lesson 06: film genre
DESCRIPTION
Lesson 06: Film Genre. Professor Aaron Baker. Previous Lecture. Cinematography The Photographic Image Lenses Framing Camera Movement The Long Take Cinematography in Raging Bull (1980). In this Lecture…. Film Genre The Gangster Film Goodfellas (1990). Part I: Film Genre. Genre. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Previous LecturePrevious Lecture• Cinematography• The Photographic Image• Lenses• Framing• Camera Movement• The Long Take• Cinematography in Raging
Bull (1980)
GenreGenre
• French Term
• A film genre is a certain category of movie.
• Conventions define it.
• Examples include the western, the science fiction film, the horror movie, the musical.
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ExpectationsExpectations
• We inevitably anticipate a certain kind of film when we watch a movie.
• Films that present the features we expect are called genre films.
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Blockbuster HitsBlockbuster Hits
Some of the top earning films in the
history of Hollywood are genre films:
PlacePlace TitleTitle GenreGenre
1. Titanic Disaster film
2. Lord of the Rings Fantasy
3. Star Wars Science fiction
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EntertainmentEntertainment
Genre films are often Genre films are often seen as seen as entertainment:entertainment:
• FunFun
• EscapistEscapist
• FormulaicFormulaicTexas Chainsaw MassacreTexas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) (1974)
But Less Conventional Films But Less Conventional Films Get More RespectGet More Respect
• Steven Spielberg’s genre films made big profits.
• But he didn’t win an Oscar for best director until he made a “serious” social drama: Schindler’s List (1993).
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DisrespectDisrespect
Genre films not only are often
viewed as aesthetically inferior, some
genres get more disrespect than
others.
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Serious DramaSerious Drama
While a social protest film like Erin Brockovich
has been praised for
raising serious issues like
environmental degradation . . .
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Melodrama Melodrama
This genre is often dismissed as insignificant because it emphasizes:
• Emotional stories about family conflict; with female protagonists
• Is aimed at female viewers.
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But…But… • Melodrama can be about
important issues of family, gender politics.
• And minus issue of environmental contamination, Erin Brockovich is a family melodrama with a female lead!
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Contemporary Horror FilmsContemporary Horror Films
• Scare audiences to entertain.
• But some also question family.
• On this issue they are a lot like melodramas and social dramas.
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Family DysfunctionFamily Dysfunction
• In It’s Alive (1974), a couple gives birth to a monster.
• In The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and The Hills Have Eyes (1977), whole families are killers.
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Fun and SeriousFun and Serious
So, some genre films are--• commercial movies with a pleasurable
veneer that conceal • social critique, presenting disturbing
subject matter
Gangster FilmsGangster Films
• Guns, Violence, Crime
• Money, Sex
• Rise/Fall of Gangster As Too Egotistical, Greedy, Brutal
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The Public Enemy The Public Enemy (1931)(1931)
Entertainment AppealEntertainment Appeal
• Enjoy Boldness, Swagger, Charisma of Gangster
• But We Feel Secure When He’s Brought Down
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Muskateers of Pig AlleyMuskateers of Pig Alley(1912)(1912)
• D. W. Griffith defines gangster film
• Real NY Location• Real Street Toughs• Immigrants As
Criminal Threat
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ProhibitionProhibition
• Volstead Act 1920-1933 outlaws alcohol
• Controls immigrant workers
• Less Leisure, More Work
• Bootleggers get rich
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Al CaponeAl Capone• Born 1899 in BrooklynBorn 1899 in Brooklyn• Chicago in 1919 Chicago in 1919 • 1925 heads Chicago 1925 heads Chicago
racketsrackets• 1925-1930 Grossing 1925-1930 Grossing
$100 Million Year $100 Million Year From Bootlegging and From Bootlegging and ProstitutionProstitution
• Known as Scarface Known as Scarface for knife scars on for knife scars on cheekcheek
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Canonical Gangster FilmsCanonical Gangster Films
• Little Caesar (1931), Public Enemy (1931), Scarface (1932)
• Based on journalistic writings about Capone and other gangsters
• Box office hits
CensorshipCensorship
• Warner Bros. added disclaimer to Little Caesar, Public Enemy: not glorifying criminals.
