Social Realism

Social Realism, an international art movement, refers to the work of painters, printmakers, photographers and filmmakers who draw attention to the everyday conditions of the working classes and the poor, and who are critical of the social structures that maintain these conditions. While the movement's artistic styles vary from nation to nation, it almost always utilizes a form of descriptive or critical realism.^[

Early British cinema used the common social interaction found in the literary works of Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy. One of the first British films to emphasize realism's value as a social protest was James Williamson's A Reservist Before the War, and After the War in 1902. The film memorialized Boer War serviceman coming back home to unemployment. Repressive censorship during 1945-54 prevented British films from more radical social positions.

After World War I, the British middle-class generally responded to realism and restraint in cinema while the working-class generally favored Hollywood genre movies. Thus realism carried connotations of education and high seriousness. These social and aesthetic distinctions have become running themes; Social Realism is now associated with the arthouse auteur, while mainstream Hollywood films are shown at the multiplex.
Producer Michael Balcon revived this distinction in the 1940s, referring to the British industry's rivalry with Hollywood in terms of "realism and tinsel." Balcon, the head of Ealing Studios, became a key figure in the emergence of a national cinema characterized by stoicism and verisimilitude. "Combining the objective temper and aesthetics of the documentary movement with the stars and resources of studio filmmaking, 1940s British cinema made a stirring appeal to a mass audience," noted critic Richard Armstrong.
Social Realism in cinema was reflecting Britain's transforming wartime society. Women were working alongside men in the military and its munitions factories, challenging pre-assigned gender roles. Rationing, air raids and unprecedented state intervention in the life of the individual encouraged a more social philosophy and worldview. Social realist films of the era include Target for Tonight (1941), In Which We Serve (1942), Millions Like Us (1943), and This Happy Breed (1944). Historian Roger Manvell wrote, "As the cinemas [closed initially because of the fear of air raids] reopened, the public flooded in, searching for relief from hard work, companionship, release from tension, emotional indulgence and, where they could find them, some reaffirmation of the values of humanity."
In the postwar period, films like Passport to Pimlico (1949), The Blue Lamp (1949), and The Titfield Thunderbolt (1952) reiterated gentle patrician values, creating a tension between the camaraderie of the war years and the burgeoning consumer society.^[
A British New Wave movement emerged in the 1950s and 1960s. British auteurs like Karel Reisz, Tony Richardson, and John Schlesinger brought wide shots and plain speaking to stories of ordinary Britons negotiating postwar social structures. British New Wave films include Room at the Top (1958), Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962), and A Kind of Loving (1962). Relaxation of censorship enabled film makers to portray issues such as prostitution, abortion, homosexuality, and alienation. Characters included factory workers, office underlings, dissatisfied wives, pregnant girlfriends, runaways, the marginalized, the poor, and the depressed. "The New Wave protagonist was usually a working-class male without bearings in a society in which traditional industries and the cultures that went with them were in decline."

My Chosen Genre for my Film

For my chosen genre/style of film, I have taken a liking for British Cinema. The idea of the British film industry is that they use self representation and explore different aspects of life within Britain. British films include and normally focus on a certain class, such as the working class background. Trainspotting for example, is set in working class Scotland.

The following films I have chosen to watch and consider analysing are:

• Trainspotting
• Snatch
• Lock, Stock and Two smoking barrels
• 24 hour party people
• Control
• Submarine
• This Is England

Examples of Comedy

Groundhog Day - A grumpy weatherman finds himself living the same day over and over again.

Happy Gilmore - A reject hockey player takes up golf in order to save his grandmother’s house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Examples of Horror

A Nightmare on Elm Street - Freddy Krueger, an evil being from another world, stalks a group of teenagers and kills them through their dreams.

 

Saw - Two men are held hostage by a psychopath, who is set on teaching his victims the value of life by putting them into demented life or death games.

Friday the 13th - While trying to re-open a summer camp, a group of camp counselors are mysteriously murdered by a machete swinging slasher.

Examples of Thriller

The Great Escape - A large group of POW’s plan an escape from a German camp in World War II.

The Silence of the Lambs - An FBI agent develops a relationship with the notorious serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lector, in order to gain Lector’s assistance in the hunt for another serial killer.

North By Northwest - Mistaken for a government agent by foreign spies, an advertising agent travels cross-country trying to survive.

 

Examples of Animation

The Emperor's New Groove - When a selfish emperor is turned into a llama, he must find a way to regain his throne and help his new found friends.

Finding Nemo - A clownfish father goes on an underwater adventure to find his son, Nemo, after he is taken from his coral reef home.

Coraline - A little girl discovers an alternate world that seems to be a perfect version of her home life, but it isn’t long until she finds out the truth.

 

Examples of Adventure Films

Pirates of the Caribbean - A meek blacksmith joins forces with a free-spirited pirate and his cursed ship to rescue his love, the governor’s daughter

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - When his father goes missing, famed archaeologist Indiana Jones must find him and ultimately stop the Nazis from obtaining the Holy Grail.

National Treasure - A modern day treasure hunter is in a race against the FBI to find a war chest hidden by the Founding Fathers.

Examples of Action Films

Die Hard - A New York cop gives terrorists a dose of their own medicine as they hold hostages in an LA office building

Raiders of the Lost Ark - An adventuring archeologist races around the world to single-handedly prevent the Nazis from turning the Ark of the Covenant into a weapon of world conquest.

