i walked with a Zombie

Was directed by Jacques Tourneur, and was the second film to be produced by Val Lewton (Vladimir Ivan Leventon) in 1943. The film was made for RKO. The film was produced to be a "horror" film but as it was a B movie it wasn't as successful as they imagined.

Val Lewton, was given the title " i walked with a Zombie" and was instructed to create a film that fits with the title.

How does the film attempt to create atmosphere in the opening scene?
The film uses alot of low key lighting in scenes such as walking to the home fort and diegetic & non-diegetic sound is used when the drums are played to show the corn is ready to be collected, and when they head towards the voodoo place.

I walked with a Zombie, has a peaceful and relaxing opening. The calm music and images of a peaceful ocean behind the credits help to calm the audience, this however creates an uncomfortable feeling, as they are unaware what to expect. The voice over of a women, is non-diegetic sound which helps to introduce the film to the audience. The lighting is concentrated on main characters, and the less important characters are shadowed. This determines who are the vital characters in the film, the women starts to give a voice over account of what happened, in her opinion, this could show that she doesn't have a very powerful position in the film, due to her blurred account of what happened.

We see the women arriving at a house, looking neat & presentable, this creates a sense of unsettlement to the audience due to the women looking "normal". The disorientates the audience. Diegetic sound occurs as hunting appears on the screen, alongside a fast pace music. This is also shadowed by the moonlight, and its low key lighting. This is contrasted with the brightness of daylight scenes.

Slavery is also shown throughout the film, with various hints toward voodoo. We can see Slavery from the diegetic sound of humming, showing a depressive mood, caused from lack of freedom. The dialogue shows how although the "workers" aren't slaves, the "whites" have more power over the "blacks".

Alot of shadowy, eary lighting is used, showing that the audience don't know exactly what is going on. As soon as the family is introduced, we find out there is some tension between the two brothers of a family, and that they have employed a women to do a certain job. Showing elements of secrecy, as we are unable to receive the whole story. Whilst identifying the characters, point of view/perspective shots are frequently used, as well as low key lighting.

References to both zombies, and voodoo occur in the opening scene crying as a child is born, and the locals are celebrating the death of someone in order for the child to be born. The story of the two brothers is also showed in a song, sang by the local people. Miss Jessica appears to be a "mental patient" although she is really a zombie, and not actually alive.

Film noir

Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. Film noir of this era is associated with a low-key black-and-white visual style that has roots in German Expressionist cinematography, while many of the prototypical stories and much of the attitude of classic noir derive from the hardboiled school of crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Depression.

Film noir was most popular in the early 1940s to the late 1950s. As were crime dramas, showing moral and amigutity showing that there was no right or wrong. Film Noir started as the audiences required respect from the "Villain" type characters.
Typical characters include :

• private eye
• salesman. (good talker/charmer)
• drifter (surviving on wits)
• businessman
• trapped housewife - femme fatal

Amnesia is also a recurring theme throughout the genre with very none optimistic endings.

Before the 1960's there was such thing as the Hayes Code, which was a code created by hollywood production companies making censership stricter than it is now. Meaning that most films included fear, mistrust, loss of innocence and paranoia. They also had very strong views on sex, and Psycho was deemed "out there" for showing a women in a bra