Film/Genre revises our notions of film genre and connects the roles played by industry critics and audiences in making and re-making genre. Altman reveals the conflicting stakes for which the genre game has been played and recognises that the term 'genre' has different meanings for different groups, basing his new genre theory on the uneasy competitive yet complimentary relationship among genre users and discussing a huge range of films from The Great Train Robbery to Star Wars and from The Jazz Singer to The Player.
Preface
1. What is at stake in the history of literary genre theory?
2. What is generally understood by the notion of film genre?
3. Where do genres come from?
4. Are genres stable?
5. Are genres subject to redefinition?
6. Where are genres located?
7. How are genres used?
8. Why are genres sometimes mixed?
9. What role do genres play in the viewing process?
10. What communication model is appropriate for genres?
11. Have genres and genre functions changed over time?
12. What can genres teach us about nations?
Conclusion: A semantic/syntactic/pragmatic approach to genre
Appendix: 'A semantic/syntactic approach to film genre'
Bibliography
Index
