Drama film: Difference between revisions
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#REDIRECT [[Drama (film and television)]] |
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{{Original research|date=February 2008}} |
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A '''drama film''' is a [[film genre]] that depends mostly on in-depth [[characterization|development]] of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as [[:Category:Films about alcoholism|alcoholism]], [[drug addiction]], [[infidelity]], [[moral dilemma]]s, [[racial prejudice]], [[religious intolerance]], [[Human sexuality|sexuality]], [[poverty]], [[Social stratification|class divisions]], [[violence against women]] and [[corruption]] put the characters in conflict with themselves, others, [[society]] and even [[natural phenomena]].<ref name = "kqcvjh">[http://www.filmsite.org/dramafilms.html "Drama Films". ''Filmsite.org'']</ref> Drama is the most broad of movies genres and includes subgenres as [[romance film|romantic drama]], [[sport films]], [[period drama]], [[courtroom drama]] and [[crime film|crime]].<ref name="kqcvjh"/> |
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At the center of a drama is usually a character or characters who are in conflict at a crucial moment in their lives. They often revolve around families; movies like ''[[Ordinary People]]'' dig under the skin of everyday life to ask big questions and touch on the deepest emotions of normal people. Dramas often, but not always, have [[tragic]] or at least painful [[Plot (narrative)#Resolution|resolutions]] and concern the survival of some tragic crisis, like the death of a family member (''[[Terms of Endearment]]''), or a [[divorce]] (''[[Kramer vs Kramer]]''). Some of the greatest screen performances come from dramas, as there is ample opportunity for actors to stretch into a role that most other genres cannot afford.<ref>http://www.allmovie.com/explore/genre/drama-649</ref> |
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Drama films have been nominated frequently for the [[Academy Award]] (particularly Best Picture) - more than any other film genre. |
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==Sub-genres== |
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Dramatic films include a very large spectrum of film genres. Because of the large number of drama films, these movies have been sub-categorized: |
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* [[Crime drama]] and [[Legal drama]] – Character development based on themes involving criminals, law enforcement and the legal system. |
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* [[List of historical drama films|Historical drama]] (epic) (including [[War film|War drama]]) – Films that focus on dramatic events in history. |
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* [[Docudrama]]: the difference between a docudrama and a documentary is that in a documentary it uses real people to describe history or current events; in a docudrama it uses professionally trained actors to play the roles in the current event, that is "dramatized" a bit. Not to be confused with [[docufiction]]. |
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* [[Psychological thriller]] |
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* [[Comedy-drama]]: is in which there is an equal, or nearly equal balance of humor and serious content. |
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* [[Melodrama]]: a sub-type of drama films that uses plots that appeal to the heightened emotions of the audience. Melodramatic plots often deal with "crises of human emotion, failed romance or friendship, strained familial situations, tragedy, illness, neuroses, or emotional and physical hardship." Film critics sometimes use the term "pejoratively to connote an unrealistic, pathos-filled, campy tale of romance or domestic situations with stereotypical characters (often including a central female character) that would directly appeal to feminine audiences."<ref>[http://www.filmsite.org/melodramafilms.html Melodrama Films]</ref> Also called "women's movies", "weepies", tearjerkers, or "chick flicks". If they are targeted to a male audience, then they are called "guy cry" films. |
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* [[Romance film|Romance]]: a sub-type of dramatic film which dwells on the elements of [[romantic love]]. |
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* [[Tragedy]]: a drama in which a character's downfall is caused by a flaw in their character or by a major error in judgment. |
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==Early film-1950s== |
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In the early years of [[film|cinema]], [[melodrama]] held sway, as the transition from silent cinema's pantomime left film with a more presentational manner. In the 1950s, however, the arrival of stage actors like [[Marlon Brando]], trained in more naturalistic techniques, slowly changed drama to a more realistic tenor. ''[[A Streetcar Named Desire (1951 film)|A Streetcar Named Desire]]'' is considered a pivotal film in this development.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}} By the late 1970s, melodrama was nearly finished as an overt genre, as the hunger for realism dominated film in groundbreaking movies like Martin Scorsese's ''[[Mean Streets]]''. |
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From the [[silent era]] to the 1950s, Dramas were tools to teach the audience. Films like ''[[The Grapes of Wrath (film)|The Grapes of Wrath]]'' (1940) show the effects of the depression. ''[[Citizen Kane]]'' (1941) was said by Orson Welles to not be a biography of [[William Randolph Hearst]], but a composite of many people from that era. |
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In the 1950s, began a rise in well-known dramatic actors. [[Montgomery Clift]], [[Glenn Ford]], [[James Dean]], [[Bette Davis]], and [[Marilyn Monroe]] were notable dramatic actors. Dramatic Films focused on character relationships and development. ''[[All About Eve]]'' (1950) focused on women, and their relationship with men. ''[[Rebel Without a Cause]]'' (1955) displayed teenage angst. Films like ''[[12 Angry Men (1957 film)|12 Angry Men]]'' (1957) and ''[[Anatomy of a Murder]]'' (1959) show the inner workings of a courtroom. |
