The Directors and Auteur Theory paper

Title: The Genre and Genre Theory

Name: Denise Clark

Course: ENG 225: Intro to Film

Instructor: Richard Green

Date: 9-28-2021

Gene Theory classifies films into a like category with multiple that marry similar attributes such as filming techniques, narrative, form, or content which can class them together defined as a “type”. They have proven their effectiveness in categorizing bodies of work providing a sneak peek to the audience warning them of what lies ahead in choosing to view a particular film prior to watching. Goodykoontz, Jacobs, Meetze, & Pritz (2019) define a genre as a “category or type of something that is recognizable by shared characteristics with others of its type “(3.1). Genres distinguish work from other similar works and are effectively useful in doing so. In film, we are familiar with genre categories such as horror, science-fiction, romance, or drama, and some can be known to have cross genres. Every film has a purpose, a story to tell, which will determine the genres and subgenres explored to relay the overall message one attempts to transfer to each viewer through their eyes.  I will move to define the genres of this film and showcase its identification with the horror genre.

The Silence of the Lambs, written by Ted Tally starring Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, Scott Glenn and Ted Levine; directed by Jonathan Demme and released in 1991.  The story begins with Clarice Starling, FBI, seeking the assistance of an incarcerated cannibalistic psychiatric doctor (Hannibal Lecter) to capture a serial killer with an appetite for skinning and mutilating female victims. 

In summary of the plot, Lecter minimizes the FBI’s exposure while maximizing on the partnership benefits embracing his own gratification of cannibalism and leading Agent Starling to the success, she longed for in capturing her suspect and saving the life of the latest female hostage. Many scenes crossed genres as Lecter displays a natural evolving love for Staring that commands attention and drives the result of her saving the captured victim. The action in this film comes in the form of multiple efforts simultaneously being present to achieve capturing the active serial killer. The effects on the audience range from fear, to the suspense of the love story developing with Dr. Lecter having an intriguing interest in Starling; understanding that all of the smaller instances marry to support a common effort and eventually meet the goal of telling the story of a horrific serial killer.

Lecter’s mental madness allows for a genre crossing co-mingling with romance as his mannerisms have a décor of passion and love. Lecter was treated as a guest in prison; he was served with high profile meals of delicacy with a decorum indicative of a dining room setting with a full place setting inclusive of knives. There’s an act of passion displayed as he slices his steak into precise cuts and ever so gracefully partakes in devouring it in its rarely prepared form.  His kills present a level desire and euphoric pleasure to him as he indulges in Classical Music and moves gracefully across his cell in a state of mental quirky mental peace.    

The scenes of discussion between Starling and Lecter, as well as with Lecter as the focus alone, would lack an effective impact of emotion (which adheres to the genre of romance), and fear which remains relevant and consistent to the films baseline genre of horror without the three-point lighting technique. Personally, I may not have focused on his eyes as the producer drove you too in the scene where Lecter is holding the bars to his cell while passionately delivering his thoughts to Staring in a monotone format; his face highlighted, with the remainder of his body somewhat faded into the background with the cell.  I focused on his words and the energy relayed through their lighting choice.

Although I’ve displayed two genres that took this film to award winning heights there’s one additional “in-between” genre that showed up and showed out toward the end of the film.  This film taunted you with its tantalizing clues and the rabbit holes so creatively developed for the characters to find their way through the forest regardless of the many trees standing stoutly amongst them. The suspense these twists and turns created lead Starling from one clue to the next constructing a pathway to truth!  After many leads, she stumbled upon the proper leads to save the woman who was being held captive by the notorious Buffalo Bill.  Lecter provided a puzzle of intricate piece of information which Starling placed together as the audience thirst for solid answers to the mystery of how the ending of this man hunt would turn out. 

The drama aspect of this film expands the boundaries of this film, the characters are undeniably emotionally driven, the stakes are high as Starling is under pressure to produce the hostage alive, and the conflict is deep as Lecter moves to unveil her weaknesses and manipulate her for his benefit. There is a distinct connection of this psychological horror and the insistence all scenes progress the film.  Without this element the masterpiece would have been incomplete.  

I have defined the genres of horror, romance, and drama as showcased in my chosen film through showcasing the details of the plot and how it contributed to the success of the body of work. The process of reviewing this film and discovering the effective connections to understand it has been an eye opening experience; as a Behavioral Science Major I’m drawn to the obscurity of the story and appreciate the opportunity to see past the naked eye.

References

Goodykoontz, B., Jacobs, C. P., Meetze, J., & Pritts, N. (2019).  Film: From watching to seeing  

(3rd ed.). https://content.ashford.edu/

Kawin, B. F. (1992).  How movies work . https://www-fulcrum-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/heb

 YouTube video: RoadsideFlix. (2020, September 1). Official Trailer Silence of the Lambs [Video].

YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjXxLJXxXEE (Links to an external site.)