CHRISTMAS MOVIES RULES - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

 Film genres have formulas and rules, but how well do Christmas films follow their formula?

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989), the third film in the vacation is a family home christmas story.

The following may contain spoilers for

"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" (1989)

SLASHER FILM RULES - Silent Night, Deadly Night part 2 (1987)

Every genre has cliches, but how well does the second Silent Night Deadly Night film follow the Slasher film rules?

Silent Night, Deadly Night part 2 (1987) Ricky Caldwell, brother of the killer from Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) recounts that film in detail and then his own series of copycat killings. While a slasher film it's about a damaged individual getting revenge on the world.

The following analysis may contain spoilers for

Silent Night, Deadly Night part 2 (1987)

CHRISTMAS MOVIES RULES - The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

 Film genres have formulas and rules, but how well do Christmas films follow their formula?

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) is, pretty obviously, a Muppet adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

The following may contain spoilers for

"The Muppets Christmas Carol" (1992)

SLASHER FILM RULES - Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

Every genre has cliches, but how well does a Friday the 13th film follow the Slasher film rules?

In Friday the 13th Part VIII - Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) travels by ship to New York.

The following analysis may contain spoilers for

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VIII: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN (1988)

SLASHER FILM RULES - The Rules [3]

Film genres have formulas and rules, but what are the rules for Slasher Films?

Another update to the Slasher Film Rules, after the first set and the first update.  New rules or updates to old rules in italics.

POLL - SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY [Repost]

Rules, tropes, cliches all films have them, what sub-genres should I test?

Science Fiction & Fantasy has won the genre poll.  Please vote of the SF & F sub-genre you want me to do next...  [Currently "Post-Apocalyptic" is ahead.]

HIGH FANTASY RULES - Stardust (2007)

Film genres have formulas and rules, but how well do High Fantasy films follow their formula?

Stardust (2007) is the film about a star and boy who just happens to work in a shop right now.

The following analysis may contain spoilers for

STARDUST (2007)

POLLS - CURRENT

Each week (ish) I review a film to see if it follows the rules/formulas/cliches of the sub-genre it comes from.  You can help pick future sub-genres to be tested:

Rank the genres from the one you'd most like to see the sub-genre picked from to the least:

Follow the links below to pick the sub-genres to be tested:

• Action
• Comedy & Musical
• Crime
• Drama, Historical & Epic
• Exploitation
• Horror
• Science Fiction & Fantasy
• Sex & Romance
• Suspense & Thriller
• Other

Check out the master list of all of the sub-genres and types of film.

Currently in the lead:  Science Fiction & Fantasy - Sword & Sorcery.

~ DUG.

[High Fantasy Film Rules]

[Slasher Film Rules][Rom Com Rules][Lesbian Romance Rules][Manic Pixie Dream Girl][Christmas Movies][Disaster Film Rules][Zombie Rules]

[Genre Polls][Rules Explained][Schedule][Films List]

[Comic Book Stepping On Points|Classic Doctor Who refs|The Film Rules|Internet Truth Debunked|The Completist|Truly Fiction]

HIGH FANTASY RULES - Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Film genres have formulas and rules, but how well do High Fantasy films follow their formula?

Pan's Labyrinth (2006) aka El Laberinto Del Fauno is a modern fairy tale for adult.  

The following analysis may contain spoilers for

PAN'S LABYRINTH (2006)

HIGH FANTASY RULES - Willow (1988)

Film genres have formulas and rules, but how well do High Fantasy films follow their formula?

Willow (1988) is the a family-friendly high fantasy film about Willow, the member of a race of little people who tries to get the baby, Elora Danan, to someone to look after her, little knowing she is prophecised to bring about the death of the evil Queen Bavmorda.

The following analysis may contain spoilers for

WILLOW (1988)

SLASHER FILM RULES - Analysis: List 3

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?

Although I'm calling these Slasher Film Rules, they can apply to a range of horror sub-genres.

Ten films were tested:

• Black Christmas (1974)
• My Bloody Valentine (1981)
• Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
• April Fool's Day (1986)
• Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI (1986)
• Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
• Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
• Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)
• Leprechaun 2 (1994)
• Leprechaun 3 (1995)

The previous 20 films looked at were:

• And Then There Were None (1945)
• Peeping Tom (1960)
• Psycho (1960)
• Night of the Living Dead (1963)
• Jaws (1975)
• Halloween (1978)
• Alien (1979)
• Friday the 13th (1980)
• Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
• Halloween II (1981)
• Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
• Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
• A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
• Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
• A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
• Leprechaun (1993)
• Scream (1997)
• Saw (2004)
• Wolf Creek (2004)
• Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

Of course, these films say nothing about the genre as a whole.  Certainly things can be said about the films, though.  They are usually bigger name films, smaller low-budget or less successful films may rely on the rules more.   One is a post-modern film in which the characters know the rules.  About half may not be purely "slasher" films and may not need to follow the rules.

