GENRE & THEME

THEME AND GENRE
(FROM RUSSIN AND DOWN’S WRITING THE PICTURE)

ACTION ADVENTURE / COURAGE
OTHER RELATED THEMES
REVENGE
FREEDOM

RELATED GENRES
WAR
WESTERN
HISTORICAL EPIC
HEROIC SCIENCE FICTION

CHARACTER TYPES
THE HERO AS COMMON MAN
THE (INTIMATE) ENEMY
THE TEAM

PLOT DEVICES/CONCEPTS
TRAINING
ATTACK AND COUNERATTACK
VICTORY OVER DEATH

INDIANA JONES
PRIVATE RYAN
PLATOON
UNFORGIVEN
GLADITOR
SPARTACUS
TROY
BRAVEHEART
TERMINATOR
INDEPENDENCE DAY
STAR WARS
STAR TREK



HORROR / FEAR AND LOATHING

OTHER RELATED THEMES
TERROR
THE ILLUSION OF THE RATIONAL AND THE FAILURE OF LAW
LUST

RELATED GENRES
SUPERNATURAL
DARK SCIENCE FICTION


CHARACTERS
PROTAGONIST BREAKS TABOOS
THE FATAL ATTRACTION TYPE
ANTAGONISTS WARPS WORLD INTO THE REALM OF THE NIGHTMARE
THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE

PLOT DEVICES/CONCEPTS
SUSPENSE (TERROR) VS SHOCK (HORROR)
SCORCED EARTH.

THE RELIC
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
JURASSIC PARK
DRACULA
JAWS



THE THRILLER / THE NEED TO KNOW
OTHER COMMON THEMES:
INNOCENCE AND PARANOIA
CODE OF HONOR

DETECTIVE STORY
SUSPENSE THRILLER
POLITICAL THRILLER
EROTIC THRILLER


CHARACTERS
THE CYNICAL BELIEVER
THE INNOCENT MAN

PLOT CONCEPTS
SUSPENCE VS. SURPRISE

CHINATOWN
THE MALTESE FALCON
CONSPIRACTY THEORY
BODY HEAT
JFK
THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR
ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN


COMEDY / LAUGHTER

THEMES
LAUGHING AT LOVE
TRUE LOVE CONQUERS

SITUATIONAL COMEDY
FARCE
ROMANTIC COMEDY




CHARACTERS

TWO POTENTIAL LOVERS MUST APPEAR RIGHT FOR EACH OTHER TO THE AUDIENCE WHILE APPEARING CLEARLY WRONG FOR EACH OTHER

THE CONFIDANT

PLOT DEVICES

BOY MEETS GIRL BOY LOSES GIRL BOY GETS GIRL

WRONG TURNS – PROTAGONISTS INTERNAL FLAWS OR SELF DOUBTS MUST CAUSE HIM TO TAKE CERTAIN DECEPTIVE ACTIONS THAT HE MISTAKENLY THINKS ARE APPROPRIATE, BUT THAT IN FACT ARE SELF-DEFEATING.

FESSING UP
ONCE THE DECEPTIONS ARE REVEALED AND THE PLANS UNRAVELS, THE PROTAGONIST MUST COME CLEAN WITH A CONFUSION THAT EVERYTHING HE DID WAS BECAUSE OF TRUE LOVE.


SLAPSTICK COMEDY

CHARACTERS
FISH OUT OF WATER
NORMAL PEOPLE IN ABSURD SITUATIONS
INNAPROPRIATE OR ABSURD CHARACTERS IN NORMAL SITUATIONS
RIGID AND INFLEXIBLE
OBSESSION
MISCONCEPTION OF ABILITY
REVEALING THE HYPOCRITE
CUT CHARACTERS DOWN TO SIZE

PLOT DEVICES
BREAKING TABOOS FOR COMEDY
SEX. BODILY FUNCTIONS
CUT CHARACTERS DOWN TO SIZE

ROAD RUNNER
BUGS BUNNY
HOME ALONE
AUSTIN POWERS
DUMB AND DUMBER
THREE STOOGES

DARK COMEDY

RELATED THEMES
ABSURDITY
CORRUPTION

CHARACTERS
EVERYONE INCLUDING PROTAGONISTS IS CORRUPTED.

ROMANCE / LOVE AND LONGING

RELATED THEMES
MELODRAMA
PLATONIC LOVE

OTHER COMMON THEMES
PASSION
SACRIFICE
UNREQUITED LOVE

CHARACTERS

STAR CROSSED LOVERS AGAINST THE WILL OF SOCIETY

PLOT DEVICES

LOVE STORIES WITH HAPPY ENDINGS ARE USUALLY SET IN A WORLD WHERE THE NORMAL ORDER APPEARS SOLID.

TRAGIC LOVE STORIES ARE OFTEN SET IN A WORLD WHERE CHAOS HAS BEEN UNLEASED BY WAR OR OTHER EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES