The Function of Genre

Institution
the very existence of genre flms and cycles is a product of the flm
industrys attempt to overcome the problem of uncertaintyof not
knowing the future tastes of the mass audience. Robert E. apsis
!"##"$
the constitution of flm cycles and genres is a never%ceasing
process& closely tied to the capitalist need for product
di'erentiation Rick (ltman !"###$
)he use of generic or cyclical typing is one way *ollywood has
always sought to create commercial stability+enre is one way
many movies have been pre%sold throughout the history of
*ollywood. +eo' ing !,--,$
.entral to flm industry practices is the construction of a narrative
image for each flm. (n idea of the flm is widely circulated and
promoted& and idea which can be called the /narrative image0 of the
flm& the cinemas anticipatory reply to the 1uestion& /2hat is the
flm like30 4ohn Ellis !"#5"$
Audience
)he attraction of genre to the industry is closely linked to its
presumed appeal to viewers. 6ilmgoers generally like to have a
broad idea of what to expect from any individual picture. +enres
are constituted not 7ust by bodies of flms but also by the
established expectations of viewers. ing !,--,$
Ritual
Socio-cultural genre theorists argue that shifts in flm content
re8ect changes in society. )he underlying assumptionis that
popular flms are more or less an accurate mirror of social structure&
because by choosing the flms it attends& the audience reveals its
preferences to flm studios and distributors whichpassively
produce and fnance flms re8ecting audience desires. apsis
!"##"$
popular forms can be partly understood as social rituals( ritual is
a means of rea9rming certain basic cultural values& resolving
tensions and establishing a sense of continuity between past and
present 4ohn .awelti !"#:"$
the 2estern& like any myth& stands between individual human
consciousness and society. ;f a myth is popular& it must somehow
appeal to or reinforce the individual who view it by communicating a
symbolic meaning to them. )he meaning mustre8ect the
particular social institutions and attitudes that have created and
continue to nourish the myth. )hus a myth must tell its viewers
about themselves and their society 2ill 2right !"#:<$
while it seems more than likely that the sustained commercial
success of a particular formula is indeed an index of approval& there
are no grounds for assuming that the approval is ideologically
based =teve >eale !,---$
Classifcation and Interpretation
genres are not simply bodies of work or groups of flms+enres do
not consist only of flms? they consist alsoof specifc systems of
expectationwhich spectators bring with them to the cinema& and
which interact with flm themselves during the course of the viewing
process. )hese systems provide spectators with means of
recognition and understanding. )hey help render flms& and the
elements within them& intelligible and therefore explicable. % =teve
>eale !"##-$
+enre criticism is made up of a triangular model of artist& product&
and text. +enre conventions provide a framework which acts as a
form of supervision over the work of the flmmakers& and the
interpretation by the audience. % )om Ryall
Ideology
+eneric convention is a product of the formulaic repetition of the
capitalist%fnanced studio system& and can therefore only produce
meanings in support of the status 1uo. +enre flms temporarily
relieve the fears created by social and political con8icts by o'ering
simplistic solutions based on following tradition. % 4udith *ess