““Genre Film: A Classical Genre Film: A Classical Experience”Experience”

By Thomas SobchackBy Thomas Sobchack

Genre – a traditional definitionGenre – a traditional definition

Category or form of film distinguished Category or form of film distinguished by subject matter, theme, and by subject matter, theme, and techniquestechniques

A Genre A Genre FilmFilm . . . . . .

. . . Provides an experience of an . . . Provides an experience of an ordered world.ordered world.

1.1. has a fixed has a fixed plotplot

2.2. obvious obvious iconographiesiconographies

3.3. clearly defined, yet shallow, clearly defined, yet shallow, characterscharacters

4.4. predictable, predictable, cathartic endingcathartic ending

Artistic Excellence?Artistic Excellence?

Originality?Originality?

NONO

Conformity!!!Conformity!!!

YES!!!YES!!!

Must follow a previous model

Must follow a previous Must follow a previous modelmodel

Literary source: Literary source: DraculaDracula

Nosferatu Nosferatu (1922)(1922)

Dracula (1931)Horror of Dracula (1958)

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

Q:Q: What if a film’s original, What if a film’s original, unique?unique?

A:A: It ain’t no genre film! This is a It ain’t no genre film! This is a “fiction film”.“fiction film”.

Ex: Ex: Citizen KaneCitizen Kane

1. 1. PLOTPLOT is Supreme is Supreme

WhatWhat happens is important, not happens is important, not whywhy All scenes must All scenes must advance the plotadvance the plot Nothing extraNothing extra can be introduced at can be introduced at

randomrandom Keep it moving forward to Keep it moving forward to build for build for

the endthe end

2. 2. ICONOGRAPHIESICONOGRAPHIES

Visual “shorthand” to speed audience Visual “shorthand” to speed audience comprehension (costumes, props, comprehension (costumes, props, settings, familiar plot situations)settings, familiar plot situations)

What are the What are the iconographiesiconographies for for the following genres?the following genres?

CostumeCostumess

SettingSetting Props, Props, imagesimages

Plot Plot MotifsMotifs

WesterWesternn

HorrorHorror

Sci-FiSci-Fi

MusicalMusical

3. Recognizable 3. Recognizable CHARACTERSCHARACTERS

Again, they’re pre-packaged to speed Again, they’re pre-packaged to speed comprehension.comprehension.

What do we know about these What do we know about these characters?characters?

3. 3. CHARACTERSCHARACTERS (cont.) (cont.)

Typecasting is goodTypecasting is good in a genre film-- in a genre film-- fasterfaster

John Wayne Vincent Price Jason StathamJohn Wayne Vincent Price Jason Statham

3. 3. CHARACTERSCHARACTERS (cont.) (cont.)

Familiar, less individualized characters Familiar, less individualized characters help us easily assume their roleshelp us easily assume their roles they’re unrealistically they’re unrealistically one-dimensionalone-dimensional They have a They have a clear, simple purposeclear, simple purpose in the story in the story They never have to come to terms with They never have to come to terms with

themselvesthemselves

We We get to live in a simple worldget to live in a simple world through through themthem find evil in life, and destroy it = find evil in life, and destroy it =

4. Achieve 4. Achieve CATHARSISCATHARSIS

catharsiscatharsis (n.) emotional release (n.) emotional release experienced due to witnessing experienced due to witnessing artistic expression artistic expression

4. Catharsis (cont.)4. Catharsis (cont.)

IndividualIndividual vs.vs. GroupGroup

ApollonianApollonian urge to urge to individuate individuate (without penalty)(without penalty)

Group of misfitsGroup of misfits

II

II

II

II

WarWar

II

II

II

DionysianDionysian urge to urge to sink into the herd sink into the herd (group wins!)(group wins!)

Must band Must band togethertogether

4. Catharsis (cont.)4. Catharsis (cont.)

Hero must serve the group by Hero must serve the group by providingproviding

law and orderlaw and order stabilitystability survivalsurvival

Other genre molds for Other genre molds for CATHARSISCATHARSIS

IndividualIndividual GroupGroup

Detective Detective filmfilm

Cops commit violent, Cops commit violent, anti-social acts w/o anti-social acts w/o punishmentpunishment

Restore order in the endRestore order in the end

SwashbucklSwashbucklerer

Indiana Jones breaks Indiana Jones breaks laws, shoots people, laws, shoots people, etc.etc.

Forgiven because he Forgiven because he restores order, protects restores order, protects people; returns to people; returns to ordinary clothes/settingordinary clothes/setting

MusicalMusical Star is bornStar is born Show must go on despite Show must go on despite personal tragedy; personal tragedy; wedding (social wedding (social regeneration)regeneration)

4. CATHARSIS (cont.)4. CATHARSIS (cont.)

By “being” these simple characters for By “being” these simple characters for 2 hours, genre films help us release 2 hours, genre films help us release the daily tension between the daily tension between individuation and submission to the individuation and submission to the group.group.

CLIP: CLIP: SpidermanSpiderman

Q:Q: What is Anti-genre? What is Anti-genre?

A:A: When the predicted ending does When the predicted ending does NOT occurNOT occur

This produces anxiety or agitation, not This produces anxiety or agitation, not catharsis!catharsis!

Bottom-Line:Bottom-Line:

Genre film must be a strict adherence Genre film must be a strict adherence to form that opposes to form that opposes experimentation, novelty or experimentation, novelty or tampering with the given order of tampering with the given order of things (conservative).things (conservative).

Why?Why? Because it allows the audience Because it allows the audience to safely identify with the genre to safely identify with the genre characters, satisfies catharsischaracters, satisfies catharsis