Film Terms Vocabulary

Cinematic Term Definition and Explanation Example (if applicable)

usually refers to that part of a film's budget that
above the line covers the costs associated with major creative
(also, below the line) talent: the stars, the director, the producer(s)
and the writer(s), although films with expensive
special effects (and few stars) have more 'above
the line' budget costs for technical aspects; the
term's opposite is below the line
a line of dialogue improvised by an actor during
ad lib a performance; can be either unscripted or
deliberate; improvisation consists of ad-libbed
dialogue (and action) that is invented or created
by the performer
the pseudonym used by directors who refuse to Examples: Death of a
Alan Smithee film put their name on a film and want to Gunfighter (1969), Let's
disassociate themselves, usually when they Get Harry (1986), The
believe their control or vision has been co-opted Shrimp on the Barbie
by the studio (i.e., the film could have been (1990), and the last film
recut, mutilated and altered against their with the ironic alias: An
wishes); aka Alan Smithee Jr., Allan Smithee, or Alan Smithee Film: Burn,
Allen Smithee Hollywood, Burn (1997).
contractual agreement in which a percentage of
ancillary rights the profits are received and derived from the
sale of action figures, posters, CDs, books, T-
shirts, etc.
occurs when a character in a film breaks the
aside 'fourth wall' and directly addresses the audience
with a comment.
refers to the events that directly happened prior
back story to the beginning of the story, or lead to the
story; composed of information that helps fill
out the skeletal story of a screenplay or a
character's background, often to help actors (or
the audience) understand motivation.
the placement or display of names of actors,
billing directors, and producers for a movie in publicity
materials, opening (or closing) film credits, and
on theatre marquees. A person's status is
indicated by the size, relative position, and
placement of their name. Generally, higher
positions closer to the top with larger and more
prominent letters designate higher importance
and greater box-office draw, and precede
people of lesser importance; the most
prominent actor that appears first is said to
 have top billing, followed by second billing, and
so forth.
a small acting role (usually only one scene, such
bit part as a waiter) with very few lines or acting;
(or bit player) contrast to a cameo, extra, orwalk-on role.

