𝓡𝓮𝓼𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓬𝓱 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓰 #13 𝒯𝒽𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝑀𝓎 𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝒱𝒾𝒹𝑒𝑜 𝒫𝓇𝑜𝒿𝑒𝒸𝓉,𝒢𝑒𝓃𝓇𝑒 𝒯𝒽𝑒𝑜𝓇𝓎 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝑜𝓋𝒾𝑒

𝓡𝓮𝓼𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓬𝓱 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓰 #13 genras in My Final Video Project,Genre Theory and movie analysis.

HEYYYY 𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚

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Themes in My Final Video Project 

(just to make sure my point its clear)

For my final video project, I decided to mix two genras: Drama,  and Thriller. I wanted to have a mix of emotions and styles to make it more interesting. Since I’m not really planning to show up much in the video, my best friend is going to be my main actress, and she’s helping me bring all these themes to life.

Drama⊹ᡣ𐭩₊⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

I picked Drama because I love emotional stories and how they can really make people feel something. Drama lets me show tension, conflict, and real emotions, which makes the video more powerful. My actress is honestly perfect for it because she’s really good at showing emotion she can cry, look serious, or act hurt if needed.

To show the drama theme, I’m going to focus on close-up shots, emotional background music, and lighting that matches the mood. I want people to actually feel what the character is feeling when they watch it.

Drama is one of the largest and most expansive film genres. It often overlaps with everything from mystery to action to comedy, a.k.a. the dramedy. However, there are many films that are just dramas, and that is what this list seeks to celebrate. While films on this list cover topics like romance, war and coming-of-age stories, drama is at their hearts. The best drama movies of all time make audiences cry, think and, most importantly, feel. Dramas have been popular since the silent film era. Early dramas like Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, Battleship Potemkin and The Passion of Joan of Arc defined a genre that would quickly become considered the most prestigious by critics and audiences alike.

Thriller⊹ᡣ𐭩₊⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

I added Thriller because I wanted to have that suspenseful and exciting side too. I like when things get mysterious or intense and keep people wondering what’s going to happen next. My actress can totally pull this off because she knows how to switch emotions quickly she can go from calm to scared or serious in seconds, which works perfectly for a thriller.

To show the thriller part, I’m planning to use darker lighting, fast camera cuts, and sound effects that build tension. I might even use silence in some scenes to make it feel creepy or unexpected.

A thriller generally keeps its audience on the "edge of their seats" as the plot builds towards a climax. The cover-up of important information is a common element.^[2] Literary devices such as red herrings, plot twists, unreliable narrators, and cliffhangers are used extensively. A thriller is often a villain-driven plot, whereby they present obstacles that the protagonist or hero must overcome.

I decided to analyze some theories and authors in a few of my blogs, starting with this one, blog #13.ೃ࿔

🎥 1. Steve Neale – Genre Theory.ೃ࿔

Core idea: Genre is based on repetition and difference. Audiences enjoy familiar conventions but also expect something new.

Use in essay: When students discuss camera, sound, or editing, they can mention how these choices fit or challenge genre expectations.

Example: A thriller uses dim lighting and close-ups to build tension (repetition) but includes a female protagonist who saves herself (difference).

 

(google)

Steve Neale , Genre Theory 🎬💖.ೃ࿔

Steve Neale’s theory basically says that genres survive through repetition and difference ,  filmmakers follow certain rules but also break others to keep movies fresh. We recognize the genre because of repetition, but we stay interested because of difference. (like all movies just copy eachother basically)

His idea fits SO well with psychological, female-led films because those movies always mix familiar elements (like a “girl in crisis” arc) with something that feels uncomfortable (im sure would be ineteresting to make my audience uncomfortable), original, or slightly unhingedddd lol . That balance is what keeps the genre from dying out and just makes it stand out.

💗✨ 

Deep Analysis   .ೃ࿔

• Repetition:
  Psychological, feminine dramas often repeat certain vibes: intimate close-ups, quiet tension, emotional unraveling, symbolic color palettes (reds, whites, pastels), and a female protagonist we slowly dive into mentally.
• Difference:
  Each movie adds a twist  maybe the girl isn’t a victim, maybe she’s the danger, maybe the story feels dreamy or surreal, or maybe the tone is soft but disturbing.
  That’s what Neale means by genre evolving.
• Why girls dominate psychological cinema:
  There’s something about feminine storytelling that blends beauty and trauma in a way that feels new every time. Filmmakers use softness, vulnerability, and aesthetics to create tension that isn’t loud or masculine it’s subtle, emotional, and way more unsettling.

🎀🎥 

Examples With  Films.ೃ࿔

🌸 

જ⁀➴°⋆1. Black Swan (2010)

A hugely psychological movie but still girly and elegant.

       Repetition:

• jealousy
• pressure to be perfect
• dark ballet aesthetics
• mental breakdown arc

Difference:

The visual style is almost poetic. The horror comes from her body and mind falling apart which its lit the arttt of ittttt , not from jump-scares or just music.

