Page 68 - A Handbook Genre Studies in Mass Media

FORMULAIC ANALYSIS

that subtly establish the authenticity of the Western genre. Trappings also
furnish cues about people, events, and situations. Heroes in Westerns are
identifiable by their white hats; conversely, villains wear black.
Using different trappings may give the illusion of a new genre. For
instance, it can be argued that police dramas are actually contemporary
Westerns. Horses have been replaced by hot cars, and the prairie and rough
towns of the Old West have been transformed into the urban landscape.
However, the essential conflicts of good verses evil remain the same.
For example, Syriana (2005), a film about today’s geopolitical land-
scape, consists of numerous subplots that overwhelm audiences and
critics alike. Moreover, a multitude of characters appears to operate in-
dependently as they jockey for position in an oil-based global economy.
Film critic Roger Ebert admits, “The movie’s plot is so complex we’re
not really supposed to follow it, we’re supposed to be surrounded by
it. Since none of the characters understand[s] the whole picture, why
should we?” 25
However, one way to make some sense of the film is through compari-
son with another genre: the Western. In this incarnation, gold has been
replaced by oil. The character of the gambler—the gent with the dark,
greasy hair, moustache, and cutaway coat—now appears as a multina-
tional oil executive. Just as the gamblers “owned” the local sheriff, the
oil companies influence the U.S. military. The Indian chiefs have been
replaced by Arab sheiks; but instead of being bought off by trinkets and
whisky, these tribal leaders have been diverted by expensive playthings
such as yachts and condos. Thus, despite these differences, the essential
formula remains the same, as do the themes of greed and betrayal.

Formulaic Twists

Producers of popular genres are faced with the same challenge: program-
ming must be fresh enough to attract an audience but not be so innovative
that it loses that audience altogether. Faced with the glut of programming,
media communicators often feel the necessity to push the envelope; that
is, to make their programs distinctive by extending the parameters of
the formula. Peter Roth, the president of the Warner Brothers television
production studio, explains:

The business is challenging and it seems more so this year than any in a
long time. There is only one answer for the traditional show creators. You

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