Introduction and Initial Task
Produce a presentation using clips and illustrations, in a format of your choice, highlighting your favourite genre, why it appeals to your peer audience and how audiences are positioned and respond to films of that genre. You must comprehensively explain the relationship between audiences and films with elucidated examples, using subject terminology correctly.
CHOOSING my format
Powerpoint:
Easy to customise. Improves visual impact. Gains audience attention. Easy to follow along. Too much information may become overwhelming. |
Prezi:
Creative form of visuals Constant entertainment Lack of information to place Can be time consuming Previous used this a few times, so lack of experience |
YouTube:
Simple and entertaining for audiences. Share chunks of information in short time. Long editing process. Potential copyright infringement issues. |
Slideshare:
Easily accessible Easy way of changing privacy settings Simplistic way of uploading Still have to use software such as PowerPoint in order to publish |
I have decided to use power point as I feel it is the easiest way to bring across my research, it had the most pro's and its a great way to continuously keep my audience entertained.
Now, I will move onto research of my chosen genre.
Now, I will move onto research of my chosen genre.
choosing a genre
My chosen genre is comedy. In our current society, there has been a lot of different movies created with endless media platforms and cinemas to view them. This is great as it gives us the opportunity to chose any genre of our choice without any form of restrictions. This is why I decided to chose comedy. Through research, I acknowledge how comedy is classified to be one of the top rated genre within the film industry. This is because comedy
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tends to bring humor as its all about the endless counts of laughter you experience while watching the film. This automatically makes it a form of amusement towards the audience, classifying this genre to be the main catch towards pure entertainment. Generally speaking in most comedies, we mainly see that they contain
the same actors in all of the films. This is purposely done as if audience members find an actress or actor funny, they are more likely to watch the film if they know you will be in it but if you see a film with different random actors, you wont know if they will actually be funny. This is an aspect which can either make or break the entire movie and how it is portrayed. Comparing it to another genre such has horror, this is very different as if you see a famous actor, there are feelings that they wont die. This is because if they did, it wouldn't make too much sense, but if it is with a random actor or actress, you learn all new stories without knowledge on who would die/survive.
History
The first time we ever witnessed comedy was in the 6th century BCE, known as Ancient Greek comedy. This was the most popular and influential form of theatre performed across ancient Greece. From there on according to haverstockmedia's website, this is the history of comedy:
The 1885's - 1930's:
- During this time period, there were a significant amount of silence film therefore it relied of visual humour
- Comedy films started off with humour such as slapstick and burlesque
- Watering The Gardener by the Lumiere Brothers was one of the first comedy films.
- Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd were known as a famous comedic actors during the silent era.
- Comedy in the form of animated cartoons such as Felix the Cat, Mickey Mouse, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, and Betty Boop became a popular trend during the 1920s
The 1930's to 1950's:
- Sounds were introduced into films by W.C Fields, Marx Brothers, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy towards the late 1920s making it possible to include verbal humour in films
- Sound was used to deepen well-formed screen characterizations and enhance visual humour
- Charlie Chaplin still continued to direct and produce silent films however he added infrequent dialogue and sound effects
- Screwball comedies produced by Frank Capra were also introduced during this period to reassure social values and optimism about everyday life
- Comedy films transported to TV during the 1950’s as more and more people decided to stay at home to watch TV since the television industry became a competition
The 1960's to 1980's:
- Darker humour, satire and social commentary began to emerge towards the end of the 1950s. These made is possible to create films such as The Apartment, Alfie and The Graduate which have sexual themes, this otherwise would not have been accepted without the different types of humour.
- Black comedies such as Catch 22 and M*A*S*H were introduced in the 1970’s to reflect the anti-war sentiment and also treat the sensitive topic of suicide
- Throughout the next decade, there was an increase in the slapstick humour films being created due to Woody Allen and Mel Brooks being among the leading lights of comedy films
- In Britain the most popular and successful films came from spin-offs of television series comedies.
The 1990's to Modern:
- The re-emergence of romantic comedy films during the 1900s were a major development. When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, Clueless and You’ve got mail were some of the most successful romantic comedy films
- Brassed Off is an example of a working class humour film which represents British humour
- Asian comedies were also created in order to gain the attention of ethnic minorities and also anyone else to boost views as the exaggeration of situation within Asian comedies made it humorous for audiences. Bhaji on the Beach, East is East and Death at a Funeral are some example of Asian comedies
Types of comedies
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Slapstick Comedy
The Three Stooges is an excellent example of this kind of comedy as it relies mainly towards its visual elements. As a result of this, the original type of slapstick movies did not even require sound. Slapstick comedy generally is surrounded by mild violence behavior such as smacks on the head or even simple as people falling down. |
The Three Strooges (2012)
Directors: Bobby Farrelly & Peter Farrelly
Distributor: 20th Century Fox Writers: Mike Cerrone, Bobby Farrelly & Peter Farrelly Cast: Sean Hayes, Chris Diamantopoulos & Will Sasso Synopsis: Left on the doorstep of an orphanage run by nuns, three newborn knuckleheads grow up to be finger-poking, nyuk-nyuking janitors named Larry (Sean Hayes), Curly (Will Sasso) and Moe (Chris Diamantopoulos). When they learn that financial problems will soon force the only home they've ever known to close, the trio sets out to raise $830,000 in one month. Out in the world for the very first time, the three innocent bumblers become embroiled in a murder plot and find stardom on a TV reality show.
