Film Noir Analysis- 'Touch of Evil'

For my next genre-specific film analysis, I shall be analysing the film noir ‘Touch of Evil’ (Orson Welles, 1958).

The camera techniques used within the film consist of a great number of  close up/reaction shots to show the emotions of the characters throughout the film, such as this shot of the main character, American police chief, Hank Quinlan (played by Orson Welles), which connotes through the focus on the character’s facial expressions, that he he has sinister motives and/or has something to hide.

There are also a great number of POV shots, especially during the murder scenes, this allows the audience to ‘feel’ the pain and terror that Quinlan’s victims are feeling. Within the film there are also a high use of low camera angles, (to denote Quinlan’s power and dominance over others),  tracking shots (perhaps encouraging the audience to focus on the specific characters that the camera is tracking, forming an enigma, making the audience wonder about the significance of these characters), deep focus (to focus the audience’s attention onto specific happenings, facial expressions etc.) and elaborate crane shots (used to establish location). These are shots that Welles has become known for his extensive use of.

In terms of mise en scene, the most notable features within the film are low-key lighting, which denotes darkness, corruption, sinister goings-on  etc., and the clothing/body language of the characters, especially in the case of Mexican narcotics investigator Mike Vargas (played by Charlton Heston), who wears a smart suit (denoting high power and status) and always stands tall , connoting pride and the character's sense of honour and justice). This challenges the stereotype within the film that Mexicans are the ‘scourge of society’*.

The costumes used within 'Touch of Evil' are typical of 1950's society. (i.e. the males are smartly dressed in suits and ties, and the women in dresses.). This connotes that men the men are of high social status, have respectable jobs etc, while the women are lower class, (wearing more common, generic clothes). This highlights a common stereotype of 20th century films, that women are of lower status than men.

The themes shown within ‘Touch of Evil’ are typical conventions of the film noir genre, these are corruption, deception and crime (specifically murder). These are shown especially by the low key lighting and the sound used within the film (to create tension and enigma). Also, the film is set on the American//Mexican border, and thus relies heavily upon the theme of constant tension between the two (i.e. corrupt American police chief Quinlan and law abiding Mexican narcotics investigator Vargas)

The editing within the film is generally slow (to show the laid-back attitude of the characters, especially Quinlan and many of his supporters.), however, the transitions speed up towards the end of the film and in the murder scenes. These fast cuts, along with the sound used, are designed to create tension and fear within the minds of the audience, as well as enigma, to make the audience wonder ‘what will happen next?’

*note that this is not a general stereotype, but the general opinion of various characters within the film specifically.