It repeats psychological-horror patterns but twists them into something delicate and darkkk.

💕 

જ⁀➴°⋆2. The Love Witch (2016)

Artsy, colorful, feminist, campy, and literally shot like a 60s romance… but also psychological.

Repetition:

• femme fatale trope, like always because its the best.
• romance structure
• witchcraft as symbolism

Difference:

It takes the “girly aesthetic” and uses it against the audience  everything is pink, sparkly, and pretty while she’s emotionally unstable and manipulative, isint that THE BESTT part of it?

This twist shows exactly how Neale’s theory works: familiar genre, totally new flavor like strawberry with mint, unique but i bet yummy.

🎀 

જ⁀➴°⋆3. Gone Girl (2014)

Mainstream, but still dark and psychologically feminine.

Repetition:

• marriage drama
• mystery structure
• unreliable narrator

Difference:

Amy flips the “missing woman” trope and becomes the mastermind. It shifts the genre from victimhood to female power + manipulation.

That’s a MAJOR genre “difference” moment.

🌸 

જ⁀➴°⋆4. Raw (2016)

Female coming-of-age… but horrifying and weirdly intimate.

Repetition:

• transformation arc, simply magical
• coming-of-age themes
• outsider girl trope

Difference:

It mixes body horror, which i loveee, with femininity and innocence, making the genre feel personal instead of monstrous.

🎀 

જ⁀➴°⋆5. Priscilla (2023)

Soft, feminine, psychological, but not horror.

Repetition:

• male oppresing naive girls (ugh)
• romance falling apart

Difference:

It refuses to glamorize the relationship, it shows the psychological toll with softness, calmness, and detail.

This shift in tone is what Neale means by genre evolving. 

🎥💗 

Connection to Pearl ʚɞ

Hey, so this theory by Steve Neale connects to the movie Pearl, which I’m going to analyze in today’s section, wait for itt. It connects because Pearl uses super classic horror elements (the repetition) but mixes them with bright colors, dreamy cinematography, and a female-centered psychological story that completely twists what we expect from the genre that’s the difference.

The repetition is in the creepy close-ups, slow tension build-up, suspenseful music, and the feeling of isolation. These are all typical horror vibes. But the difference is Pearl as a character  Mia Goth plays her with this mix of innocence and insanity that almost feels theatrical, like a Broadway princess who snapped. The movie uses a color palette that looks like The Wizard of Oz but with violence and obsession underneath.

This twist on horror makes the film feel like a girly-pop nightmare pretty but disturbing, soft but insane, dreamy but tragic. That unique blend is EXACTLY what Neale describes: a genre that stays recognizable but becomes fresh and unforgettable through character, style, and emotion. Pearl stays horror, but it reinvents it through a feminine, dramatic, almost glamorous chaos 💋🔪🌸

Today's movieʚɞ

Pearl (2022) starring Mia Goth

🎀 

(tiktok)

 (2022) directed by Ti West, starring Mia Goth⊹₊⟡⋆

For this blog, I chose Pearl, which is honestly one of the most beautifully unhinged, tragic, and aesthetic horror movies ever. It’s the perfect mix of vintage glamour, soft pastel dreaminess, emotional intensity, and complete psychological chaos. The movie follows Pearl, a lonely farm girl in 1918 who dreams of being a star, but she’s trapped in a world that’s too small for her imagination, too harsh for her heart, and way too suffocating for her big sparkly dreams. I love how this film is both gorgeous and horrifying  like a pretty pink nightmare wrapped in lace and blood. Everything about it feels like a twisted fairy tale you can’t look away from 💗🖤🌸✨

Music & Sound:⊹₊⟡⋆

The soundtrack feels like an old Hollywood fantasy mixed with dark, simmering tension. It literally sounds like Pearl’s brain  hopeful, dramatic, and totally overwhelmed. The violins swell with her dreams, then get sharp and dramatic when her emotions start spiraling. The sound design uses tiny details too: the wind outside the farm, the footsteps on wooden floors, the scratch of animals, the eerie quiet before she snaps  everything builds that sense of loneliness and pressure. It’s whimsical and terrifying at the same time, which is SO Pearl 🎶🩰💔🔥

Lighting:⊹₊⟡⋆

The lighting is one of the best parts because it creates a fake, almost too perfect brightness. The farmhouse is soaked in sunlight and warm tones, like a postcard from a simpler time. But that brightness lowkey feels wrong  like it’s covering something dark underneath. When Pearl is outside, the light is golden, soft, dreamy, like she’s in her own fantasy world. But when she breaks down, the lighting gets colder, harsher, almost unreal. The contrast between warm and icy lighting mirrors her emotional rollercoaster so perfectly ✨🌼🖤

Editing:⊹₊⟡⋆

The editing feels slow and gentle during Pearl’s hopeful moments, giving you time to soak in her world and her little delusions. But when the movie shifts into horror, the edits become sharp, fast, and chaotic. The slow burn makes the explosions of violence feel even more shocking. There are long takes where we stay on Pearl’s face and watch her mind unravel in real time  it’s uncomfortable, intense, and honestly kinda amazing. The editing makes you feel trapped inside her head, which is exactly the point 🎞️💗😳

Mise-en-scène (setting, props, costumes):⊹₊⟡⋆

This movie is GORGEOUS. Everything in Pearl’s world looks sweet and innocent, but it all hides something dark and sad.

