C R I M E - D R A M A
1). Possibly one of the most popular genres of media within cinematic history has shown to be those of which that fall under Drama, more specifically crime centered films. Within the sub genre of crime, there are more specific aspects of the genre which may include a plot using the themes of innocence vs guilt, hero vs villain, and a power struggle between society and the judiciary system.
This genre specifically targets those of the older, more mature generation. Men are heavily targeted because of the genres known violent nature within Hollywood, usually being very graphic and morbid. These aspects can make it difficult for a younger audience to take part in such a genre, although this has yet to hinder the pure enthusiasm shown for the crime genre. The genres target audience is watched and enjoyed by most age ranges and genders despite its themes and explicit content.
Hollywoods primary conception of crime genre films question the morality of not only the characters within said film but the audiences as well, as the narratives often offer a space for internalized debates within the theatre as viewers watch. The crime genre include themes such as death, murder, sex, vulgar language and serious current and past topics of the real world to portray a fantasized idea of violence within our everyday world. Iconic props seen within the crime genre tend to be guns (weapons of any sort), police banner tape, police cars (including sirens and lights). Once these characteristics are viewed by an audience the theme is clearly stated.
Crime organized films usually follow said crime or a character involved in criminal activity and are usually set in well known cities. This use of setting reflects data from the real world, showing that big cities usually have more crime which adds realism which further escalates the viewing experience. Contrastingly some crime related films may use rural towns to show crime is not immune to any specific area, again further adding a scary sense of realism onto the audience.
2). The technical conventions of the crime genre are well known and partly influenced by techniques of the horror genre. The portrayed lighting is often low key to convey a dark sense of seriousness to the aspects brought to screen. Following with a dark setting, often accompanied by rain, music within the crime genre remains constant. Such music often contains an uncomfortable and anxiety invoking rhythm that remains constant, unless used to emphasize something surprising within the film. Camera shots and angles further emphasize characters within the crime genre. Tilted camera angles, close ups, and point of view shots are most frequently used within crime films. These shots and angles are commonly seen during interrogations, car chases, and shootouts possibly residing within the film to focus the audiences attention on such events. The crime genre prides itself on being an action filled, thrilling experience for its audience. Often, this means large and abrupt noises, such as the sound effects of gunshots and added ambiance of yelling and large commotions to liven up the scenes within the film. All these aspects are main characteristics of the crime sub genre, meaning without them crime moves wouldn't be considered so.
3). The institutional conventions of the crime genre are quite commonly used amongst most marketing posters. Often posters used for marketing crime films look quite similar, all invoking a general idea of such a genre. Crime movie marketing posters often contain dark toned colors portraying harshness, these posters contain an abundance of the color red to again further provide the violent nature of the genre. Following the conventions of commercial cinema, crime movie posters show their array of characters played by well-known actors to convince the viewers to watch the film.
Trailers are created for each movie going to be released. Commonly trailers fitted to crime genre films are fast paced, and include public officials like the police. The police are usually interrogating the suspect or a witness within the film. These trailers are usually filled with a bit of action from the movie to peak the public eyes interest and persist them to see that particular film.
EXAMPLES
- The Godfather (1972)
In the1972 film "The Godfather" is not only a classic film, but specifically a classic film of the crime mobster genre. The story begins surrounded around the head of the New York Mafia family. The business of the family contains ruthless violence whenever anything stands against the "good" of said family. The movies sense of setting in New York follows along the consistency of crime related films being portrayed in dense and popular areas. the The Godfather is filled with fast jump cuts and the constant threat of danger put onto the characters of the film. The movie follows with uneasy, sometimes loud music that was used to create a constant anxiety towards the actions taken within the film. The Godfather is most renowned for its use of lighting. Primarily high-key lighting was used, contradicting the original notice of low-key lighting within the crime genre. Bright lights were pointed directly at the characters with darkness surrounding them, giving an ominous feel which tended to scare some audiences. The illicit and illegal aspects of the mafia, murder, and drugs within The Godfather classifies it as a crime genre film.
- Scarface (1983)
In the 1983 film "Scarface" the character Tony Montana gets involved in the Miami drug trafficking scene. The movie Scarface is a perfect representation of a crime genre movie. The setting takes place in Miami, a notable place on the world map filled with thousands of people. The movies relation to drugs, guns, and murder perfectly embody the crime movie genre. Scarface is filled with fast action scenes circling around the constant fear of the police and other members of the cartel. This classic crime genre film starred Al Pacino, a highly famous actor in Hollywood, using him as a push to the public eye to view such a movie. Scarface forever changed how crime genre films were produced, sparking their interest in audiences to view them.
Other Examples
Citations
“The Godfather.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/title/tt0068646/plotsummary.
King, Neal, et al. “Cultural Studies Approaches to the Study of Crime in Film and on Television.” Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Criminology, 18 Apr. 2018, criminology.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264079.001.0001/acrefore-9780190264079-e-41.
“Crime.” The Script Lab, 26 Mar. 2011, thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/980-crime/.
“Upload and Share Your PowerPoint Presentations.” SlidePlayer, SlidePlayer, slideplayer.com/.
