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Explore the intricacies of genre storytelling in film, from the advantages of archetypal ideas to the disadvantages of stereotypes and clichés. Dive into Westerns, Horror films, Science fiction, and Comedy genres, analyzing their unique features and evolution.
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Film genre A recognizable type of movie, characterized by certain preestablished conventions.
Genre film categories • Western • Sci-fi film • Thriller • Love story • Fantasy • Film noir • Coming-of age • Screwball comedy • Horror • Mad slasher • Buddy film • Woman’s film • Farce
Advantages of genre story telling • Economy of storytelling • Focus on archetypal ideas • Comfort of the familiar • Creativity within a norm • Custom fit to ideas being explored
Disadvantages • Trades in stereotypes and clichés • Constricts creativity within a formula • Eliminates narrative suspense or surprise
Westerns • Foundation westerns • Morality tales • Nostalgic or ironic tales
Horror films • Mad scientist films • Slasher films • Zombie films • Human abomination films • Ghost stories
Features of horror films • Unfamiliar invading the familiar • Threatening situations • Nameless fears and anxieties • Feelings of guilt • Familiar terrain • Contrast the known with unknown • Creatures, monsters, crazed individuals • Dissonant music • Feelings of helplessness • Safe world made unsafe made safe again
Science fiction • Utopian • Dystopian • Near future • Distant future • Space westerns
Features of scifi films • Confined by laws of physical universe (liberally interpreted) • Engage in scientific discourse • Engage in technological discourse • Space travel • Aliens • Socio-political subtexts
Documentary • Topical • Polemical • Artistic
Features of documentaries • Nonfiction • Actualities • Documentation • Window onto the world • Always have a point of view • Structured • Has effect on events being filmed
Life cycle of genres • Primitive • Classical • Revisionist • Parodic • Homage
Primitive • Naïve • Great emotional impact • Establishes conventions • The Great Train Robbery • Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde • The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari • Golddiggers of 1933
Classical • Genre’s conventions well established • Balanced and rich execution of conventions • Stagecoach • Dracula • Frankenstein • The Wizard of Oz
Revisionist • Turn to symbolic • Ambiguous relationship to values • Complex • More intellectual/less emotional • High Noon • Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nelly • Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Parodic • Mocks the conventions • Exposes clichés • Produces laughter • Blazing Saddles • Rocky Horry Picture Show • Scary Movie
Homage • Revisits the genre • References conventions without mocking them • Updates conventions • Open Range • Chicago • The Ring
Comedy • Uniqueness of appearances and plots • Ability to affect audience attitudes • Ability to generate laughter and good feeling
Comedy II • Constructed public ritual that: • Generates laughter • Enables us to acknowledge shameful desires • Helps us recognize contradictory beliefs • Subverts traditionally sanctioned self-delusions
Types of comedy • Sight gags • Screwball • Slapstick • Running gags • Sentimental • Romantic • Black or dark • Parody • Satire