German Expressionism

1940s and 1950s' Style

Prohibition Speakeasy

Riverside CA

June 2013

by Chong Ho Alex Yu

“Film noir” is a French term, which literally means “black film.” This is a cinematic style associated with cynical motifs and popularized by Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. As the name implies, Film noir is characterized by a low-key black-and-white style that can be traced back to German Expressionist cinematography. Although today Film noir is no longer the pre-dominant style in Hollywood, once a while some movies replicate this classic approach. One of the seminal works using the Film Noir style is Harrison Ford’s Blade Runner (1982). These photos were taken in Prohibition Speakeasy, Riverside, CA. Although all photos in this cluster adhere to a nostalgic style, not all of them are black and white.