Monday, 15 December 2008

Christian Metz Model of Genre Development

Christian Metz is best known for applying the ideas of both Sigmund Freud's psychology and Jaques Lacan's mirror theory, and then adding this semiotic into films. Below i shall identify the stages that Metz developed;

Experimental; a formalisation of narrative conventions.
Horror; The cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu.
Rom-Com; Untamed Heart, The Lake House.
Thriller; Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Psycho.

Classical / Classics; the defined or practiced conventions.
Horror; Frankenstein and Dracula.
Rom-Com; Love Actually, Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Thriller; Red Dragon, Leon

Parody; the conventions have been parodied.
Horror; Scary movie, Abott & Costello meet Frankenstein and Carry on screaming.
Rom-Com; Date Movie.
Thriller; Number 17.

Deconstruction; where other elements and sub-genres are introduced.
Horror; Seven, Scream, The blair witch project, The sixth sense.
Rom-Com; Manhattan.
Thriller; Se7ven, 1408, Silence of The Lambs.

No comments: