2. History Development Action films started in the 1920s and
1930s, action-based films were often "swashbuckling" this involved
a lot of sword fighting. The plots for these films were usually a
damsel in distress and a romantic element. Then in the 1940s and
1950s action films were now seen to be war fighting and cowboy
films. The war films were associated with warfare; these were
either naval, air or land battles taking place. The plot for the
war films consisted of a prisoner was being held by an enemy during
or after the war. Then in the 1960s the long-running success of the
James Bond films or series introduced a staple of the modern-day
action film: the resourceful hero. Then in the 1970s James Bond
gained competition against gritty detective stories and urban crime
dramas as they began to evolve and fuse themselves with the new
"action" style, which all featured in having an intense car chase.
The 1980s would see the action film take over Hollywood to become a
dominant form of summer blockbuster. "The action era" was
popularized by actors such as Sylvester Stallone. By the end of the
1980s, the influence of the successful action film could be felt in
almost every genre.
3. Audience The main target audience for action films are young
adult males who commonly have an interest in action, thrills and
excitement. They usually watch these films because they contain
things that are stereotypically "masculine. This includes things
such as car chases, explosions, gun/knife fights etc.
4. The Different Types of Action films Action comedy - A
subgenre involving action and humour e.g. Big mommas house Action
horror - A subgenre combining the intrusion of an evil force,
event, or supernatural personage of horror movies with the
gunfights and frenetic chases of the action genre. Themes or
elements often prevalent in typical action-horror films include
gore, demons, vicious animals, vampires and, most commonly, zombies
e.g. Dawn of the dead Disaster film - Having elements of thriller
and sometimes science fiction films, the main conflict of this
genre is some sort of natural or artificial disaster, such as
floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes, etc. e.g. The day after
tomorrow Martial arts - A subgenre of the action film, martial arts
films contain numerous fights between characters e.g. The karate
kid Sci-fi action - Sharing many of the conventions of a science
fiction film, sci-fi action films emphasizes gun-play, space
battles, invented weaponry, and other sci-fi elements weaved into
action film premises e.g. The island Spy film: In which the hero is
generally a government agent who must take violent action against
agents of a rival government or (in recent years) terrorists. They
often revolve around spies who are involved in investigating
various events, often on a global scale e.g. xXx Action thriller -
Featuring guns, cool explosions, and amazing set pieces. These
films often feature a race against the clock, lots of violence, and
a clearoften flamboyantly evilantagonist e.g. Snakes on the plane
Superhero film - Usually having elements of science fiction and
fantasy, they focus on the actions of one or more superheroes, who
usually possess superhuman abilities and are dedicated to
protecting the public e.g. Superman
5. Typical Character Types They always contain the recognisable
heroic type character who always seems to overcome incredible odds
and save the day.
6. Narrative The narrative for an action film usually follows
this path: 1.Opening: establishes setting and introduces character
2.Build up: Relationships established. Development of characters
and their world 3.Problem: a dilemma or series of complications.
Characters are faced with an obstacle to overcome a mystery to
solve, or often more than one 4.Events: a series of events/action
as characters try to overcome obstacle, solve problem, discover
truth and so on. Further complications may arise in the process
5.Resolution: the protagonists are victorious, problems are solved,
truth revealed 6.Ending: characters reflect on events, reinstate
relationships and look forward.
