Genres & Sub-Genres

A genre is a category characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter. These genres are often divided into sub-genres. However on some films genres overlapp for example romcoms (romantic comedies). For example What happpens in Vegas, their is a love story between the two main characters and also comedy throughout the film. It also conforms to the traditional conventions of this type of genre as we have the chase at the end where the two characters seem as if they may not get together but in the end they usually do.

Historical and Disaster Thrillers are my favourite type of thriller that inspire me the most. Often to two are combined into one film and they usually connect to audiences as the disaster is so horrific and historical thrillers are usually based on true events in history. An example of this is the recent film 'The Impossible' which is based on the 2004 Tsunami which swept acrossed South Asia. The film stars Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor and is directed by Juan Antnio Bayno.

 

 

 

Another example of a film that is both Historical and Disaster (and also romantic) is the classic film Titanic. A fictionalized account based on the true story of the sinking RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the ship. The example below is the new 2012 version which was shown in 3D.

 

 

 

These examples could influence my film opening because they show characteristics of sub-genres of thrillers. They also give ideas of audiences expectations of the genre and I could use this as a guideline for my own film opening. However it could also inspire me to challenge these conventions and make a more unique thriller film opening.