A romance film is when a plot revolves around the love between two main characters. They will endure highs and lows however mostly they will live happily ever after.
Essential themes of romance films
Common themes within romance films are: kissing, tragic love, love at first sight, sexual and passionate love, destructive love and sentimental love. These themes all appear in Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juilet'.
The first romance film
In 1896 films were not as long as they are today. Infact the first ever romantic film on lasted 18 seconds; it was created by Thomas Edison. He created his first film with features of a romance film, it featured a kiss. It is called 'The May Irwin Kiss'. The movie was filmed in April of 1896 in Edison's Black Maria studio in West Orange, New Jersey. This was seen as the most popular 'Edison Vita scope' film during this time period.
Different variations of romance films:
Romance drama - Casablanca (1942)
Chick flick - Terms of Endearment (1983)
Romance comedy (rom com) - Trouble in Paradise (1932)
Romance thriller - Sleeping With the Enemy (1991)
'Different from the Others'
This movie was a romance film released in 1919. However this was a different kind of romance film as this was the first film that addressed the issue of homosexuality. Richard Oswald directed this movie during WW1 in partnership with 'sexologist' Dr Magnus Hirschfeld.
Famous Historical Romance Films
Titanic (1997) - this features tragic love and true love between two people
Gone With the Wind (1939) - this features love and drama from an affair
Jane Eyre (1996) - this features love and drama due to the chaos linked to the person that Jane falls in love with
Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (1996) - this features love, tragedy and lust of the death of the characters
Typical conventions through out a romance film
Affection
Two main characters that fall madly involve
A male that attracts female viewers
The idea of 'Happy Ever After' at the end of the film
Conflicts and arguments between the characters which then lead to heart break
Climax - when they realise that they are in love with each other
Different emotions - love, sadness etc.
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