Films and Society Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering film definitions, genres, subgenres, and key historical film examples from the lecture notes.

Film reel

A physical spool/reel containing a length of film.

Film stock

The unexposed photographic film used in a camera.

Film negative

The original exposed film after filming, where light and dark areas are reversed compared with the actual scene.

Film Genre

A motion picture category based on similarities in either the narrative elements or the emotional response to the film.

Setting

The environment where the story and action take place, such as in a war film or Western film.

Green screen

A bright green background used in filmmaking and video production to replace the background digitally with another image or video.

Theme (or topic)

Refers to the issues or concepts that the film revolves around, such as science fiction, sports, or crime.

Mood

The emotional tone of the film, such as comedy, horror, or tearjerker.

Tone

The writer’s attitude toward a subject.

Stoicism

Enduring frightening or painful situations without showing much emotion.

Format

Refers to the way the film was shot (e.g., anamorphic widescreen) or the manner of presentation (e.g., $35\,mm$, $16\,mm$, or $8\,mm$).

Target audience

The classification of a film based on who it is intended for (e.g., children’s film, teen film) or the type of production (e.g., B movie, blockbuster).

Sleeper hit (or surprise hit)

A low-budget film that becomes unexpectedly very successful.

The Comedy of Manners

An entertainment form which satirizes the manners and affectations of a social class, often using stereotypical stock characters.

Slapstick

A style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity which exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy.

Parody (or Spoof Film)

A comedy that satirizes other film genres or classic films using sarcasm, stereotyping, and mockery of scenes.

Farcical films

Films that exaggerate situations beyond the realm of possibility to make them entertaining.

Fantasy Comedy

Films that use magic, supernatural, or mythological figures for comic purposes.

Anarchic Comedy Film

A comedy subgenre characterized by chaotic, absurd, and unpredictable humor that mocks authority and social norms.

Black Comedy

A film that deals with normally taboo subjects, including death, murder, crime, suicide, and war, in a satirical manner.

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Widely regarded as one of the greatest black comedies ever made because it satirizes the possibility of global nuclear destruction.

Romantic Comedy Films

Films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines centered on romantic ideals, such as true love surmounting obstacles.

Meet-cute

The humorous or unusual first meeting between two characters who later fall in love.

Teen Film

A film genre targeted at teenagers and young adults focusing on subjects like coming of age, peer pressure, and teen angst.

John Hughes

Known as the 'King of Teen Movies,' he directed iconic 1980s films like The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles.

Love Team

A defining feature of Filipino Teen Films involving popular screen pairings like Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla.

Bathroom Comedy (or gross out comedy)

A relatively recent development relying heavily on vulgar, sexual, or 'toilet' humor.

Sex Comedy

Humor that is primarily derived from sexual situations and desire.

Comedy of Ideas

A sub-type that uses comedy to explore serious ideas such as religion, sex, or politics.

Parasite

The first non-English-language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture (2020), blending dark comedy with commentary on class inequality.

Observational humor

A style of comedy that finds humor in everyday life, ordinary situations, and relatable human behavior.

Situational comedy

Humor derived from a stock group of characters or character types exposed to different situations to create ironic juxtaposition.

Fish-out-of-water

A common comedy formula placing an ordinary character in an unfamiliar environment, leading to misunderstood growth.

Surreal Comedy

A subgenre creating humor through illogical events, dreamlike settings, bizarre characters, and impossible situations.

Deadpan

A comedic reaction where a character responds calmly to something completely ridiculous.

Screwball Comedy

A romantic comedy subgenre where a strong female character challenges the masculinity of a male character.

Buddy Films

Films starring mismatched partners for comedic effect, often featuring legendary comedy tandems.

Action Comedy Films

A genre blending comic antics and action, combining one-liners with thrilling plots and daring stunts.

Jackie Chan

An actor who revolutionized action comedy by combining martial arts, acrobatics, and physical comedy while performing his own stunts.