This document provides an overview of critical frameworks that can be used to analyze popular films, including star/performer studies, genre theory, auteur theory, and social/political/cultural studies approaches. It explains that a critical framework is a set of tools to unpack the meanings within a film. Some key frameworks covered are genre conventions and similarities/differences, auteur theory's focus on a director's personal vision, and how cultural studies examines films within their historical contexts and audiences. The document also summarizes how frameworks like gender studies and ethnicity can analyze representations and messages in films.

1. A P P R O A C H E S T O
P O P U L A R F I L M
C R I T I C A L F R A M E W O R K S

2. Y O U R C R I T I C A L S T U D Y
One focus film
Two related films
One critical framework

3. I T ’ S A T O O L K I T…
what is a critical framework?

4. A S E T O F C R I T I C A L
T O O L S W I T H W H I C H T O
“ U N PA C K ” T H E
M E A N I N G S C O N TA I N E D
W I T H I N A F I L M

5. Y O U C A N U S E
O N E O F T H E
F O L L O W I N G
A P P R O A C H E S …

6. S TA R / P E R F O R M E R S T U D I E S
G E N R E T H E O RY
A U T E U R T H E O RY
S O C I A L P O L I T I C A L C U LT U R A L S T U D I E S
G E N D E R I S S U E S
E T H N I C I T Y
I N S T I T U T I O N
T E C H N O L O G Y

7. S TA R / P E R F O R M E R

8. Stars are central to the
concerns of both the film
industry and the audience

9. stars can be ideological images
that communicate dominant
values

10. T H E S TA R C O M M U TAT I O N T E S T
does the meaning of a film change
with a different star in the main role?

11. stars in context: not just their films,
but their publicity materials and
other media texts

12. stars are objects of desire –
audiences view films to complete
the puzzle of the star’s image

13. P R E T E N D I N G
R E S E M B L I N G
I M I TA T I N G
C O P Y I N G
D E V O T I O N

14. genre theory

15. Similarity and Difference
Genre refers to groups of texts
which share a pattern of
similarity and difference.

16. Are genres “out there”
in the world, or do they
get defined by critics?

17. The pleasure for the audience
often lies in the experience of
difference within the similarity
(or vice versa!).

18. The most important aspect of
genre is this relationship
between media institutions,
texts, and audiences.

19. As an audience, we gain
mastery over genre texts by
“reading” them — we feel
good about doing this

20. When considering genre, you
should think about socio-
historical context, ideology &
politics, and historical
development.

21. A U T E U R T H E O RY
“ Y O U R C I N E M A I S I N VA L I D ”

22. film as a form of individual
expression

23. a concern to elevate film as
an art form

24. valuing directors with powerful
personalities, because they can
make themselves felt through an
industrial process

25. S O C I A L , P O L I T I C A L &
C U LT U R A L S T U D I E S

26. a cultural studies approach looks
at films in their contexts and is
especially interested in the
behaviour of the audience

27. film as a popular art form -
reflecting working class
experience and values?

28. film as a means of spreading
the social values of the
dominant class?

29. different audiences have
different responses to films

30. G E N D E R & F I L M

31. the bechdel test?

32. the male gaze

33. cultural resistance

34. images of masculinity and
femininity

35. E T H I C I T Y & F I L M

36. representations of people of
colour

37. blaxploitation movies

38. stereotypes, messages &
values

39. resistance to the dominant
culture

40. I N S T I T U T I O N A L

41. studios, producers, finance –
the economics of the film
industry

42. T E C H N O L O G I C A L

43. the use of digital
cinematography

44. the use of CGI

45. movies made at the time of
key technological
developments