Essay on Film Genre

A trustworthy take on literary musical writing style relies on divided iconography, formalistic themes and similar floor structures and content. What writing style does is recognize that the earreach any(prenominal) single moving-picture show at heart a context of former(a) rents, both those they resture person on the wholey seen and those they have heard closely(predicate)(p fierceicate) or seen encountered in other media outlets. In general, the function of genre is to make films comprehensible and more or less(prenominal) familiar. (turner 97).Action/adventure, the Western, Gangster/Crime, Detective/ have Noir, Comedy, Science fiction/Fantasy, Horror/Monster, doubt Thriller/Spy/Heist and many others groups atomic number 18 usually workd for marketing in stores where films ar being sold. The majority of expectationers, film critics, and film producers prate about(predicate) films in relation to the categories. These categories are generally called genres. The word genre is originally French, and it simply mode diversity or type. Its re riped to a nonher word, genus, which is used in the biological sciences to classify groups of flora and animals. A true film genre is a product of interaction between audience and the text. Therefore, all producers and audiences must have a quite an good understanding and what is more important shared knowledge of genres caliberistics. For instance, westerns, at least the traditional ones, t end to share the equivalent basic conflict and usually the same type of setting. All research worker films share the same basic story the uncovering of causes. Musicals share aught more than frequent prominent interludes of music and perhaps dancing during a story. This shared knowledge, how eer, is not set in stone. Different citizenry go out have divergent understandings of genre. According to this statement, audiences expand general ideas about any kind of genre establish on going to the cinema, me dia coverage or advertisements and marketing. As a result of consequence, viewers have their take anticipations about a spellicular genre and define films according to their expectations. Genres are establish on a tacit agreement among filmmakers, reviewers and audiences. What gives the films both(prenominal) common personal identity are shared genre radiation diagrams. Shared conventions are shared thematic, rhetorical and narrative structures. Although not e really single film demonstrate all of the conventions, at least some of them are shown in a film. This champions the film critics to define whether this film fall into a feature group of films genre. Moreover, scaaffair analysis of any film raft take place that if conventions are considered. These conventions are as well as called repertoire of elements. In this document shared genre conventions in equipment casualty of curse will be discussed.The abhorrence genre has become much more popular nowadays than eve r before. If its beginnings were rooted in literature Mary Shelleys Frankenstein (1818) and Bram Stokers Dracula (1897) are the titles that seem to spring to everyones take heed we also know that stories have always been told about ghosts, monsters, witches and the dark. There are a lot of reasons why this genre is so popular today. However, it is still unfeignedly difficult to clarify why it is so engaging for a big number of people regardless of its unreality. The genre of Horror has been around since the advanced 1800s giving it decades to develop and change. From the 1930s to the 1970s, most nuisance films were considered very much the poor brethren of the film world. The reason was that repulsion films were made on a low budget. Furthermore, the target audience was young people who went to the cinemas late nights to have fun and scream their way. The great suit was the film Matinee (directed by Joe Dante, 1993) which demonstrates that repulsion films were watched mos tly by young people at that time.However, in that location were such films akin Psycho (1960) and The Birds (1963) by Alfred Hitchcock which managed to change perspective of hatred films in a better way. Since audiences appreciate thrill and excitement they let during watching revulsion movies they expect forward-looking stories and plots. Consequently, film producers had to come up with new ideas and more challenging plots to meet the audiences expectations and wishes. hotshot of the genre conventions is iconography, which derives from art history, where it only referred to visual signs. The context in which an fair game or sound is used is crucial in defining its meaning.For example, a crucifix is readily associated with the church as a symbol of rescuers resurrection, and is not simply an example of repugnance iconography. In terms of a mutual exclusiveness film a symbol of Christ would gift not only the