• Scarface director Howard Hawks, and producer Howard Hughes forced to add 2 scenes criticizing media glorification of gangsters.
• Scarface release delayed 2 years.24
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Will HayesWill Hayes
• Former Chair of Repub. National Committee and Postmaster General
• Hired by Hollywood as President of MPAA
• Established Production Code
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Catholic Legion of DecencyCatholic Legion of Decency
• Influenced content of Hollywood films from within.
• Avoided mistake of Protestant reformers with Prohibition, who tried to legislate social change.
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• Wall Street Crash October,1929
• Millions in U.S. out of work and homeless in 1930s.
• Widespread disillusionment with American economy.
DepressionDepression
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1930s Film Gangsters1930s Film Gangsters
• From working class hardest hit by Depression
• Ethnic
• Between Cultures
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Gangster Films RenewedGangster Films RenewedFear of Cultural DifferenceFear of Cultural Difference
• 1920s:
– Prohibition
– KKK targeted Catholics as well as African-Americans
– Anti immigrant acts 1921-1924
Italian immigrant family at Ellis IslandItalian immigrant family at Ellis Island
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ImmigrantsImmigrants
• Expected to Be Individuals
• Privileged Identity in Capitalist Society
• Give Up “Old World” Culture
• Reject Identity from Ethnic Group
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Prof. Jonathan MunbyProf. Jonathan Munby
• 30s Gangster Films:– Show Ethnic
Resentment at Discrimination
– Reject Idea That Immigrants Must Accept Dominant Culture
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GangsterGangster
• Asserts Equality with Higher Classes, Native Born Whites
• Entrepreneur—But in Wrong, Criminal Ways!
• Once Rich, No Limits to His Consumption (Booze, Cars, Clothes, Sex)
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Will Hayes and MPAAWill Hayes and MPAA
• Forced studios to control/punish gangsters within films.
• All Killed:– Rico in Little Caesar– Tony in Scarface– Tommy in Public Enemy
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Bank Robber John DillingerBank Robber John Dillinger
• Popular Folk Hero for the Popular Folk Hero for the PoorPoor
• Killed by police in 1934 at Killed by police in 1934 at Biograph movie theater in Biograph movie theater in ChicagoChicago
• 1935 Will Hayes declared 1935 Will Hayes declared moratorium on gangster moratorium on gangster films films
• Fear of Dillinger’s Fear of Dillinger’s glorification in movies glorification in movies
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Synchronized SoundSynchronized Sound
• Added Realism Added Realism (Sound of cars, (Sound of cars, Guns, Nightclubs) Guns, Nightclubs)
• Gangsters Spoke in Gangsters Spoke in Own VoicesOwn Voices
• Urban/Ethnic slangUrban/Ethnic slang
• Robinson, Cagney, Robinson, Cagney, Muni Ethnic ActorsMuni Ethnic Actors
Robinson and CagneyRobinson and Cagney
Genres Develop/Change Over Genres Develop/Change Over TimeTime
• Technology. E.g. Synch. Sound Important to Gangster Films, Musicals
• Hits Establish Popularity of Certain Genres/Cycles
• Change Via Mixing of Conventions
• Individual Films Can Revise, Reject
Conventions
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MixingMixing
• Bladerunner (1982)• Part Sci Fi:
-Set in Future
-Technology• Part Detective Story:
-Urban Locale
-Noir Lighting
-Violence and Passion37
Prominent FilmsProminent Films
• Can Change Genre
• Revise Conventions
• Set a Trend for Other Films
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Robert Ray:Robert Ray:Corrected Genre FilmsCorrected Genre Films
• Use Expected Genre Conventions
• Also Subtext of Social Critique
• E.gs. The Godfather (1972), The Godfather, Part II (1974)
• Genre/Ganster Films entertained by meeting our expectations, yet also offered ideas that challenged us
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As a gangster film it has the usualconventions: • Charismatic Criminals• Wealth from Crime • Sex • Violence
Godfather, Part IIGodfather, Part II
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But along with these genre But along with these genre conventions…conventions…
Godfather, Part II also presents a critique of
capitalism by paralleling the
Corleone crime family with legitimate
business.
