Star Wars Prequel Trilogy (1999–2005) — I: Film Noir
*SPOILERS*
Saw a video essay on Youtube a while back on a channel I can’t remember where George Lucas talks about not getting a fair shake from fans hating on the Star Wars Prequels. He emphasizes that his artistic intention was to make commentary on power structures so this video essayist contends that the prequels should be interpreted as noir films. Likewise I want to try to be as fair as possible and look at the prequels through the lens of film noir.
Film Noir
You know Film Noir. That old style of storytelling about a grizzled detective waxing pessimistic in a voice-over about dames he can’t trust, uncovering conspiracies. The thing that Sin City and Batman are paying homage to. People say things in a transatlantic accent like “ that’s the trouble with you Roberts — always belly achin’, see.” I’ve seen a handful of noir films but haven’t really dug into it as much as I’d like so I’ll try my best to summarize this film style.
Tones associated with film noir might be cynical, oppressive, anxious, and suspicious. Visually this tone comes across by way of high contrast imagery, classically black and white. This tone was originally explored in in the German Expressionist thrillers, known for their heightened reality and emphasis on visually portraying a character’s internal despair. This heightened style found itself being used more in the US during the Great Depression where it reflected America’s self-doubt, suspicion of corruption, and lack of faith in human nature. Hence the classically bleak and pessimistic tones, although later noir films would subvert that.
The protagonist is often someone on the fringes of society, unable to hold himself in the popular illusion that society is functional and just. Usually a man who is a private investigator, a fighter, a grifter, a homeless vagabond, etc. The specific role matters less. It just needs to be a role that places the protagonist in the position to see either the seedy underbelly of society or the veiled corruption of high society, traditionally. Really just some kind truth not easily accessible. In Blade Runner, the protagonist catches glimpses of a deeper truth about humanity, divinity and the selfhood of AI. Anyway, when this cynically disenfranchised character comes upon a case or incident that eventually removes the thin veil of society’s goodness, it typically triggers an arc of his downfall and moral deterioration. However this isn’t necessary. In Blue Velvet the protagonist is an optimist that catches glimpses of human sexuality, subject to more of a gendered power structure than an institutional one, that challenge the way he views humanity and has a happy ending (subverting bleakness without a handie).
As hinted, the enemy is some power structure that the little guy couldn’t hope to win against — the government, the private sector, the military, organized crime, the wealthy, or even love and trust. In other words, this downfall arc can also be a personal story of individual betrayal. Often illustrated by the protagonist’s loss of control as he’s forcibly carried through the plot as if by a riptide. These stories often tell of people trapped in unwanted situations (which, in general, they did not cause but typically exacerbate), striving against random, uncaring fate, and are frequently doomed.
Prequels Noir
In the Star Wars prequels, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Anakin might take on the role of the ones uncovering various plots in each Episode respectively, and while I wouldn’t say there’s a femme fatale that triggers Anakin’s downfall, there’s certainly his perception of Padme’s betrayal, while the key power structure he’s subject to is the Jedi Council. From his perspective he ends up witnessing Jedi hypocrisy veiled by corruption. The Sith and Senate are also important to his story but Anakin’s fixation is on the Jedi Council as the dominant status quo.
The essay for each movie will have three segments:
I. Power Structure Commentary
II. Noir Narrative
III. Lucas’s Lazy Buddhism
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Star Wars Episode One Essay —
Star Wars Episode Two Essay —
Star Wars Episode Three Essay —
Star Wars Prequels Overview Essay —
I: Film Noir
