Genre and Two of My Favorite Films

After explaining my interest in openings that establish either character or conflict in my last post, I wanted to dive deeper into genres that may match these approaches to film openings and two of my favorite movies.

The first genre I'd like to explore is the Coming of Age genre. Coming of Age films are usually categorized by a youth to maturity arc, personal growth, and identity crisis. Some classic CoA films are Stand By Me (1986), The Breakfast Club (1985), and Dead Poets Society (1989). Some modern examples include Lady Bird (2017), Boyhood (2014), and The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012). 

CoA films are a mix of nostalgia and self-discovery and often blend with romance,  drama, or comedy. One of my favorite CoA films combines with the latter, comedy. 

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) is a high energy teen fantasy. A charismatic high schooler, Ferris Bueller fakes sick to skip school and goes on an adventure in Chicago with his girlfriend Sloane and best friend Cameron, all while dodging his principal.

It's opening establishes character in a nonconventional way, let's explore it.

The film begins with a cold open on Ferris in bed, already scheming. After tricking his parents, he breaks the fourth wall, talking to us directly and letting us in on his con. The tone is playful and Ferris embodies the archetype of the older brother. Our point of view is in a way like a second person's, we learn about characters and the world through Ferris' lens. Ferris's charisma and character is immediately developed.

Although I don't think a CoA comedy will be right for our group's project as it would require really good acting, Ferris Bueller teaches us that we can develop characters in a nonlinear way.

The second genre I'd like to explore is the Drama genre. Drama is one of the largest genres there is, and as such some of the most classic and renowned films belong to the drama genre. These include The Godfather (1972) , 12 Angry Men (1957), and the film I'll be exploring, one of my personal favorites The Shawshank Redemption (1994). 

The Shawshank Redemption has probably been called "the" movie. It's #1 on IMDB and considered by many the greatest film of all time. It embodies the other approach I mentioned in my first blog - establishing conflict.

It starts with a mystery-driven flashback of Andy Dufresne's trial, presented almost like a crime noir film. We have an unreliable perspective, and a non-linear puzzle. Tension and a melancholic tone is immediately established.

Compared to Ferris Bueller, the tone is extremely serious. Fate seems stacked against Andy, and while Ferris pulls you in with charm, Shawshank pulls you down with weight.

Incorporating concepts from both openings, like perhaps the non-linear character building of Ferris and the serious tone of Shawshank, both achievable through editing (and perhaps mise-en-scene for the latter) could potentially go into my Film Opening, but I still have to consult my group and decide together.

Stay tuned.

Works Cited:

Kench, Sam. “Video: 3 Elements in the Best Coming of Age Movies.” StudioBinder, 25 Sept. 2023, www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-a-coming-of-age-movie-definition/#:~:text=A%20coming%20of%20age%20movie%20is%20centered%20around%20the%20themes,next%20stage%20of%20their%20life.

“Media Studies: Drama Films.” Vaia, www.vaia.com/en-us/explanations/media-studies/filmmaking/drama-films/#:~:text=Drama%20films%20are%20a%20genre,foster%20conflict%20and%20personal%20growth. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Opening Scene.” YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwDH3BpaCQI. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

“The Shawshank Redemption Opening Scene.” YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrpVQpKseXU. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.