Film Genre Analysis

Genre and Film

Textual Analysis

 

Answer the following questions in order to analyse each of the genre films that you study.

 

1.     Give a brief overview of the plot of the film.

 

2.     Narrative is one of the repertoire of elements from which generic descriptions might be constructed. Tzvetan Todorov suggested the following cause-effect pattern within narrative structure:

·        A state of equilibrium at the outset.

·        A disruption of the equilibrium.

·        A recognition that there has been a disruption.

·        An attempt to repair the disruption.

·        A reinstatement of the equilibrium.

 

Discuss the narrative of the film with reference to Todorov’s theory of narrative structure.

 

3.     What aspects of the plot are conventional to the genre?

 

4.     What aspects of the plot challenge the conventions of the genre?

 

5.     Narrative is usually developed through characters. Identify the main characters of the film.

 

6.     Discuss the role of the main characters with reference to Propp’s theory of character functions. The key and most relevant character functions that Vladimir Propp identified are as follows:

·        Hero – the good character that attempts to restore the equilibrium.

·        Villain – the evil character that attempts to stop the hero.

·        Donor - prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.

·        Helper – the character that helps the hero.

·        Princess – the character that needs to be rescued by the hero.

·        Dispatcher – character who makes the disruption known and sends the hero off.

 

7.     How are the main characters of the film represented?

·        Does the film use generic types?

·        Does the film use stereotypes?

·        Does the film use conventional or unconventional characters?

 

8.     How does the film represent gender?

 

9.     Levi-Strauss suggested that binary oppositions structure our understanding of the world.

Binary opposites in film narrative are usually represented by the functions of the hero and villain, the hero representing what the film is deeming to be good and the villain representing evil.

Binary Oppositions can also be found in the following:

·        The characters

·        The setting

·        The themes and ideas

·        The style of the film. E.g. Light and darkness

 

Identify up to five of the key binary opposites in the film that you are studying.

 

10.                         What is the significance of the settings within the film?

·        Is the setting conventional?

·        What does the setting represent?

·        Does the setting convey a message within the film?

 

11.                         Style refers to the way that the film is made. The camera angles, composition, editing, sound and the use of colour or special effects all contribute to the style of a film.

·        What aspects of the film’s style could be considered as conventional?

·        What aspects of the film’s style challenge the conventions of the genre?

 

12.                         What are the key themes of the film?

·        How do these themes represent the ideologies of the society which produced the film?

·        How do the themes reflect the ideologies of the audience who watches the film?

·        What are the key messages of the film?

 

13.                         How is the audience expected to respond to the film?

 

14.                         Is the film part of a series or cycle? If so, from what stage of the series or cycle does the film come?

 

15.                         Carry out some basic research to find out about the director and main actors within the film. Are they normally associated with films of the same genre?

 

16.                         Is the film a hybrid (a film that mixes the conventions of two or more genres)?

·        Why have the genres been combined?

·        How does the film reinterpret the genre?

·        Is the film Post-modern?

·        Does the film make inter-textual references to other films of the same genre?

·        Is the film a self-referential text?

 

17.                         How does the film compare with other films of the same genre?

·        How does the film establish the codes and conventions of the genre?

·        How does the film challenge the codes and conventions of the genre?

 

18.                         How successful was the film when it was released both in the cinema and on DVD?

·        Refer to Box office success.

·        Refer to critical reviews.

 

19.                         How does the film appeal to the expectations of the target audience?

 

20.                         Give your own response to the film.

·        Are you a member of the target audience for the film?

·        What aspects of the film appealed to you?

·        What aspects of the film didn’t appeal to you?