05.02.2022 Views

Film genres: features, functions, evolution

This Interactive workshop aims at exploring the origin of genres, their functions in cinema and their evolution, with particular emphasis on the latest developments. We first ask why we need genres at all and examine the variety of classification criteria that can be used. Then we focus on the specific features of genre films, analysing their conventions and their narrative structures. We then explore how different agents (from producers to audiences, from critics to film scholars) have used and still use genres, and highlight their economic, sociocultural and communicative functions. Finally, by taking a historical perspective, we explore how genres have evolved in the course of time and how modern cinema extensively use genre mixing and hybridization, thus pointing to the future of this important but complex category of film analysis. Part of the www.cinemafocus.eu research materials.

This Interactive workshop aims at exploring the origin of genres, their functions in cinema and their evolution, with particular emphasis on the latest developments. We first ask why we need genres at all and examine the variety of classification criteria that can be used. Then we focus on the specific features of genre films, analysing their conventions and their narrative structures. We then explore how different agents (from producers to audiences, from critics to film scholars) have used and still use genres, and highlight their economic, sociocultural and communicative functions. Finally, by taking a historical perspective, we explore how genres have evolved in the course of time and how modern cinema extensively use genre mixing and hybridization, thus pointing to the future of this important but complex category of film analysis. Part of the www.cinemafocus.eu research materials.

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

cinemafocus.eu

I generi cinematografici: caratteristiche, funzioni, evoluzione

Film genres: features, functions, evolution

che evidenziano la presenza di molti oggetti che

entrano a far parte dell'atmosfera emotiva; uso di

luci contrastanti; e una recitazione eccessiva che

sottolinea le passioni che stanno sotto la superficie

delle cose. I thriller che coinvolgono un killer

(seriale) possono utilizzare immagini distorte e

suoni inquietanti per suggerire che il criminale è

psicologicamente disturbato.

atmosphere; use of contrasting lights; and an

excessive acting which underscores the

passions lying beneath the surface of things.

Thrillers involving a (serial) killer may use

distorted images and eerie sounds to suggest

that the criminal is psychologically disturbed.

La polizia bussa alla porta/The big combo (di/by

Joseph H. Lewis, USA 1955)

Secondo amore/All that heaven allows (di/by

Douglas Sirk, USA 1955)

4.2. La colonna sonora

4.2. Soundtrack

La colonna sonora è così intimamente connessa

allo stile generale di un film che spesso

sembriamo non accorgercene, sebbene svolga un

ruolo cruciale nella definizione dell'atmosfera: la

musica in stile "ballata" che spesso accompagna

l'apertura di tanti western, ad esempio, fa talmente

parte delle storie western che tendiamo a darla per

scontata. I film dell'orrore perderebbero molto del

loro impatto se rimuovessimo la musica e i suoni

che ci tengono in tensione, solo per essere

interrotti, a volte in modo del tutto inaspettato, da

altri suoni che ci fanno sobbalzare. Sebbene le

generalizzazioni non siano realmente possibili, nel

complesso possiamo dire che "i violini"

accompagnano spesso storie d'amore e altri tipi di

drammi romantici, mentre colonne sonore

elettroniche, anche sperimentali, vengono

utilizzate come per film di fantascienza.

Soundtrack is so intimately connected to the

overall style of a film that we often seem to be

unaware of it, although it plays a crucial role

in setting the atmosphere: the ballad-style

music which often accompanies the opening of

so many westerns, for example, is so much a

part of a western storyline that we tend to take

it for granted. Horror films would lose much of

their impact if we removed the music and

sounds that keep us on edge, only to be broken,

sometimes quite unexpectedly, by some other

sounds that make us jump to our feet. Although

generalisations are not really possible, on the

whole we can say that "sweeping strings" are

the usual accompaniment of love stories and

other kinds of romantic drama, while

electronic, even experimental soundtracks, are

used as the score for science-fiction films.

4.3. L'ambientazione

Lo spazio e il tempo, ovvero dove e quando si

svolge la storia di un film, sono particolarmente

importanti per alcuni generi, meno per altri.

Commedie e drammi, ad esempio, possono

svolgersi ovunque e in qualsiasi momento - nel

passato, nel presente e persino nel futuro, ma i

13

4.3. Setting

The space and time, i.e. where and when, the

story of a film takes place are particularly

important for some genres, less so for others.

Comedies and dramas, for example, can take

place everywhere and at any time - in the past,

present and even future, but westerns focus on

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!