biz in shorthand, refers to the "business", or "show

business".
refers to late 40s and early 50s McCarthyism The Hollywood Ten were a
blacklisting and the HUAC's (House UnAmerican Activities group of playwrights and
(and blacklist*) Committee) formal and informal discrimination moviemakers who refused
and 'blacklisting' (effectively banning from to answer questions
employment) of various actors, artists and claiming their First
filmmakers based upon their personal, political, Amendment rights, and
social, or religious beliefs (i.e., "Communist were charged with
sympathizers"); the blacklist was a roster of contempt - they included
illegal artists who were not to be hired during Herbert Biberman, Lester
the years 1947- 1951. Cole, Albert Maltz, Adrian
Scott, Samuel Ornitz,
*Also, a short list of the best screenplays that Dalton Trumbo, Edward
are available for option. Dmytryk, Ring Lardner Jr.,
See: https://blcklst.com/ John Howard Lawson, and
Alvah Bessie; also
informally blacklisted
recently were Jane Fonda
and Vanessa Redgra
a combination of the terms "black" and Examples: Sweet
blaxploitation "exploitation"; refers mainly to sensational, low- Sweetback's Badasssss
budget films in the 1970's featuring mostly Song (1971), Superfly
African American casts (and directors), that (1972), and Ralph Bakshi's
broke the mold of black characterization in animated Coonskin (1975);
feature films; usually emphasized fads of the a documentary titled
time in hairstyles, music and costuming, and Baadasssss Cinema (2003)
also brutality, sleazy sex, street-life, racist and from the Independent Film
militant attitudes, etc Channel by filmmaker Isaac
Julien examined the early
70s and the phenomenon
of blaxploitation films
an actual error or mistake (misplaced action, or Examples: in Jurassic Park
blooper mis-spoken dialogue by a performer), usually (1993), the name of a
embarrassing or humorous, made by a common dinosaur
performer during filming; also known as a goof, (Stegosaurus) was spelled
flawor flub; also continuity incorrectly; in the cafeteria
scene at Mt. Rushmore in
North by Northwest
(1959), a boy extra in the
cafeteria of Mt. Rushmore
 plugs his ears before a gun
goes off; or in The Invisible
Man (1933) when Claude
Rains strips to avoid police,
he leaves visible shoe
prints in the snow;
probably the most
frequent flub in films is the
appearance of the boom
mike
refers to purging/removing anything considered
bowdlerize(d) disturbing, vulgar, or adult in content in order to
make it sanitized for mass market consumption
and appropriate for children; originally a literary
term derived from the name of Englishman
Thomas Bowdler who published a 'censored'
Family Shakespeare version in the early 1800s.
a subgenre of film (comedies, westerns, dramas, Examples: The Defiant
buddy film action films, road films, etc.) in which two Ones (1958), Butch Cassidy
mismatched persons (usually males) are forced and the Sundance Kid
to work together, often a pair of police cops; (1969), Midnight Cowboy
situations are often contrived to present the (1969), 48 HRs
pair with challenges or strains that both (1984),Lethal Weapon
strengthen their bond and weaken it; buddy (1987), Midnight Run
films are often action/comedy films with witty (1988) (pictured), Thelma
dialogue between the two characters and & Louise (1991),
sometimes the inclusion of a love triangle; has Unforgiven (1992),
been extended to include female buddies; Wayne's World (1992),
compare to fish-out-of-water tale Dumb and Dumber (1994),
Leon (or The Professional)
(1994), The Shawshank
Redemption (1994), Men
in Black (1997)
usually refers to the pre-film segment of pre- Examples: MGM's lion,
bumper made film that contains studio trademark and Universal's spinning globe,
logo or title identification; also refers to a period DreamWorks' cloudy scene
of positive financial growth (i.e., it was a with boy fishing, etc.
'bumper year' for films)
slang for the sense of excitement, expectancy,
