Christian Metz- model of genre development

Metz had a theory and in his book, language and cinema (1974), he explored the development of genre film and suggested that genres pass through four different stages of existence

1) THE EXPERIMENTAL

2) THE CLASSIC

3) THE PARADOY

4) THE DECONSTRUCTION

The experimental- we mean the stage of early films which explored and experimented with the horror themes in its narrative films such as the cabinet of Dr Cagliari (1919) and Nosferati (1922). It helped formalize the convention horror films in its earlier stage.

The classic- we mean the stage of film which established the narrative convention of the horror genre in it’s most successful and defining period. Examples are Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931).

The parody- we mean films that have mimicked the horror genre in some comical way. Examples Abbot and Costello meet Frankenstein (1948) carry on screaming (1968) and scary movie (1998).

The deconstruction- we mean films that have taken the generic elements of the horror genre and amalgamated them into varying sub genres. Se7en (1995) the sixth sense (1999) the Blair witch project (1998) scream (1998)

     Combinations

-         Se7en-psychological thriller/horror

-         The sixth sense-supernatural thriller/horror

-          Blair witch- documentary film/horror

-         Scream- teen movie/horror