Genre Presentation21 Jump Street

Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZirgAYBcOgo

Here is a Wordle of our initial responses about the film:

21 Jump Street is primarily a comedy film.

However, it does count as an action film too.

Some websites even say it is a crime drama!

Here are some codes and conventions for comedy genres:

The setting of comedy genres usually depend on their target audiences. For example, teen comedies typically occur in school and in houses. Where as comedies made for an older audience could take place in pubs and clubs.

There are usually different types of characters and personalities in each film. There is a ‘stupid/ foolish’ person, and a smart person and these two will be paired together. There may also be several other ‘normal’ people who seem to get in the way.

It plays off stereotypes and anticipation through-out films

There are three types of

comedy:

• Slapstick – Uses physical

movement and gestures.

Physical comedy is often

influenced by clowning.

• Dark Humour – Has

disturbing subjects e.g

death, drugs, terrorism,

rape and war.

• Wit/ Wordplay – More

intelligent forms of

comedy based on clever,

often subtle manipulation

of language.

21 Jump Street definitely uses these codes and conventions in the film. They have made some twists to them, for example, instead of one smart person and one ‘stupid’ person, the film uses two characters that have no idea what they are doing, and are only succeeding through luck.

They uses stereotypes a lot, especially since it is set in a high school. They have the students spilt into their groups of the cool people, football players, nerds and the ‘weirdos’.

They exaggerate these stereotypes for a comedic effect because most of the audience are at the age where they can relate to the scenarios and can think of people who are like those characters, which can make it funnier.

The men with guns on the cover contrasts with the

setting they are in (which is senior prom). This

could be seen as funny because you don’t really

expect to find these things at a prom. Having the

movie set at prom also suggests this may have a

teen-based audience.

Pun on the type of action that is in

The movie

The men are stood back to back showing

that they may be equals in this film, but

having Channing Tatum holding the gun

upwards, may perhaps show that he has

a little more control and that the Jonah

Hill may be more of a sidekick.

The main colour featured on this poster is

white, which would normally reflect innocence

and the power of good. However as you see

this is contradicted by having black stripes on

them and by having guns. This can therefore

reflect the fact that they are in disguise and

that the “normal teenage boy” appearance is

just an act.