Mr. Shipley
IB Film
3 December 2010
Comedy Film Genre
There are many different genres of film. These genres have a vast range including action, adventure, and romance films. One of the most prevalent film genres of the past hundred years is comedy. Comedic films are films which place their main emphasis on making the audience laugh. These humor films are a favorite because the subject usually has a theme in which the audience can relate to. Oftentimes, comedies exaggerate the situation, leading to funny and entertaining results. Most comedies end in happy endings with the typical good guys prevailing and the antagonistic villains are subdued. Additionally, unlike most film genres, comedies put a lot of emphasis on individual characters and actors, rather than the story in general, in order to please the audience. Therefore, comedic films are usually a favorite from young children seeing their first movies to avid film watchers who see the new releases weekly.
Comedies normally come in one of two formats: comedies led by a comedian or situational comedies. Situational comedies are more typical of movies, because the situations create the scene which in turn, makes the movie funny. However, some movies have a narrator throughout, or are even similar to stand up comedy. Because the comedic genre is so vast, there is room for infinite subgenres including romantic comedies, sports comedies, or crime comedy. Aside from these different subgenres, there are different types of genres which include slapstick comedies, screwball comedies, verbal comedies, dark comedies, parodies, and spoofs. Slapstick comedies are the earliest of comedies, predominant in silent films. These films usually use aggressive, physical, and visual action because they do not require the use of words and are easy to portray through actions. Slapstick comedies required precise timing and adroit performance skills. Slapstick films were reborn in the 30’s with the Three Stooges and were even present in the 90’s with Jim Carrey films Ace Ventura and The Mask. Screwball comedies were predominant in the 30’s and 40’s. These films involve lunacy, craziness, and erratic behavior. Wacky characters, gags, and on-going relationship problems usually constitute screwball comedies. An example was Leo McCarey’s The Awful Truth. Verbal comedies are comedies that are solely based on dialogue between characters. These are often stand up comedies or comedies where the background scene does not matter as much as in other movies, because the entire plot is made up of the character conversations. Dark comedies are usually sarcastic films that have a serious, pessimistic subject matter. A few examples of dark comedies are Robert Altman’s M*A*S*H and Lewis Collin’s Fargo. Parodies and spoofs are humorous films that ridicule, impersonate, and poke fun at previously made films, performers, or genres. The Marx Brothers were known for these films, as well as Mel Brooks’ films and Austin Powers movies. All of these different types of genre make the genre so vast and thus, so popular because the movies appeal to every type of movie lover.
The Silent Era was the perfect era for comedy. Because comedies are oftentimes made funny through actions and movements, actors during the Silent Era could get their points across while being comedic. Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton were two actors famous for their comedy during the Silent Era. These two actors made use of many acrobatic, visual gags and physical action.
In 1978, a series of rude, humorous films came out with National Lampoon’s Animal House. This film, as well as all of the National Lampoons to follow, make use of real life situations and draw events out of proportion. These are comedic because the audience can easily relate to action through real life experiences or through previous knowledge.
The 21st Century is home to low-brow and raunchy comedies. Many of these comedies, which are designed for teens and adults, use bodily function, toilet humor, and humuliation to attract audiences. Some of these films, like Superbad and Knocked Up make use of sexual jokes, rude humor, and racial slurs in an attempt to make the audience laugh.
Out of all film genres, comedic films are enjoyed by audiences across the world. Since the first comedic film in 1895, comedic films have been a favorite genre. With their ability to make the audience laugh as well as relate to real life situations while drawing the situations out of proportion, comedies are approved by all. In conclusion, I believe the comedy films to be one of the most popular and best film genres.
http://www.filmsite.org/comedyfilms.html
Andy Turk
Mr. Shipley
IB Film
9 December 2010
Chick Flicks Sub Genre
Chick flick films, or “gal films” are films that bring out emotion in the audience. These films are called “chick flicks” because girls are usually more likely to enjoy a romantic comedy with female relationships, tearjerkers, or movies about emotional crisis. These films are oftentimes from the female point of view and involve female bonding with a friend, family, animal, or issue. Chick flicks are countered by Guy films, which are films that are stereotypically more manly and appreciated more by the male gender. Some actresses associated with these chick flick films are Barbara Streisand, Reese Witherspoon, Julia Roberts, and many more. Chick flicks generally have woman concerns and sensibilities as the main focus.
