From Buddy Films to Teen Slashers Genre in Movies

Genre Set of interrelated stories and their associated images Set of interrelated stories and their associated images Uses conventions – stories, characters, situations Uses conventions – stories, characters, situations Enables viewers familiar with genre to anticipate developments and outcomes Enables viewers familiar with genre to anticipate developments and outcomes Enables filmmakers to achieve highly concentrated meanings within genre Enables filmmakers to achieve highly concentrated meanings within genre

Movie Genres Westerns Westerns Westerns Drama Drama Drama Comedy Comedy Comedy Film Noir Film Noir Film Noir Film Noir Action/Adventure Action/Adventure Action/Adventure Documentaries Documentaries Documentaries Sci-Fi/Fantasy Sci-Fi/Fantasy Sci-Fi/Fantasy Gangster/Crime Gangster/Crime Gangster/Crime Musical Musical Musical Mystery/Horror Mystery/Horror Mystery/Horror Romance Romance Romance Animation Animation Animation

Westerns Oldest screen genre Oldest screen genre By 1910, over 20% of movies were Westerns By 1910, over 20% of movies were Westerns Dropped off in the 1970’s, never to return to prominence Dropped off in the 1970’s, never to return to prominence Exceptions – Silverado, Tombstone, Unforgiven Exceptions – Silverado, Tombstone, Unforgiven

Conventions of Westerns Defined by: Defined by: Period – from Civil War to WW1 Period – from Civil War to WW1 Setting – west of MS – allows use of migration, Indian wars, railroads, cattle drives, gold rush – landscape is a character Setting – west of MS – allows use of migration, Indian wars, railroads, cattle drives, gold rush – landscape is a character Theme – conflict between civilization and the wilderness Theme – conflict between civilization and the wilderness explain why violence is necessary explain why violence is necessary culture of honor vs. culture of law culture of honor vs. culture of law no social order beyond peers, family no social order beyond peers, family reputation is a two-edged sword reputation is a two-edged sword

Conventions of Westerns Opening scene – riding into town from wilderness Opening scene – riding into town from wilderness Character – only have clothes on your back, your gun, and your horse Character – only have clothes on your back, your gun, and your horse Violence vs. Law Violence vs. Law Violent skills of protagonist tested in a public arena (saloon) Violent skills of protagonist tested in a public arena (saloon) Conclusion – gunfight, riding back out of town Conclusion – gunfight, riding back out of town

Drama Largest film genre Largest film genre Many subsets Many subsets Epics Epics Historical dramas Historical dramas Romantic Romantic Biopics – biographical films Biopics – biographical films

Drama - Conventions Serious, plot-driven stories Serious, plot-driven stories Realistic characters, settings, situations Focus is on character development/ interaction Realistic characters, settings, situations Focus is on character development/ interaction How does a character change through the course of the movie? How does a character change through the course of the movie? What causes this? What causes this? How does the director show this? How does the director show this?

Comedy Light-hearted plots Light-hearted plots Designed to amuse, provoke laughter by exaggerating situations, relationships, characters Designed to amuse, provoke laughter by exaggerating situations, relationships, characters Subsets Subsets Slapstick Slapstick Satire - portray persons or social institutions as ridiculous or corrupt Satire - portray persons or social institutions as ridiculous or corrupt Parody – critique from within Parody – critique from within Romantic comedies Romantic comedies “Black” comedies “Black” comedies

Comedy Elements Elements Surprise Surprise Incongruity Incongruity Conflict Conflict Repetitiveness Repetitiveness Opposite expectations Opposite expectations

Comedy - Conventions Use of Irony Use of Irony Situational – character expects one thing, gets another Situational – character expects one thing, gets another Dramatic – audience knows more than character Dramatic – audience knows more than character Exaggeration Exaggeration Situations Situations Characters Characters Action Action Language Language

Comedy - Conventions Rule of Threes Rule of Threes maximum humor can be attained by creating a structure maximum humor can be attained by creating a structure a joke is set up a joke is set up the setup is reinforced the setup is reinforced The punchline breaks the pattern The punchline breaks the pattern How do you get to my place? Go down to the corner, turn left, and get lost. How do you get to my place? Go down to the corner, turn left, and get lost. I know three French words: Bonjour, merci, and surrender. I know three French words: Bonjour, merci, and surrender.

Film Noir Means “Black Film” Means “Black Film” More of a mood, style More of a mood, style Often black and white Often black and white Creates mood of melencholy, bleakness, moral corruption, evil, guilt Creates mood of melencholy, bleakness, moral corruption, evil, guilt Evolved in the 1940’s through 1960’s Evolved in the 1940’s through 1960’s

Film Noir - Conventions Cynical, loner hero – the anti-hero Cynical, loner hero – the anti-hero Hard-boiled detective Hard-boiled detective Femme Fatale Femme Fatale Locations Locations Seedy, big cities Seedy, big cities The underworld – class of people we normally do not see/interact with The underworld – class of people we normally do not see/interact with Themes of fate, hopelessness, desperation Themes of fate, hopelessness, desperation

Action/Adventure High-energy, big budget High-energy, big budget Escapism Escapism Exciting stories, locations Exciting stories, locations Subsets Subsets Serialized films (James Bond) Serialized films (James Bond) Epics Epics Blaxploitation films Blaxploitation films

Action/Adventure - Conventions 2 Dimensional characters 2 Dimensional characters Good guys, bad guys Good guys, bad guys Unrealistic situations, proving abilities of hero Unrealistic situations, proving abilities of hero Locations, situations are usually exotic, original, or outside of viewer’s experiences Locations, situations are usually exotic, original, or outside of viewer’s experiences