buzz and hype that surrounds a film, an actor, or a
director
a soundtrack of natural, atmospheric, on-
buzz track location background noise that is added to the
re-recorded (or looped) track of actors' dialogue
and other sound effects recordings to create a
more realistic sound; aka referred to as room
tone or matching ambient sound; a wild track or
 sound refers to a soundtrack w/o any
synchronized picture accompanying it (e.g., the
sounds of a playground)
a type of comedy parody wherein conventional Examples: The Rocky
camp (and especially overused or clichéd) situations Horror Picture Show (1975)
(or campy) and plot devices are intentionally exaggerated and Barbarella (1968).
to the point of absurdity to produce humor
in movie terms, a definitely guaranteed 'can't Examples: The Star Wars
cash cow miss’ blockbuster film that promises to generate franchise, the Indiana
disproportionately tremendous profits due to its Jones films, the Spider
lucrative franchise (sequels, merchandising, Man films, etc.
spin-offs, etc.)
refers to the illegal practice (mostly during the Example: Frances
casting couch heyday of the studio system) when unknown McDormand, who played
young actors or actresses (starlets) exchanged the role of Marge
sex (literally on an office couch) with acasting Gunderson in Fargo (1996),
director or producer in order to acquire/land a once joked that she got the
role in a film role by the 'casting couch'
method - she 'slept with'
the director Joel Coen - her
husband!
short phrases, expressions, or words that have Examples: "over the top",
catchphrase (film) become favored and/or popularized due to "indie-style", "laugh riot",
repeated use, often by film critics "frightfest", "crowd-
pleaser", "Oscar-worthy",
"three-hankie ending",
"haunting images", "urban
comedy", "beautifully
realized", etc.
A literary term, referring to a narrative with a Example: Reefer Madness
cautionary tale moral message warning of the consequences of (1936); Dr. Strangelove,
certain actions, ideologies, character flaws, Or:... (1964); Planet of the
technologies or institutions, often with a Apes (1968); War Games
downbeat ending; many slasher horror films are (1983); the segment about
semi cautionary tales about one of the Mr. Creosote and his
consequences of sex or experimenting with the gluttonous appetite in
occult --- death; see also satire, morality tale Monty Python's The
and nihilism Meaning of Life (1983);
The Evil Dead series;
Gremlins (1984); thirteen
(2002).
refers to films popular with women, but also Examples: Steel Magnolias
chick flicks used in a derogatory sense to marginalize films (1989), Thelma & Louise
with heavy, sappy emotion and numerous (1991)
female characters; aka tearjerkers
a humorous or farcical interlude in a dramatic Example: Walter Huston as
comic relief film, usually provided by a buffoonish character, a grizzly prospector -
 intended to relieve the dramatic, built-up dancing a jig on ground
tension or heighten the emotional impact by laced with gold in The
means of contrast Treasure of the Sierra
Madre (1948)
a film associated with difficult teen rites of Examples: Rebel Without A
coming-of-age (film) passage (from adolescence to adulthood), the Cause (1955) with iconic
onset of puberty, the loss of naive innocence James Dean,Summer of '42
and childhood dreams, the experience of (1971), American Graffiti
growing up, achieving sexual identity, etc.; aka (1973), Breaking Away
teen films (1979), the films of John
Hughes
a comedic convention that refers to the way in Example: W.C. Field's
double take which an actor first looks at an object (subject, double-take at a black
event, scene, etc.), then looks away, and then bank customer in a teller
snaps his head back to the situation for a line in The Bank Dick
second look - with surprise, disgust, sexual (1940)
longing, etc.; a variation is termed a spit-take
(the double-take causes the character to spit
out whatever he is drinking)

