacks. All the authentically films noir don’t have a good ending.