Perhaps the greatest characteristic of noir films is
their empathy for the duality of human beings and reality.
Since the 20th century, 'black forces' have been present in our daily lives. Given the nature of films that have no choice but to reflect reality and the times in many ways, it was a natural trend for the noir genre to lead trends rather than trends.
Ironically, many works of the 1970s-1980s noir genre that superficially dealt with violence and crime are now praised as masterpieces. In fact, I, too, prefer noir films to the extent of 'trust and watch'. In particular, I tried to take the time to see the works of Martin Scorsese of 'Goodfellas', Sergio Leone of 'Once Upon a Time in America', and Francis Ford Coppola of 'The Godfather'.
The works of these masters, made at the same time, have a relatively long running time and are quite far from the fast and spectacular camera direction techniques that are often applied in film shooting today. So, for those who see the noir films of this period for the first time, they may have to fight the boredom first. In the case of 'Once Upon a Time in America', the running time is close to 4 hours. Although there is an edited version, most movie fans seem to prefer the original version of course.
Then, why are we so passionate about noir films and fall for them?
Personally, I think it's because it 'contains everything in the world and human history' in which we live. There are a lot of people who compare life as a criminal by substituting it with that of ordinary people, but the message they are trying to convey is based on the various moments that anyone can experience in life. Friendship, betrayal, love, success, failure, hope, frustration, remorse, reunion, etc. may seem rather grandiose words, but there is only a difference in degree, and there is no one who does not actually experience any one of them. Also, as a person who has been accustomed to society, I can fully understand and empathize with how a friend who was once like an irreplaceable family becomes greedy through what process and why he confesses his wrong choice and sins in the end. You can definitely feel it on your skin.
In the case of 'The Godfather', the protagonist's psychology is effectively revealed through an editing technique called 'cross-editing'. Outside the house, a party with a family and bright atmosphere is being held, but inside, he receives illegal requests from acquaintances or business people. Marlon Brando's hand stroking the cat is delicate, but the atmosphere is cold and foreign. Their appearance, which alternates between the soft appearance of putting family first as the head of the household and the atrocious character who has to punish someone as the boss of the mafia organization, is not much different from the way we struggle to survive in this competitive society. There is only a difference in the method, and in the end, the victors and the losers are entangled like a thread, drawing the same picture of hell. Later, their third son, Al Pacino, who will inherit Marlon Brando's place, also learns his fate the moment he becomes Godfather. As if crossing a river of no return, they will fall into an infinitely coarse and corrupt human being. Paradoxically, in the midst of such moments, he thinks of his family and his family first. The word 'can't be helped' is a characteristic element of a noir film that best suits it. Because they do not know when and where betrayal and retaliation will abound, they have to spend their daily lives engulfed in anxiety and fear, after all, they are also human beings. It is a struggle to 'inevitably survive'.
Having to destroy someone who is entangled in the realm of self-interest in order to protect someone you love is the most difficult pain to bear. Of course, the process and means of pushing out their opponents as criminals are extremely violent, but the calm and intelligent camera direction of the noir film makes even their most heinous moments macho and masculine. And there the audience is attracted to it. In fact, it can be said that the roles of the actors are the biggest. In particular, the threat he feels intuitively even without speaking and his unwavering attitude and expression to flexibly respond to the threat clearly show his responsibility and qualities as a boss. In any case, they also know their own beliefs and 'what to do'. Your role as a leader can actually have a huge impact.
Although the circumstances are different, the role of these leaders becomes more important in moments like the current state of affairs. In fact, you cannot 100% accept everyone's opinions when making any decisions. So, we follow the principle of majority rule, and make a rational and logical decision that can embrace even a minority who argues against it. The decision is made according to the aforementioned beliefs and subjectivity.
A person who is easily shaken by frequent winds should never be a leader. Moreover, if you overestimate your own abilities and are mentally conquered by something, you shouldn't be.
In order to become a wise leader, we will definitely need rational judgment. Those efforts that calmly grasp the essence of any crisis or threat and concentrate all minds on resolving it.
However, prior to that, the self-tacit standard of protecting the most valuable thing in my opinion should be the basis for it as a principle or truth. That way, at least, like the main characters in noir movies, you won't hear the words 'changed or traitor'. I think that is truly the ultimate message of a noir film. Although we are entering the path of self-destruction and depravity from the human side ,
Nevertheless, as there are things to protect
, as if continuing a life of ambivalence