Account for the popularity of one genre of your choice. Illustrate your answer with examples. (June '03 b)

Intro:

. Decided what genre to do, (SLASHER)... -then give brief illustration to why it has become so popular.

1st Para:

. Start with the 60's- and Alfred Hitchcock movie 'Psycho' as well as Michael Powell's 'Peeping tom' - ground-breaking in the sense that 'Psycho' is known as the grandaddy of the slasher genre.

. These films especially 'Psycho' paved way for the slasher genre (especially the shower scene)... started to become popular.

2nd Para:

. Move to the 70's with the 1st real Slasher film 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' 1974 by Tobe Hooper.

. Talk about how it plays on human emotion and the masochism pleasure audience gain.

. Bring in theory of 'final girl' - carol clover and the idea of 'cross gender' for men to relate clover. Starts to become popular with the ladies (slasher genre).

. W/C - Historical - issue the 2nd wave of feminism - Women have more rights - Social - as well as this it begins to show how the world we live in is not as patriarchal as it once was but shows the rise of the matriarchal society.

. More W/C - the 'slaughter house family' - not working in the slaughter house trade anymore- due to the economic crises of the 70's- showing how no money=madness.

. All this links as it was happening at the moment in time so popularity of Slasher genre rose as it began portraying the issues that are everywhere in the 70's.

3rd Para:

Halloween: (1978): John Carpenter:

. Another major film for the slasher genre....

. As it showed the nice suburban household but with a manic killer, portrays no one is safe- more appealing to audience as it plays on emotion.

. W/c - people moved from inner city's to suburbs - bigger houses and malls - also known as the "White Flight" - white people began to fear the 'Other' moving in.

. Iconic figure of 'Mike Myers'- as well as the iconic use of the weapon (knife). Idea of the 'Bad House'

. Sadistic killer gains pleasure through P.O.V shot, as well as masochistic pleasure - wardrobe scene- victim in pain and terror audience gain pleasure from this.

. 'Final Girl' - Lori- a masculine name rise of women again 70's- cross gender - Clover.

. Slasher genre becomes more popular as issues relating with the time is being shown... as well as the iconic murderers.

4th Para:

. Then move to 80's major slasher movies 'Nightmare on Elm Street', 'Friday the 13th' and 'Silent Night, Deadly Night'...

. Talk about how they pushed the slasher genre on... 'Freddy Cruger' 'Jason' crazy human killer 'Billy'... show how in dreams your not safe, in camps your not safe, even at Christmas you are not safe

. Alters audience perspective, as slasher films taps in to hidden fears.

. Further discuss about the franchises of the movies...

. W/C- 'Nightmare on Elm Street'- the fact that divorce rates have gone up, Nancy mother and farther are divorced... breakdown of the nuclear family.

. Becomes more popular due to more money put in so technology becoming more advanced as well as it taps in to fear and uses it to satisfy audience.

5th para:

. 90's and onwards... major films: 'Scream', 'I know what you did this summer' slasher films

. How they include parts from other films pastiche/parody.

. Starts to involve the idea of the crazy human killer, not so much the indestructible creature.

. Further draw in parody film 'Scary movie'- as now popularity of the slasher genre is down the the 'spoof' films saga...

. As well as this further talk about the new version of slasher like 'Saw', 'Hostel' which are gruesome slashers known as 'torture porn', as audience get off at seeing people get tortured!

. Links to question because as time has change people have now started to see the popularity in slasher films as they appeal to a different part of the human psyche.

Conclusion:

. Slasher popularity = emotions, the era, 'Final Girl', iconic figures, relation to audience, technology.

Do media producers rely too heavily on tried and tested genres? Discuss with specific examples. (January '03 a)

Intro:
. Firstly talk about the genres that I'm going to use as examples (slasher and comedy)
. Producers what they do to try renovate the genres.

1st para:
. Slasher - they keep making sequels eg. The 'Halloween', 'Friday the 13th', 'Nightmare on Elm street' etc franchise...
. Producers can't do much because they keep repeating everything = 'tried and tested'
. New producers come along and try to renovate films which were very popular without sequels!
. Bring in theorists like... carol clover 'final girl' = the usual scenario for the slasher film.
. Link to question... slasher genre gone 'tried and tested' as they repeat

2nd para:
. Comedy - slapstick humour - 'three stooges', iconic figures of 'Charlie Chaplin' and 'Laurel and Hardy'- paved way for the comedy genre!
. Moved on to sarcastic, dark, adult etc humour... to reflect the 'zeitgeist'... producers try to renovate - however comedy starts to become repetitive - 'Groundhog Day'- comedy day keep repeating but it gets repetitive as the humour changes but still is tried and tested!
. Producers remake comedy films... but the humour still the original one's starts to drag on and become tried and tested = 'Longest Yard' - same plot line different actors and some different jokes only done to reflect the 'Zeitgeist'.

3rd para:
. Comedy and Slasher = both been renovated but in my opinion still is tried and tested as they all seem to reflect the zeitgeist but producers use the same puns an jokes in order to gain audience appeal.
. New producers not that much experience use old films to make a status can prove costly in the sense they can ruin the classics.

Conclusion:
. Slasher and comedy are tried and tested as the genres are being modified but not to such a huge scale... e.g if audience see a boiling pan of water later in the scene the audience know at some stage it will end up burning the character... still is comical but is tried and tested.

Outline recent significatn developments in one genre of your choice. Illustrate your answer with examples (January '03 b)

Intro:
. Slasher developments.
. how it has changed?

Para 1:
. zeitgeist - change in time genre has to keep up in order to gain audience.
. Issues happening at time time.
. Teenage market - slasher killers targeted at the teenagers
. Theorists - Strauss - binary oppositions - teenagers vs. killer

Para 2:
. 'Moral issues links to previous para... done in order to gain mass appeal...
. People relate to issues happening now '70's "white Flight"'
. Easier to determine what is happening and when.

Para 3:
. Technology = more money = better effects...
. Easier to get audience...

Conclusion:
. Sum up how slasher changes to keep up with time.
. How technology play big role.