There is a book on the "adventure" film as a genre, and it suggests that
people might be surprised that it covers Buster Keaton's _The General_,
even though it's as much an adventure and war film as it is a comedy.
If this is something you're interested in, I can check it up at the
library, because I don't know what it's called, but I could pick it off
the shelf.
Scott
On Tue, 9 Jun 1998, Brian Taves wrote:
> > Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 18:18:49 +0100
> > From: Ingvald Bergsagel <[log in to unmask]>
> > Subject: Action as genre
> >
> > Does anyone know of genre-studies done on action-films? I've found plenty
> > on western, noir, gangster, sci-fi, adventure and other related genres, in
> > addition to (naturaly) writings on screen-violence mentioning classic
> > action-flicks, but nobody seems to have analysed action as a genre.
>
> I think the reason is, as I suggest in my book on the historical adventure
> genre, because "action" itself is not a genre. The types you've mentioned
> above are genres, whereas action is a style uniting them. The word action
> itself does not imply a specific type of story or formula, but rather a
> way of treating a story and an emphasis on certain types of elements.
> Action is a male-oriented approach dependent on physical movement,
> violence, and suspense, with often perfunctory motivation and romance.
> Action tends to shift sentiment, character, dialogue, and family to the
> background. In action films a hero succeeds by facing death, courageously
> overcoming dangers and adversaries. Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, Shane,
> the Thief of Bagdad, Luke Skywalker, and Robin Hood are, I would argue,
> all action heroes--but each belongs to a separate genre (mystery,
> espionage, western, fantasy, science fiction, historical adventure,
> respectively).
>
>
> Brian Taves
> Motion Picture/Broadcasting/Recorded Sound Division
> Library of Congress
> 101 Independence Avenue, S.E. Washington, D.C. 20540-4692
> Telephone: 202-707-9930; 202-707-2371 (fax)
> Email: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> Disclaimer--All opinions expressed are my own.
>
> ----
> Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite
> http://www.tcf.ua.edu/screensite
>
----
Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite
http://www.tcf.ua.edu/screensite
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