A brief history of Crime Films
Genre is the name given to a group of films that have a similar pattern, technique, or conventions. They may be connected through the setting of a film, the subject matter, the plot, themes or mood, the situation or even the characters. Crime is considered to be one of the main film genres, along with action, adventure and comedy, to name only a few.
Crime or gangster films are based on the actions of criminals, such as bank robbers, criminal organisations or aggressive or violent individuals who disobey the law. In such a film, a crime will have been committed which is then documented or investigated and solved by a detective or group of agents.
The genre of crime became popular around the 1930s when more people began to watch films as a form of entertainment. The films featured organised crime and violence by dangerous gangs known as ‘the mob’. Viewers found this interesting as it mirrored real life events as crime increased in the real world. The genre kept viewers on the edge of their seats, unsure of how events would unfold and as to whether the truth would be uncovered. Some of the earliest crime films included ‘Born Reckless’ and the original ‘Scarface’, after which the crime genre became more brutal and increasingly popular. During this period of time crime films frequently featured the mafia and other crime organisations, such as those seen in the epic film, trilogy ‘The Godfather’. The original film is based on a novel about an Italian mafia family living in New York City and was voted the second best film in American history.
Over the last few decades crime films have changed and developed considerably, ranging from crime thrillers to crime action films, Crime has been the subject of many award winning films such as ‘PULP Fiction’, which was nominated for seven Oscars and ‘The Departed’, which won four Oscars in 2006. The film genre has also featured real life events of three gangsters. Recently ‘The Dark Knight’ made a huge $527 million in the cinemas over the United States alone, highlighting the continuing popularity of the genre.
Crime is not only common in films, but also in serial television dramas for example, Diagnosis Murder and Poirot. More recently the American drama CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) has aired on television following a team of investigators as they uncover crimes and mysterious deaths. This drama is very popular in America, demonstrating how the crime genre has evolved and continues to be a source of entertainment seventy years on. In the UK, dramas such as Spooks and Life on Mars, which both deal with crime investigations, have introduced and made popular the crime genre to a new audience.
It seems likely that crime will continue to be a popular topic in film and other forms of entertainment, as real life events give writers inspiration to produce an exciting and gripping storyline.
http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Academy-Awards-Crime-Films/Crime-Films-A-BRIEF-HISTORY-OF-MOVIE-CRIME.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_film
Crime or gangster films are based on the actions of criminals, such as bank robbers, criminal organisations or aggressive or violent individuals who disobey the law. In such a film, a crime will have been committed which is then documented or investigated and solved by a detective or group of agents.
The genre of crime became popular around the 1930s when more people began to watch films as a form of entertainment. The films featured organised crime and violence by dangerous gangs known as ‘the mob’. Viewers found this interesting as it mirrored real life events as crime increased in the real world. The genre kept viewers on the edge of their seats, unsure of how events would unfold and as to whether the truth would be uncovered. Some of the earliest crime films included ‘Born Reckless’ and the original ‘Scarface’, after which the crime genre became more brutal and increasingly popular. During this period of time crime films frequently featured the mafia and other crime organisations, such as those seen in the epic film, trilogy ‘The Godfather’. The original film is based on a novel about an Italian mafia family living in New York City and was voted the second best film in American history.
Over the last few decades crime films have changed and developed considerably, ranging from crime thrillers to crime action films, Crime has been the subject of many award winning films such as ‘PULP Fiction’, which was nominated for seven Oscars and ‘The Departed’, which won four Oscars in 2006. The film genre has also featured real life events of three gangsters. Recently ‘The Dark Knight’ made a huge $527 million in the cinemas over the United States alone, highlighting the continuing popularity of the genre.
Crime is not only common in films, but also in serial television dramas for example, Diagnosis Murder and Poirot. More recently the American drama CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) has aired on television following a team of investigators as they uncover crimes and mysterious deaths. This drama is very popular in America, demonstrating how the crime genre has evolved and continues to be a source of entertainment seventy years on. In the UK, dramas such as Spooks and Life on Mars, which both deal with crime investigations, have introduced and made popular the crime genre to a new audience.
It seems likely that crime will continue to be a popular topic in film and other forms of entertainment, as real life events give writers inspiration to produce an exciting and gripping storyline.
http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Academy-Awards-Crime-Films/Crime-Films-A-BRIEF-HISTORY-OF-MOVIE-CRIME.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_film
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