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Fish Out Of Water Comedy
In a fish out of water comedy film, the main character or character finds himself in an unusual environment, which drives most of the humour. It’s very much like it sounds. A fish out of water scene entails a character (the fish) being outside of their normal environment (the water) The Coen Brothers are known for using this technique in all of their movies |
Back To The Future (1985)
Directors: Robert Zemeckis
Distributor: Universal Pictures & Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Writers: Robert Zemeckis & Bob Gale Cast: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd & Lea Thompson Synopsis: In this 1980s sci-fi classic, small-town California teen Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is thrown back into the '50s when an experiment by his eccentric scientist friend Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) goes awry. Traveling through time in a modified DeLorean car, Marty encounters young versions of his parents (Crispin Glover, Lea Thompson), and must make sure that they fall in love or he'll cease to exist. Even more dauntingly, Marty has to return to his own time and save the life of Doc Brown. |
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Parody or Spoof
A parody or spoof film is a comedy that satirizes other filmgenres or classic films. Such films employ sarcasm, stereotyping, mockery of scenes from other films, and the obviousness of meaning in a character's actions. |
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Directors: Mel Brooks
Distributor: 20th Century Fox Writers: Gene Wilder, Mell Brooks Cast: Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn & Marty Feldman Synopsis: Respected medical lecturer Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) learns that he has inherited his infamous grandfather's estate in Transylvania. Arriving at the castle, Dr. Frankenstein soon begins to recreate his grandfather's experiments with the help of servants Igor (Marty Feldman), Inga (Teri Garr) and the fearsome Frau Blücher (Cloris Leachman). After he creates his own monster (Peter Boyle), new complications ensue with the arrival of the doctor's fiancée, Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn). |
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Anarchic Comedy
The anarchic comedy film, as its name suggests, is a random or stream-of- consciousness type of humour which often lampoons a form of authority. The genre dates from the silent era, and the most famous examples of this type of film would be those produced by 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' (1975) |
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Directors: Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones
Distributor: EMI Films Writers: Graham Chapman & John Cleese Cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese & Eric Idle Synopsis: A comedic send-up of the grim circumstances of the Middle Ages as told through the story of King Arthur and framed by a modern-day murder investigation. When the mythical king of the Britons leads his knights on a quest for the Holy Grail, they face a wide array of horrors, including a persistent Black Knight, a three-headed giant, a cadre of shrubbery-challenged knights, the perilous Castle Anthrax, a killer rabbit, a house of virgins, and a handful of rude Frenchmen. |
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Black Comedy
The black comedy film deals with normally taboo subjects, including, death, murder, sexual relations, suicide and war, in a satirical manner. Examples include Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) |
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
Directors: Frank Capra
Distributor: Warner Bros. Writers: Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein & Joseph Kesselring Cast: Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane & Raymond Massey Synopsis: Writer and notorious marriage detractor Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) falls for girl-next-door Elaine Harper (Priscilla Lane), and they tie the knot on Halloween. When the newlyweds return to their respective family homes to deliver the news, Brewster finds a corpse hidden in a window seat. With his eccentric aunts (Josephine Hull, Jean Adair), disturbed uncle (John Alexander), and homicidal brother (Raymond Massey), he starts to realize that his family is even crazier than he thought. |
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Gross Out Comedy
Gross out films is not very known historically. This is a rather new type of comedy compared to the other types. This generally relies heavily on vulgar humor, disgusting humor, sexual humor or even what people would like to reference as "toilet" humor as it is downright very inappropriate. An example of this would be 'American Pie' (1999). |
American Pie (1999)
Directors: Paul Weitz & Chris Weitz
Distributor: Universal Pictures Writers: Adam Herz Cast: Jason Biggs, Chris Klein & Thomas Ian Nicholas Synopsis: A riotous and raunchy exploration of the most eagerly anticipated -- and most humiliating -- rite of adulthood, known as losing one's virginity. In this hilarious lesson in life, love and libido, a group of friends, fed up with their well-deserved reputations as sexual no-hitters, decide to take action. |
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Romantic Comedy
The romantic comedy film subgenre typically involves the development of a relationship between a man and a woman. The stereotyped plot line follows the "boy-gets-girl", "boy-loses-girl", "boy gets girl back again" sequence. Naturally there are innumerable variants to this plot, and much of the generally light-hearted comedy lies in the social interactions and sexual tensions between the pair. An example of this would be Pretty Woman (1990) |
Pretty Woman (1990)
Directors: Garry Marshall