Musicals A product of sound films – came to fruition with the development of sound A product of sound films – came to fruition with the development of sound Emphasize full-scale scores or song and dance routines Emphasize full-scale scores or song and dance routines Combinations of music, dance, song, or choreography Combinations of music, dance, song, or choreography Will often be combined with another genre Will often be combined with another genre Musical comedy Musical comedy Dramatic musical Dramatic musical Romantic musical Romantic musical Musical Western Musical Western

Musicals - Conventions Often center on the courtship rituals Often center on the courtship rituals Song/dance expressed desire for each other Song/dance expressed desire for each other Dialogue scenes shot in realistic style – song sequences are far from realistic Dialogue scenes shot in realistic style – song sequences are far from realistic Bifurcated style Bifurcated style Belong to a less cynical age – optimism and innocence Belong to a less cynical age – optimism and innocence Antirealism – story is least important of the elements – just connects the songs Antirealism – story is least important of the elements – just connects the songs

Gangster Developed around the sinister actions of criminals Developed around the sinister actions of criminals Rise and fall of a career criminal Rise and fall of a career criminal Often with immigrant origins Often with immigrant origins Most famous – Little Caesar with Edward G. Robinson Most famous – Little Caesar with Edward G. Robinson

Gangster - Conventions A perversion of the American Dream – Horatio Algers A perversion of the American Dream – Horatio Algers A sustained critique of society A sustained critique of society What is wrong with a society if it produces people like this? What is wrong with a society if it produces people like this? Death of the protagonist must be spectacular Death of the protagonist must be spectacular The American Nightmare The American Nightmare The American Nightmare The American Nightmare

Horror 1930’s – the Golden Age 1930’s – the Golden Age Dracula, Frankenstein, Mummy, Wolfman, etc. Dracula, Frankenstein, Mummy, Wolfman, etc. Began as a storytelling convention; has developed into shock theater Began as a storytelling convention; has developed into shock theater Targets a specific audience, but utilizes universal fears Targets a specific audience, but utilizes universal fears Represents a confusion/violation of social categories Represents a confusion/violation of social categories Normal/abnormal, human/animal, living/dead Normal/abnormal, human/animal, living/dead

Horror - Conventions Basic narrative situation – “normalcy” is threatened Basic narrative situation – “normalcy” is threatened Often a romantic couple or a parent/child Often a romantic couple or a parent/child Best monsters are human and inhuman Best monsters are human and inhuman Modern horror is more unsettling Modern horror is more unsettling Monster doesn’t die, and endings are not always happy Monster doesn’t die, and endings are not always happy

Fantasy/Science Fiction Visionary movies – what might the future hold, what alternatives might have been Visionary movies – what might the future hold, what alternatives might have been Often deal with the potential of technology to destroy humans Often deal with the potential of technology to destroy humans Quasi-scientific – best movies seem realistic (Minority Report) Quasi-scientific – best movies seem realistic (Minority Report)

Fantasy/Science Fiction - Conventions Settings are fantastic – futuristic, other dimensions, strange environments Settings are fantastic – futuristic, other dimensions, strange environments Complete with heroes, impossible quests, great villains, futuristic technology, extraordinary monsters Complete with heroes, impossible quests, great villains, futuristic technology, extraordinary monsters Transcends the bounds of human possibility and physical laws Transcends the bounds of human possibility and physical laws Element of magic, myth, wonder, and the extraordinary Element of magic, myth, wonder, and the extraordinary

Romance - Conventions Affairs of the heart Affairs of the heart May overlap with dramas, comedies, westerns, etc. May overlap with dramas, comedies, westerns, etc. Center on passion, emotion, and the romantic involvement of the main characters Center on passion, emotion, and the romantic involvement of the main characters Journey of love from courtship to marriage Journey of love from courtship to marriage The love story is the main plot focus The love story is the main plot focus

Documentaries Cinema Verite Cinema Verite used to show “true” stories used to show “true” stories 1922 – Nanook of the North – first full length documentary 1922 – Nanook of the North – first full length documentary

Documentaries - Conventions Archival Footage and Photographs Archival Footage and Photographs Talking Heads – apparent “experts” and eyewitnesses Talking Heads – apparent “experts” and eyewitnesses Jiggly Camera – use of handhelds allowed for intimacy with action Jiggly Camera – use of handhelds allowed for intimacy with action Voiceover Narration – often an authoritative narrator Voiceover Narration – often an authoritative narrator Real People and Re-enactments – not actors Real People and Re-enactments – not actors

Animated Films Individual drawings, paintings, or illustrations are photographed frame by frame Individual drawings, paintings, or illustrations are photographed frame by frame Stop-frame cinematography Stop-frame cinematography Earliest films were created by hand-drawn images Earliest films were created by hand-drawn images A technique, not a genre A technique, not a genre Often appeal to children, but not strictly for children Often appeal to children, but not strictly for children

Animated Films Sinking of the Lusitania - Sinking of the Lusitania Steamboat Willie – first Disney film – cartoon with sound – first one with post-produced synchronized soundtrack. The birth of Mickey Mouse Steamboat Willie – first Disney film – cartoon with sound – first one with post-produced synchronized soundtrack. The birth of Mickey Mouse Pixar – computer animated movies Pixar – computer animated movies – for the birds – for the birds lamp - iQ&feature=related lamp - iQ&feature=relatedhttp:// iQ&feature=relatedhttp:// iQ&feature=related