Genres are the primary method of categorising films and the essential building blocks of film appreciation. This module will unpick the complex meanings and dynamics at work behind the classification of genres. It will explore key themes and use key theories from film studies to analyse the codes, conventions and structures at work in genres such as horror, the western and the gangster film. It will analyse films in the contexts of Hollywood and World Cinema. The key aim of the module will be to develop students’ understanding of selected major genres in their critical, historical, industrial and theoretical contexts. To this end, a wide variety of genres and approaches will be covered in detail, encouraging close appreciation and awareness of genre as a means of interpreting and analysing film. This module is a broad, introductory module that frames and builds on students’ own knowledge of film genres.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Demonstrate a detailed understanding of major film genres as complex and multi-faceted
Apply notions of genre as a critical, historical, industrial and theoretical concern
Apply a conceptual understanding of genre to the detailed study of mainstream film texts
Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between film genre and society, politics and philosophy and, more broadly, production, distribution and reception