Film genres. Most popular genres and list of films

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Cinema is divided into genres, like any other work of art. However, this is no longer a clear definition of them, but a conditional distinction. The fact is that one film can become a real fusion of several genres. In doing so, they move from one to another.

Separation of films into genres

The creative direction of films is a concept that has developed historically. The definition of the genre of films has been transferred from other kinds of art that have existed since ancient times. For example, from painting.

Film genres - this is the classification by which the filmed pictures are divided in the cinema. And it all started in Hollywood. It was with the opening of this world famous film studio that films began to be divided into genres, as well as subspecies and other varieties. Why did this happen? Hollywood contributed to the popularization of cinema, which gradually ceased to be a very rare art form. A lot of films were shot, and they had to be promoted in the market. In this regard, it became necessary to classify them, that is, to attribute them to one or another creative direction.

Specializationon certain genres

All films that were released in Hollywood had a different creative direction. Over time, the audience began to associate certain actors of this film studio with certain genres of films. For example, Sylvester Stallone was identified with American action movies.

Certain genres of films were made by individual directors. So, Alfred Hitchcock is known for his thrillers.

Even studios specialized in the paintings of one creative direction. So, Paramount Pictures is associated with funny and bright comedy films. The films produced by Universal Studios are chilling horror films.

Creative Directions

At the initial stage of the emergence of cinema, film genres included tragedy or drama, as well as comedy or tragicomedy. With the development of this art form, westerns, detective stories and parody comedies appeared. In addition, historical and teen films, adventure and gangster films, etc., have gained wide popularity. However, it is impossible to classify the film according to any one genre. In the plot of any picture, several creative directions are inextricably intertwined at the same time.

According to film critics, new film genres are constantly being formed. This process takes place literally in front of the audience. You can verify this by looking at any new film studios that have creative directions, in addition to the features of a particular genre. So,if the picture refers to a historical film by the time of action, then according to the plot it is often an adventure, gangster movie or western. At the same time, a psycho-emotional impact is made on the viewer. Depending on it, films can be divided into detectives or comedies, horror or erotica, because each of them evokes certain feelings.

Horror as one of the directions of cinematography

In modern cinema, there are films that cause the viewer to feel fear and anxiety for the life of the protagonist. They contribute to emotional intensity, the expectation of something unforeseen and inexplicable. Depressing emotions arise when viewing them. These are horror films. It is simply impossible to predict in advance how the plot of these paintings will end. At the same time, during the viewing, the action becomes more and more complicated, maintaining a tense atmosphere. Horror films tend to end with the death of all or most of the characters.

These films have a characteristic. They have a fantastic element to them. It can have a mystical content, be a possible catastrophe or natural disasters, and also reflect the psychopathic actions of the characters. This genre is also characterized by the fight against evil. However, the heroes of the film cannot be distinguished into negative and positive. Evil in such films is present in terrifying forms. His expression can be vampires and monsters, monsters and the walking dead. In this case, the heroes act as victims. Horror films often show severed limbs, bloody bodies. That is why films of this genre are not recommended for children to watch.

Drama films

In cinema there is a genre that came from the theater. The beginning of its origin is considered the ancient era. These are drama films. Their main feature is the opposition of universal human relations, as well as the personal life of the protagonist, to the existing public opinion. In such films, often there is a conflict between the characters. At the same time, the picture is rich in monologues spoken on behalf of the protagonist, as well as dialogues that have a feature of polemic.

Drama films include many backgrounds. They constantly replace each other and act as a kind of scenery for dialogues and monologues. This background serves to emphasize the psychological burden.

In dramatic plots, the main character is distinguished from all other characters by the way of thinking. In addition, often his genius becomes the main reason for attacks. Often dramatic films have a tragic ending. The plot leads to the death of the protagonist or someone close to him. There may be drastic changes in the life of the main character, which force him to leave his hometown or country. Not so long ago, drama films were released on cinema screens, the plots of which are somewhat different from the classic drama. These are "Brest Fortress", filmed in Belarus, "Kids" (France), "Kandahar" (Russia).

Militants

There are films that literally fascinate boys. And this is quite understandable, becausean action movie is about explosions, fights and chases. There is always a positive character in the plot.

At the same time, he knows how to fight superbly. During the film, the hero certainly several times gets into such situations, from which it seems to be impossible to get out. However, from all the alterations, he certainly comes out the winner. Otherwise it can not be. After all, his main mission is to save the world from the evil that has flooded it. In the extreme case, good will prevail in his native country or city. By all means, the main character in the story must meet his love. Die Hard is a classic example of an action movie.

