film categories

[JBW1366]

I remember reading years ago in Empire magazine that there are actually only seven subjects/ plots/ story lines, and that all films, plays, tv programmes, books are all just variants on one of the seven themes.

Does anyone remember what the seven are?

[Octavius]

There was a book written about it, but I think there are many more than just 7 and it depends who you ask:

1 - [wo]man vs. nature
2 - [wo]man vs. man
3 - [wo]man vs. the environment
4 - [wo]man vs. machines/technology
5 - [wo]man vs. the supernatural
6 - [wo]man vs. self
7 - [wo]man vs. god/religion

I would have thought more along the lines of tragedy, comedy, love etc etc but as I say, there are lots.

[itsallgood89]

I think there is something called the Johnson's 8 and there was 8 different types of stories that everything can fit into..

[WaldoMcFroog]

According to Christopher Brooker, the seven plots are:

1. Overcoming the monster -- defeating some force which threatens... e.g. most Hollywood movies; Star Wars, James Bond.

2. The Quest -- typically a group setoff in search of something and (usually) find it. e.g. Watership Down, Pilgrim's Progress.

3. Journey and Return -- the hero journeys away from home to somewhere different and finally comes back having experienced something and maybe changed for the better. e.g. Wizard of Oz, Gullivers Travels.

4. Comedy - not neccesarily a funny plot. Some kind of
misunderstanding or ignorance is created that keeps parties apart which is resolved towards the end bringing them back together. e.g. Bridget Jones Diary, War and Peace.

5. Tragedy - Someone is tempted in some way, vanity, greed etc and becomes increasingly desperate or trapped by their actions until at a climax they usually die. e.g. Devils' Advocate, Hamlet.

6. Rebirth - hero is captured or oppressed and seems to be in a state of living death until it seems all is lost when miraculously they are freed. e.g. Snow White.

7. Rags to Riches - self explanatory really. e.g. Cinderella

[Dahmerqueen]

Hey Bud,

I asked this same question on imdb.com a few years ago, I remembered that one theme was entitled 'A person enters a foreign place and changes something' (Rocky Horror / Shawshank Redemption etc) I too remember that there were less than ten

This is the list I was given

Quest
Adventure
Pursuit
Rescue
Escape
Revenge
The Riddle
Rivalry
Underdog
Temptation
Metamorphosis
Transformation
Maturation
Love
Forbidden Love
Sacrifice
Discovery
Wretched Excess
Ascension
Descension

So yeah as 'Octavius' stated, it seems to just depend on who you ask

R x

[Drusilla]

I think it depends on who you read. Georges Polti wrote a book about The 36 Dramatic Situations. Others talk of five, seven and twenty. I've been rummaging through my empire mags for the article concerned.
Can I find it? Can I heck!

[SteveD]

This is presumably the source of Octavius' answer:

http://tonygoodson.typepad.com/tonygoodson/2005/06/seven_types_of_.html

In fact, I was searching for "Types of joke".

[JBW1366]

Thanks everyone, Appreciate it.

Merry Christmas to you all.....