Blake Snyder is a screenwriter who has sold many of his spec scripts to various distributors and production companies and made millions of dollars from it. A screenwriting manual he has written, Save the Cat, has sold millions of copies worldwide. There is a section in this manual in which Snyder describes the 10 different types of movies out there and has examples of films which would fit into each category or genre.
Monster in the House: This genre is where films like Jaws, Tremors, Alien, The Exorcist, Fatal Attraction and Panic Room would fit into. The name "Monster in the House" refers to the suspense built throughout the film and jump scares that they provide when the so-called 'monster' appears.
Golden Fleece: This type of film is where the main character aims for one thing but ends up discovering a different thing: himself. A lot of rests on how the character changes as the film goes on and the actual aim that he or she sets out for becomes secondary. Examples of these films include Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, Back to the Future and Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Out of the Bottle: These films usually centre around wish fulfilment and how a character, usually down on their luck, find themselves in bizarre situations because they have wished about something that they never thought would happen. Examples of these type of films include Bruce Almighty, Liar Liar and Freaky Friday.
Dude With a Problem: This type of film is usually based around a seemingly ordinary character who have been put in circumstances that require them to dig deep down inside themselves to discover that they have a lot potential to do more. Films like this include Die Hard, Schindler's List and Dude, Where's My Car?.
Rites of Passage: This genre is usually about change and how the characters come to deal with these changes in their lives. A lot of these changes vary depending the age of the character, including puberty, divorce and death among many other things. Films included in this category are American Pie, Ordinary People and 10.
Buddy Love: This is a very universal and relatable genre as it is much like everyday life with a best friend or even a couple in a relationship. Usually, they encounter something that may end this relationship but ultimately end up stronger because they have fought past it. Films like this include Ted, Rain Man and Lethal Weapon.
Whydunit: Unlike the Golden Fleece genre, the Whydunit isn't about the hero changing, its about the audience discovering something about human nature that they didn't think was possible before the "crime" was committed and the "case" begin. The audience are forced to ask themselves why we had to do whatever we did. Films like this include Chinatown, Citizen Cane and Mystic River.
The Fool Triumphant: This genre focuses on an underdog-type character who rises up and becomes triumphant. Many of these stories involve luck and hope and how the character lives through everyday when people underestimate his or her abilities. Notable examples are Forrest Gump, The Pursuit of Happiness and Being There.
Institutionalized: This type of film is usually about a group of characters and how one of them tries to expose the group as something else but ultimately lose their identity to the group. Prominent example include Reservoir Dogs, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and The Godfather.
Superhero: This is the opposite of 'Dude With a Problem.' The character is an extraordinary being who finds themselves exposed to the ordinary world. A lot of other characters challenge these 'superheroes' because they are envious of their power but ultimately they realise it is best that these superheroes are a benefit to them. Notable examples of this genre are X-Men, Spiderman, Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind.
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