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Understanding Film Genre: History, Themes, and Evolution

Explore the fascinating world of film genres, from classics like Westerns and Thrillers to modern creations like Neo-Noir. Learn about the history, themes, and social functions of genres, as well as how filmmakers break conventions to create unique works of art. Discover iconic films and directors that shaped the evolution of genres.

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Understanding Film Genre: History, Themes, and Evolution

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  1. Film Genres

  2. What is genre? “Audiences know the genres of their culture well, and so do filmmakers. The intriguing problem comes in defining just what a genre is.”

  3. What is genre? • No definitive rules • Some genres based on subject matter or themes • gangster film • science fiction • Western • Others based on presentation: • Musicals • Comedy

  4. Psycho Jaws The Exorcist North byNorthwest The French Connection Raiders of the Lost Ark Bonnie and Clyde Chinatown What is genre? • What is a thriller? • 100 Years…100 Thrills includes:

  5. What is genre? • Critics, filmmakers create sub-genres: • Gross-out comedy • Teen romance • Many films combine categories: • Is a film like “The Wall” a musical? • Is the Sixth Sense a detective film or a supernatural thriller? • How do you classify “Being John Malkovich”? • -- Biographical Film • -- Period Drama

  6. What is genre? • Go in and out of fashion • For movie studios, way to publicize a film • For viewers, way to choose a film to fit a “mood” • Sometimes dismissed as formulaic • Some of the best films are genre films.

  7. Analyzing genre • Often, identity provided by repeated use of genre convention. • Plot elements • Mystery  investigation • Western  revenge • Sci Fi  new technology • Common Themes • Film Techniques

  8. Iconography • Common, recurring symbols that carry meaning from film to film • Stars can also become iconographic • Can also make your point by violating conventions.

  9. Genre History • Seldom remain unchanged for long • Genres change over time: • Conventions change • Conventions combine from other genres • Filmmakers create new twists on conventions

  10. Genre History • Examples: • Western – The Great Train Robbery (1903) • Science Fiction – A Trip to the Moon (1902) • Gangster – The Musketeers of Pig Alley (1912) • Horror/Vampire – Nosferatu (1922) • Each genre communicated something about the place and time when created.

  11. Genre History • Life span of a genre: • Established in another medium • Often earliest are considered the “purest’ • Become successful • Widely imitated • Compared to others • Well established • Can be mocked, parodied

  12. Social Functions of Genre • Ritualized drama • Reaffirm cultural values with little variation • Potentially exploit social attitudes • Display the doubts, attitudes, anxieties of audience • Science Fiction – Fear of “the other” • The Western – Self-determination • Gangster Film – Money can not buy happiness. Called “reflectionist” views of genre They reflect society

  13. Film Noir “The past is not dead. It isn’t even past.” --WILLIAM FAULKNER, The Sound and the Fury

  14. What is Film Noir? • Again, easier to recognize than define. • Many books, but critics undecided. • Is it: • a period? • a genre? • a style?

  15. Film Noir – standard history • Originated in America • Generally 1941 - 1958 • Why the French name? • From crime fiction (both cinematic and literary) • Visually influenced by German Expressionism

  16. Visual Features of Film Noir • Low-key lighting • Great contrast of light and dark • Lots of Black and White – little gray • Use of shadow • Paints familiar landscape in dark colors • Reflects philosophy of the films

  17. Narrative Features of Film Noir Dark view of the human and social condition. Thematically, often about: • vice • corruption • unrestrained desire • loss of American dream – • hope, • prosperity, • safety from persecution.

  18. Narrative Features • Use of voice-over narration. • Heavy use of flashback. • Subjective Camera • Documentary Style • Often a very subjective telling of story. • Privileged access to mind of our narrator.

  19. Neo-Noir • Cohen Brothers • Blood Simple (1984) • Barton Fink (1991) • Lawrence Kasdan • Body Heat (1981) • Martin Scorsese • Taxi Driver (1976) • Quentin Tarantino • Pulp Fiction (1994)

  20. Narration “Instead of writing his story, the hero tells it to us directly, and the combined techniques of first person narration and flashback enhance the aura of doom. It is almost as if the narrator takes a perverse pleasure in relating the events leading up to his current crisis.” -- Robert Porfirio

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