TRENDS THAT SHAPED CULTURE: THE 80s FILM NOIR
Trigger warning: George Michael
After exploring the 1970s’ fascination with the Middle Ages, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the decade that followed. Yes, while our collective imagination increasingly portrays the 80s as a moment of colorful euphoria, when revisiting actual media from the era, I couldn’t help but notice how dark it all seemed.
How much shadows, smoke, and crepuscular lighting shaped an atmosphere far closer to a 1940s-50s Film Noir than the fluorescent, high-energy party we’ve come to imagine (I don’t deny their existence, only that it presents a narrow view of the era.). How easily we’ve forgotten the darkness of the time, choosing instead to depict the 80s as a kind of Belle Époque—pre-AIDS crisis, pre-Grunge, pre-LA riots, etc.
So let’s take the time to explore why the 80s turned so gloomy and how this was reflected in movies, music, fashion and archetypes.
Understand the Film Noir hype in the 80s
The 80s marked a complete cultural reset from the decade before. Priorities shifted: instead of rebellion and civil rights activism, the focus turned to economic renewal, conservatism (Reagan era), and materialism. Technology advanced rapidly—consider the launch of IBM’s PC in 1981, Apple’s Macintosh in 1984, or Nintendo’s early successes. Even the arts were transformed with synthesizers, CDs, and MTV introducing the first mainstream music videos.
The ideals of the 70s faded as economic realism set in. For more insight, check out the Wikipedia article on Reaganomics (I didn’t grasp everything, but it’s an important read).
Add to this Cold War anxiety, moral panic over drugs, sexual promiscuity, and crime, and you had the perfect recipe for a conservative yet morally ambiguous reaction against 70s hippie culture. Say goodbye to loose dresses—everyone’s in corsets now!
To accompany this shift, culture only had to look back three decades, drawing heavily from Film Noir aesthetics.
A Thrillers’ Golden Age
Let’s start with cinema, the medium that took the Film Noir influence most literally. Thrillers made a massive comeback—so much so that we haven’t seen a Golden Age of Thrillers quite like the one in the 80s since. The decade even had a name for it: Neo-Noir.
Some films were direct remakes, like the 1981 version of The Postman Always Rings Twice. Originally adapted from a 1934 novel, the story had already gained fame through the 1946 classic starring Lana Turner. But the 80s remake leaned heavily into eroticism, prompting Turner to remark that the studio had "turned it into such pornographic trash." They took Film Noir’s essence and, fueled by the sexual liberation of the 70s, pushed it five steps further.
Others created original Neo-Noir masterpieces, such as Body Heat, Thief, and David Lynch’s Blue Velvet. Meanwhile, Blade Runner blended the genre with science fiction, stripping away some of its realism and transplanting its thriller elements into a dystopian future.
Aesthetically, the influence was impossible to miss—especially in music videos. Even when they weren’t thrillers, they fully embraced the mood. So let’s break it down with the three 'S' that defined the vibe.
SMOKE
SHADOWS
SHADES
All three effects, inspired by the 40s-50s Film Noir aesthetics, were heavily reintroduced into the visual arts to convey mystery, tension, darkness, moral ambiguity, and secrets.
Sound of the 50s, Music of the 80s
Besides the synthesizer, the most influential sound of the 80s was probably the saxophone. Deeply influenced by jazz music—the quintessential Film Noir soundtrack—this instrument gradually became synonymous with the decade. Take, for example, Miles Davis’ soundtrack for Ascenseur pour l'échafaud. So here’s a list of some of my favorite sax riffs from the 80s, and yes, George Michael’s is on there.
