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
In Catene (si veda il video in basso a destra),
Guglielmo (Amedeo Nazzari) uccide l'ex
fidanzato di sua moglie Rosa (Yvonne Sanson),
che la stava ricattando. Fugge in America, ma
viene rimandato in Italia per essere processato.
L'unico modo in cui può essere liberato è se sua
moglie confessa l'adulterio (in quanto l'omicidio
può allora essere considerato un delitto
passionale) e lei accetta di farlo. L'avvocato di
Guglielmo gli spiega il sacrificio di Rosa e alla
fine Guglielmo riesce a salvarla dal suicidio.
In Chains (watch the video below right),
Guglielmo (Amedeo Nazzari) kills his wife
Rosa (Yvonne Sanson)'s ex-boyfriend, who
was blackmailing her. He flees to America, but
is sent back to Italy to stand trial. The only way
he can be set free is if his wife confesses to
adultery – so the murder can be considered a
crime of passion – and she does it. Guglielmo's
lawyer explains Rosa's sacrifice to him and he
is eventually able to save her from committing
suicide.
I figli di nessuno/Nobody's children (di/by
Raffaello Matarazzo, Italia-Francia/Italy-France
1951)
Catene/Chains (di/by Raffaello Matarazzo,
Italia/Italy 1949)
I temi e gli argomenti del melodramma includono
personaggi che di solito sono buoni o cattivi (ma
possono anche cambiare in modo del tutto
inaspettato nel corso del tempo); donne che sono
spesso vittime (delle azioni degli uomini); una
catena di eventi drammatici, spesso catastrofici
ma anche provvidenziali; una possibile serie di
(improbabili) coincidenze; un lieto fine, che
risolve piuttosto frettolosamente le dolorose
contraddizioni cui abbiamo assistito durante tutto
il film. I temi sono trattati con forte enfasi su
sentimenti e passioni, sottolineando il pathos
associato sia all'amore che alla violenza. Tutto
sommato, alcuni temi e argomenti di base
sembrano essere condivisi sia dai melodrammi
hollywoodiani che da quelli italiani, ma solo in
superficie. Forti differenze culturali spiegano
l'enfasi in questi ultimi sui valori della famiglia
minacciati, sul matrimonio e sull'adulterio, sul
tradimento e sulla gelosia, spesso associati alla
natura sensuale (e quindi pericolosa) delle donne,
che induce a comportamenti peccaminosi (nella
tradizione cattolica) e persino all'omicidio,
sebbene la risoluzione finale di solito implichi la
(ri)affermazione dei valori tradizionali della
famiglia patriarcale sancita dal matrimonio.
The themes and topics of melodrama include
characters who are usually either good or bad
(but can also change quite unexpectedly in the
course of time); women who are often victims
(of men's actions); a chain of dramatic, often
catastrophic but also at times providential,
events; a possible series of (unlikely)
coincidences; a happy ending, which rather
hastily solves the painful contradictions we
have witnessed all through the movie. The
themes are treated with strong emphasis on
feelings and passions, stressing the pathos
associated with both love and violence. All in
all, some basic themes and topics seem to be
shared by both Hollywood and Italian
melodramas - but only on the surface. Strong
cultural differences explain the emphasis in the
latter on family values being threatened, on
marriage and adultery, on betrayal and
jealousy, often associated with women's sensual
(and thus dangerous) nature, leading to sinful
behaviour (in the prevailing Catholic tradition)
and even murder, although the final resolution
usually implies the (re)affirmation of
traditional values embodied in the patriarchal
family sanctioned by religious marriage.
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