Discovering A New Genre

     The genre I'm covering is crime and gangster. The most typical genre convention is a poor person making it to fame through their crimes. Another common occurrence in these films is large, mostly bloody, fighting scenes. The Production techniques used are most often involve long musical numbers, dark colors and violent special effects. These movies are marketed as violent, they want their viewers to know that going in, it is one of their biggest selling points. Another part of the film that is showcased is the drama used in the film. The high emotion used in the piece allows for people who may not like the violence to ignore it due to the plot.


      Scarface is one of the most popular examples of these films. It depicts a poor immigrant that travels to the United States. In the beginning he lives in a poor immigrant camp and works at a restaurant across the street from a club for the affluent. He constantly tells his friend about how he wishes to go there. Eventually through moving his way up the ranks, Tony Montana, depicted by Al Pacino, buys a mansion and becomes one of the richest men in Miami. He dies in a infamous death scene which involves a lot of gunfire. This film exhibits perfectly the idea supported in many gangster scenes. He was a poor immigrant who eventually made it to the top. This situation appealed to a lot of people and was shown in its $65 million gross over its lifetime. The typical genre convention of bloody fights was shown in this film numerous times and was found as disturbing to many people. Originally the film received a X rating which only allows people 17 years or older to view it, but after numerous re-edits, by director Brian De Palma it was reduced to a R rating.





The Godfather is widely considered one of the best movie franchises ever made. It details the life of a crime family who passes on their legacy to their son. In one of the latter scenes of the film, people are being killed while the son is watching his son being baptized. The long musical note while violent actions occur has become a staple in this genre. The influence of this film was felt in the Italian community. As author of The Godfather Effect, Tom Santopietro said, “The film changed Hollywood because it finally changed the way Italians were depicted on film. It made Italians seem like more fully realized people and not stereotypes.” The film affect an entire class of people.





Films that are great examples of this genre include:

American Gangster                

 Legend

Black Mass

Donnie Brasco

Al Capone