Genre (last assessment 2023) GapFill

Watch the trailer for It (2017) using the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAUTdjf9rko

Use the trailer to help you complete the analysis of the film's genre.

If we were to describe the genre of It in the simplest way possible, we would call it  a fantasyan actiona thrillera horror film. The trailer is filled with  structuresemiotic imagerytexticonography that is typical of the genre: a small-town setting, blood, dark tunnels, basements etc. Another clear way in which we can identify the genre is through the  characterssituationsactorsproducers – the terrifying clown as the villain is typical of the genre, as are the young children who act as classic victims who turn into unlikely heroes. As is common, this trailer gives us a sense of the film's  non-linear narrativeopen narrativelinear narrativemultistrand story structure – a group of children are stalked and attacked by a mysterious clown until they are eventually forced to venture into his layer and stop him. 

The trailer also gives us a sense of the film's  enigmafilmgenrestylistic codes. The  equipmentcameraworklightingpost-production suggests heavy use of slow zoom-ins to build tension and wide shots which allow frightening images to subtly invade the frame. Genre-appropriate  cinematographycostume designeditingpre-production is established through the film's colour scheme of dark blue and brown. The film also appears to make good use of sound effects that suit the genre, from thunder and rainfall to  voice-generatedpracticalnon-diegeticdiegetic sounds such as industrial clanging and 'jump-scare' screeches. The arrangement of characters and objects in the frame, i.e. the  mise en scènefilm noirstoryboardingdirection also seems designed to make the audience feel uneasy and on edge for the next scare.

All the points analysed above are highly typical of the genre. This demonstrates that the film's producers relied on the  disruptionidentificationcreationrepetition of codes and conventions to make the film a success. On the other hand, It made huge amounts of money compared to other films in the genre, suggesting that certain conventions were developed and subverted – for example, the quality of the actors' performances was thought to have been superior to that of most films in the genre. 

It is incredibly rare now for a film to simply slot into such a wide genre. In terms of  media sectorsubgenrenew genremixed genre, It could be described as a supernatural film or a monster movie. In terms of  genre representationgenre iconographygenre hybriditygenre convergence, the trailer suggests elements of the coming-of-age genre and the adventure genre.