Body genre
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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In genre theory and narratology body genres refer to genres that have an effect on the audience's body. These genres produce a physical effect, catching the body in the grip of an intense sensation or emotion, making the body display a physical reaction. The term was first brought forward by film scholar Carol J. Clover in "Her Body, Himself: Gender in the Slasher Film" (1987) to designate "the sensation or "body" genres, horror and pornography", "the only two genres specifically devoted to the arousal of bodily sensation".
Linda Williams expanded the definition to include melodrama. J. W. Geerinck later included 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 (and thriller): the fear causes the physical reaction of trembling produced by adrenaline, of sweating and possibly goose bumps
- erotica and pornography: the physical reaction is sexual arousal, tumescence, vaginal lubrication and orgasm
Music
Similarly, in music, a distinction can be made between mind and body genres. The example of a musical genre with a focus towards the body is dance music.
See also