WJEC GCE AS Film Studies Stuart Grenville-Price Film Genre Part 1: Genre Film This week’s topic is that of film genre; the descriptive and functional approaches to genre studies and an analysis of the way that genre works within a few selected clips.
Definitions: 1.
Genre as a general term can be defined as ‘a type’ or ‘category’. To adopt a genre studies approach to film means that a film is seen as part of a particular group of films that share certain characteristics in common. For example the Western- one of the largest genres in classic Hollywood cinema- has to be set in a certain location and historical period, contain certain costumes and characters in order for it to qualify as a Western. The audience has certain expectations of the storyline and outcome of the film. However, there is much scope for variation within these generic boundaries.
2.
Many films can be defined as hybrid genres. These cross generic boundaries, combining characteristics from at least two genres. Somefilms do not obviously belong to any recognisable genre. Independent films often belong to this category.
There are two main approaches to genre studies: •
Descriptive approach: divides Hollywood production into different categories and defines each genre according to its characteristics and attributes.
This approach can be problematic as it is very difficult to draw rigid boundaries between different genres which are continually evolving, and many films cannot be placed within one specific genre. •
Functional approach: attempts to look at the film’s cultural context and the relationship between the film and the society in which it was produced, rather than merely focusing on generic characteristics. This results in the film being seen as a mythmaking exercise or cultural ritual. E.g. In the cinema of the west in the 50’s there was Cold War paranoia in the 60’s lack of censorship and independence in France and in the 70’s new censorship.
This approach can be problematic because many films can yield opposing meanings when placed in their cultural context. How can the film writer justify privileging one set of meanings over another? It is also difficult to decide precisely which cultural meanings a functional reading should depend on, and there is often a tendency towards being influenced by contemporary concerns and values rather than placing the film in its historical context.
Look at Michael Crichton director of Westworld (Michael Crichton 1973 which depicts a fear of technology) and writer of Jurassic Park (depicts a fear of nature) both show the meddling with science and it all going too far.
*******G roup questions a) What generic characteristics can be ascribed to the screened films? b) In what ways do the films blur the generic boundaries? c) How do you think the descriptive and functional approaches as defined above would differ in analysing the films?
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