To Mikhail Gershovich... in reply to a query about genre texts for an
upcoming course.

Be sure you also obtain a copy of Stanley Solomon's Beyond Formula: American
Film  Genres.  It's an old book...but has many virtues.  You could post some
of its essays on your website for your students.  Published in the 1970s by
HBJ,
it's now out of print.  But you can obtain it in used bookstores.  Gracefully
written and carefully thought out, the book provides swift and useful
insights into
about six or seven genres (westerns, war films, crime, musicals, horror,
etc.),
with short critiques of about more than 40 films.

As for tracking genres over time as they change with the culture, do consult
John G. Cawelti's article on Chinatown (perhaps the best film of that genre,
still--which you can find in Gerald Mast's (et al) Film Theory and Criticism.

Good luck.  Sounds like a good course you and your students are going to have.

Gary Harmon

----
To sign off Screen-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF Screen-L
in the message.  Problems?  Contact [log in to unmask]