Offering an accessible introduction to the study of film genres and genre films, this book examines the use of genre in cinema from its beginnings to the present day.
This book explains the various elements of genre, the importance of genre in popular culture, problems of definition, Hollywood and the studio system, ideology and genre, national cinema and genre, authorship and genre, and debates about representation. The book also provides an in-depth examination of four key genres: the Western, the horror film, the film musical, and the documentary film. Each chapter provides a historical overview of the genre and a summary of important critical debates, and concludes with a case study that builds on the historical and theoretical aspects already introduced and provides a model for subsequent analyses. Featured boxes throughout the text highlight specific cycles, filmmakers, and trends, and each chapter concludes with a list of suggestions for further reading.
Film Genre: The Basics is an invaluable resource for those new to studying film and for anyone interested in the history and ongoing significance of film genres and genre films.
Introduction Part I 1. What is a Genre Film? 2. Why Hollywood? 3. Who Makes Genre Films? 4. Who Are Genre Films For? Part II 5. The Western 6. The Horror Film 7. The Film Musical 8. The Documentary Film
Biography
Barry Keith Grant is professor emeritus of film studies and popular culture at Brock University, Ontario, Canada and an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He is the author of Film Genre: From Iconography to Ideology (2007), Shadows of Doubt: Negotiations of Masculinity in American Genre Films (2010), 100 Science Fiction Films (2013), and 100 American Horror Films (2022). His edited books include Film Genre Reader I, II, III, and IV (1986, 1995, 2003, and 2012), The Dread of Difference: Gender in the Horror Film (1996), and Notions of Genre: Writings on Popular Film before Genre Theory (2016).
“Barry Keith Grant’s Film Genre: The Basics is smartly structured, encyclopedic in range, and compellingly written. A highly readable book from an established expert in the field, it is readily accessible to readers unfamiliar with the topic as well as to those who have been immersed in it for years. . . Grant’s book is a substantial, even monumental one that will provide a genuine contribution to discourse on the topic.” William Luhr, Professor of English and Film, Saint Peter’s University, USA
“Grant’s book provides an engaging, authoritative introduction to film genre through the interwoven contexts of Hollywood history, literary antecedents, international iterations, and key critical and theoretical issues at stake. This illuminating study explores a range of film genres from the earliest examples to those of the present day.” Cynthia Lucia, Professor of Media Studies, Rider University, USA
