Nobody sidestepped special effects like film noir did. They made a whole genre out of, “If we dim the lights enough, nobody will notice we stole this set from a different movie.”

The history of film noir is something really special that came together due to a unique set of circumstances (saddle up for an infodump). The Great Depression had given popularity to pulp fiction novels, generally focusing on working class protagonists struggling to keep a roof over their heads, and often viewing power and social structures through cynical terms. Meanwhile, in Germany, Hitler destroyed the German film industry, which had previously been the best in the world. A bunch of people who were generally some combination of gay/Jewish/communist/film makers came to America and brought their expertise, expressionist style, and antifascist perspectives to Hollywood, where it blended with existing American culture to create something entirely new.

Every iconic aspect of film noir was that way for a reason - even if the reason was often, “saving money,” like I mentioned before. The older, grizzled detective and the young femme fatale were cast out of necessity, especially during wartime when young men who would have otherwise dominated those roles were out fighting (or expected to be). While of course they are product of their time and can contain sexist themes, they provided roles for women that were more complex and had more agency than before. And they were also subject to censorship, but some movies, such as Crossfire (1947), snuck hidden meanings under the radar. The book Crossfire was based on was centered around a homophobic murder, but the Hays Code prohibited any mention of homosexuality, so the plot was changed to a racist/antisemitic murder (which also capitalized on the anti-Nazi sentiment of the time) - but with subtext alluding to the original plot. The effect is that the two forms of bigotry are linked together (tagline: “Hate Is Like A Loaded Gun!”), and the director later said that the Code, “had a very good effect because it made us think. If we wanted to get something across that was censorable… we had to do it deviously. We had to be clever. And it usually turned out to be much better than if we had done it straight.”

Film noir’s fans cut across demographics, popular with women and men alike. Back in those days, going to the movie theater was an all-day affair with multiple films shown, and film noir movies generally occupied the role of “B movies” (necessitating their cheap production values), but the point is that they were just targeted towards… moviegoers. And I don’t want to paint it as just, “foreign socialists promoting their agenda through hidden messages” or that sort of thing, it genuinely was a blending of perspectives and cultures that (much as I hate to say it as a certified America hater) really represents America at it’s best, the dream that we ought to aspire to. There really was something magical happening in the cultural dialogue that these movies are the product of.

But of course, we’re not allowed to have nice things. Due to McCarthyism, the alliances and blending of cultures and ideas that had allowed the genre to exist were ripped apart. People were pressured to name names and sell out their colleagues, which spawned distrust and animosity, betrayal and grudges that would disrupt the industry even after the direct threat had passed. And eventually replacing film noir and it’s proletarian focus and cynical view of society, came the spy movies, glorifying government agents infiltrating other countries as part of this global ideological conflict against communism. Propagandizing trash. Dead art taking no risks and presenting nothing to challenge the audience.

Anyway, film noir is cool and fun and artsy and had a progressive (for its time, at least) current insofar as it was allowed to.

I mixed up the threads, which wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t followed me around dragging it out into another thread in a desperate attempt to weasel out of providing the evidence that you don’t have because it doesn’t exist.

Evidence or GTFO.

Witch, tankie, sealion, fascist, it doesn’t matter the label, the tactics employed are the exact same.

lol this thread is off the rails and should probably get modded

Yes, it should be. I was trying to shitpost in peace when PJ comes here trying to start shit with me to distract from another conversation in order to weasel out of providing any evidence.

offered evidence of some (supposedly controversial) event.

Lol no he did not. Not even a shred. On principle, even.

See, I’m accused of being a witch, and by asking for proof that any witchcraft actually happened I’m questioning the Inquisition and proving my guilt.

How will I ever recover?

I did a wrongthink 😔

I’m so sorry. There are, in fact, three lights. I will never trust my own eyes ever again, I pledge to always follow whatever the group decides is correct and never again to think for myself or question what I’m told. I hearby renounce all standards of evidence and uphold the in-group’s symbolic beliefs as the highest authority of epistemology. Will you ever forgive me?

…still on the shitpost comm, yeah?

You’re still trying to get me into a debate, lol. You’re still hurling accusations with no basis in reality. Because you will neither provide evidence, nor will you GTFO.

Evidence, or GTFO.

Bro you come into this thread, guns blazing, attacking me and trying to get me into a debate, I tell you to leave me alone, and somehow I’m the one demanding you “debate me?” No, please, do not debate me. Please leave me alone. But if you are going to follow me around, attacking me and trying to get me to debate you, all I ask is one simple thing:

Evidence or GTFO.

That’s it. If you’re going to hurl accusations at me, then provide evidence that the things you’re attacking me for denying are actually grounded in reality.

Evidence or GTFO.

Do you deny the “white genocide,” yes or no?

Evidence or GTFO.

(That video is literally what you’re doing in this thread lol)

Evidence or GTFO.

That comic is not an excuse for rejecting the entire concept of evidence lmao.

Evidence or GTFO.

Evidence or GTFO.

Do you deny the ongoing US genocide of Italians? Yes or no. Do you deny the “white genocide?” Yes or no.

Evidence or GTFO.

No, I want you to provide evidence that the genocide you claim to exist actually exists. That’s all I want from you and from now on it’s the only thing I’ll say to you.

How many posts is that with you providing zero evidence? I should start keeping a tally. You’re probably up to like a hundred with me alone.

Bruh that’s literally you in the comic. Stop following me around. I’m trying to eat breakfast.

Dumbass really thought “sealioning” meant, “asking for evidence, in any context” 😭😭😭

Fuck off, fascist genocide supporter. I know you love talking to me but stop following me to other threads.

What the fuck are you talking about. Stop following me around to other threads.

If you like talking to me so much, finish our other conversation by providing the evidence I asked. I’m not discussing anything else with you until then.

The deal to end the shutdown. Imo the Dems caved, getting very little in exchange.

See, you only ever tell me to fuck off when you’re backed into a corner where the only other option would be to actually provide evidence. You fucking love engaging with me, you’ll argue any point, all day long, it’s only when you’re pressed for evidence and can’t weasel out of it that you suddenly lose interest in the conversation. Or, as Sarte would say,

“If you press them too closely, they will abruptly fall silent, loftily indicating by some phrase that the time for argument is past.”

What the fuck are you even talking about. Stop following me around to other threads.