Scene from The Big Combo (dir. Joseph H. Lewis, 1955), one of the great film noir detective classics in terms of style. It is also considered as one of the best work of legendary cinematographer John Alton.
„For Brooks, Alton produced moodier, more downbeat effects, sometimes - as in The Brothers Karamazov - deliberately jarring. In an attempt to suggest the psychological turmoil of Dostoyevsky's characters, he devised an expressionistic lighting scheme that threw deep shadows of saturated primary colours, a technique widely dismissed as crude and overemphatic. A similar approach, but more subtly applied, worked far better in Elmer Gantry, John Fitzpatrick noted how Alton's photography «catches the Dust Bowl reds and browns by day and casts them against blue-black voids at night». Many of the movie's nocturnal episodes, though filmed in colour, convey a noirish feel of claustrophobic obsession.
Alton's last masterpiece of pure noir cinematography was The Big Combo, routine gangland-vengeance stuff transmuted by its visual treatment. Jean-Pierre Coursodon observed how «Lewis's carefully studied spatial organization and positioning of actors, matched by John Alton's masterful balance of sparse lighting and engulfing darkness in predominantly deep-focus setups, create a dazzlingly rich texture which at times... verges on the abstract». In its blend of trash content and sheer overwrought style, The Big Combo strikingly exemplifies how, in the hands of a master like Alton, cinematography can on occasion take precedence over script, acting, and possibly even directing, in determining the key quality of the creative mix. (Philip Kemp - International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers.Vol 4: Writers and Production Artists, 2000)
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„Where there is light, there is hope. When one is lost in the dark of the night, and suddenly discovers a ray of light in the far-off distance, he begins to feel more at ease. In motion picture photography the turning on of a light, the lighting of a lamp, the arrival of someone with a lantern, or the sudden appearance of any light is used to enhance drama. «Clear as daylight», goes the old saying. Daylight brings relief. In contrast to captivity there is no greater joy than to be free, to go wherever and whenever one pleases and do whatever one desires. This can best be depicted with gay light. To show the liberation of a prisoner by bringing him out of the gray prison into the glaring sunlight, city traffic, clouds, wind, children playing, birds singing and chirping, is showing the symphony of life itself.
The Radio Dial as a Light Source
The light of a radio dial seems insignificant. Yet, put the light of the room out, and it becomes the light source. If you have observed, you must have noticed that when we turn the radio on, it flashes a bright light on the wall behind it. This lasts but a second and fades out. The light of a radio dial mixed with the light of the dying embers of a fireplace can be used for mystery pictures. A person in this room can see outside in the dark.
The Power of Light
To realize the power of light and what it can do to the mind of the audience, visualize the following little scene: The room is dark. A strong streak of light sneaks in from the hall under the door. The sound of steps is heard. The shadows of two feet divide the light streak. A brief silence follows. There is suspense in the air. Who is it? What is going to happen? Is he going to ring the bell? Or just insert a key and try to come in? Another heavier shadow appears and blocks the light entirely. A dim hissing sound is heard, and as the shadow leaves, we see in the dim light a paper slip onto the carpet. The steps are heard again. This time they leave. A strong light appears once more and illuminates the note on the floor. We read it as the steps fadeout in the distance. «It is ten o’clock. Please turn off your radio. The Manager»”. (from John Alton’s book Painting With Light, 1995)