Christ but the weapon against the evil. Another example could b e a knife which is used to kill somebody quite than in comedy it is used for cutting things. In order to recognize that the genre of a film is horror, such visual signs like red and black colors, blue gain vigors in films are used. The use of blue filter is called digital color correction.It was hard and expensive to achieve this correction previously. However, since computing device technologies have create a lot, much more powerful and elicit make can be achieved by simply editing a film sequence in unlike computer software nowadays. Moreover, the mise- enscene of horror films also show that this film is horror film with the help of victimisation such things like knives, guns, axes and many others. Another use of iconography is the setting. In horror films the setting is usually abandoned, isolated from people, the houses generally hide scaring past.The majority of scenes are filmed in night time but the plot can be developed during daytime as well. There are some sub-genr es of horror films. Therefore, the iconography can slightly vary. For instance, paranormal horror includes such symbols like unusual things happening or really dark scenes. Slasher horror shows masks, yell victims. Another thing to consider is camera work in horror films. Generally, different and weird angles of camera are used. In order to fright and express fear for the viewers extreme close ups and point of view shots take place during film.There are many other types of iconography like the use of tense sounds and music which are generally linked with a horror genre. Therefore, aural signs should be also discussed when talking about iconography of films. One should not tell stories as straight-line narratives. There are so many other possibilities, and film would only enrich them. Peter Greenaway. While researching horror films, other very important genre convention is narrative structure. Narrative magical spell events together in a linear fashion that clearly shows the aud ience the reasons for, and the consequences of character behavior.The logic of cause and effect ties together character traits, goals, obstacles, and actions. . The primary(prenominal) intention of narrative structure is to tell the story. Sometimes it is conceptual, sometimes real. For instance, the drive of film can involve saving the world or decision a love. Russian narrative theorist Tzvetlan Todorov argued that all narratives involve the prison-breaking of a stable situation, which makes restoration of equilibrium an important goal. First of all, with the help of disruption people can identify the genre of a film easily. For instance, f there is a drugs baron killing someone and hard to escape, perhaps the genre is gangster or thriller some kind of dilemma in a family can be set in a film which genre is likely to be melodrama. Basically, the equilibrium Todorov was talking about is that generally characters come to this point of equilibrium only in the end of film after some kind of disruption be it reconsidering goals or dealing with challenges. The great examples of films showing equilibrium are slasher films. Another part of narrative structure focuses on character types. There are different types of them which are strongly associated with the genre.For example, the most expected character of horror films is monster. This character is extremely important in horror genre as to bring about fear and revulsion. Since there are different types of horror films, monsters also vary. Sometimes, they represent ghosts which lead and frighten other characters. In some films, monsters are creatures that are half human half animal being. However, monster does not of necessity have to appear as a monster because it simply means phenomena or bad thing which is scaring. Almost every horror film has a Madonna as well. She is generally an attractive woman who is execrable because of a monster.Madonna represents an ideal woman while a whore is all told opposit e character that represents the worst things of women. A standard narrative convention of horror film is that the exposition portrays a character or junior-grade group of characters venturing into a strange and ultimately threatening setting. Jonathan Harker (Alexander Granach) goes into the Carpathian Mountains to make a business deal with the mysterios Count Orlock in Nosferatu. Genres are usually associated with cross themes. For instance, the wilderness versus civilization opponent in Westerns, and the human non- human opposition in SF.In the beginning horror films were based on literature. Dracula was one of them. Since horror genre was developing during the time, new ideas such as aliens started to appear. During the 80s the most popular idea in horror genre was slashers which was mentioned before in this document. The 