Film Genres

Film genres are ways of identifying types, categories and style of films that have similarities or recognisable patterns. These include props,subject matter, themes, moods, period, plot, events, styles structures, situations and stars. Most films cover several different genre.

Action Films

Action films have a huge impact with lots of stunts, continuous energy and possible extended action scenes such as fight scenes, car chases, battles, rescues, non stop motion, disasters etc. Action films usually have an action hero or adventure character. Action films are designed for pure audience escapism with the action sequences at the core of the film.
Classic action films include; All James Bond movies,

Adventure Films

Adventure films are exciting stories with new and exotic locations. Adventure films are similar the the action film genre in the sense that they are filmed to provide an action filled energetic experience for the viewer. Adventure films tend to focus more on the travel, consequences, exploration, struggles and situation that confront the main character as opposed to action films which tend to put more emphasis on violence and fighting.
Classic action films include; The Indiana Jones series, Pirates of the Caribbean and literary adventure hero stories such as Robin Hood, Tarzan, and Zorro.

Animated

Animated films are films that are made frame by frame with drawings (stop-frame cinematography) but more commonly now are made with computers. CGI images are manipulated and used to make feature length films such as Toy Story, Monsters INC. and Wall-E

Anime

Anime is a category under “Animated Films” but is in it’s own right a genre due to the cult following and shear quantity of amine films. Originating in Japan through the roots of Manga cartoons. Anime is traditionally hand drawn, but computer assisted techniques have become quite common in recent years. It is used in television series, films, video, video games, and internet-based releases, and represents all genres of fiction.

British Film

British films are distinctive and are a separate genre, there have been many classic British Films and they tend to have a different look and feel to the film rather than the standard look and feel of a Hollywood blockbuster. They are normally set in Britain and have a mainly British cast. although are now crossing over and becoming jointly produced by US and UK studios.

Comedy

Comedy films are here to make us laugh, they are designed to get a laugh out of the audience and are designed to amuse, entertain and make fun of certain situations. There are many different comedy styles but in general comedies are to provide a good laugh and a momentary escape from day-to-day life. They usually have a happy ending.

Crime/Gangster

Crime/Gangster films are focused around the actions of criminals or gangsters such as bank robbers, crime syndicates,underworld style figures or thugs. These characters usually operate outside the law.
There are many popular British based crime and gangster movies as this seems to be a popular genre for film producers and directors alike.

Family

A family film is a genre suitable for all ages, family films are written to appeal to cross-generation audiences. They do not contain content that is deemed unsuitable for children and are normally a safe bet to take children along to the cinema to watch.

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting. In its broadest sense, fantasy comprises works by many writers, artists, filmmakers, and musicians, from ancient myths and legends to many recent works embraced by a wide audience today.

Film-Noir

Film-Noir; Literally “black film” or “black cinema” was a phrase coined by French film critics who noticed the trend and style of these certain film types after the war. Film-Noir is now a term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas that are have a low-key black-and-white visual style.

Historical

Historical films, or as sometimes described “Epic Films” often take an historical or imagined event, mythic, legendary, or heroic figure, and add an extravagant setting and lavish costumes, accompanied by grandeur and spectacle and a sweeping musical score. Epics include costume dramas, historical dramas, war films, medieval romps, or ‘period pictures’ that often cover a large expanse of time set against a vast, panoramic backdrop.

Musical

Musical/dance films are cinematic forms that emphasize full-scale scores or song and dance routines in a significant way (usually with a musical or dance performance integrated as part of the film narrative), or they are films that are centred on combinations of music, dance, song or choreography. Major sub genres include the musical comedy or the concert film.

Romance

Love stories, or affairs of the heart centre on passion, emotion, and the romantic, affectionate involvement of the main characters (usually a leading man and lady), and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make the love story or the search for love the main plot focus. Lovers in screen romances (often romantic dramas) face obstacles and the hazards of hardship, finances, physical illness, racial or social class status, occupation, psychological restraints, or family that threaten to break their union and attainment of love. As in all romantic relationships, tensions of day-to-day life, temptations (of infidelity), and differences in compatibility enter into the plots of romantic films.

Sci-Fi

Sci-fi films are often visionary and imaginative; complete with heroes, aliens, distant planets, impossible quests, improbable settings, fantastic places, great dark and shadowy villains, futuristic technology, unknown and unknowable forces, and extraordinary monsters (’things or creatures from space’), either created by mad scientists or by nuclear havoc. They are sometimes an offshoot of fantasy films, or they share some similarities with action/adventure films.

Thriller

Thrillers are characterized by fast pacing, frequent action, and resourceful heroes who must thwart the plans of more-powerful and better-equipped villains. Literary devices such as suspense, red herrings and cliffhangers are used extensively.

for a more in depth overview of many film genres and where I have aquired some of this information please visit filmsite.org.