• The farmhouse is bright and old-fashioned, but it feels like a cage.
• The props  old magazines, mirrors, farm tools, the projection room all symbolize her desire for glamour and the harsh reality she lives in.
• And the costumes are literally perfection. Pearl’s blue farmer-girl dress looks cute and innocent, but also childish, like she’s stuck in a life she’s outgrown. Later, the bright red dress she wears is symbolic of her big dreams AND her violent transformation. The colors tell her whole story. It’s girly, theatrical, tragic, and iconic 🌸🎀💃🩸
  

Acting & Body Language:⊹₊⟡⋆

Mia Goth delivers one of the best performances EVER. She doesn’t just act  she transforms. Every smile looks like it’s holding back a scream. Every wide-eyed stare feels like someone begging to be seen. Her body language moves between hopeful little-girl innocence and full-on manic chaos. And the monologue near the end? That scene ALONE is like watching her entire soul crack open. She goes from trembling, to crying, to confessing, to smiling in this terrifying, heartbreaking way. She makes Pearl feel real, vulnerable, scary, and so so sad 💗😭🖤

Cinematography & Visual Style:⊹₊⟡⋆

The cinematography is colorful, bold, and almost cartoonishly pretty  which makes the violence and heartbreak feel even more shocking. The wide open fields, the blue skies, the flowers, the sunset scenes  everything looks like a fantasy, like a postcard from a perfect life Pearl wishes she had. The camera stays close to her, follows her, watches her break piece by piece. It has this retro, dreamy vibe that makes the whole movie feel like an American fairytale gone terribly, beautifully wrong 🌼✨🤍💔

Opening & Titles:⊹₊⟡⋆

The opening feels vintage and dramatic, like an old Hollywood movie. It immediately tells you this is Pearl’s story  her big, dramatic, sparkly, tragic story. The titles are bold, colorful, and theatrical, matching her fantasy of stardom. Even from the first few minutes, you can tell the movie is going to mix sweetness and darkness in the most aesthetic way 🎀🎬💅

Themes & Emotional Impact:⊹₊⟡⋆

Pearl is about so many things  loneliness, ambition, disappointment, delusion, girlhood, and the pressure to be perfect. It’s about wanting a life bigger than the one you were given. It’s about feeling invisible, trapped, and desperate for someone to see you, love you, choose you. And it’s about how dreams can turn into nightmares when the world doesn’t give you space to grow.

Pearl isn’t just scary  it’s sad. Like painfully sad. You understand her, even when she becomes violent. Her anger comes from years of being silenced, ignored, and trapped. The horror hits hard because the emotions underneath it are real 💗🩸🖤

Overall, Pearl is stunning, heartbreaking, and totally unforgettable. It’s girly, dramatic, aesthetic, terrifying, and beautifully tragic all at once. The music, lighting, costumes, cinematography, and Mia Goth’s performance all work together to create a story that feels like a pink fever dream filled with desperation and broken wishes. It’s the kind of movie you think about days later  it stays with you, sparkly and sad and slightly insane in the best way 💗🎀🩸🔥✨

˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪  ౨ৎ˚₊˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪  ౨ৎ˚₊˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪  ౨ৎ˚₊˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪  ౨ৎ˚₊˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪  

Sorry girlss!, this is all for today, 

i know its not as long as the rest. Either way, 

i highly hope you enyojed

˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪  ౨ৎ˚₊

See you in future blogssssss˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪  ౨ৎ˚₊

˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪  ౨ৎ˚₊

˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪  ౨ৎ˚₊bibliography

.

7. Sipos, T. M. (2010). Horror film aesthetics: Creating the visual language of fear. McFarland.

8. Clover, C. J. (1992). Men, women, and chain saws: Gender in the modern horror film. Princeton University Press.

9. McCormick, J. (2022). The A24 effect: Prestige horror and elevated aesthetics in contemporary cinema. Cinema & Culture, 19(4), 201–220.

10. Peters, A. (2023). Color, fantasy, and madness: The Wizard of Oz influences in Pearl. Journal of Film Aesthetics, 7(2), 33–48.

11. Neale, S. (2000). Genre and Hollywood. Routledge.

12. Neale, S. (1980). Genre. British Film Institute.

13. Altman, R. (1999). Film/Genre. British Film Institute.