HIGHLIGHTS
- We will discuss the cinema genre, what are movie genres, its origin, purpose, and history.
- The word “genre” has its root origin from Greek, Latin, French, and English.
- Use of the word “genre” in cinema started in Hollywood during the early 20th century.
Before even beginning the article lets learn about the origin of the word “genre”. The word “genre” comes from French, where it means “kind” or “type.” And this French term was derived from the Latin word “genus,” which also means “kind,” “type,” or “class.” The Latin “genus” has its roots in the ancient Greek word “γένος” (genos), which has a similar meaning.
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Definition of ‘GENRE’
If we go by the definition given by Collins, “A genre is a particular type of literature, painting, music, film, or other art form which people consider as a class because it has special; characteristics.
Example: the genre of that movie is action.
Now we have discussed the origin and definition of the word. Let’s see how it was used in the early days.
HISTORY OF USING CONCEPT OF WORD GENRE
Concept of genre is used from ancient times, earlier it was used in literary and theatrical traditions. But greek philosopher Aristotle was one the first to classify works based on their characteristics and distinguishing between tragedy and comedy in his work “poetics”. And this classification on works evolved throughout human history with influenced literature, theater and eventually film.
If we take a look at the concept of genre in cinema, at the beginning films were simple and were not particularly categorized formally. But just like filmmaking, the concept of genre started to develop and evolve with it.
Lets take a look history
GLIMPSE Of HISTORY ON MOVIE GENRES
Early Beginnings (1890s – 1910s)
It was the starting days of cinema, where films were simple and short. At first movies were real world recording, or short documentaries capturing real-life events. A trip to the moon was the first science fiction movie.
Period of silent cinema(from 1910 to 1920)
By this time films were made longer and this allowed filmmakers to make more complex stories. And narrative storytelling became more mainstream. And the concept of genre began to take more recognizable forms. Silent films covered various genres including slapstick comedy, drama, and horror. With genre being established it allowed the audience to have specific expectations.
The introduction of Sound in cinema (Late 1920s – 1930s)
With the introduction of sound in the world of cinema it further increased the importance of genre. During this time dialogues, sound, and special effects allowed filmmakers to explore different types of storytelling which added more genres. This period consists of musicals, gangster films, and screwball comedies.
Golden Era of Hollywood (from 1930 – 1950s)
By this time, the studio system helped in formalizing and proliferating film genres. Some studios at this time started to become specialized in specific genres, to cater audience demand. This era witnessed the peak of westerns, musicals, film noir, melodrama, and horror films.
New Era Of Hollywood Genre Blend (1960s – 1980s)
New Hollywood era started with filmmakers doing experimentation and genre blending. Many famous directors like martin scorsese, steven speilberg , and francis ford coppola were the one of peoples who pushed the boundaries of traditional genres, and they created films who combined elements of drama, action, horror and science fiction in movies. This period witnessed the birth of modern blockbusters like Jaws and Star wars.
Present Cinema (1990s- Present)
Now a days Genre in cinema has become even more fluid and hybridized. With the rise of digital technology and huge global distribution platforms allowed cross-pollination of genres from different cultures from different countries. Filmmakers are now more bold to express their creativity and open to experimentation. This era witnessed the world’s highest grossing movies like Avatar and Avengers: Endgame.
With this we saw how the introduction and evolution of genres in cinema was gradual, which was shaped by technological advancements along with cultural shifts and audience preference. Today, genres are continuing to evolve which are reflecting the modern storytelling and diverse tastes of global audiences.
We have now read enough about definition,origin and history of genres in cinemas let’s dive further into how movies are classified we will learn more about movie genres with examples:
Type Of Movie Genres: Movie Genre List
Action
It is a film genre that has chasing sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and stunt work. The specifics of what constitutes an action film has been in scholarly debate since the 1980s. It includes a hero and a villain.
Example of an action movie is Die hard, fall guy.
Comedy
It is a film genre that focuses on humor. They are designed to amuse and make the audience laugh. They tend to have a happy ending with dark comedy being an exception. It is one of the oldest genres in film.
Examples of a comedy film Automobiles and hangover.
Drama
This genre explores the complexities of human emotions, relationships and social issues. Some of its key characteristics are Realistic storytelling, Emotional depth, Character development, Serious themes, Dialogue-driven, and Realistic Settings which makes it so compelling.
Examples of drama films are The Godfather and Citizen kane.
Horror
This genre explores fear, suspense ,shock to make us feel the thrill and chills. They involve supernatural stuff, monsters or psychological things to tap into our deepest fear to create suspense and horror.
Examples of horror films are The Exorcist and the conjuring.
And its sub genres are named based on what element they involve for example
Slasher horror involves slashing elements like bloodshed, extreme violence whereas supernatural horror involves supernatural elements like ghosts, curses and poltergeist.
Science fiction
This genre is all about imagination with science, it explores future worlds ,advanced technologies ,monsters, aliens, creatures and there is no limit to this genre. It blends imaginary ideas ,thoughts with scientific principles to make you wonder. Things like time travel, future technology, space exploration, multiverse, alternate realities, machines and many more are included in this genre.
Examples of sci fi films are Blade runner 2089 and matrix.
Fantasy
This genre explores fictional magical worlds which are filled with mythical creatures ,epics and wonders. Characters from folklore and mythology can be found in this genre.
Examples of fantasy films are Lord of the Rings and Harry potter.
Romance
Just like the name suggests, it explores the theme of love between individuals. Romantic developments, relationships with highs and lows of falling in love , making us laugh and cry are found here.
Example : pride and prejudice and the idea of you.
Thriller
Films of this genre make us feel suspense, tension and excitement. They are set in mystery settings and make us guess until the very end. And it involves crimes and espionage.
Examples of thriller movies are Get Out and parasite.
Animation
This genre includes films which are animations made by either using CGI, hand drawn or stop motions to tell the stories that can appeal to both kids and adults. Animation movies are mostly creative and they bring imaginative worlds and characters to life.
Examples: how to train your dragon and toy story.
Documentary
This genre focuses on real life stories and events. They tend to present facts and information. They try to bring awareness to the public about that event or person.
Examples of documentary An inconvenient truth and mumbai mafia: police vs the underworld.
We discussed most of the popular genres of cinema. And discussing the genre in cinema and its history this concludes our article. And we talked about different genre of movies.
FAQs
Are movie genre and movie categories same?
Yes they are same and can be used in place of each other.
