Handbook of American Film Genres

More genres, 19 in fact, are discussed than in other standard works. The 14 genres considered here by film scholar contributors other than Gehring include the adventure film, the western, the gangster film, film noir, the WW II combat film, the horror film, science fiction, fantasy, the musical, melodrama, the social problem film, the biographical film, and the art film. The discussion of fine comedy genres by Gehring himself is far more extensive than in other genre studies, embracing screwball comedy, populist comedy, parody, black humor, and clown comedy. . . . Recommended for both undergraduate and graduate collections. Choice

With the increased sophistication of film scholarship in recent decades, the traditional motion picture categories are often found too limited to provide a workable basis for exploring the medium. Addressing the need for an expanded conceptual framework, this new handbook offers eighteen informative genre essays by recognized film scholars, together with selected filmographies and bibliographies for each category discussed. Written in a straightforward, readable style, it is the most comprehensive and up-to-date film guide available.