# Special Subject: The Rise of Film Noir

Film noir can be characterized by visual techniques like low-key lighting and unbalanced compositions. Plots focus on crimes, and murder is a common element. (Photo by leah8691 on Flickr. CC-BY-NC-SA.)

### Instructor(s)

Dr. Martin Marks

### MIT Course Number

CMS.S61

### As Taught In

January IAP 2012

### Level

Undergraduate

###

Some Description
Instructor(s) | Prof.
As Taught In | Spring 2002
Course Number | 2.24
Level | Undergraduate/Graduate
Features | Lecture Notes, Student Work

## Course Description

## Course Features

- Assignments: written (no examples)

## Course Description

This class explores the development of Hollywood Film Noir. There will be a focus on émigré directors who moved to Hollywood when the Nazis rose to power. Assignments will include short response papers about three of the films in the series, and reports by students on examples of "neo-noir" films from recent decades.

This course is offered during the Independent Activities Period (IAP), which is a special 4-week term at MIT that runs from the first week of January until the end of the month.

## Related Content

## Course Collections

See related courses in the following collections:

### Find Courses by Topic

- Visual Arts > Film and Video
- Literature > Criticism

Martin Marks. CMS.S61 Special Subject: The Rise of Film Noir. January IAP 2012. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare, https://ocw.mit.edu. License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.

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