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.
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I generi cinematografici: caratteristiche, funzioni, evoluzione
Film genres: features, functions, evolution
storia, che erano già affermate come marchi di James Bond adventures. In another poster for the
fabbrica delle avventure di James Bond. In un same film, the "sex" component is entirely lost,
altro poster per lo stesso film, la componente and the films is described as "A thinking man's
"sesso" è completamente persa e il film è Goldfinger, funnier by far than any of the Bond
descritto come "Il Goldfinger di un uomo films and more rewarding, too!" and also as "An
pensante, di gran lunga più divertente di admirable thriller in every respect!". Clearly, the
qualsiasi film di Bond e anche più gratificante!" competition was trying to take advantage of the
e anche come "Un thriller ammirevole sotto ogni comparison with the already hugely successful
aspetto!". Chiaramente, la concorrenza stava James Bond character, and it did so by directly
cercando di sfruttare il confronto con il comparing the names of the two spies (with
personaggio di James Bond, già di grande Harry Palmer described as a "thinking man",
successo, e lo faceva confrontando direttamente with the obvious implication that 007 was not ...).
i nomi delle due spie (con Harry Palmer The word "thriller" is mentioned, but not as a
descritto come un "uomo pensante", con l'ovvia heavy reference to a genre. This shows that in
implicazione che 007 non lo fosse...). La parola many cases films are marketed with the clear
"thriller" è menzionata, ma non come un pesante intent of providing something new, some
riferimento a un genere. Ciò dimostra che in distinguishable features, thus avoiding "generic"
molti casi i film vengono commercializzati con labels" (like "spy story"), which can eventually
il chiaro intento di fornire qualcosa di nuovo, be added (much) later.
alcune caratteristiche distinguibili, evitando così
etichette "generiche" (come "spy story"), che
eventualmente possono essere aggiunte (molto)
dopo.
Ipcress/The Ipcress file (di/by Sidney J. Furie, GB 1965)
Allo stesso modo, quando la saga di Indiana Similarly, when the Indiana Jones saga was first
Jones fu lanciata per la prima volta, il poster del launched, the poster for the film (Indiana Jones
film (Indiana Jones e i predatori dell'arca and the raiders of the lost ark) showed the name
perduta) mostrava il nome del personaggio a of the character in large letters at the top of the
grandi lettere nella parte superiore, con il chiaro poster, with the clear purpose of establishing a
scopo di stabilire un nuovo ciclo piuttosto che new cycle rather than hinting at the kind of film
accennare al tipo di film che veniva presentato that was presented (no generic labels were used,
(non sono state utilizzate etichette generiche, certainly not "adventure film"). So, all in all,
certamente non "film d'avventura"). Quindi, genres are a double-edged sword for cinema
tutto sommato, i generi sono un'arma a doppio industries: they can be profitably used to inform
taglio per le industrie cinematografiche: possono audiences of the kind of story being told, but they
essere utilizzati con profitto per informare il can also become a "straightjacket" with the
pubblico sul tipo di storia che viene raccontata, opposite effect - so, once again, a balance must
ma possono anche diventare una "camicia di be struck between addressing audience
forza" con l'effetto opposto - quindi, ancora una expectations and distinguishing a particular
volta, occorre trovare un equilibrio tra product by avoiding generic labels and thus
rispondere alle aspettative del pubblico e differentiating it from its possible competitors.
distinguere un particolare prodotto evitando
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