A genre is widely recognised as denoting a group of films with a recognisable series of conventions, which can be manifested through their characters, plots, locations, themes or mise-en-scene. Films are often classified and categorised according to the genre to which they belong, and this can be both beneficial and limiting when undertaking film analysis.
A genre approach is helpful to audiences as it gives them a guide to what to expect, so that they can have confidence that they will enjoy a certain film, particularly if they usually enjoy films of the same genre. Genre makes film consumption less disordered, almost providing audience members with a set of ‘rules’ for certain films, and, therefore, satisfaction when those expectations are fulfilled. Producers can also use genre to target their film at a certain audience, and to capitalise on previous successes by repeating generic elements. Generic conventions essentially offer the director a framework from which to work.
In these ways, then, a genre-based approach is helpful in undertaking film analysis, as it almost fosters an intertextuality, in that films of the same genre in many ways rely on each other to make complete sense to the audience. To keep audiences uncertain and curious, however, genres must contain some alteration from film to film, and this difference arguably comes in the form of the context that the film reflects. Therefore, we can perhaps compare the differences evident in films of a single genre in order to examine the issues, beliefs and values prevalent in society in the times in which they were made. This is particularly evident in the sci-fi genre, which is often said to deal with current issues and debates by placing them in an other-worldly context.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Wanger, 1956), for example, initially appears to be a generic science fiction thriller; however, analysis of its underlying messages and how it differs from the sci-fi productions that precede and succeed it reveal that it can in fact be seen as an allegory for its time of production. It was produced in a time of great tension in the US, when the threat of Communism resulted in much hysterical finger-pointing in previously harmonious neighbourhoods. Government officials were accused of Communist sympathies, and neighbours and friends were frequently spied upon and blacklisted by each other. The idea that one’s friend or relative could be your enemy without one knowing is reflected in the ‘pod’ people who take over a small town in Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The sequence in which Miles and Becky look down on the town from Miles’ surgery and comment on their neighbours looking exactly the same but having something ‘wrong’ about them seems to prey directly on the 1950s’ audience’s fears that Communism could invade their neighbourhood without them realising.
In this way, then, the similarities presented by a genre-based approach can allow us to examine how far the differences in genre films are a result of their production context, and, therefore, lead us to a wider and deeper understanding of the film we are analysing.
However, there are inevitably limitations to a genre-based approach. Films do not always fit a genre, or sometimes belong to more than one, and it can, therefore, prove difficult to analyse some films according to the conventions of one genre. Genre theory is also said to restrict filmmakers’ possibilities and artistic freedom, as they may feel that they have to adhere to the expectations of a genre for the film to achieve commercial success. Genre filmmaking may result in repetitive, formulaic and predictable productions, and may prevent an audience from seeing a film as an individual and unique product, as they may be inclined to compare it to other films of the same genre or assess its suitability to its genre.
Bladerunner (Scott, 1982) is a film which poses such difficulties. Although it is widely considered a product of the science-fiction genre, demonstrating many of the generic conventions such as the struggle between man and machine, and it can be seen as reflecting the concerns of the 1980s such as the possibility of nuclear war, it does not entirely fit the science-fiction genre. The representation of the replicants as monstrous can be seen as an element of the horror genre, the process of hunting down the replicants creates similarities with the crime/detective and action/adventure genres, and romance is provided by Deckard’s relationship with the replicant Rachel. Bladerunner can, therefore, be seen as demonstrating a hybrid genre, and this presents difficulties when analysing it according to a genre theory, as there is not a single framework which can be applied it.
From the analysis of these examples of the sci-fi genre, it can be concluded that a genre-based approach is useful to an extent in undertaking film analysis, as it allows us to extract deeper meanings from the films. However, it can be argued that films do not always reflect their production context, and in this case this approach would transpire to be limiting. There are other limitations connected with a genre-based approach, which would indicate that, although it can be useful, genre theory is not the only one which must be applied to a film text in order to understand it fully.
Sources:
David Duff (2000) Modern Genre Theory Longman.
Barry Keith Grant (2007) Film Genre: From Iconography to Ideology Wallflower Press.
Barry Keith Grant (2011) Invasion of the Body Snatchers British Film Institute.
Liz Cooper - A 22 year old media graduate from northern England, Liz now lives in London where she undertakes freelance television and writing work. A ...
Join the Conversation