13 Film Comparison

One of the most successful ways of helping students to see how cultural attitudes change the way that films are made is through comparison. Consequently, there is a lot of value in providing assignments that allow students to see how the remake or the spoof of a film may have different messages and focuses than the original. Another interesting use of comparison can be achieved by providing two films from the same year that contain different arguments. An example of this is Tora! Tora! Tora! A traditionally made, expensive studio production and M*A*S*H, a low-budget film with a first-time director. The first film was made in the tradition of heroic war films, while the second criticized war and presented it as chaotic and pointless. A third choice is to compare a film to a spoof of that same film. A fourth comparison that works well is to have students watch and analyze two films from the same genre that were made in different time periods.

Here is a short list of films that work well in comparisons.

Remakes:

• Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937) – Snow White, A Tale of Terror (1997)
• War of the Worlds (1953) – War of the Worlds: The Attack (2023)
• War of the Worlds (1953) – War of the Worlds (2005)
• The Manchurian Candidate (1962) – The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
• Ben Hur (1959) – Ben Hur (2016)
• The Seven Samurai (1954) – The Magnificent Seven (1960)
• The Magnificent Seven (1960) – The Magnificent Seven (2016)
• Ocean’s Eleven (1960) – Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
• A Star is Born (1937, 1954 or 1976) – A Star is Born (2018)
• The Magnificent Seven (1960) – A Bug’s Life (1998)
• The Fly (1958) – The Fly (1986)
• True Grit (1969) – True Grit (2010)
• The Thing From Another World (1951) – The Thing (1982)
• Nosfuratu (1922) – Lost Boys (1987)
• Nosfuratu (1922) – Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

Here is a list of spoofs that work well:

• War of the Worlds (1953) – Mars Attacks (1996)
• Original Supermancartoons (1930s) – Deadpool (2016)
• The Magnificent Seven (1960) – Blazing Saddles (1974)
• Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) – Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
• Frankenstein (1931) – Young Frankenstein (1974)
• James Bond (any from the 1960s) Austin Powers (1997, 1999 or 2002)
• Any 1940s noir – Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982)

Film Genres:

Examples of common Film genres: Note that, genres and styles tend to overlap so this is not comprehensive.

Action

With exciting action sequences, battles, special effects, and physical confrontations, these films are designed to get the heart pumping.

• War films (Schindler’s List, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Saving Private Ryan)
• Police and detective films (Dirty Harry, The French Connection, 21 Jump Street)
• Super-hero films (Iron Man, X-Men, Deadpool)
• Science fiction (Alien, 2001 Space Odyssey, Star Wars)
• Disaster films (Dante’s Peak, Day after Tomorrow, Titanic)
• Adventure (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Lawrence of Arabia, Incredible Journey)
• Westerns are a once highly popular genre that focus on the old west of the United States. (The Magnificent Seven (1960), Shane, High Noon)

Comedy

Designed for amusement, comedy often contains witty dialogue, slapstick physicality and satire.

• Romantic comedy reveals the humor behind romance. It is usually focused on, whether or not a couple will get together, stay together or marry. (You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days)
• Slapstick comedy tends to be broad comedy that makes little attempt to seem believable and focusses on laughs above all else. It often includes physical comedy, freeze frames and visual jokes. (Modern Times, The Spy Next Door, Clueless)
• Satirical comedy uses humor, irony and exaggeration to criticize politics, culture, institutions and human weaknesses. It is often, but not always dark in nature. (Fargo, Dr. Strangelove, The Death of Stalin)
• Action comedy is what it sounds like, a film filled with action and laughs. (Now You See Me, Sherlock Holmes (2009), Galaxy Quest)

Drama

Dramas contain serious emotional themes, conflict and emotional struggles.

• Historic drama is based on historic events (Pearl Harbor, Gandhi, The Iron Lady)
• Period drama is often based on novels from earlier times (Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, True Grit)
• Romantic drama (see Romance, below)
• Crime Drama is made up of dramas about the criminal world. It is often focused on solving or committing a crime. (Inception, Scarface, American Gangster)

Documentaries

These films tend to be fact-based evaluations of events, tendencies and other realistic aspects of life. (Exit Through the Giftshop, Hoop Dreams, When We Were Kings)

Horror

Horror often includes monsters or other supernatural elements, elicits fear and dread, and is highly suspenseful

• Slasher films (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Psycho, Halloween)
• Monster movies (The Mummy, Dracula, The Thing)
• Murderers and serial killers (Serial Mom, The Bad Seed, American Psycho)
• Suspense/Thriller (The Fugitive, Memento, Blow Out)
• Combined with science fiction (Predator, Annihilation, The Terminator)

Romance

Films about romance focus on couples falling in or out of love.

• Romantic comedy focuses on the humor in romantic relationships (Crazy Stupid Love, Miss Congeniality, The Princess Bride)
• Tragic romance ends in heartbreak, death, sorrow or permanent separation. (Romeo and Juliet, Brokeback Mountain, The Fault in Our Stars)
• Idealistic romance values intense passion, fairy tale soulmates and emotional perfection over practical compromises. Love is viewed as, transformative and magical and destiny driven (Casablanca, Amelie, The Notebook)
• Romantic drama is often seen in period pieces and made for TV films. This genre mixes emotional storytelling with serious love stories. (The Vow, Me Before You, A Walk to Remember)

Science Fiction

Science fiction concepts are rooted in the imagination. These films are often about possible future scenarios or worlds other than earth. (Dune, The Empire Strikes Back, Interstellar)