GENRE RESEARCH - History of the Romantic Comedy

WHAT I ENDED UP APPLYING

• I have decided to stay in the realistic and contemporary side of rom-com, and not include any supernatural elements. It will mix to some extent with the genre of teen drama and coming of age.
• As the narrative develops beyond my coursework opening, and the two female characters come closer together, it could future elements of chick flick.

Origins in Literature:

16th century: plays by William Shakespeare, for example:

• As You Like It

• The Taming Of The Shrew
• A Midsummer Night's Dream
• Twelfth Night

Silent Film Era:

Eg.:Girl Shy (1924)

Subgenres:

• Screwball comedy (eg.: It Happened One Night, Bringing Up Baby, His Girl Friday, The Seven Year Itch, Some Like It Hot)
• Sex comedy (American Pie film series, Coming Soon)

Rom-com is already a hybrid, but can mix with other genres:

• Submarine, social realism
• Silver Linings Playbook can be seen to cover more serious issues so has a heavier dose of drama in its romantic comedy signifiers
• Shaun of the Dead, Warm Bodies: zombie subgenre of horror; zom-rom-com
• About Time deals with time travel: sci-fi rom-com
• Splash has a mermaid as the love interest, fairytale rom-com
• Enchanted is a satire on the romantic Disney film, and is also fairytale with supernatural elements, a deconstructionist, postmodern approach

CONNECTED TERMS

• Hom-com
• Chick flick
• Bromance