Classification of Films by Genre

    Each film in the Quintessential Cinema collection has been classified according to its genre. The approach used in defining the type of a movie is somewhat loosely based on the standard genres used by the IMDb for categorizing particular films as well as my own personal observations of the film.

    The setting and format of the film always precede the mood or the style or the story content for that matter, when selecting a term to describe the type of a film. The type of story in stereotyped films will not be considered during classification. Films set in the 19th Century in the Western states of the United States are always categorized as Westerns. Films set in the distant future are Science fiction films. If the main cast of the film is singing to one another amidst ‘fantastic’ surroundings, the film can safely be labeled as a musical. Films set in the present age and presenting the personal stories, triumphs or tragedies of their main characters are classified as dramas. All films based on events that took place in the distant past can safely be labeled as ‘Historical’ films. Then there are the non standard films to consider that cannot be defined by the standard genres. In many cases new terms were coined or two or more key words merged into a single phrase. As an example, the popular film ‘Troy’ (2004) cannot be classified as a historical film since whatever is presented in it, was the imagination of one person. The source of Troy is Greek mythology. Classifying such films by the term ‘Greek Mythology’ or ‘Persian Mythology’ would also do no good since there are a handful of adaptations of mythology to choose from. A general category titled ‘Mythology’ is sufficient to describe such films.

    It is utterly impossible to achieve perfection in defining each film by a single word or standardized phrase. Some films cross the genre boundaries and the mood switches abruptly. Such movies cannot be classified by one genre. The classification of films from the golden age of Hollywood is somewhat straightforward. More recently, filmmakers strive to set new standards by stretching the genre boundaries for their own purpose. ‘Sin City’ (2005) and ‘Brazil’ (1985) are vivid examples of such movies. Then we must cope with movies like ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ (1975) that is both a comedy and a horror film at the same time. A category titled ‘Horrific Comedies’ would seem like an oxymoron. (This category could be used to describe most teen movies). Some movies combine elements of drama and comedy and can be classified as both. ] In any case, I have tried to typify a film in few words whenever it is possible.

    The genres listed by the IMDb or by other sources do not help on some occasions. They can be somewhat misleading. I have tried to be as specific as possible about the genre of a film. I like to call use the word ‘type’ more often than the word genre when discussing my classification system. I have strived to define each film by one single standardized term. The predominant mood or predominant setting of a movie defines its genre. However, there is more than one occasion, when it is either impossible or impractical to typify a specific movie by one standardized word or phrase alone. In such cases it is best to list all the genres to which that film might belong to. Achieving perfection in defining the genre is not possible for each film. Film guides avoid defining the genre. Mistakes are likely in the category defined for ‘average films’. I plan to make amends in the near future.

    The following phrases were used to classify films in my collection.

Comedy
Drama
Film-noir
Western
Sci-Fi
Musical
Fantasy
Thriller
Family
Adventure
Horror
Mystery
Animations
Action
Silent
Romantic Comedy
Crime Drama
Crime Thriller
History
War (WWII is a very special sub category of War)
Romantic Drama/ Love Stories
Mythology
Comedy Drama