Genre in film/video

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Genre

In film, like literature and theatre, many elements such as setting, themes, style, mood, format and plot are determined by the film genre.

Basic film genres include action, adventure, comedy, drama, historical and musicals.

Each genre consists of sub-genres, such as superhero (action), romantic comedy (comedy), crime drama (drama), etc.

Nanook of The North (1922) - Documentary

non-fiction, documents some aspect of reality, life (often staged...)

Sherlock Jr. (1924) - Slapstick comedy, silent

humor, non-sensical, physical gags

Metropolis (1927) - Epic, sci-fi, silent

historical, large scope, spectacle, "hero's journey"

City Lights (1931) - romantic comedy

humor, two people fall in love, experience some obstacle, reunite in the end

Wizard of Oz (1939) - Musical, fantasy

singing, dancing, characters placed into supernatural world

Citizen Kane (1941) - Drama

like greek tragedy, focuses on protagnist, often with fatal flaw, in some psychological or emotional crisis

Roshomon (1950) - Period drama

recreation of historical period

Tokyo Story (1953) - Drama

On the Waterfront (1954) - crime drama, film noir

drama focusing on the lives of criminals

12 Angry Men (1957) - Court room drama

Vertigo (1958) - Mystery, psychological thriller

death or crime to be solved, suspects, detective, psychological aspects

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - Sci-fi

futuristic setting, science and technology, space and time travel, aliens, philosophical themes

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) - Western

The French Connection (1971) - crime thriller

Godfather (1972) - Mafia

Taxi Driver (1976) - Psychological thriller

Apocalypse Now (1979) - Adventure, war

The Shining (1980) - Phychological horror

The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - Epic, sci-fi

Raging Bull (1980) - Sports drama

Do the Right Thing (1989) - Comedy, drama

Pulp Fiction (1994) - Black comedy

Clerks (1994) - Independent, comedy

Chungking Express (1994) - Independent, drama

The Thin Red Line (1998) - War

Run Lola Run (1998) - Crime thriller

Blair Witch Project (1999) - Horror, independent

Memento (2000) - Psycological thriller