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Writers: J.F. Lawton Cast: Richard Gere, Julia Roberts & Jason Alexander Synopsis: In this modern update on Cinderella, a prostitute and a wealthy businessman fall hard for one another, forming an unlikely pair. While on a business trip in L.A., Edward (Richard Gere), who makes a living buying and breaking up companies, picks up a hooker, Vivian (Julia Roberts), on a lark. After Edward hires Vivian to stay with him for the weekend, the two get closer, only to discover there are significant hurdles to overcome as they try to bridge the gap between their very different worlds. |
hYBRID gENRES:
Action comedy
Films in this subgenre blend comic antics and action where the film stars combine wit and one-liners with a thrilling plot and daring stunts. The genre became a specific draw in North America in the eighties when comedians such as Eddie Murphy started taking more action oriented roles such as in 48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop. These type of films are often buddy films, with mismatched partners such as in Midnight Run |
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Midnight Run (1988)
Directors: Martin Brest
Distributor: Universal Pictures Writers: George Gallo Cast: Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin & Yaphet Kotto Synopsis: When Eddie Moscone (Joe Pantoliano) hires tight-lipped bounty hunter Jack Walsh (Robert De Niro) to locate a mob accountant named "The Duke" (Charles Grodin) and bring him to L.A., Eddie tells Jack that the job will be simple, or a "midnight run." But when Jack finds The Duke, the FBI and the mob are anxious to get their hands on him. In a cross-country chase, Jack must evade the authorities, hide from the mob and prevent The Duke's erratic personality from driving him mad. |
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Comedy horror
Comedy horror is a type of horror filmin which the usual dark themes are treated with a humorous approach. These films are either use goofy horror clichés such as in Scream, Young Frankenstein, Little Shop of Horrors, Haunted Mansion and Scary Movie where campy styles are favoured. Some are much more subtle and don't parody horror, such as An American Werewolf In London. Another style of comedy horror can also rely on over the top violence and gore such as in Dead Alive(1992) |
Dead Alive (1992)
Directors: Peter Jackson
Distributor: Trimark Pictures & PolyGram Filmed Entertainment Writers: Stephen Sinclair, Fran Walsh & Peter Jackson Cast: Timothy Balme, Diana Penalver & Elizabeth Moody Synopsis: Overprotective mother Vera Cosgrove (Elizabeth Moody), spying on her grown son, Lionel (Timothy Balme), as he visits the zoo with the lovely Paquita (Diana Peñalver), is accidentally bitten by the fearsome Sumatran rat-monkey. When the bite turns his beloved mother into a zombie, Lionel tries to keep her locked safely in the basement, but her repeated escapes turn most of the neighbors into the walking dead, who then crash a high-society party thrown by Lionel's boorish Uncle Les (Ian Watkin). |
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Fantasy comedy
Fantasy comedy films are types of films that uses magic, supernaturaland or mythological figures for comic purposes. Most fantasy comedy includes an element of parody, or satire, turning many of the fantasy conventions on their head such as the hero becoming a cowardly fool, the princess being a klutz. Examples of these films include Being John Malkovich (1999) |
Being John Malkovich (1999)
Directors: Spike Jonze
Distributor: Focus Features Writers: Charlie Kaufman Cast: John Cusack, Cameron Diaz & Catherine Keener Synopsis: In this quirky cult-favorite comedy, unemployed New York City puppeteer Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) reluctantly takes a temp job as a filing clerk for the eccentric Dr. Lester (Orson Bean). While at work, Craig discovers a portal that leads into the mind of renowned actor John Malkovich. When he lets his attractive co-worker Maxine (Catherine Keener) in on the secret, they begin both an unusual business scheme and an odd relationship that involves Craig's restless wife, Lotte (Cameron Diaz). |
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Sci-fi comedy
Sci-fi comedy films, like most hybrid genre of comedy use the elements of science fiction films to over the top extremes and exaggerated science fiction stereotypical characters. Examples of these types of films includes Men in Black |
Men In Black (1997)
Directors: Barry Sonnenfeld
Distributor: Columbia Pictures Writers: Lowell Cunningham & Ed Solomon Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith & Linda Fiorentino Synopsis: They are the best-kept secret in the universe. Working for a highly funded yet unofficial government agency, Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) and Jay (Will Smith) are the Men in Black, providers of immigration services and regulators of all things alien on Earth. While investigating a series of unregistered close encounters, the MIB agents uncover the deadly plot of an intergalactic terrorist who is on a mission to assassinate two ambassadors from opposing galaxies currently in residence in New York City. |
Links used:
https://www.slideshare.net/haverstockmedia/comedy-genre-research-46159520
https://www.slideshare.net/haverstockmedia/history-of-comedy-genre
https://nofilmschool.com/Film-Genre-Popularity-Infographic
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https://nofilmschool.com/Film-Genre-Popularity-Infographic
http://brandonandersen.com/2012/12/fish-out-of-water-elements-of-comedy/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0383010/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088763/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072431/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071853/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036613/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0163651/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100405/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095631/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119654/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120601/
https://www.skyword.com/contentstandard/creativity/4-ways-humor-builds-an-emotional-connection-with-audiences/
http://www.thinctanc.co.uk/words/comedy.html