80s became some kind of new era for the horror genre as they started working closely on special effects to provide audience with more fear. The thing (1982) and The thing (2011) is an example that shows how special effects have changed since 1982. The first sport is fully of makeup effects and costumes.There is a big difference compared to the latest version in terms of using computer generated imagery for gaining special effects and digital animation. With this progression which influenced the viewers in terms of watching horror films the popularity of horror films increased a lot. During the early 20thcentury mental thrillers were introduced into the horror genre and changed the genre completely, sparking new ideas, which have grown and developed into the main theme and idea we have today. Therefore, horror films expand themes about religion or unnatural things nowadays.One of the examples of todays horror films based on these themes is Paranormal activity. It seems likely that a genre neer dies. It may pass out of fashion for a time, only to dispel in updated garb. A genre may change by concoction its conventions with those of another genre. Therefore, sometimes it is difficult to identify what is the genre of a particular film. motion picture producers are forced to take such actions like mixing some genres in order to create a new so called hybrid genre. The reason for this is to renew a genre by adding some conventions from another genre so that to surprise the audience and to extend them interested. The horror story is part of a long process by which people have tried to come to terms with and find adequate descriptions and symbols for late rooted, primitive and powerful forces, energies and fears which are related to death, afterlife, punishment, darkness, evil, violence and destruction. J. A. Cuddon. According to Cuddon words, the horror film is only a part of a process. However, I do not think so because if something is a process then it has to end at some point and horror genre will never die. I think that is because the majority of people are curious about the things that are scaring o r forbidden.Curiosity has to be sated somehow and horror films help to severalise it out. While watching horror films or reading horror books our mind experience feeling of being scared. Stephen King told once We have to keep the gators fed. He meant that people would find another more sedate way to sate their curiosity if horror genre would not exist. Consequently, this kind of genre will not die. Taking into account all supra mentioned, I can come to the conclusion that every genre shares its own iconography, similar narrative structures and themes.The main reason for that is to make every genre identifying and understandable. Audience chooses films to watch normally for entertainment so genre could be vital factor in this as it helps in choosing and understanding films. Bibliography Pramaggiore, Maria, and Wallis, Tom. assume A Critical universe. Laurence King Publishing, 2005. Bordwell, David and Thompson, Kristin, Film Art An accession. New York McGraw Hill, 2010. Lacey, N ick, Introduction to Film. London Palgrave, 2005. Dougherty, Rachel. Genre & Narrative in Horror Film 27 September 2012. 3 March 2013. http//racheldoughertyfilm. blogspot. co. uk/2012/09/genre-narrative-in-horror-film. html. Nelmes, Jill, An Introduction to Film Studies. Routledge, 2003. Rayner, Philip, Wall, Peter, and Kruger, Stephen. AS Media Studies The essential Introduction. Routledge, 2001. 2 . Wallis, T. , Pramaggiore, M. , (2005), Film A Critical Introduction, p. 310 3 . Bordwell, D. , Thompson, K. (2010), Film Art An Introduction, p. 328 4 . Wallis, T. , Pramaggiore, M. , (2005), Film A Critical Introduction, p. 310 5 .Lacey, N. (2005), Introduction To Film, p. 46 6 . Bordwell, D. , Thompson, K. (2010), Film Art An Introduction, p. 330 7 . Rayner, P, Wall, P. , Kruger, S. (2001), AS Media Studies The infixed Introduction, p. 292 8 . http//racheldoughertyfilm. blogspot. co. uk/2012/09/genre-narrative-in-horror-f ilm. html 9 . Rayner, P, Wall, P. , Kruger, S. (2001 ), AS Media Studies The Essential Introduction, p. 296 10 . Rayner, P, Wall, P. , Kruger, S. (2001), AS Media Studies The Essential Introduction, p. 296 11 . Lacey, N. (2005), Introduction To Film, p. 8 12 . Wallis, T. , Pramaggiore, M. , (2005), Film A Critical Introduction, p. 32 13 . Wallis, T. , Pramaggiore, M. , (2005), Film A Critical Introduction, p. 33 14 . Wallis, T. , Pramaggiore, M. , (2005), Film A Critical Introduction, p. 33 15 . Wallis, T. , Pramaggiore, M. , (2005), Film A Critical Introduction, p. 357 16 . Lacey, N. (2005), Introduction To Film,, page 53 17 . http//racheldoughertyfilm. blogspot. co. uk/2012/09/genre-narrative-in-horror-film. html 18 . Bordwell, D. , Thompson, K. (2010), Film Art An Introduction, page 335