Martin Scorsese' Mean Streets

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The film Mean Streets by Martin Scorsese is heavy influenced by what the French called “film noir” or black film. “You don’t make up for your sins in church...you do it in the streets.” This voice over starts the movie off and is very similar to Naked City from the classic film noir genre. The subject is also very similar: the depiction of what goes on in dark streets of New York City.
The opening scene of Charlie waking up from the nightmare is filmed in an almost dark room except for the light coming through a venetian blind. The venetian blind is used extensively in film noir because of the different moods of the light and the play of shadows. Charlie’s face is caught in this shadow and chaiscuro lighting suggesting impending doom from the moment he wakes up. Charlie checks the mirror for reassurance, as cars and traffic can be heard in the background. Already one can tell that Mean Streets is set in the city during the mirror shot. A police siren can be heard creating a distubing off-screen space. Scorsese has a catholic background and a crucifix can be seen hanging on the wall as Charlie walks by and returns to bed. The venetian blind is seen again in a close up of Charlie’s face with alot of contrast and character introspection.
An 8mm intro of what seems to be family movies is shown and the first shot is of flashing police lights on a squad car. Showing that this is a dangerous life in the city, this is also depicted in the classic film noir genre and is often the main subject. At the end of the 8mm film “Mean Streets” is shown in blood red straight through the picture in the center, over shadowing the 8mm film.
After 8mm intro, scorsese shows what seems to be a charcter introduction. Tony catches a man shooting up heroine in the backroom of his bar and kicks him out. Michael is quickly trying to get most likely stolen merchandise unloaded under a bridge while sirens can be heard almost in t...