Arts & Culture
The Evolution of Film Noir Lighting from German Expressionism
Quick fact
The term 'film noir' was coined by French critics, but its signature look was born in Germany—and when German directors fled to Hollywood in the 1930s, they brought their shadows with them.
Why this is interesting
You’ve seen it a hundred times—a detective’s face half in shadow, venetian blinds casting stripes across a smoky room. But why does noir always look that way? It turns out the answer lies in a German art movement from over a century ago.