Genre Reasearch Task

What is Genre?

genres are formed by conventions which change over time, this happens when new genres are created and old ones are dropped. Genres can be created by certain conventions which are used in a film, e.g. the setting, props, stars and atmosphere etc.

Advantages And Disadvantages

Genres are useful as they categorize certain films making them easier to find in some cases and also help when describing/recommending films to others.

The fact films are becoming hybrids in terms of genre makes genre a disadvantage as people become uncertain about what genre a film is to be if it is a hybrid, for example a sci fi/horror cannot be categorized as a definite horror or a definite sci fi. Some argue that a major disadvantage about having a genre means  a movie has to be categorized meaning its never a unique individual as there have been made like it before.

Personal Genre/Conventions 


The genre which has been chosen by me and my production group is horror which seemed most interesting and challenging to us. The conventions of my genre would consist of many various factors, for example the settings and props will be specific to horror, the setting will either be in a graveyard or a forest/woods depending on the feedback we receive from our questionnaire. We will use many conventions which are relevant to horror for maximum atmosphere.

History Of Horror

Horror films where first starting to appear in the late 1800's with notable films such as 'The House Of The Devil' which is said to be the first horror film made and 'The Cave Of The Unholy One' both films are silent without audio and were created by George Melies. Japan also started producing horror films, most notably in 1898 with films like 'Bake Jizo' and 'Shinin No Sosei'.

The Germans were also responsible for the evolution of horror films, during the era of German expressionist films, making titles such as 'The Golem'. Many of these films would contribute to the film making of horror films in the future.

Horror films started becoming more and more of a popular genre, in the early 1930's film producers, most notably Universal Pictures Co, produced films such as 'Frankenstein' and 'Dracula'. From here the horror genre started to expand massively.

Horror Examples (Actors/Films)

Examples of of actors who have acted in a horror movie include the very famous Boris Karloff who played frankensteins monster in the movie, 'Frankenstein'. Another notable actor of the horror genre would be Lon Chaney a actor who starred in 'The Phantom Of The Opera' and also 'The Hunchback Of Notre Dame'. Examples of horror films are 'The Shining', 'The Strangers', 'The House Of Wax' and 'Halloween'.

The Hills Have Eyes



In my opinion, 'The Hills Have Eyes' is a perfect example of today's movies within the horror genre due its intense atmosphere and freaky music. The film was made in 2006 and is seen as a modern title of the horror genre, the story involves a family who are basically lured into a trap without them knowing, eventually they end up lost and deserted. It turns out to be a holiday which turned wrong as they later discover they are being watched by mutants. The film contains many graphic scenes and also scenes which make the viewer jump, and the music also contributes to these scenes as it adds to the excitement and fear of the viewer, putting them in a vulnerable position. The props and costume of certain characters really create the personality's of the individuals, for example, the mutants look very ugly and are usually shown dressed in filthy, ripped clothing were as the family is shown as a everyday family, clean and cheerful.

Mostly high key lighting is used int he film, making it quite unusual for a horror film as they are most often set in a dark and gloomy setting, however the natural lighting does seem to make the film feel more realistic and make the viewer think that the story is real due to the natural lighting used.

Due to the popularity of the film a sequel was made in 2007 called 'The Hills Have Eyes 2'. Films only generally have a sequel made if the first part is successful.