Sweeney Todd: 'Stereotype' Of The Genre
Sweeney Todd
Amy Crosse
ENG 225
Instructor Bryde
December 15, 2014
Genre theory is the “stereotype” of the genre. Meaning, what one expects from a specific genre. For instance, a horror film is expected to illicit fear in the audience, while a musical is expected to have minimal spoken dialogue, and a dramatic tragedy is expected to have conflicts and end in a tragic or sad manner. Genre conventions and attributes contribute to the fulfillment of the genre theory. The genre conventions or techniques of a horror film such as recurring plot points featuring multiple murders, keeps the film grounded in the genre of horror, and gives definition and depth to the film. While the genre attributes or specific details like the back story of the main character that lead to the villainy, refine and accentuate the genre. When genre conventions and attributes are balanced, it is possible to cohesively combine multiple genres that would not normally go together, like horror, musical, and dramatic tragedy. An excellent example of the balance of these three genres is Sweeney Todd (Burton, 2007). …show more content…
Originating on Broadway, Sweeney Todd is one of the “most critically acclaimed musical[s] of the past half-century” (Teachout, 2008). Sweeney Todd fulfills the genre theory expectations, and delivers a cohesive balance between the genre attributes. Non-fantasy musicals are seen as a “risky curio rather than a box-office staple” (Teachout, 2008). While non-fantasy musicals are not as popular in film as they are on Broadway, Sweeney Todd perfectly marries the genres of horror and musical while adding a subtle dash of dramatic
Amy Crosse
ENG 225
Instructor Bryde
December 15, 2014
Genre theory is the “stereotype” of the genre. Meaning, what one expects from a specific genre. For instance, a horror film is expected to illicit fear in the audience, while a musical is expected to have minimal spoken dialogue, and a dramatic tragedy is expected to have conflicts and end in a tragic or sad manner. Genre conventions and attributes contribute to the fulfillment of the genre theory. The genre conventions or techniques of a horror film such as recurring plot points featuring multiple murders, keeps the film grounded in the genre of horror, and gives definition and depth to the film. While the genre attributes or specific details like the back story of the main character that lead to the villainy, refine and accentuate the genre. When genre conventions and attributes are balanced, it is possible to cohesively combine multiple genres that would not normally go together, like horror, musical, and dramatic tragedy. An excellent example of the balance of these three genres is Sweeney Todd (Burton, 2007). …show more content…
Originating on Broadway, Sweeney Todd is one of the “most critically acclaimed musical[s] of the past half-century” (Teachout, 2008). Sweeney Todd fulfills the genre theory expectations, and delivers a cohesive balance between the genre attributes. Non-fantasy musicals are seen as a “risky curio rather than a box-office staple” (Teachout, 2008). While non-fantasy musicals are not as popular in film as they are on Broadway, Sweeney Todd perfectly marries the genres of horror and musical while adding a subtle dash of dramatic