GENRE I ESTABLISHING THE PARAMETERS Alison Rheaume Andrew

GENRE I: ESTABLISHING THE PARAMETERS Alison Rheaume, Andrew Korogyi, Evan Seccombe, Hannes Arason, Jacob Doforno

READINGS: Rick Altman – A Semantic / Syntactic Approach to Film Genre Robin Wood – Ideology, Genre, Auteur

WHAT IS GENRE? How would you define Genre?

GENRE DEFINED “In film theory, genre refers to the method based on similarities in the narrative elements from which films are constructed”

WHAT GENRE? Jaws http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=U 1 fu_s. A 7 Xh. E Star Wars http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=1 g 3_CFmn. U 7 k Back to the Future III http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=c. AOyp. L 96 d. Rw Who Framed Roger Rabbit? http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=EAd. Zv 8 RMRm 0 Hot Fuzz http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ay. Tnv. Vpj 9 t 4

“A SEMANTIC/SYNTACTIC APPROACH TO FILM GENRE” • Written by Rick Altman in 1984 • Hollywood Studio System • Genre used as a template to manufacture films • Little need to reflect upon assumptions underlying their work, “why bother to theorize? ” we know a genre when we see one.

SEMANTIC VS. SYNTACTIC • Semantic Approach/View: Stresses the genre’s building blocks (common traits, attitudes, characters, shots, locations, sets, etc) makes up a genre. (Conventions) • Syntactic Approach/View: Stresses the structures into which those elements are arranged (constitute relationships between undesignated and variable placeholders, relationships that might be called the genre’s fundamental syntax). (Narrative) • Evan’s Film As a House Metaphor.

AN “APPROACH TO WESTERNS” 1. Jean Mitty defining Western: “Film whose action, situated in the American West, is consistent with the atmosphere, values, conditions of existence in the far West between 1840 -1900”. [Tautological definition] 2. Marc Vernet defining Western: “General atmosphere, emphasis on basic elements (such as earth, dust, water, leather) stock characters (tough/soft cowboy, lonely sheriff, faithful Indian, strong/tender woman), technical elements (fast tracking, crane shots)”

AN “APPROACH TO WESTERNS” 3. Jim Kitses defining Western: “Dialectic between the West as garden and as desert (between culture and nature, community and individual, future and past, etc). Western vocabulary is generated by this syntactic relationship, not visa versa. ” [Not defined by vocabulary, but relationships linking lexical elements] 4. John Cawelti defining Western: “Systemizing Western: Always set on or near a Frontier, where man encounters his uncivilized double. Border between two lands, two era’s, hero remains divided between two

PENNSYLVANIA WESTERN EXAMPLE DRUMS ALOMG THE MOHAWK (1939) http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=R 0 Ct. SFCjs 2 Y

PENNSYLVANIA WESTERN EXAMPLE How do we classify this film and others such as High Wide & Handsome (1937) and Unconquered (1947)? Based on the previous 4 definitions, genre theorists would have conflicting opinions on whether or not it’s a Western film.

SEMANTIC VS. SYNTACTIC Problem with choosing Sematic view vs. Syntactic view • If you choose sematic view: You give up explanatory power (understanding the meaning behind structure). • If you choose syntactic view: You give up broad applicability (not applicable to a large number of films).

ALTMAN’S PROPOSED SOLUTION • These theories should be combined according to Altman, to have a both a semantic/syntactic approach to genre study. • Believes it is not possible to describe Hollywood cinema accurately without the ability to account for numerous films that innovate by combining syntax of one genre with semantics of another.

ALTMAN: TWO WAYS GENRES ARISE 1. Stable set of semantic givens is developed through the syntactic experimentation into a coherent and durable syntax. OR 2. Already existing syntax adopts a new set of semantic elements. By taking seriously the multiple connections between semantics and syntax, we establish new continuity, relating film analysis, genre theory and genre history.

RECENT APPROACHES TO HOLLYWOOD GENRE • Ritual Approach: “Hollywood responding to societal pressure, thus expressing audience desires”. • Ideological Approach: Claims “Hollywood takes advantage of spectator energy and psychic investment in order to lure the audience into Hollywood’s own positions”.

ROBIN WOOD AND IDEOLOGIES Wood claims “the work that has been done so far on genre has tended to take the various genres as given and discrete, defining them in terms of motifs, iconography, conventions, themes. But what we need to ask, if genre theory is to ever be productive, is less what then why. We are so used to genres that the peculiarity of the phenomenon itself has been too little noted.

WOOD’S LIST OF IDEOLOGIES 1. Capitalism (Ownership) 2. Work Ethic (Morally admirable quality) 3. Marriage (and family) 4. Nature as agrarianism (rural society and independent farmers are superior to people living in urban society) 5. Nature as the wilderness 6. Progress, technology, the city 7. Success and wealth 8. The rosebud syndrome (“money isn’t everything, money corrupts, poor are happier”)

WOOD’S IDEAL FIGURES Two ideal figures from this list: 1. Ideal Male (adventurer, man of action) 2. Ideal Female (wife/mother, dependable, companion) Since these “ideals” make staggering incompatibility, each has a shadow: 1. The settled husband/father (dependable but dull) 2. Erotic woman (adventuress, entertainer) who is fascinating, dangerous and liable.

“HAPPY ENDINGS” “Happy Endings” would be defined as a Romantic Drama. Romance: Should contain numerous inter-related scenes of a character and their personal life with emphasis on emotional attachment or involvement with other characters, especially those characterized by a high level of purity and devotion. Drama: Should contain numerous consecutive scenes of characters portrayed to effect a serious narrative throughout the title. This can be exaggerated upon to produce melodrama. Subjective.

“HAPPY ENDINGS” Semantic: • Hopeless romantic • • Damsel in distress Emotional attachment Emphasis on devotion Sexually charged scenes Intimate lighting Close-up two shots Emotional baggage Overbearing antagonist Syntactic: The hopeless romantic fights for the devout damsel in distress. Who must overcome the overbearing antagonist. (The semiotics of “Happy Endings” placed within the syntax of the story make it Romantic Drama)

THESIS GENRES What genre does your film fall under? What semantics/syntax does it possess? http: //www. imdb. com/help/search? domain=helpdesk_faq&index=2&fil e=genres

“It should be remembered that these definitions are guidelines - No single definition can cover every possible eventuality. Some of these genres are objective; for the others, a little leeway is given. ” -IMDB

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