POLLS - OTHER

Rules, tropes, cliches all films have them, what sub-genres should I test?

Help decide on future film sub-genres to be tested by doing the following poll (explanations for sub-genres appear after the poll.)

• Adaptations - Films based on plays, books, comics, etc.  [Educating Rita]
• Art House films - Arty and independent films outside the mainstream.  [Better than Chocolate]
• Beach Party films - Films from the Beach Party film series and similar films.  [Muscle Beach Party]
• Christian films - Films created for a Christian audience.  [God's Not Dead]
• Dogme '95 films - Films that follow the Dogme '95 rules.  [The Idiots]
• German Expressionism movement - Dark films from the German in the 1910s - 1930s. [Metropolis]
• Italian Neo-Realism - Italian films from WWII and the post-WWII period dealing with poverty and injustice. [The Bicycle Thief]
• "Road to..." film series - Films from the Bing Crosby/Bob Hope film series.  [Road to Morocco]
• Road Trip films - Films about people traveling across country.  [Something Wild]
• British New Wave Social Realism - Films about the working class struggle in a declining economic structure.  [Raining Stones]

Any other genre you feel are missing and need to be added to the list?  Any films that need to be tested?  Please comment below.

~ DUG.

[Genre Polls]

[Slasher Film Rules][Rom Com Rules][Lesbian Romance Rules][Manic Pixie Dream Girl][Christmas Movies][Disaster Film Rules][Zombie Rules][High Fantasy Film Rules]

[Rules Explained][Schedule][Films List]

[Comic Book Stepping On Points|Classic Doctor Who refs|The Film Rules|Internet Truth Debunked|The Completist|Truly Fiction]

SLASHER FILM RULES - Leprechaun 3

Every genre has cliches, but how well does the 3rd film in the Leprechaun series follow the Slasher film rules?

 Leprechaun 3 (1995) is the story of yet another leprechaun on a killing rampage to get one of his gold coins back

The following analysis may contain spoilers for

LEPRECHAUN 3 (1995)

POLL - SUSPENSE & THRILLER

Rules, tropes, cliches all films have them, what sub-genres should I test?

Help decide on future film sub-genres to be tested by doing the following poll (explanations for sub-genres appear after the poll.)

• Anti-War Films - Films that feature war, but portray it as a bad thing.  [Saving Private Ryan]
• Cold War Films - The USA and the USSR are on the brink of all-out war which only our hero can stop.  [Hunt for the Red October]
• Conspiracy Films - Films where a character discovers a world of murder and conspiracy.  [Enemy of the State]
• Erotic Thrillers - Films where a character is lured into a world of sleaze and murder by sex.  [The Monkey's Mask]
• Espionage Films/Spy Thrillers - Films that feature espionage, but focus more on suspense than action.  [Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy]
• Legal Thriller - A courtroom drama, but with more danger to the protagonists [The Firm]
• Outbreak/Contagion Films - A film about the beginnings and spread of a deadly pandemic and possibly the collapse of society that follows.  [Warning Sign]
• Political Thrillers - Films where the fate of a country's political future is at stake.  [All The President's Men]
• Psychological Thrillers - Films where the unstable mental state of a character or characters is a feature.  [Psycho]
• Supernatural Thrillers - A film with supernatural elements that focuses more on building tension than the gore or killing of other horror films.  [Jack & Diane]

There may be a lot of crossover between these sub-genres, many Suspense & Thriller films are action films or horrors or close to crossing the lines into becoming them.  Films may be tested in multiple genres.

There are Suspense & Thriller sub-genres not included here that appeared in previous polls.

• Action Films - most sub-genres depending on the levels of action and suspense.
• Crime Films - most sub-genres depending on the levels of mystery and suspense.
• Drama Films - most sub-genres depending on the levels of drama and suspense.
• Exploitation - most sub-genres depending on the levels of suspense.
• Horror - most sub-genres depending on the levels of horror and suspense.
• Science Fiction & Fantasy - most sub-genres depending on the levels of suspense.

Any sub-genres of Sex & Romance you feel are missing and need to be added to the list?  Any films that need to be tested?  Please comment below.

~ DUG.

[Genre Polls]

[Slasher Film Rules][Rom Com Rules][Lesbian Romance Rules][Manic Pixie Dream Girl][Christmas Movies][Disaster Film Rules][Zombie Rules][High Fantasy Film Rules]

[Rules Explained][Schedule][Films List]

[Comic Book Stepping On Points|Classic Doctor Who refs|The Film Rules|Internet Truth Debunked|The Completist|Truly Fiction]

SLASHER FILM RULES - Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

Every genre has cliches, but how well does a Friday the 13th film follow the Slasher film rules?

Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) in which a girl with special powers accidentally frees Jason.

The following analysis may contain spoilers for

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD (1988)