exec or exex abbreviations for 'executive' or 'executives'

a "full-length" motion picture, one greater than

feature (film) 60 minutes in length - but usually about 90-120
minutes on one particular topic; also known as a
theatrical; contrast to shorts.
a term often used before the 1970s to refer to a Examples: One of the most
featurette 20 to 45 minute film (longer than a short subject notorious featurettes was
but shorter than afeature film), usually a Alfred Hitchcock's
"making of" or "behind the scenes" mini- extended trailer for Psycho
documentary, or an extended trailer, which was (1960), in which the
usually displayed by theater owners to "sell" a director explored the set of
film for exhibition in their movie house -- the Bates Motel, and coyly
nowadays, featurettes are commonly run on described the film's
premium cable stations, or offered as a 'bonus murders
feature' as part of a DVD's extras; see also
"Making of..."
usually a light-hearted, upbeat comedy or Examples: Singin' in the
"feel good" film (or romance that ends with an audience-pleasing Rain (1952), Rocky (1976),
movie) conclusion; sometimes used derogatively; Ferris Bueller's Day Off
compare to tearjerker (1986), Field of Dreams
(1989), When Harry Met
Sally... (1989), Four
Weddings and a Funeral
(1994), Amelie (2001)
a cliched term popularized by pop artist/painter Examples: Tiny Tim, Dr.
Andy Warhol in the late 60s, who predicted that Laura, Amy Fisher, Tonya
'fifteen minutes’ or everyone could be famous for 15 minutes and Harding, Kato, Rodney
‘Everyone gets their experience a moment of 'crowning glory'; aka King, Tammy Faye Bakker,
15 minutes of fame' one-hit wonders; due to today's increasing Jessica Lynch, Pee Wee
demands for pseudo-celebrities or Herman, Mr. T., Reality TV
'personalities', headline-grabbers, and the show contestants (i.e.,
widespread dissemination of information by Omarosa), Ken Jennings
cable TV, talk radio, and the WWW, it may be (on Jeopardy), etc.
possible for everyone to 'bask in the limelight'
for a fleeting moment (a flash in the pan).
a film (usually humorous) in which the main Examples: any version of A
'fish-out-of-water' character(s) faces 'culture shock' by being Connecticut Yankee in King
tale placed in unfamiliar or new surroundings or Arthur's Court, Tarzan's
situations New York Adventure
(1942), Trading Places
(1983), 'Crocodile' Dundee
(1986), Babe: Pig in the
City (1998)
transitory, impermanent success or recognition;
flash in the pan derived from panning for gold experience; see
fifteen minutes of fame
a film that is a failure at the box-office; also Examples: Heaven's Gate
a flop known asfloppola, bomb, turkey. (1980) and Ishtar (1987)
are two notorious
examples of major flops
a phrase often used in special trade Example: A typical "For
"for your advertisements (in publications such as Variety) Your Consideration" ad by
consideration" that are paid for by studios to promote "Oscar- Warner Bros. touted
worthy" films (and their actors) and createOscar Sandra Bullock's Best
buzz for Academy Award nominations, Supporting Actressworthy
especially for borderline films and/or lesser performance in Infamous
known indie efforts and lesser-known (2006)
performers that would probably be overlooked
without the additional publicity, aka FYC
refers to the imaginary, illusory invisible plane Examples: the end of
fourth wall through which the film viewer or audience is GoodFellas (1990), and all
thought to look through toward the action; the throughout Ferris Bueller's
fourth wall that separates the audience from Day Off (1986)
the characters is 'broken through' when the
barrier between the fictional world of the film's
story and the "real world" of the audience is
shattered - when an actor speaks directly to the
viewers by making an aside
a term denoting the 'go-ahead' for a film to be
greenlight or made; contrasted to being red lighted; shouldn't
"greenlighting" be confused with green screening
 a grindhouse originally signified a burlesque, Examples: any of the early
grindhouse film strip-tease theatre (for "bumps and grinds") in a gore, slasher, or splatter
red-light district, or a blue-collar downtown films (Blood Feast (1963),
cinema-house that featured racy films, chop- 2000 Maniacs (1964), I Spit
socky films, or other marginal fare; as a film, it On Your Grave (1978), The
first referred to a cheap, low-budget, non- Texas Chainsaw Massacre
mainstream, sleazy, hard-core film that played (1974)), cheesy spaghetti
in an 'adults-only' venue, scruffy downtown westerns, biker films,
area or drive-in in the 60s or 70s; early topics blaxploitation films
included nudist pictures, kung-fu flicks, and (Superfly (1972), Coffy
cheesy/sexy potboilers, but then branched out (1973), Dolemite (1975)),
to refer to any genre of film with little plot, but revenge melodramas, early
with lots of action, sex and nudity, violence, exploitation films such as
taboo drug-use, lewdness, atrocities, Hong Kong the shockumentary Mondo
martial arts content, or just plain weirdness; see Cane (1962), kung fu (The
also B movies, exploitation or trash films, Street Fighter (1974)),
slasher films, Blaxploitation films smutty soft-core sex films
(Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
(1966), Therese and
Isabelle (1968)), women in
prison films (Caged Heat
(1974)), and the films of Ed
Wood, Jr.; a modern-day
example: From Dusk Till
Dawn (1996); Tarantino
has claimed his recent
opus Kill Bill, Vols. I and II
(2003-4) is sort of a
megagrindhouse epic, as is
Grindhouse (2007) by
Robert Rodriguez
a low-budget film usually shot without seeking Example: Student films
guerrilla film location permits, using non-SAG (Screen Actors
Guild) actors, etc.
an escapist film that engenders low Examples: Teen movies,
'guilty pleasure' expectations (usually an awful B-movie or a various horror films, sappy
films critically-lambasted film) that the public enjoys romances, The Rocky
despite or, more likely, because of its flaws; Horror Picture Show
these are often quite personal film choices that (1975), Kentucky Fried
are sometimes embarrassing to admit. Movie (1977), Flash
Universally-loved 'guilty pleasure' films become Gordon (1980), Supergirl
cult films. See also flop and B-movie (1984), Cocktail (1988),
Gamera: The Guardian of
the Universe (1995),
Showgirls (1996), William
Shakespeare's Romeo +
Juliet (1996), Anaconda
(1997), Wild Things (1998),
 and Lara Croft: Tomb
Raider (2001)
named after Will Hays, a series of rigid Examples: Film that were
Hays Code censorship restrictions imposed on films by the among the first to be
Motion Picture Production Code (MPPC) censored for their alleged
beginning in mid-1934, and objectionable material
enforced/administered by Joseph Breen (in the included any of Mae
Breen Office); the code had existed since the West's works (I'm No Angel
late 1920s but wasn't vigorously enforced, and it (1933)), Baby Face (1933),
basically lasted until the late 1960s; the Code and the early
explicitly prescribed what couldn't be shown in Weissmuller/Maureen
films, i.e., "nakedness and suggestive dances," O'Sullivan film Tarzan and
"methods of crime," "alleged sex perversion," His Mate (1934) - which
"illegal drug use," "scenes of passion," had its nude swimming
"excessive and lustful kissing...", scene cut; in later
"miscegenation," "pointed profanity," etc. installments of the
Tarzan/Weissmuller films,
Jane's scanty clothing and
nudity, and rampant
sexuality with Tarzan,
would disappear.
terms used to refer to the director (aka helmer)
helm (to helm...) of a film

