1. Mainstream Media Genre
John Keenan

2. Genre – type
Genus – birth, or origins

3. Epic, tragedy, comedy, history

4. Early films

5. Stories

7. System of expectation – pleasure of fulfilment
Why genre?
System of expectation – pleasure of fulfilment
Understanding – global film form
Unique purchase of the film
Pleasure of difference/familiarity
Guaranteed audience

8. 1920s-40s
Studio System
Classic Hollywood
MGM – melodrama
Paramount – western
Warner – gangster
Universal – horror
How the Jews Created Hollywood

9. Western Generic Conventions
Plot
Characters
Body language
Dress
Dialogue
Historical setting
Location
Iconography
Themes
Locomotion
Motif
Stars

10. ‘The concept of genre is not static but dynamic’
Hindmarsh J (1996) Genre and Narrative Analysis, Leicester: University of Leicester. Page 163

11. Genres changes over time
Classical –
Eg Shane
Vengeance – s
Eg Stagecoach
Professional s
Eg Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Postmodern 1980-present
From Dusk Till Dawn
Other sub-genres:
Spaghetti, Epic, Singing

12. Cross Genre
Midnight Cowboy
Easy Rider
Thelma and Louise
Die Hard
Dirty Harry
Star Wars

13. Brothers
Cross-genre
Action-Western