But there was the antithesis of noir as well. A small movement to capture some feelings of life, of positivity. People went to the movies weekly, and often they simply wanted one thing --- hope. That things would be better, that life would go back to normal, whatever that was. That things would work out, for society and individuals. There was a small ripple of films, also of the 40s and 50s, that took this viewpoint. And while noir went straight at the ugliness of the world, the small area of fantasy film set out to negate the ugliness. Fantasy film was a genre that embraced an adult sensibility --- not children’s fairy tales brought to the screen in animation by Disney, nor the horror films that Universal had developed in the 30s. Neither were they the escapist films of the Depression 30s, with Fred and Ginger dancing up glittering staircases in fabulous dresses and white tie and tails. These were films for adults, with a message of hope, portrayed in a realistic manner, but wrapped up in the fantastic, with aspects of other-worldliness. They were a small set of beacons for hope in a seemingly hopeless world. Website and blog: www.thosewonderfulpeople.com IG: @thosewonderfulpeople Twitter: @FilmsInTheDark