film studies - genre

Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain the functions of film genre, and identify generic elements in ‘Super 8’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.


Read through the plot summaries of the two films.


What is the purpose of film genre?

• Classification

• Industry

• Audience

• Myths

• Cognition


Institutions and Audiences

Genre as economic strategy.

Generic pleasures.The study of film genre allows an understanding of cinema as both an industrial and popular medium.

Altman – capitalist function of genre product differentiation

Ryall – genre supervises relationship between filmmakers and audience.


Myths

Genres tell and re-tell familiar stories – reflect social concerns.

Genres resolve in imaginary terms social issues and conflicts.


Cognition

One of the main functions of genre is to help audiences to make sense of film texts.


Postmodern Genres/Genericity

Postmodernism – artistic style characterised by irony, intertextuality, pastiche.

Genericity – postmodern culture genres not fixed and clear.

Intertexuality – the way one film makes reference to other films/media texts.

Eclecticism- creating a text from a range of other texts and genres.


Science fiction film is ’a film genre which emphasizes actual, extrapolative, or speculative science…interacting in a social context with the lesser emphasized, but still present, transcendentalism of magic and religion, in an attempt to reconcile man with the unknown’ (Vivien Sobchack).

Cultural theorist Scott Bukatman has proposed that science fiction film allows contemporary culture to witness an expression of the sublime, be it through exaggerated scale, apocalypse or transcendence.


Key Themes

• Technology• Alien vs familiarity• Humanness • Community• Technology and Hope


Hybridity – ‘Super 8’ contains elements of sci fi, coming of age narrative, action film, and horror.


Key Themes in ‘Super 8’

• Technology – alien’s superior technology• Alien vs familiarity• Humanness – film suggests the alien’s humanity• Community • Technology and Hope/sublime


Key Themes in ‘Super 8’

• Technology – alien’s superior technology• Alien vs familiarity• Humanness – film suggests the alien’s humanity• Community • Technology and Hope/sublime

Watch the extracts and make notes on how the extract employs sci fi conventions. How are cinematography, sound, editing, and mise-en-scene used?


Hybridity – ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ contains elements of a range of genres and subgenres including romance, comedy, teen film, and coming of age movie.

It also contains elements of the ‘lovers on the run’ movie.


Coming of age film

Focuses on the maturation of young people.Key themes include• Conflict with society• Troubled family relationships• Sexual identity • Independence• Death • Nostalgia (often set in the

past)• Quest/journeyOften include a rite of passage.


Bildungsroman

A Bildungsroman relates the growing up or "coming of age" of a young person who goes in search of answers to life's questions with the expectation that these will result from gaining experience of the world. Usually in the beginning of the story there is an emotional loss which makes the protagonist leave on his journey.. The genre often features a main conflict between the main character and society. Typically, the values of society are gradually accepted by the protagonist and he is ultimately accepted into society.


‘Stand By Me’ (Rob Reiner, USA, 1985)

Set in 1950s – writer reflecting back on his childhood. About 4 boys on a journey to find the dead body of a boy their age. The film contains all key elements of the coming of age genre.

Stand by Me Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUVnfaA-kpI


Quest Motif

Many coming of age films use a quest or journey motif.


Liminal Space and Coming of Age Movies

Liminality is an idea identified by anthropologist Arnold van Gennep. He studied rites of passage and found they have three stages:Rites of separation – symbolic death leads to removal from communityLiminality – the individual moves outside society – often into the wilderness.Re-incorporation.


Coming of age filmFocuses on the maturation of young people.Key themes include• Conflict with society• Troubled family relationships• Sexual identity • Independence• Death • Nostalgia (often set in the past)• Quest/journeyOften include a rite of passage. Summer setting. Melancholy tone – loss.

Watch the extracts and make notes on how the film uses the elements of the coming of age film, and how this is constructed through technical elements.


Genericity

The film employs genre in a playful way, utilising elements of a range of genres but in a childlike context.


Authorship

‘Moonrise Kingdom’ may be best characterised as a Wes Anderson film – the key elements, style, and themes are similar to his other films.

To what extent does ‘Super 8’ also use elements of the coming of age film?


To what extent does ‘Super 8’ also use elements of the coming of age genre?


How can you relate the key genre concepts to the two films?• Classification • Industry• Audience• Myths• Cognition• Postmodern genres


Homework

Read at least one review of each film and note down what key messages/themes are identified?