What defines different film genres? We recognise that Titanic and The Conjuring would be two different movie styles. However, how do we distinguish between them? Well, you are probably thinking right. Titanic is a tragic love story of two people, while The Conjuring has a horror streak with jumpscare. If I am guessing right- you are using some of these films’ components to identify the film genre. Film genres are often different sets of styles used in movies. The components used to categorise movie styles may include storylines, characters, colour palettes, props, etc.
The post is dedicated to some of the developed movie styles and the subgenres within these film genres to help you explore the diverse world of cinema.
Quick Dive Into Film Genres:
1. Horror
Making you jump and leaving you sleepless for nights, Horror movies are the film genres purposely made in a way that induces terror and fright in the audience. Subgenres of horror may include paranormal, zombie, and ghost stories. Some of the famous horror movies are The Nun, Annabelle, The Exorcist, and The Shining.
The props used may include disfigured humans clad in blood-covered clothes, and they might appear on the screen out of nowhere with a change in sound. The horror genre is further crafted with both suspense and gore to bring out an adventurous experience for those whose idea of a fun night involves seeing a nerve-wracking horror film.
2. Romance
An extremely different film genre from horror, romance is Gone with the Wind, Pride and Prejudice, and Before Sunset kind of movies which are mainly focused on the complicated love story of two people. It may also include love triangles and is all about discovering the many layers and complexities of the emotion people have been trying to capture for centuries. For example, Bollywood has been portraying romance through love triangles (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai), conflicts (Gadar), one-sided lore (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil) or even enemies to lovers (Ram Leela).
Romance cannot be portrayed in one single way. For some, the endings can be happy; for others, they may be Shakespeare-level tragedies, while some filmmakers may choose to end their romantic movies on a mixed note.
3. Science Fiction
Made at the intersection of science and fiction, this film genre includes movies that may encompass theories from the actual scientific world and expand upon them to include fictitious worlds, people, and places. Sci-fi movies may portray universes and worlds beyond ours. Filmmakers often try to expand their imagination beyond our world and think of ways to bring to life some of the exciting hypotheses of science.
Some of the prime examples are Dune and Tenet, and from Bollywood, the famous sci-fi movies have been Krrish and Ra One.
4. Fantasy
Much like science fiction, fantasy also imagines the world in newer ways. However, unlike science, there are no barriers to fantasy. Imagine the world of Harry Potter- you can have a school teaching you magic, dementors sucking your soul, and you can divide your own body into “Horcrux” and keep them in inanimate objects.
The unnatural world framed in fantasy movies has components that we believe are mythical, like fairy tales, wizards, monsters, and demons. Some of the fantastic fantasy movies are Morbius, Aquaman, The Wizard of Oz, etc. Even movies like Superman, Batman, and Spiderman may be included in this film genre.
5. Drama
These movies often focus on a protagonist and his interaction with the rest of the world. Showing the journey of the main lead as they encounter many obstacles and challenges, Drama tries to portray reality through symbolism and metaphorical elements.
Movies like A subgenre of drama may be legal dramas, family dramas, comedy dramas, and romance dramas, all of which involve a blend of the two fields. Forrest Gump, The Godfather, Schindler’s List, and The Shawshank Redemption are some of the greatest drama movies.
6. Action
Often matched with action-thriller or suspense action, these movies are known for their high-paced, adrenaline rush, which comes from their impeccable action sequences where the main leads are always two steps away from dying or getting caught. Some of the most famous action movies are John Wick, Fast and Furious, Die Hard, and Mission Impossible.
7. Musical
One of the most refreshing genres and the most significant part of musical films is its singing protagonists. A classic example I can think of that became quite popular in contemporary times is The Greatest Showman and La La Land.
These movies are usually whimsical and charming in their portrayal but are equally capable of displaying the emotionally conflicting intricacies of their characters. Music, like poetry for poets, becomes a way for these characters to voice their feelings subtly.
8. Animated
This film genre has gained a massive following over the years. These movies are made from computer graphics and drawings that display inanimate objects and graphic humans.
Some of the examples are the countless Barbie movies, the Madagascar series, and the Toy Story series. However, just because these movies appear far from reality doesn’t mean they are not as touching as other movies. Recently, Studio Ghibli has become quite popular with its profound animated movies.
Conclusion-
These were some of the famous film genres. Recently, a mixture of genres has also taken the lead where we get to see romantic comedy-drama, animated action-thriller, horror-comedy, romantic-thriller, etc., are some of the blending of different movie styles to bring out something different. Which one of these is your favourite? Let us know in the comment section.
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