in a film, an obscure, show-biz related joke that Example: Finding Nemo

inside joke is understood (or realized) only by those who (2003) names its great
know the reference (outside the context of the white shark Bruce - the
film) same name given to the
mechanical shark on the
set of Steven Spielberg’s
Jaws (1975)
a term for an entire film or a subset of shots
in the can that are all finished shooting; also denotes when
a director has the takethat he wanted
refers to the tendency in show business to Example: "It" originally
"It" List (aka A List) prioritize individuals (stars, writers, would-be referred to the sex appeal
celebrities, or up-and-comers) as 'hot' or of 20s flapper star and "It
'watchable' - highlighting those who have Girl" Clara Bow,
suddenly 'burst onto the scene' and are either popularized in the film It
notable and bankable; those who had some (1927); a modern day "It"
transient success or 'brush with greatness, but List individual is (was)
then were demoted from the list are called Monica Lewinsky.
forgotten, has-beens, shooting stars, or flashes
in the pan (after "fifteen minutes of fame" - an
Andy Warhol expression); aka "A" List
a film that has 'legs' has strong and profitable Examples: Il Postino
'legs' (to have legs) box-office, stamina and audience drawing (1994), Titanic (1997),
 power far beyond the opening weekend; the Hoop Dreams (1994), My
term usually applies to films that last many Big Fat Greek Wedding
months (2002)
a fast-paced, wild, and reckless humorous work, Examples: Cannonball Run
madcap comedy usually with plenty of slapstick humor, goofy (1981), It's a Mad, Mad,
and farcical action, and crazy characters; also Mad, Mad World (1963),
see screwball comedy Kentucky Fried Movie
(1977), The Nutty
Professor (1963)
(pictured), All of Me
(1985).
short for movies filmed or made-for-television,
made-fors often mid-way in style between a short drama
and a cinematic release
Alfred Hitchcock's term for the device or plot Examples: 'mistaken
McGuffin element (an item, object, goal, event, or piece identity' at the beginning
(or MacGuffin) of knowledge) that catches the viewer's of North by Northwest
attention or drives the logic or action of the plot (1959)and the
and appears extremely important to the film 'government secrets', the
characters, but often turns out to be uranium ore in Notorious
insignificant or is to be ignored after it has (1946) (seen here), or the
served its purpose; its derivation is Scottish, stolen money - $40,000
meaning a "lion trap" for trapping lions in the inPsycho (1960); also the
lion-less Scottish Highlands (i.e., a trap that 'black bird' inThe Maltese
means nothing, since it is for an animal where Falcon (1941) served as a
there is no such animal). McGuffin - before it was
termed
a style of acting first expounded by Konstantine Example: Marlon Brando
method acting Stanislavsky in the early 1900s, and popularized was known as one of the
by Lee Strasberg (1899- 1982) in the US in his main practitioners of
Actors Studio; refers to actors who gave realistic method acting, seen here
performances based upon and drawn from their in the famous taxicab
own personal experiences and emotions; refers scene in On the Waterfront
to not emoting in the traditional manner of (1954); other proponents
stage conventions, but to speak and gesture in a of method acting included
manner used in private life. James Dean and
Montgomery Clift
a popular, critically acclaimed film in recent Examples: Saving Private
modern-day classic years destined (possibly?) to ultimately become Ryan (1998), or Groundhog
or ‘modern’ an all-time classic Day (1993)

