GANGSTER/MOB FILMS

Mob/Gangster films, are a subgenre of American crime films dealing with organized crime, often specifically with the Mafia. Especially in early mob films, there is considerable overlap with film noir.
-The Godfather -Carlitos Way -Scarface -Donnie Brasco -Reservoir Dogs -Goodfellas -American Gangster -Get Carter -Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels -Casino

GENRE THE TYPICAL CONVENTIONS

TWO SHOTS USED TO SHOW IN-DEPTH DIALOGUE BETWEEN MAIN CHARACTERS WEALTH TUXEDOS POWER GUNS LARGE MANSIONS CLOSE UP SHOTS ALLOW THE AUDIENCE TO SEE ALL REACTIONS LARGE GANGS/FAMILIES DRUGS SCARFACE TONY MONTANA IS A CUBAN REFUGEE WHO FINDS POWER THROUGH THE RUNNING OF THE DRUG AND CRIME RING IN MIAMI. YOU SEE HIS RISE AND FALL FROM POWER THROUGHOUT THE FILM. DIM LIGHTING IN ORDER TOCREATE A MORE INTIMATE SETTING AND BUILD TENSION

MONEY

TYPICAL AUDIENCE OF THIS GENRE

MOST GANGSTER FILMS WILL BE A RATED 18 BECAUSE OF THE STORYLINE AND CONTENT WITHIN MEANING THAT THE PRIMARY AUDIENCE RANGES REALLY FROM 18 ABOVE. A LOT OF CULT CLASSICS TEND TO BE GANGSTER/CRIME FILMS AND WE TEND TO FIND OUT ABOUT THEM FROM A FAIRLY YOUNG AGE, PROBABLY EARLY TEENS. THE MAIN GENDER OF AUDIENCE IS MALE BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS WITHIN THE FILM ARE POWERFUL, WEALTHY MEN.

REPRESENTATION WHAT GROUPS ARE TYPICALLY REPRESENTED?

MOST GANGSTER FILMS ARE BASED ON REAL LIFE ORGANISATIONS. THESE PEOPLE STEAL, MURDER AND RUN THEIR LIFE WITH COMPLETE DISREGARD TO ANY LAWS. YOU OFTEN FIND THAT IT IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME ACROSS FROM A DIFFERENT COUNTRY AND BROUGHT THEIR CRIMINAL WAYS WITH THEM IN ORDER TO MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE AND ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM.

NARRATIVE
- THE MAIN PROTAGANIST IS AN IMMIGRANT WHO WANTS MORE IN LIFE - THE HERO FINDS HIMSELF IN A BIG CITY AND HE MAKES HIS OWN RULES, DISREGARDING LEGALITIES - THE ONLY LOYALTY THE HERO FEELS IS HIS OWN - SUCCESS IS MEASURED IN MATERIAL GOODS AND YOU SEE THE WEALTH OF THE CHARACTER GROW THROUGHOUT THE FILM - THE ANTAGONIST OF THE HERO IS SOCIETY, THE ENFORCERS OF THE LAW AND RIVAL INDIVIDUALS/GROUPS.

GENRE EVOLUTION STEVE NEALE

THE FORM FINDS ITSELF Scarface (1932) Directed by Howard Hawks & Richard Rosson This was one of the earliest records of a gangster film and was then re made in the 80s which lead it to be one of the biggest cult classics. THE CLASSIC The Godfather (1972) Directed by Francis Ford Coppola Starring Marlon Brando Al Pacino James Caan This film is considered the classic gangster film and is also considered as a cult classic. THE BOUNDARIES OF THE GENRE ARE STRETCHED Bugsy Malone (1976) Directed by Alan Parker Starring Scott Baio Florrie Dugger Jodie Foster This film starred children acting as adults in the 30s crime era and also combines musical elements.

PARODY Mafia! (1998) Directed by Jim Abrahams Starring Lloyd Bridges Jay Mohr Olympia Dukakis This film is a parody of the Godfather series and has a similar narrative of flashbacks like in the second film.
HOMAGE Gangster Squad (2013) Directed by Ruben Fleischer Starring Josh Brolin Ryan Gosling Sean Penn

RICK ALTMAN GENRE THEME

FILM SCARFACE SEMANTIC DRUGS WOMEN BIG HOUSES FLASH CARS SYNTACTIC RISE AND FALL OF A CUBAN REFUGEE POWER GOES TO TONYS HEAD AND THIS IS WHAT EVENTUALLY KILLS HIM. THIS FILM FOCUSES ON LOYALTY AND HOW RELATIONSHIPS ARE BROKEN

THE GODFATHER

BIG FAMILIES GUNS 1930S THEME

LOCK, STOCK & TWO SMOKING BARRELS

GROUP OF COCKNEY SEVERAL EVENTS WITH VARIOUS GANGSTERS CHARACTERS THAT LEADS TO THE ACQUIRE TWO VINTAGE FINAL OUTCOME GUNS

AUDIENCE THEORIES RESERVOIR DOGS

Richard Dyer Utopian Solutions
This theorist believes that the audience want media products that offer them Utopian solutions to their problems. -Reservoir Dogs challenges this theory and offers a sense of dystopia due to the nature of the film with the rate of crime in it and the gun violence that goes with it. -You see a group of dysfunctional characters and the events leading to their bank heist but the film was made in order to make the viewers not want to get into the criminal world as you see all the main leading characters die throughout. -However unmoral the film may be, there is a hidden message behind this dystopian movie.

Blumler & Katz Uses & Gratifications These theorists identified needs that the media have aimed to fulfil: -Escapism/diversion from reality This allows the audience to escape from reality with the general plot of a group of criminals planning a
bank heist and the audience will return to watch the film because of the nature of the film and the complex storylines of each separate character. -Social interaction There are many events within the film that could be discussed with your peers. You may re watch the film in order to understand the film better and each event can be understood that much better. -Personal identity The situations in the film cant be related to by the viewer because it is so complex and the different events that happen throughout cant really be compared with the viewer. -Education Although this film cant be directly related to its viewers, you could say that there is a message behind it to avoid crime. You see that all the main characters get quite brutally murdered and this could be translated by its viewers that they should keep away from this sort of stuff.