NEALE, GENRE AND HOLLYWOOD
(ACTION-ADVENTURE)
GALLAGHER, ACTION FIGURES
Ali A. & Göktunç V. & İris C. & Reysi R.
Steve Neale, Action–Adventure
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¨ 
"Action-adventure" term has been used to describe
the common characteristics such as physical action,
fights, chases, explosions, special effects and
emphasis on athletic features.
Jeffords explains in his previous book the shift from
‘hard body’ of the Reagan years, to ‘soft body’ of
the Carter years. It’s also suggested that this shift
isn’t a return to soft body but a reframing of
masculine power through internal, personal and
family-oriented values.
Mark Gallagher, Action Figures: Men, Action Films,
and Contemporary Adventure Narratives
¨ 
Action narratives are the most suitable genre for the
performance of active masculinity where the
idealized main character can perform exceptionally
successful behavior which can only be logical in
narratives pass beyond the normative terrain.
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¨ 
According to James Heartfiel women typically
shoulder the blame for conditions attributable to
capitalism. And patriarchal capitalism privilege
men’s political, economic, artistic, and ideological
power over women’s.
The absence of women produces the problem of
inability to demonstrate heterosexuality therefore
women characters are involved into the story only to
prove the heterosexuality of the characters due to
dominant masculinity.
Action genre was known as “male genre” in 80s.
Movies are made with concerning male audiences,
women don’t have an important role in the movies.
After the 90s, action genre mixed with melodrama
and comedy which are more related with women
perspective
¨  Violence is important role in action scenes in this
genre. According to John Fiske, action movies show
violence as «cartoon violence» which indicates
violence in acceptable way. It increases tendency to
real violence espically for children.
¨ 
Contemporary action movies use melodrama
characteristics to change classical action movie
themes into a more attractive, easily accepted and
viewed format. Especially ‘comedy’ part of a
melodrama easily assures that what has been told is
actually ‘a joke’ to avoid any criticism to anti-social
conclusions.
¨  Action films as a whole, uses all possible
characteristics of comedy to disguise conflict with
modern social reality such as sexual discrimination,
racism, political conflicts like nationalism by mixing
elements from western, comedy and martial-art
films.
¨ 
Discussion Question 1:
¨ 
In the 1980’s action genre named as male genre. In
your opinion, contemporary action movies are still
male dominant movies or not?
Discussion Question 1:
¨ 
¨ 
In the 1980’s action genre named as male genre. In
your opinion, contemporary action movies are still male
dominant movies or not?
I think, action movies can still name as male genre.
Even though after the 90s women have more
important roles in action movies, male actors are
still dominant characters. For example, Terminator
and The bourne series have talented man
characters who saves innocent girls. Most of the
action movies based on this story. For these
reason, I think action genre is male dominant and
actress always underlying character.
Discussion Question 2:
¨ 
How does contemporary action movies avoid
viewers from judging the scenes from an intellectual
or sentimental level? In which genre we see a similar
approach?
Discussion Question 2:
¨ 
How does contemporary action movies avoid
viewers from judging the scenes from an intellectual
or sentimental level? In which genre we see a similar
approach?
¤  Contemporary
movies avoid viewers with multiple
camera positions and rapid cutting which helps action
to be transformed into a virtual reality. Similar
approach is seen in science-fiction films.
Discussion Question 3:
¨ 
There are many series of movies in action genre (for
example, The Bourne trilogy, James bond movies,
The Terminator, Die hard series, Lethal weapon, Fast
and Furious) by comparing other genres. In your
opinion, what are the reasons that there are many
action movie series?
Discussion Question 3:
¨ 
The first reason of that these movies have many
audiences. If the first movie is watched by many
people, producers know that people will watch
other movies of the series. With this way, it is
profitable that making series if the movie is
popular. Also, action movies are high budget
movies. Making new action movie is more risky than
making other series of popular action movie.
MCQ1:
¨ 
Which one below can’t be considered as a
characteristic of action-adventure genre?
n  Chase
n  Femme
Fatale
n  Fights
n  Athletic
Male Character
MCQ1:
¨ 
Which one below can’t be considered as a
characteristic of action-adventure genre?
n  Chase
n  Femme
Fatale
n  Fights
n  Athletic
Male Character
MCQ2:
¨ 
Which of the following years melodrama and
women start to gain importance in action genre?
n  60s
n  70s
n  80s
n  90s
MCQ2:
¨ 
Which of the following years melodrama and
women start to gain importance in action genre?
n  60s
n  70s
n  80s
n  90s
MCQ3:
¨ 
Chase and fight is a characteristic of action genre,
in which of the following it is also usually seen ?
n  The
Heritage
n  Romantic comedy
n  Noir
n  Western
MCQ3:
¨ 
Chase and fight is a characteristic of action genre,
in which of the following it is also usually seen ?
n  The
Heritage
n  Romantic comedy
n  Noir
n  Western