Body genre
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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In genre theory, narratology, visual culture and music, body genres refer to genres that have an effect on the spectator's body. This physical effect has the body caught in the grips of intense sensation or emotion, making the body display a physical reaction. The term was first brought forward by film scholar Carol Clover who included horror and pornography. Linda Williams expanded the definition to include melodrama. Jahsonic was the first to include laughter to the definition.
Generally, body genres are considered of lower value than "mind genres", or "cerebral genres" (which appeal to the intellect rather than the body).
The physical reactions in body genres are:
- comedy and humour: the physical reaction is laughter
- melodrama: the physical reaction is crying which produces tears, the genre is also called a "tearjerker".
- horror: the physical reaction is trembling, by the fear that produces adrenaline
- erotica and pornography: the physical reaction is sexual arousal, tumescence and orgasm
In music
Similarly, in music there are mind and body genres as well. The example of a musical genre with a focus towards the body is dance music.
See also