GENRES

THE FILM GENRES

(FROM ROBERT MCKEE’S STORY)

1.LOVE STORY
BUDDY SALVATION (SUBSITUTE LOVE FREINDSHIP FOR ROMANTIC LOVE)

PRETTY WOMAN
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
MEAN STREETS
PASSION FISH
ROMY AND MICHELE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION

2. HORROR FILM
UNCANNY
SUPERNATURAL
SUPER-UNCANNY

THE TENANT
HOUR OF THE WOLF
THE SHINNG

3. MODERN EPIC (INDIV. VS. STATE)
SPARTACUS
MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON
THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLINT

4. WESTERN (EVOLVING)
UNFORGIVEN

5. WAR GENRE
PRO WAR
ANTI WAR
THE GREEN BARETS
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
BLACKHAWK DOWN

6. MATURATION PLOT (COMING OF AGE)
STAND BY ME
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
RISKY BUSINESS
BIG
BAMBI
MURIEL’S WEDDING

7. REDEMPTION PLOT (CHARACTER CHANGE BAD TO GOOD)
THE HUSTLER
DRUGSTORE COWBOY
SCHINDLER’S LIST

8. PUNITIVE PLOT (GOOD GUY TURNS BAD AND IS PUNISHED)
GREED
THE TREASURE OF THE SEIERRA MADRE
WALL STREET
FALLING DOWN

9. EDUCATION PLOT (CHARACTER MAKES A DEEP CHANGE)
HAROLD AND MAUDE
TENDER MERCIES
GROSS POINTE BLANK
SHALL WE DANCE
MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING

10. TESTING PLOT (TEMPTATION TO SURRENDER)
COOL HAND LUKE
FORREST GUMP
THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA

11. DISILLUSIONMENT PLOT (CHANGE OF WORLD VIEW FROM POSITIVE TO NEGATIVE)
THE GREAT GATSBY
MACBETH

12. COMEDY
PARODY
SATIRE
SITCOM
ROMANTIC
SCREWBALL
FARCE
BLACK COMEDY

13. CRIME

MURDER MYSTER (MASTER DETECTIVE’S POV)
CAPER (MASTER CRIMINAL’S POV)
DETECTIVE (COP’S POV)
GANGSTER (CROOK’S POV)
THRILLER (VICTIM’S POV)
REVENGE (VICTIM’S POV)
COURTROOM (LAWYER’S POV)
NEWSPAPER (REPORTER’S POV)
ESPIONAGE (SPY’S POV)
PRISON DRAMA (INMATE’S POV)
FILM NOIR (PROTAGONIST PART CRIMINAL, PART DETECTIVE, VICTION OF FEMME FATALE)

14. SOCIAL DRAMA (PROBLEMS IN SOCIETY)

DOMESTIC DRAMA (PROBLEMS WITH FAMILY)
ECO-DRAMA (BATTLE TO SAVE ENVIRONMENT)
POLITCAL DRAMA (CORRUPTION IN POLITICS)
MEDICAL DRAMA (STRUGGLE WITH PHYSICAL ILLNESS)
PYSCHO DRAMA (STUGGLES WITH MENTAL ILLNESS)

15. ACTION ADVENTURE (OFTEN BORROWS FROM OTHER GENRES, WAR, POLITICAL DRAMA; INCORPORATES IDEA OF DESTINY AND HUBRIS.

16. HISTORICAL DRAMA
GLORY
MICHEAL COLLINS
UNFORGIVEN
DANGEROUS LIASONS

17. BIOGRAPHY (MIXED WITH OTHER GERNRES)
GHANDI (MODERN EPIC)
NIXON (PUNITIVE PLOT)

18. DOCU-DRAMA (CENTER ON RECENT THAN PAST ENVEENTS)
W

19. MOCKUMENTARY
THIS IS SPINAL TAP
WAITING FOR GUFFMAN
BEST IN SHOW

20. MUSICAL (ALSO USES SEVERAL GENRES)
PHANTON OF THE OPERA (LOVE STORY)
SUNSET BOULEVARD (FILM NOIR)
WEST SIDE STORY (SOCIAL DRAMA)
ALL THAT JAZZ (PUNITIVE PLOT)

21. SCIENCE FICTION (HYPOTHETICAL FUTURES; CAN ALSO MIX GENRES)
STAR WARS (MODERN EPIC AND ACTION/ADVENTURE)

22. SPORTS GENRE (USE SEVERAL GENRES)
NORTH DALLAS FORTRY (MATURATION PLOT)
BULL DURHAM (EDUCATION PLOT)
RAGING BULL (PUNITIVE PLOT)
CHARIOTS OF FIRE (TESTING PLOT)
WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP (BUDDY SALVATION)
A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN (SOCIAL DRAMA)

23. FANTASY (BEND AND MIX LAWS OF NATURE AND THE SUPERNATURAL; USE SEVERAL GENRES)

SOMEWHERE IN TIME (LOVE STORY)
ANIMAL FARM (POLITICAL DRAMA)
ALICE IN WONDERLAND (MATURATIN PLOT)

24. ANIMATION (SEVERAL GENRES)
BUGS BUNNY (FARCE)
THE SWORD AND THE STONE (HIGH ADVENTURE)
THE LION KING (MATURATION PLOT)

25. ART FILM
MINIMALISM
ANTISTRUCTURE