Film Genre Definitions

Action Should contain numerous scenes where action is spectacular and usually destructive. Note: if a movie contains just one action scene (even if prolonged, e.g., airplane-accident) it does not qualify. Subjective. Adventure Should contain numerous consecutive and inter-related scenes of characters participating in hazardous or exciting experiences for a specific goal. Not to be confused with Action, and should only sometimes be supplied with it. Subjective. Animation Over 75% of the title's running time should have scenes that are wholly, or part-animated. Any form of animation is acceptable, e.g., hand-drawn, computer-generated, stop-motion, etc. Incidental animated sequences should be indicated with the keywords part-animated or animated-sequence instead. Objective. Biography Primary focus is on the depiction of activities and personality of a real person or persons, for some or all of their lifetime. Events in their life may be reenacted, or described in a documentary style. If re-enacted, they should generally follow reasonably close to the factual record, within the limitations of dramatic necessity. A real person in a fictional setting would not qualify a production for this genre. If the focus is primarily on events, rather than a person, use History instead. Comedy Virtually all scenes should contain characters participating in humorous or comedic experiences. The comedy can be exclusively for the viewer, at the expense of the characters in the title, or be shared with them. Please submit qualifying keywords to better describe the humor (i.e. spoof, parody, irony, slapstick, satire, black-comedy etc). If the title does not conform to the 'virtually all scenes' guideline then please do not add the comedy genre; instead, submit the same keyword variations described above to signify the comedic elements of the title. Subjective. Crime Should contain numerous consecutive and inter-related scenes of characters participating, aiding, abetting, and/or planning criminal behavior or experiences usually for an illicit goal. Not to be confused with Film-Noir, and only sometimes should be supplied with it. Subjective. Documentary Should contain numerous consecutive scenes of real personages and not characters portrayed by actors. This genre demotes other genres (Short, Family, Music, History, Biography and War are ones that can co-exist with Documentary) such that they should be supplied as keywords instead. e.g., "making of" shows and tribute/biographical shows are Documentary (even if the encapsulated subjects within fit other genres). This does not include fake or spoof documentaries, which should instead have the fake-documentary keyword. A documentary that includes actors re-creating events should include the keyword "reenactment" so that those actors are not treated as "Himself." Note: This genre restricts the use of most genres, which should instead be submitted as keywords. Objective. Drama Should contain numerous consecutive scenes of characters portrayed to effect a serious narrative throughout the title. This can be exaggerated upon to produce melodrama. Subjective. Family Should be universally accepted viewing. e.g., aimed specifically for the education and/or entertainment of children or the entire family. Note: Usually, but not always, complementary to Animation. Objective. Fantasy Should contain numerous consecutive scenes of characters portrayed to effect a magical and/or mystical narrative throughout the title. Note: not to be confused with Sci-Fi which is not usually based in magic or mysticism. Subjective. Film-Noir Should be shot in black and white, American, and set in contemporary times (relative to shooting date). We take the view that this genre began with Underworld (1927) and ended with Touch of Evil (1958). Note: neo-noir should be submitted as a keyword instead of this genre for titles that do not fit all criteria. Objective.       Horror Should contain numerous consecutive scenes of characters effecting a terrifying and/or repugnant narrative throughout the title. Note: not to be confused with Thriller which is not usually based in fear or abhorrence. Subjective. Musical Should contain several scenes of characters bursting into song aimed at the viewer (this excludes songs performed for the enjoyment of other characters that may be viewing) while the rest of the time, usually but not exclusively, portraying a narrative that alludes to another Genre. Note: not to be added for titles that are simply music related or have music performances in them; e.g., pop concerts do not apply. Also, classical opera, since it is entirely musical, does not apply and should instead be treated as Music. Objective. Music Contains significant music-related elements while not actually being a Musical; this may mean a concert, or a story about a band (either fictional or documentary). Subjective. Mystery Should contain numerous inter-related scenes of one or more characters endeavoring to widen their knowledge of anything pertaining to themselves or others. Note: Usually, but not always associated with Crime. Subjective. News Reports and discussion of current events of public importance or interest. If the events are not current (at the time the title was initially released), use History instead. This generally includes newsreels, newsmagazines, daily news reports, and commentary/discussion programs that focus on news events.     Romance Should contain numerous inter-related scenes of a character and their personal life with emphasis on emotional attachment or involvement with other characters, especially those characterized by a high level of purity and devotion. Note: Reminder, as with all genres if this does not describe the movie wholly, but only certain scenes or a subplot, then it should be submitted as a keyword instead. Subjective. Sci-Fi Numerous scenes, and/or the entire background for the setting of the narrative, should be based on speculative scientific discoveries or developments, environmental changes, space travel, or life on other planets. Subjective. Short Any theatrical film or made-for-video title with a running time of less than 45 minutes, i.e., 44 minutes or less, or any TV series or TV movie with a running time of less than 22 minutes, i.e. 21 minutes or less. (A "half-hour" television program should not be listed as a Short.) If known, please submit the running time if we do not have one on record. Objective. Sport Focus is on sports or a sporting event, either fictional or actual. This includes fictional stories focused on a particular sport or event, documentaries about sports, and television broadcasts of actual sporting events. In a fictional film, the sport itself can also be fictional, but it should be the primary focus of the film. Talk-Show Discussion or interviews of or with a series of guests or panelists, generally appearing as themselves in a non-fictional setting (though fictional programs that mimic the form are also included). (aka "chat show") Thriller Should contain numerous sensational scenes or a narrative that is sensational or suspenseful. Note: not to be confused with Mystery or Horror, and should only sometimes be accompanied by one (or both). Subjective. War Should contain numerous scenes and/or a narrative that pertains to a real war (i.e., past or current). Note: for titles that portray fictional war, please submit it as a keyword only. Objective. Western Should contain numerous scenes and/or a narrative that portrays frontier life in the American West during 1600s to contemporary times. Objective.

Final Project

I am about to begin my Final project and start my research. there are rather a few genres that I favour so I will have to narrow it down to one. To do this I will research into different age groups and what they particularly like, to give myslf a clearer understanding of what genre of film I should choose and for which audience.