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In this scene…In this scene…
• Mafia family head Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) attends a meeting in Havana with U.S. corporate leaders.
• Please watch a clip from Godfather, Part II.
GoodfellasGoodfellas • Based on Nicholas
Pileggi’s, Wise Guys (1985)
• Journalistic• About Henry Hill• Lucchese Crime Family• Insider/Outsider• Sicilian/Irish 44
Nicholas PileggiNicholas Pileggi
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Director Martin ScorseseDirector Martin ScorseseLike HillLike Hill
• Ethnic (Italian American)• Grew Up in New York’s
Little Italy• Both Insider/Outsider
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Henry HillHenry Hill
• Had access to mob information because not subject to rules secrecy for “made” men
• Scorsese had similar attraction to, detachment from Mob
• Both “Traitors”
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Witness Protection ProgramWitness Protection Program
• Hill kicked out for more crimes.
• Most of those he fingered died in jail.
• “What I’m proud of is (Scorsese)
didn’t glamorize it. They’re not
nice people.”– Henry Hill
Documentary StyleDocumentary Style
• Voice Over
• Mob Oral Culture
• Stories from Little Italy
• Look of That World
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• Graphic/RepellentGraphic/Repellent
• No Exciting Gunfights No Exciting Gunfights
• No Violence as No Violence as EntertainmentEntertainment
ViolenceViolence
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But Not Just RealismBut Not Just Realism
• Stylized
• Point of View Shots
• Freeze-Frames
• Expressionist
• Mobile Camera
• Please watch a clip from Goodfellas.
Usual Rise and Fall StructureUsual Rise and Fall Structure
• Criminal Money
• Frenzied Consumption
• Eventually Too Much:
-Money, Greed
-Drugs
-Violence51
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Wiseguy EthosWiseguy Ethos
Henry:“Those goody good
people who worked
. . . . They were
suckers. If we
wanted something,
we just took it.”
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Copacabana Long TakeCopacabana Long Take
• Realism and
Stylization
• Image of Excess
• Henry Seduces
• Lifestyle Seduces
Him
• Please watch this scene.
Tommy’s Downfall: Too Tommy’s Downfall: Too ViolentViolent
• Disregard for Rules
• Killing of Billy Batts
(Made Man)• “He’s a Cowboy”
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Drugs and Henry’s DownfallDrugs and Henry’s Downfall
• “Someone’s watching”• Frenzied Lifestyle • Drugs and Long
Sentences• Loss of
Rispetto/Omerta
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Jimmy Conway Jimmy Conway
• Also Half in/Out• Mentor to Henry• “Never rat on your
friends”• Yet Greedy,
Reckless
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Crime in Gangster FilmsCrime in Gangster Films
• Because of environment
• Lack of other opportunity
• Nicole Rafter on Crime Movies:“Environmental [causes] . . . illustrating how
criminalistic subcultures or other situational
factors can drive people to crime”.
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In In GoodfellasGoodfellas
• Not Society’s Fault
• Karen Middle Class/“It turned me on”
• Nicole Rafter, Other Cause for Crime:
“Aspirations for a better life (more money, more excitement, more opportunity to rise through the class structure) . . . crime over dull conformity.”
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Mob in Mob in GoodfellasGoodfellas
Mirrors Larger Society:
• Rules and Transgression
• Greed and Overconsumption
• Violence
The Goodfellas eat well even in prison.The Goodfellas eat well even in prison.
GoodfellasGoodfellas as Corrected as Corrected Gangster FilmGangster Film
• Charismatic Gangsters
• Money, Violence
• Rise, Fall
• They are Just Like Larger Society:
-Too Much Self Interest
-Overconsumption
-1980s Supply Side Economics
-Decade of Greed
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SummarySummary
• Genre Films
• Entertainment and Social Critique
• Conventions and Change
• Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas