Research into the different uses of sound in Film Noir

'A sophisticated use of the sound track was a defining innovation of film noir, drawing upon techniques developed in American network radio. Network radio and sound film both began in the late 1920s, and by the 1940s, they enjoyed great success. It was not until then that Hollywood learned to use soundtracks in genuinely complex ways, rather than simply as adjuncts to image tracks. By then, network radio had developed writers, technicians, and actors skilled at presenting stories using sound alone; its popularity had accustomed listening audiences to understand complex layerings of sound. Radio narration went beyond linear, retrospective storytelling and employed dynamic interactions between narrating voices ("It all began last Tuesday when …") and dramatic ones ("Who's there?"). Sometimes the same voice narrated and participated in the dramatic action—a common trope in films noirs , which used sound to present two versions of a single character simultaneously.'

Its clear that non diagetic sound, and specifically narration was integral to early films of the genre in order to relay information that couldnt be shown visually, as well as maintaining the flow of events or setting a scene. Another pioneering convention that also appeared included the thoughts of a character being broadcast to the audience, giving their own opinions and interpretations of other characters.



Extract from: Influences - Film Noir - voice, show, cinema, story http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Criticism-Ideology/Film-Noir-INFLUENCES.html#ixzz1ChdMmLWV