2. DRAMA SUB GENRES
• Crime
• Historical
• Comedy
• Melodrama
• Romantic
• Period piece
• Realist
3. DRAMA HISTORY
• During the 1940s. Movies were mostly pantomime
styled melodrama in silent movies. Movies such as
The Grapes of Wrath (1940) helped change this as it
showed the effects of the depression, helping form
the drama genre.
• During the 1950s actors became known for starring
in dramatic movies. James Dean, Marilyn Monroe,
Humphrey Bogart and Bette Davis were among the
few Hollywood actors who became well known for
acting in dramatic movies.
4. ICONOGRAPHY- CRIME DRAMAS
• Typically, in crime dramas, the same
type of characters tend to show up,
for example, there almost always are
mob bosses, drug dealers and some
sort of law enforcement involved (FBI
agents, police).
• In regards to the narrative, there is
usually a whodunit mystery involved,
as well as a character being murdered
and people living in rough areas.
• In terms of props, guns, drugs,
expensive cars and weapons are
always present.
5. ICONOGRAPHY- HISTORICAL DRAMA
• Historical (or period) dramas are
usually based on historical fact, and
channel different representations of
English social class (Royal Family,
Aristocracy). They use the
stereotypical representations of social
class, race, ethnicity and national
identity.
• In some, we witness a female victim
narrative, they are aspirational
women fighting for respect and
individualism.
• Each character in historical dramas
has their own storyline.
