ENG 225 Week 2 Discussion 1

Genre Theory

Prepare

As you prepare to write this discussion, take a few moments to do the following:

·         Review the Modeled Discussion.

·         Read any required and recommended reading materials for this week, especially Chapter 4 from your text and the articles by Grant and Wright.

·         Review the grading rubric for this discussion.

·         Select a full-length film from the AFI 10 Top 10 list .

Reflect

Genre, a category of artistic production characterized by similarities in composition and style, is a term used to discuss literature, music, art, and film. It is particularly useful in critical applications because it distinguishes a work within a context of similar works. In film, we are familiar with certain broad genre categories such as horror, science-fiction, romance, and drama.

Understanding genre helps provide the viewer with certain expectations about film. For instance, the film The Conjuring trailer (Version 2)  is of the horror genre and thus can be discussed in context with other horror films. More specifically, it is of the sub-genre, supernatural horror, so it can be discussed in context with, say, The Exorcist trailer . Making this distinction enables the audience to situate their reaction within a particular framework.

Write 

In this discussion

·         Identify a film and classify it according to its genre (or sub-genre). Include a link(s) to a trailer or scene(s) from the film. You may choose to continue with a film you have already discussed.

·         Discuss the conventions that are typical in films of that genre (or sub-genre).

·         Explain how this specific film meets the expectations of its genre.

Include the name or partial name of the film you identified in the “Subject” line of your discussion. Your initial post should be at least 200 words in length. Support your claims with examples from the required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references.

Respond to Peers 

Respond to at least two classmates who chose a different film than you did (though it is acceptable to respond to a classmate who chose the same genre). In your responses, reference your initial post and show how your ideas relate to those of your peers. Your responses should be 125 to 150 words each.