Chick Flick films became popular in the mid 1980’s and have been popular ever since. Although there were forms of chick flicks before the 80’s, these films did not deliver the same message as the new chick flicks. The newer films, according to film critic Molly Haskell, deliver messages that are “chirrupy, upbeat, sing a different tune, and are more defiant and ironic”. These films bring out the theme of girl power. Woman can often feel subservient and enjoy Chick Flicks, which often have woman portrayed as dominant, self motivated protagonists. Although typically enjoyed more by females, males often enjoy Chick Flicks as well. Chick Flicks normally have attractice women as the main characters and give an interesting view into the woman’s world, which men want to see. Some films can even help males understand the female mind, a topic most men cannot accomplish.
One example of a Chick Flick is The Notebook. The Notebook is a classic chick flick, directed by Nick Cassavetes, that implements a true love story. Because the main woman in the film is distraught between her fiancé and her teenage sweetheart, many women feel her pain and feelings and feel they can relate to her feelings. Another example of a Chick Flick is Legally Blonde and the following movies in the series. Robert Luketic, the director, portrays Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) as the perfect female: president of her sorority, Miss June, and a beautiful blonde who gets the guy. Woman love these movies because they enjoy seeing the woman as the “girl in charge” and with so much power. A third example of a Chick Flick is 50 First Dates. This movie gives a different example of a Chick Flick. The main character in this movie is Henry Roth (Adam Sandler). Although not a woman, Roth is the perfect man for every woman, and thus makes it a chick flick. Women love this film because they want to be the one with this Mr. Right.
Chick Flicks are an interesting film genre. Although they typically appeal to the female gender, males can often enjoy these films. Since 1980, Chick Flicks have been enjoyed by all.
http://filmsite.amctv.com/chickflicks.html
http://changingminds.org/disciplines/storytelling/plots/classic/chick-flick.htm
Andy Turk
Mr. Shipley
IB Film
14 December 2010
Minor Sub-Genre- Disaster/Doomsday Films
One minor sub-genre of films are disaster or doomsday films. These films are very popular because there are so many different variations that can occur. The disaster can be local or on a global scale, they can be man-made or natural, the crises can be ongoing or just beginning, and can be problematic for a specific group of people or for everyone. Some common disasters portrayed in these films are natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes, accidents such as plane crashes and fires, alien invasions, and technology incidents. Most disaster films portray their themes through a series of chaotic events surrounding the disaster and showing the effects on the affected citizens. One common theme portrayed in these films are the “what if” situations. Characters often become carried away in the situations and begin to think of the impossible.
Most disaster/doomsday films were part of The Major Era of Disaster Films in the 70's. A few popular doomsday films are Jaws, Airplane, and I am Legend. Jaws, Steven Spielberg's popular film, portrays a town known for its beach, being infested with a shark. Because the whole town is in danger when in the water, this is a classic example of a disaster film. I am Legend, by Francis Lawrence, is about a man (Will Smith) as the only man alive. He cannot find anyone else due to an infection, and thus believes he is the last man on earth. This film is a typical example of a doomsday film.
Disaster/ doomsday films are a popular, well-liked minor sub-genre of films.
http://www.filmsite.org/disasterfilms.htmlAndy Turk
Mr. Shipley
IB Film
16 December 2010
Minor Sub-Genre- High School Dramas
High school drama films are a minor sub-genre very popular among modern day films. They are well-liked by both children and adults, because they are easy to relate to. Although called “high school dramas”, these films are not necessarily about teenagers and their high school experiences. Although many are based around drama during a typical high school day, others are simply about high school students and a typical day in their lives. Some popular high school dramas are Grease, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and High School Musical.
All three of these films are “high school dramas”, but all have very different story lines and settings. Grease revolves around a group of high school students who although they deny it, spend their time worrying about the opposite sex. This is clearly a high school drama because it deals with high school students and their daily lives. Ferris Bueller's Day Off is about a high school student, his girlfriend, and best friend and their adventures one day when they ditch school. This is an example of a high school drama because the focus point of the film are three students playing hookey. Finally, High School Musical is about students in high school and their daily affairs with boy/girl troubles, basketball, plays/performances, and hanging out with friends. This exemplifies a high school drama because it is essentially about teenagers and their daily high school lives.
High school dramas are extremely popular because their genres can range from comedies, to musicals, to science fiction films. In general, high school dramas are a typical minor sub-genre.
http://www.filmsite.org/50besthsfilms2.html
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