Who Can It Be Now? - Men At Work (sax riff at 0’06)
Never Tear Us Apart - INXS (sax riff at 2’40)
True - Spandau Ballet (sax riff at 2’59)
Careless Whisper - Wham (sax riff at 0’01)
When looking at the videos from these songs, not all of them are direct heirs to Film Noir, yet most of them draw some kind of inspiration from the genre. Who Can It Be Now? is literally a thriller, Never Tear Us Apart uses dark alleys and shady backgrounds (a mix of Film Noir setting with cemeteries directly taken from Mylène Farmer and Jean-Louis Murat’s Regrets hihi), True goes heavy on shadows and smoke, and even Careless Whisper gives us my favorite 50s trope: the blinds’ shades.
(The article was too long for email - so I cut an entire part about Bryan Ferry (!!!!) I will post about it in the chat 🩷)
Dressing up like a Film Noir archetype
Bye bye, hippies. Bye bye, peaceful dreamers. The 80s arrived and cinched everyone in. Nobody wanted to look like a medieval lady anymore—it was all about the Femme Fatale and the Business Man.
THE FEMME FATALE
Perhaps the greatest legacy of Film Noir: the stereotype of the manipulative, erotic, independent, potentially violent, and amoral woman. As dangerous as she is seductive. A terrible threat to the godly family man! You can witness the Femme Fatale in all her grandeur in films like The Maltese Falcon, Gilda, or The Lady from Shanghai.
Now you see where I’m going with this… Yes, indeed, the Femme Fatale made a comeback in the 80s, not only in movies—but also in fashion. In films, the most iconic portrayals were Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction and Kathleen Turner in Body Heat. If you haven’t seen them, moral panic is everywhere as these Femme Fatales induce adulterous affairs (the American family values were in DANGER, GURL), and it all ends in blood.
Fashion followed! Catalyzed by the rise of Career Women, these women actively sought outfits that exuded power. Quite logically, they drew inspiration from the Femme Fatale’s sharp-shouldered suits, cinched-waist tailoring, and even leather gloves, high heels, and dramatic makeup.
A more seductive, more dangerous, and more subversive version of the Femme Fatale also emerged. Less workplace-friendly, this creature fully embraced its eroticism to remind everyone of the shock value of the Femme Fatale. The most famous? Madonna, of course. From old Hollywood glamour in Material Girl, to the vintage Peep Show in Open Your Heart, or even the BDSM-meets-50s vibe in Express Yourself. She embodied the new Femme Fatale in her iconic Jean Paul Gaultier corset.
THE BUSINESS MAN
Men’s fashion in the 80s is a wonder. Mullets, oversized shirts… We probably have to thank The Lonely Island for the best tribute to this style (best excuse to listen to Motherlover). But aside from these super funky looks, men got oh so serious in the 80s. Probably obsessed with Wall Street, investments, and, I don't know, doing coke, the Yuppie (Young Urban Professional) decided to dress the part—ambitious, powerful, serious. And once again, they drew inspiration from the familiar figures of their childhood, the Film Noir ‘hard-boiled detectives.’ Characters often portrayed by icons like Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon or The Big Sleep, these were cynical individuals, ready to navigate morally corrupt worlds. Probably rang a bell for wannabe Wall Street stars.
Broad shoulders, double-breasted suits, high-waisted trousers, fedoras, and even super retro vintage-flavored braces: the perfect mix for the 'I am in charge' vibe of the 80s powerful men.
To conclude: the Shady 80s were all about sexy cynicism
As Gordon Gekko famously said in Wall Street, 'Greed is Good.' And sexy. Especially when you dress it up in tailored suits, sleek dresses, and impeccable hair. Apologists to moral corruption, they took Film Noir’s warning about the threats facing the good American family and said, 'It’s sexy, let’s turn it to our advantage.' Detachment, materialism, and cynicism became cool.
I’d like to wrap up by adding that Film Noir wasn’t the only influence in the 80s' 40s-50s revival. Think of Back to the Future and the come-back of Rockabilly: a more nostalgic, cheerful, and colorful take on the mid-century decades.
Now, Substack is— as always—super threatening, and I have to cut to the chase to shorten this essay, so I’ll leave it here. The chat is open if you want to discuss this topic!
Bisous 🩷