aka payoff shot; a term originally borrowed Examples: the

money shot from the pornographic film industry; referring transformation scene in
to a scene, image, revelation, or climactic classic horror films in
moment that gives the audience "their money's which the character grows
worth," may have cost the most money to hair and fangs; Darth
Vader cutting off Luke
 produce - and may be the key to the movie's Skywalker's hand in The
success Empire Strikes Back (1980)
a literary term mostly, but used also to refer to Examples: Intolerance
morality tale a film (often heavy-handed and obvious in tone) (1916), Quiz Show (1994),
(or play) that presents a judgment on the The Lord of the Rings
goodness/badness of human behavior and trilogy
character, and emphasizes the struggle between
good and evil
a slang term for the Walt Disney Co. or any
Mouse (House) division thereof -- refers to the company's most
famous animated character: Mickey Mouse
a film in which the narrator knows (and sees)
omniscient point-of- everything occurring in a story, including
view (POV) character thoughts, action, places,
conversations, and events; contrast to
subjective point-of-view
a term for a short, one-line joke (that contains Examples: (comedic one-
one-liner its own punchline); also the term may refer to liner): "Either he's dead or
the 'high concept' description of a film - a few my watch has stopped!"
words used to describe a script, storyline or a (Groucho Marx in A Day At
film's premise that a person can easily the Races (1937))
understand with a simple one-liner
Often used in a derogatory way to describe Examples: The Alamo
Oscar bait studio-invented pre-release PR buzz that a film (1960) and Chill Wills'
(aka Oscarbation) (usually an epic or serious biopic released late in campaign for a Best
the year) is worthy, meaningful, and deserving Supporting Actor Oscar
of Oscar awards; the term was reportedly first was the first major
used by Hedda Hopper in a "Looking at example of "Oscar bait"
Hollywood" column on June 1, 1948; the term backlash; also Hello, Dolly!
either refers to (1) a self-proclaimed, (1969), Paint Your Wagon
"important", often over-produced film, (1969), The Towering
undercut by its attempt to appeal to all Inferno (1974), Inchon
demographics, or (2) a showy acting (1982); recent examples
performance designed to draw attention to include The Last Samurai
itself; these kinds of films and performances (2003), Alexander (2004),
were the sort that used to guarantee an Oscar Memoirs of a Geisha
from Academy voters during the film industry's (2005) and The Pursuit of
adolescent years of the 1950's and early 1960's, Happyness (2006);Around
but are now considered either pretentious the World in 80 Days
and/or cheesy in the modern age, and ironically (1956), Gandhi (1982) and
often hurt the film's or actor's chances at The English Patient (1996)
winning an Oscar, though some films still are examples of successful
succeed; aka Oscarbation "Oscar bait"
a dramatic scene that justifies everything that Example: the startling
payoff preceded it; the necessary result of a scene with an admission of
complication for which the audience has been incest ("She's my sister and
prepared; contrast to punchline and money shot my daughter!") by Evelyn
 Mulwray (Faye Dunaway)
in Chinatown (1974)
an instance of foreshadowing that is Example: the various clues,
red herring deliberately planted to make viewers suspect an all to subvert and confuse,
outcome--but the audience is to be deceived - that are unrelated to the
the opposite happens and the false clue 'plant' real reason for Michelle
is irrelevant; often done for humor, irony, or for Pfieffer's paranormal
other thematic reasons; contrast to McGuffin beliefs and confusion in
What Lies Beneath (2000).
a film production that re-creates an actual event Examples: Glory (1989),
re-enactment as closely as possible Nixon (1995).

