A series on how film noir inspires my art- Entry #6 How many times have you said to yourself, "this is a bad idea,"- then went ahead and did it anyway? This is the essence of the typical male protagonist in film noir. A guy who is presented with a choice, and even though it is a bad idea, he goes forward with his instincts, his craving, his desire, his compulsion, his desperate need, instead of what we know would be the right choice. He must live, or die, by that fateful decision. We watch the drama unfold, unable to look away. Men have their own particular burden to carry. They are supposed to do, to achieve, attain, and win. But the world does not have a level playing field. Additionally, he knows that when the going gets tough, he's the one who is expected to run into the fray, stare it down and fix it. But what if it is unfixable? The strive to win against all odds is often what motivates Antihero- or the giving up is what fuels his self-destruction. The Homme Fatale Not all Fatales are Femme. Any androsexual will tell you so.
But this is an illusion. Another cathartic mechanism in the fantasy world of film noir. In the real world, such men are exasperating at best- dangerous at worst.
But here we must ask the age-old question; is the catharsis we gain from art worth the messaging it perpetuates? Why Noir? is a series! Read 'em all.
1 Comment
Bridget
9/21/2022 04:22:47 pm
Oh boy. I can identify a bit too much on this one! The "manic pixie dream boy" is as much a romantic ideal as the "manic pixie dream girl." And just as difficult to wrangle in real life.
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