Fantastic

This genre of cinema is of great interest to the audience. Watching films of this direction, many experience complexes from the realization of the inferiority of their own imagination.

Sci-Fi films in their plot tell about non-existent worlds and unknown planets. They allow you to look into the distant future along with alien inhabitants. The flight of fantasy of the creators of the plot of this genre has no boundaries. An example of works of this genre is the film "Star Wars". The film has long conquered millions of viewers from all over the world.

Adventure genre

Many viewers are literally fascinated by films, the main features of which are similar to action films and historical films. Films of the adventure genre, namely, about them in question, are distinguished by the absence of violence in the plot and the minimum number of bloody scenes. action in suchfilms is tied around the main character, who is a positive character. However, it may have some drawbacks. In the film, the protagonist fights with his enemies, without fail overcoming difficulties and all sorts of obstacles. At the same time, he uses not so much brute force as cunning, intelligence and ingenuity.

In their plot, adventure films resemble historical ones. Royal musketeers, midshipmen and knights, black masks, cloaks and swords - all this one way or another appears in the paintings of this genre. The audience is presented with adventure films that describe the events taking place in Europe from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. The base is authentic historical events.

Another variety of adventure film plots tells about the era of important geographical discoveries. The main characters of these films are brave explorers who experience considerable difficulties.

There is also a third kind of adventure films. Their plot takes the viewer to Tortuga or the Caribbean Sea, Tahiti or the islands of Haiti in turbulent pirate times. The most striking example of a film classified as an adventure genre is the film The Adventures of Robin Hood. It was filmed in 1938. The film “King Solomon's Mines” earned the love of the audience with a memorable and vivid plot. The classics of the adventure genre include the film The Mask of Zorro, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone.

Thriller

There is another direction of cinema art, the name of which is translated fromEnglish "thrill" means "trembling". Films of the thriller genre, namely, they will be discussed now, cause excitement among the audience, which is replaced by delight. Thrills are sure to ensue throughout the story.

Films of this genre are not classified by place and time of action. At the same time, they contain elements of the criminal genre, as well as features of detectives and horror films. The thriller is characterized as an action-packed thriller. This genre came to cinema from literature. The thriller got its development from detective works. But at the same time, the scheme of development of the plot is reversed. This allows you to keep the intrigue, which causes excitement in the viewer.

As a separate genre, thrillers originated in the cinema of the twenties of the 20th century. The most striking examples of such films are the paintings "Spies" (1928) and "The Woman in the Window" (1936). After the end of the Second World War, the spy thriller Five Fingers was presented to the audience.

Fantasy

One of the genres of cinema is the direction, the name of which comes from the English "fantasy". Literally translated, it means "fantasy". Fantasy films are a type of non-science fiction. The main features of the plot of the works of this genre are the use of fairy tales and ancient myths. The events taking place in such films are beyond the real world. The characters of the plot of many films of this direction are animated natural phenomena and plants. In such pictures, the viewer will not be offered an attempt at a scientific explanation of the events that occur infictional world. The main feature of this genre is the presence of mythical and fairy-tale characters. Gnomes and elves, trolls and dragons, gods and sorcerers often appear on the screen. At the same time, the events that take place are not tied to any time or space.

A vivid example of the fantasy genre is the film "The Lord of the Rings". The trilogy takes place in a mythical land. The heroes of the film are gnomes and sorcerers, hobbits and elves, as well as trees. The main element of the picture is a magic ring that can make its owner omnipotent.

Comedy

This direction of art has its roots in ancient times. Its name comes from the Greek "komodia". So called those performances that caused laughter in the audience. Subsequently, cinema began to use this direction. Comedy films are designed to make the viewer laugh or smile. Their main distinguishing feature is the presence of sharp satire or humor in the plot. This allows the film to become interesting and fun for the viewer. Now comedy is one of the main genres of cinematic art. At the same time, many consider tapes of this direction as a cure for bad mood.

The comedy genre was one of the very first in cinematic art. When the pictures did not have sound, the audience was amused by the ridiculous behavior of the actors on the screen. However, cinema has evolved. With the advent of sound pictures, the combination of funny actions andfalls of heroes, ridiculous situations and puns. In such films, the director creates an image that is understandable to the viewer. That is why pictures taken quite a long time ago continue to make people laugh.

Comedy with the development of cinema has acquired several varieties of its direction. The audience is presented with films that combine the characteristic features of other genres. Romantic comedies appeared. In the plots of these films, an indispensable attribute is love. There are horror comedies and crime comedies, musical comedies and comedy parodies. There is another kind of such paintings. Thus, the genre of the film "1 + 1" is a tragicomedy, combining two main classical directions. In such films, the balance of the dramatic and the comic is precisely struck.