Film Analysis
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Concordia University *
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298B
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Arts Humanities
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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6
Uploaded by tatianakehyayanx30
1
Film Analysis
Tatiana Angelina Kehyayan
Applied Human Sciences Department, Concordia University
FFAR298 - The City After Dark
Yuriy Zikratyy
November 13, 2023
2
Introduction
The film “Nightcrawler” follows the journey of Lou Bloom, a morally ambiguous
freelance videographer. Bloom roams around the city streets at night, capturing gruesome crime
scenes and accidents to sell to news stations hungry for sensational footage. As we analyze this
film through the lenses of le flâneur, slumming, and nocturnalization, we gain insight into how
the film embodies elements of these concepts. Additionally, the film's use of lighting plays a
crucial role in setting the tone and highlighting the contrasts between the glittering facade of the
city and the grim realities that unfold under the cover of darkness.
What role does the night play in the film – do the behaviors and attitudes of the characters
change at night? Is the night a time of escape, or danger?
The majority of the film takes place at night, emphasizing the nocturnal nature of Lou's
profession as a freelance videographer. His behaviors and attitudes drastically change at
nighttime. At night, Lou becomes more driven, fearless, and morally flexible, willing to go to
extreme lengths to capture sensational footage. For Lou, the night is both a time of opportunity
and danger. It offers him a chance to capture high-impact footage, but it also exposes him to the
risks of encountering dangerous situations and criminals. The film skillfully captures the concept
of night as a frontier, as Shaw discusses in his text, which is the idea of the nighttime
environment being unexplored or possessing qualities of the unknown, much like a frontier
(Shaw, 2015). This metaphorical use of "frontier" suggests that the night holds mysteries,
challenges, and opportunities that are yet to be fully understood or navigated (Shaw, 2015). The
film
portrays
Los
Angeles
at
night
where
moral
boundaries
are
nonexistent,
creating
opportunities for exploration and exploitation. Lou Bloom serves as a nocturnal entrepreneur
navigating this frontier. His dialogues, particularly when negotiating with news producers,
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highlight his understanding of the media industry's appetite for sensationalism during the night.
Nina’s statement, "I want something people can't turn away from, I want what you promised me"
encapsulates
the
aggressive
pursuit
of
attention-grabbing
stories
in
well-off,
white
neighborhoods,
specifically
at
night
(Gilroy
et
al.,
2015).
Lou's
professional
life
in
"Nightcrawler" is depicted as one that does not have the luxury of a social life extending beyond
the confines of his work. In daylight scenes, we see him in solitude at home, involved in
mundane activities such as watching morning news and tending to his plants. The film subtly
communicates the inherent loneliness and isolation that comes with working night shifts or
holding a nocturnal job. Interestingly, for certain individuals, such solitude is a choice rather than
a drawback (Memon, 2013). These individuals cherish the autonomy it affords—unrestrained by
external scrutiny (Memon, 2013). Lou aligns with this sentiment, evident in his conversation
with Nina when he articulates, "There's certain good things in being alone. You have time to do
the things you want to do, like study and plan. But you can’t have dinners like this. Or be
physical with a person, I mean beyond a flirtationship" (Gilroy et al., 2015).
Do the characters exemplify roles we have explored in this lesson? How?
Lou adopts a detached observer's mentality, similar to the concept of the flâneur. A
flâneur, typically a man, strolls through the city streets, as a detached observer, a spectator rather
than a participant in the activities of the city (Sharpe, 2008). Lou observes the nighttime
cityscape with a clinical eye, often showing little empathy for the victims or the gravity of the
situations he documents. Throughout the film, Lou is shown actively seeking out crime scenes,
accidents, and other sensational events in economically disadvantaged and high-crime areas of
Los Angeles. He enters these neighborhoods showing little regard for the people affected by the
incidents he is documenting. This behaviour reflects a form of slumming, as Lou is exploiting
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4
the suffering and misfortune of others for his gain and the entertainment of the audience (Heap,
2009). As a privileged white male, Lou deliberately seeks out and explores the more dangerous
areas of the city which at first started from his curiosity, and then later on learns he can make
money from being a freelancer. However, unlike the traditional flâneur, Lou gets too involved
with his observations, to the point where he gets up close and personal with the crime scenes he
is filming and tampers with the evidence for his success in captivating a graphic shot.
How is lighting used in the film? How do characters exploit the dark?
Lighting is a crucial element in "Nightcrawler" that enhances the film's atmosphere and
thematic elements. The concept of "nocturnalization," as discussed by Tim Edensor refers to the
expansion of the legitimate social and symbolic uses of the night (Edensor, 2015). The film often
utilizes low-light settings, relying on natural sources like street lamps and headlights, as well as
the harsh, bright lights of news cameras. Characters, particularly Lou, exploit the cover of
darkness to infiltrate crime scenes and capture footage without being noticed. The dark
environment allows him to maneuver discreetly and go unnoticed, enabling him to get closer to
the action and capture more sensational shots. Additionally, the contrast between light and dark
serves to symbolize the moral ambiguity and ethical dilemmas faced by the characters,
particularly Lou, as he navigates the world of crime journalism.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "Nightcrawler" offers a chilling portrayal of a modern-day flâneur, Lou
Bloom, whose relentless pursuit of sensational footage blurs the lines between observer and
participant in the city's nocturnal landscape. The film adeptly explores themes of slumming,
shedding light on the exploitation of marginalized communities for profit and entertainment. As
night becomes a canvas for Bloom's exploits, the concept of nocturnalization takes on a darker
5
hue, reflecting the societal acceptance of morally ambiguous activities under the cover of
darkness. Through its compelling narrative and nuanced characters, the film challenges us to
confront the moral ambiguities that lurk beneath the surface of our seemingly ordinary nocturnal
world.
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References
Edensor, T. (2015). The Gloomy City: Rethinking the relationship between light and dark.
Urban
Studies
,
52
(3), 422-438.
https://doi-org.lib-ezproxy.concordia.ca/10.1177/004209801350400
Gilroy, D., Litvak, M., Fox, J., Gyllenhaal, J., Russo, R., Ahmed, R., Paxton, B., & Gilroy, T.
(2015).
Nightcrawler
. Elevation Pictures. Retrieved November 12, 2023
Heap, C. C. (2009).
Slumming: sexual and racial encounters in american nightlife, 1885-1940
(Ser. Historical studies of urban america). University of Chicago Press.
Memon, S. (2013).
The Solitude of Working Nights
. The Atlantic.
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/09/the-solitude-of-working-nights/279745/?pat
Sharpe, W. (2008). “Gaslit Babylon.” In
New York Nocturne: The City After Dark in literature,
painting, and photography, 1850-1950
(pp. 37–79). Princeton University Press.
Retrieved from
https://reserves.concordia.ca/ares/ares.dll?Action=10&Form=50&Value=218628.
Shaw, R. (2015) Night as Fragmenting Frontier: Understanding the Night that Remains in an era
of 24/7, Geography Compass 9(12) 637–647
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