Film Studies Review Flashcards

Flashcards to review key concepts from film studies lectures.

What are genres in film?

Sets of conventions or elements that movies often share.

What are common types of film genre conventions?

Subjects and themes, emotional effects, and presentation, including plot patterns and stylistic elements.

What are subgenres?

More defined genre terms, like rom-com within comedy.

What is genre mixing?

Combining elements and conventions of two or more genres within a single narrative piece.

What is the social function of genre?

Rehearsing and reinforcing certain values or ideologically significant stories, or leveraging cultural ambivalences or tensions.

What is Laura Mulvey's aim in 'Visual Pleasure in Narrative Cinema'?

She wants to see a new feminist avant-garde cinema that destroys the pleasure of traditional narrative film and challenges the male gaze.

What are the theoretical underpinnings of Laura Mulvey's argument?

Mainstream cinema is structured to privilege the male gaze.

What is the descriptive part of Laura Mulvey's argument regarding women in film?

Women are objects of visual pleasure to male spectators.

What is Scopophilia according to Laura Mulvey?

Objectification of women based on male desire; films exploit voyeuristic and fetishistic aspects of women.

What is the mirror stage and ego formation?

A child's sense of self is formed through seeing their own reflection, idealized and fragmented.

How do the mirror stage and scopophilia inspire objectification of female characters?

Male spectator is invited to engage in voyeuristic and objectifying gaze towards female characters while also identifying with the male characters.

What is the mythologizing function of musicals according to Jane Feuer?

Musicals often present idealized versions of love or success.

What is self-reflexivity in musicals?

Musicals often draw attention to their own artificiality, showing the gap between ideas and reality.

What is the relationship between film and stage musicals?

Film musicals and stage musicals frequently reference each other.

What is the myth of spontaneity?

The created illusion of spontaneity as if it's natural.

What is the myth of integration?

Presentation of a harmonious world, resolving conflicts.

What is the myth of audience?

Idealized representation of society, constructing the ideal viewer, anticipating and catering to a specific audience.

What defines a film genre according to Thomas Schatz?

Film genres are defined by a set of conventional narrative structures, iconography, character types, and themes recognizable to audiences.

What is the distinction between a 'film genre' and a 'genre film'?

Film genre refers to the broader category, while a genre film is a specific example within that category.

How do structuralist theories of language relate to the distinction between film genre and genre film?

Genres function like language systems; individual genre films derive meaning from their relation to genre conventions.

What is the experimental phase of genre film development?

Conventions are being established; the genre is not yet codified.

What is the classic phase of genre film development?

Conventions solidify; narratives are formulaic and fulfill audience expectations.

What is the refinement phase of genre film development?

Conventions are polished and stylized; films reflect self-awareness.

What is the baroque phase of genre film development?

Genre becomes self-parodic or subversive; films exaggerate or challenge the genre's conventions.

What are genres of determinate space and social order?

Genres that focus on restoring or asserting order in a defined space.

What are genres of indeterminate space and social integration?

Genres that occur in undefined settings, focusing on internal conflict and personal relationships.

How does the musical act as escapism according to Richard Dyer?

Musicals serve as escapism by providing an alternative world where problems are magically resolved.

What does 'utopian' refer to in the context of musicals?

Not a perfect world but the expression of what is missing in society.

What are referential signs?

Point to real-world meanings.

What are non-referential signs?

More symbolic or abstract, representing joy or harmony.

What are integration musicals?

Resolve tension by incorporating characters into a harmonious community.

What are backstage musicals?

Entertainment emerges within a showbiz setting, often self-reflexive.

What are folk musicals?

Focus on rural or working-class settings with community values.

What is a narrative documentary?

Uses storytelling techniques to convey real-life events.

What is a categorical documentary?

Organizes information by categories or themes.

What is a rhetorical documentary?

Designed to persuade the viewer to adopt a particular opinion.

What are arguments from source in rhetorical documentaries?

Arguments from source appeal to authority or credibility.

What are subject-centered arguments (enthymemes)?

Logical reasoning where premises are suggested rather than stated.

What are viewer-centered arguments?

Appeal to emotions, values, or shared beliefs of the audience.

What is personal expression in avant-garde film?

Focuses on the filmmaker's individual vision or experience.

What is deviation from norms in avant-garde film?

Breaks traditional rules of storytelling, editing, and structure.

What is exploration of medium in avant-garde film?

Emphasizes film's material and technical qualities.

What is opposition to commercial cinema in avant-garde film?

Rejects Hollywood's polished aesthetics and commercial motives.

What is unconventional time and space in avant-garde film?

Manipulates pacing, sequencing, and spatial continuity.

What is active viewer engagement in avant-garde film?

Demands interpretation, not passive consumption.

What are professional filmmakers?

Typically work within institutional or commercial systems.

Who are amateur filmmakers?

Create without commercial pressures, often driven by personal vision.

What is the role of amateur filmmakers in the development of the medium?

By operating outside mainstream constraints, they are free to experiment, innovate, and push artistic boundaries.