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Some of the most critically acclaimed drama films in [[Asian cinema]] were produced during the 1950s, including [[Yasujirō Ozu]]'s ''[[Tokyo Story]]'' (1953), [[Kenji Mizoguchi]]'s ''[[Ugetsu]]'' (1954), [[Satyajit Ray]]'s ''[[The Apu Trilogy]]'' (1955–1959), [[Guru Dutt]]'s ''[[Pyaasa]]'' (1957), and the [[Akira Kurosawa]] films ''[[Rashomon (film)|Rashomon]]'' (1950), ''[[Ikiru]]'' (1952) and ''[[Seven Samurai]]'' (1954). |
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==1960s-1970s== |
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The 1960s brought politically driven dramas focusing on war, such as ''[[Judgment at Nuremberg]]'' (1961), ''[[Flashback (1969 film)|Flashback]]'' (1969) and ''[[The Manchurian Candidate (1962 film)|The Manchurian Candidate]]'' (1962). Sports dramas became inspiration such as ''[[The Hustler (film)|The Hustler]]'' (1961) and ''[[Downhill Racer]]'' (1969). |
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During the 1970s, modern dramatic directors made some of their first films. [[Francis Ford Coppola]] directed ''[[The Godfather]]'' (1972). [[Martin Scorsese]] directed ''[[Taxi Driver]]'' (1976), ''[[Mean Streets]]'' (1973), and musical drama ''[[New York, New York (film)|New York, New York]]'' (1977). [[Sylvester Stallone]] created one of the most successful sports drama franchises with ''[[Rocky]]'' (1976) and also directed the sequel ''[[Rocky II]]'' (1979). In addition, in sports drama were films that focused on the struggle of athletes such as ''[[Brian's Song]]'' (1970), and ''[[The Longest Yard (1974 film)|The Longest Yard]]'' (1974). War films and specifically World War II films were produced, giving the most realistic adaptation of the war seen in films at that time. ''[[Tora! Tora! Tora!]]'' (1970), ''[[Patton (film)|Patton]]'' (1970), and ''[[Apocalypse Now]]'' (1979), which all show the trials and hardships of war, are still considered classic war films. |
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==1980s-1990s== |
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In the 1980s, dramatic film put emphasis on highly emotional themes. ''[[Do the Right Thing]]'' (1989), [[Spike Lee]]'s debut film, and ''[[The Color Purple (film)|The Color Purple]]'' (1985) were full character studies of African American culture and history. War dramas again played a big part as ''[[Platoon (film)|Platoon]]'' (1986) showed the horrors of Vietnam. ''[[Das Boot (film)|Das Boot]]'' (1981) focused on the German viewpoint of World War II. Drama, with a science fiction edge was a theme when [[Steven Spielberg]] directed ''[[E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial]]'' (1982), and Ridley Scott directed ''[[Blade Runner]]'' (1982), and also ''[[The Accused (1988 film)|The Accused]]'' (1988). |
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During the 1990s, ''[[Goodfellas]]'' (1990) took a gritty, hard-edged look at mob crime. ''[[The Shawshank Redemption]]'' (1994), which was set inside a prison, had strong themes of hope, as did the Holocaust-themed ''[[Schindler's List]]'' (1993). Dramas also took a turn with existentialist thrillers such as ''[[Fight Club]]'' (1999) and the tale of suburban angst ''[[American Beauty (film)|American Beauty]]'' (1999). Coming of age was dealt with in ''[[Good Will Hunting]]'' (1997), race relationships were a theme in ''[[American History X]]'' (1998), and the AIDs epidemic and discrimination were the focus of ''[[Philadelphia (film)|Philadelphia]]'' (1993). [[Comedy-drama]] was featured with films like ''[[Forrest Gump]]'' (1994), ''[[Jerry Maguire]]'' (1996) and ''[[As Good as It Gets]]'' (1997). Child-oriented dramas also became more popular with titles such as ''[[The Lion King]]'' (1994). |
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==2000s== |
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In the 2000s, [[Biographical film|biopics]] such as ''[[Ali (film)|Ali]]'' (2001), ''[[Frida]]'' (2002), ''[[8 Mile]]'' (2002), ''[[Ray (film)|Ray]]'' (2004), ''[[Walk the Line]]'' (2005), and ''[[Milk (film)|Milk]]'' (2008) have become popular among filmmakers. ''[[Gladiator (2000 film)|Gladiator]]'' (2000) is an epic, dramatic film, along with ''[[The Last Samurai]]'' (2003). [[Gulf War|The Gulf War]] and similar skirmishes were an inspiration for dramatic films in war drama movies like ''[[Black Hawk Down (film)|Black Hawk Down]]'' (2001) and ''[[Jarhead (film)|Jarhead]]'' (2005). Despite the drop on popularity of the romantic dramas, some of them have enjoyed big box office and critical success, as the controversial, groundbreaking ''[[Brokeback Mountain]]'' (2005) for example, that won several awards and ''[[Slumdog Millionaire]]'' (2008), a critically acclaimed [[Romance film|romantic-drama]] that has been nominated for ten [[Academy Award]]s, and went on to win eight of them, including [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]. |
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==See also== |
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* [[List of drama films]] |
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* [[Romantic drama film]] |
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==References== |
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{{Cleanup-link rot|date=February 2013}} |
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{{reflist}} |
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{{Film genres}} |
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{{Filmsbygenre}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Drama Film}} |
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[[Category:Drama films| ]] |
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[[Category:Drama|Film]] |
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[[Category:Film genres]] |
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Latest revision as of 09:17, 30 August 2016
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