AWR3O/MI
Genres
Action/Adventure
An action film features a strong hero and/or heroine who struggles against incredible odds to defeat an enemy. This type of film usually features
fast-paced activity and physical stunts, such as chases, fights, and clever or daring escapes. The adventure film is similar, but usually the setting is
exotic or unusual and the hero or heroine becomes involved in conquests or intrigues. The conflicts in action and adventure movies are usually
external, that is character v. character or character v. nature rather than internal conflicts (character vs self). Example: The Adventures of Robin
Hood (1938, directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley) pits the legendary bandit against the wealthy and not-so-nice sheriff of Nottingham.
Biography
A biographical film, often called a “biopic,” focus on the life story of a real person. The story and setting are generally authentic—that is, reflecting
real settings and events in the person’s life. The focus is not so much on fast paced action and daring conquests as it is on character development.
Example: One of the earliest biographical films was Jeanne d’Arc, about the life of the French maiden-warrior, made by Georges Méliès in 1899.
Comedy
Comedy refers to humor, and films that are intended to make audiences feel good and to laugh are comedy films. Comedy, however, has a number
of sub-genres, three of which are listed below. Screwball comedy. Some comedies in the 1930s and 1940s were called screwball because they
focused on the loony or eccentric behavior of the main character, very often a woman. Example: Bringing Up Baby (1938, directed by Howard
Hawks), involved the romantic entanglement of a young heiress who devised a scheme using a pet leopard called “Baby” to snare a dull scientist for
a husband. Slapstick comedy. The source of humor here was often physical pratfalls—a pie in the face, a man slipping on a banana peel, collisions,
and crude practical jokes. Many silent movies were slapstick because the humor is visual and does not usually rely on verbal exchanges. Examples:
The General starring Buster Keaton (1927, directed by Keaton and Clyde Bruckman), and Modern Times (1936, directed by and starring Charlie
Chaplin).
Crime/Detective
Crime and detective films focus on the struggle between a criminal and his or her victims, and/or solving a crime. These are serious dramas but
differ from action films in that there is less emphasis on physical encounters, and more on the puzzle of solving a crime. Example: The Maltese
Falcon (1941, directed by John Huston) centers on private detective Sam Spade’s effort to solve the murder of his partner, an investigation which
soon involves him in a hunt for a priceless statue of a falcon.
Documentary
A documentary is a nonfiction film. Documentaries can include informational and educational films, nonfiction narratives, and newsreels.
Documentaries may cover a wide range of subjects. Example: Nanook of the North (1922, directed by Robert J. Flaherty) is considered to be the
first documentary. It told the real-life story of Canadian Inuit living in the Arctic.
Fantasy
Fantasy films focus on imaginative or mythological places and characters. Fairy tales, dreams, and magic are the elements of a fantasy film. They
differ from science fiction in that sci-fi films base the storyline on some element of science and technology. Example: An early fantasy film was Lost
Horizon (1937, directed by Frank Capra). A plane crashes somewhere in the Himalaya Mountains of Tibet, a real place on Earth. The survivors,
however, soon find themselves taken by their rescuers to an idyllic Shangri-La, or paradise, called “Valley of the Blue Moon.” There is no snow, just
lush gardens and songbirds – but there is no communication with the outside world, either.
Horror
Horror films focus on the macabre (ghoulish or grisly details of death) and are intended to frighten or cause dread in an audience. Example:
Frankenstein (1931, directed by James Whale) is the story of a mad scientist who creates artificial life from dead tissue. The film’s eerie opening
scene takes place in a cemetery at dusk. Musical The musical uses song and dance routines as a way to elaborate on a storyline. Rather than simply
adding music to the soundtrack, however, the characters within the film sing and dance to convey their thoughts and feelings. Example: An
American in Paris (1951, directed by Vincente Minnelli) is the story of a struggling American painter who finds true love while working in Paris.
Science Fiction
Science fiction films explore the impact of science or technology, either real or imagined, on humans and their world. Science fiction may also focus
on human contact with other worlds. Example: Gojira (1954, directed by Ishirô Honda) is the story of a monster reptile with radioactive breath that
rises from deep in the ocean as a result of nuclear explosions. In America, Gojira became known as Godzilla.
War
War (and anti-war) films focus on physical battles but also on the mental conflicts of soldiers and others involved in war. Realism is a characteristic
of this genre. So, too, are the glories and self-sacrifices of the characters for a cause larger than themselves. Examples: Twelve O’Clock High (1949,
directed by Henry King) told the story of a commander during World War II and his efforts to create a tough, fighting squadron.
Western
Western films focus on a struggle between civilization and wilderness, lawfulness and lawlessness. Most traditional Westerns are set in the
American West or Southwest in the mid to late 19th century. Some Westerns, however, move beyond this limitation of setting. Example:
Stagecoach (1939, directed by John Ford) is the story of the passengers (a drunken doctor, a pregnant woman, a bank manager who has stolen
money, and the mysterious “Ringo Kid”) on a dangerous stagecoach journey.
Not all films are “genre films” and not all directors set out to make a film that might fit neatly into one of the categories on
the genre wheel. Defining and distinguishing genre is often very challenging.
Your job:
Create a contemporary genre wheel, supplying examples from present-day films (since 1980) for at least 5 spokes on the wheel, that
you think would be excellent movies to watch.
For each film you select, make sure you include a one paragraph summary and a detailed description on why you would recommend that movie.
Make sure that your paragraphs are written in your own words 
Rotten Tomatoes http://www.rottentomatoes.com/ and the Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/ are excellent resources to help you
construct your wheel.
You can produce the Genre Wheel in any format you wish (poster, diagram, list, web, etc).
Rubric:
Criteria
Organization by Genre
(Application)
Quality of Information
(Knowledge)
Mechanics
(Communication)
Name: _____________________
Standard (Level 3+ or higher)
Information is very organized with
well constructed paragraphs, use
of subheadings, and information is
factual and correct.
Information clearly relates to the
main topic. The Genre wheel
includes several supporting details
and examples.
No grammatical, spelling nor
punctuation errors.
Adequate (Level 3 to 3-)
Information is organized but
paragraphs are not well
constructed. Information appears
factual
Information clearly relates to the
main topic. Some details and/or
examples are missing
A few (3-5) grammatical, spelling
and/or punctuation errors
Needs Work (Level 2+ to 1-)
The information appears to
disorganized and is not correct
and/or factual.
Information is incorrect and/or
contains little supporting details
and examples to back the
assertion(s).
Too many grammatical, spelling
and/or punctuation errors. This
assignment is need of a rewrite.