大学英语专业影视欣赏复习资料

Appreciating Cinema

Part One: Categorization of genres

Genre

Social Drama

Romance

Gangster

War film

Science fiction

Fantasy

Western

Disaster

Crime

Epic

Action

Musical

_____________________________________________________________________ Blockbuster

Film noir

Comedy intended to generate laughter

Horror intended to horrify

Thriller intended to thrill

Part Two: The basic stories

There are a limited number of stories that form the basis for all fictional narratives.

·Achilles Example: Superman

·Candide Example: Forrest Gump

·Cinderella Example:Pretty Woman

·Circe Example:Fatal Attraction

·Faust Example:Wall Street

·Orpheus Example: Born on the Fourth of July

·Romeo and Juliet Example: Shakespeare in Love, Ghost ·Tristan The Graduate

·The Wandering Jew Example: The English Patient

Part Three: The Classic Three-Act Linear Structure（经典三幕式直线结构）

The majority of Hollywood films employs the classic three-act linear structure(or a variation of it). The three-act structure implies that the film can be divided into three acts. Act 1 would normally be expected to occupy the first quarter of the film; Act 2 would occupy the next half; and Act 3 would occupy the final quarter.

Each act has a different function. For a typical two—hour Hollywood film, the act divisions would be as follows.

Act Time Function

Act 1 0-30 minutes set-up

Act 2 30-90 minutes development (conflict and confrontation) Act 3 90-120 minutes resolution and denouncement(结局)

Part Four: Alternative Narrative Structures

·Episodic Structure章回式结构

Episodic narratives follow the protagonist through a series of potentially unrelated adventures. As in the

three-act structure, there are definite turning points at which the fortunes of the protagonist turn from good to bad or vice versa; however, unlike the three-act structure, the number of such turning points is not limited. ·Hero’s Journey Structure英雄旅程结构

The hero’s journey narrative forms the underlying narrative structure of many myths and legends; and it is also to be found in many successful Hollywood films. The narrative occurs in a number of stages, which can be simplified as follows:

1.Call to adventure

2.Journey through unfamiliar World

3.Supreme ordeal

4.Reward

5.Return and reintegration into society

Part Five: Subplot

Most Hollywood films have one or more subplots. Subplots are additional stories(secondary plots) that are linked to the main plot and have an influence upon it; they don’t require separate protagonists, but they do require separate actions.

The relationship between the main plot and the subplots