refers to films that present an apparent genre Examples: Altman's

revisionistic stereotype and then subvert, revise, or McCabe & Mrs. Miller
challenge it; aka deconstruction (1971), and The Long
Goodbye (1973); Arthur
Penn's Little Big Man
(1970)(shown here); the
sword-andsorcery
Dragonslayer (1981, UK),
or Costner's Dances With
Wolves (1990)
usually refers to a character (or group of Examples: Tim Curry as
scene-stealing characters), usually subsidiary, whose Darkness in Legend (1985);
(scene stealer) appearance, actions and/or dialogue draws William Bendix as Jeff in
more attention than other actors in the same The Glass Key (1942); John
scene; similar to the term 'chewing up the Gielgud as Hobson the
scenery.' butler in Arthur (1981)
in general terms, an actor who plays a Examples: Dean Martin
second banana subordinate or secondary role; aka second was a 'second banana' to
fiddle; in comedies, it refers to a performer who Jerry Lewis when they
acts as a sidekick, foil or stooge (straight man) were a comic duo; or Bud
to a lead comedian Abbott to Lou Costello; or
Ralph Bellamy to Cary
Grant in His Girl Friday
(1940); also, Ward Bond as
a secondary player in many
westerns
refers to non-pornographic, non-explicit, soft- Examples: the films of Russ
sexploitation core films that feature sexual themes or explicit Meyers, such as Faster,
sexual material and nudity often in an Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1966),
apparently crude, immature, leering way; these Vixen (1968).
films exploited the concept of sex without
violating longstanding cultural and legal taboos
against showing it all on the screen; often with
lurid titles; aka skin flick
 aka visual gag; an image that conveys humor Example: all silent film
sight gag visually, usually non-verbally; often used in comedies, the animated
silent film comedy, or in films with very little film The Triplets of
dialogue Belleville (2003), or the
scene of Cameron Diaz
with semen as her hair-gel
in There's Something
About Mary (1998)
aka "magic bullet" - a solution that completely Example: the silver bullet
silver bullet solves the complicated dramatic problem within was used in The Lone
a film; the term was derived from European Ranger Show(on radio and
folklore in which only a silver bullet could kill a TV, and later on film) as a
werewolf. symbol of the Lone
Ranger's presence to solve
various problems.
a broad form of comedy in which the humor Examples: Keystone Kops,
slapstick (comedy) comes from physical acts or pantomime, Charlie Chaplin (here in the
frequently harmless violence and pratfalls extended boxing sequence
intended to produce laughter. The name was in City Lights (1931)),
derived from a device called a slapstick, two Laurel and Hardy, Buster
boards that slapped together with a loud crack Keaton, the Three Stooges,
when used to strike something or someone; and more recently, Jerry
prevalent during the silent era and in early Lewis and Jim Carrey.
talkies, with its primary motif being pie-
throwing
usually a cheaply-made sub-genre film (usually Examples: Three of the
slasher film in the horror genre) designed for the teenage best known, classic slasher
audience (teen movie), deliberately made to films that were
contain gory, blood-splattering, explicit deaths commercially successful
without any build-up, style or suspense, often include Hitchcock's Psycho
committed by an unstoppable serial killer, with (1960), Carpenter's
a sharp bladed weapon; most slasher films are Halloween (1978), and
created to generate sequels and repetitive Wes Craven's A Nightmare
boredom; aka splatter films; see also trash film, on Elm Street (1984); also
grindhouse film, schlock film, B-film and Z-film the films of Mario Bava
and Dario Argento (i.e.
Deep Red (1975)), The
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
(1974), Lucio Fulci's
Zombie (1979), Sleepaway
Camp (1983), the Friday
the 13th franchise; also in
the parodies beginning
with Scream (1996)
a movie that is released with little publicity or Examples: Marty (1955),
sleeper pre-release buzz, often directed by and starring and My Big Fat Greek
(sleeper hit) relatively unknown people, that eventually Wedding (2002)
becomes popular (as a cult film) or financially
 successful beyond expectations, usually due to
positive wordof-mouth; the term is sometimes
used incorrectly to describe unpopular movies
that the critics love.
during nominations or awards proceedings,
snub when a prominent, leading, or favored
performer/director/crew member or film is
inexplicably excluded or denied an award or
nomination
usually a comedic film that pays tribute to an Examples: Airplane! (1980)
spoof earlier film in a humorous way. and Airport (1970); Blazing
Saddles (1974) and
westerns; Monty Python
and the Holy Grail (1974)
and King Arthur legendary
tales; Monty Python's Life
of Brian (1979)
refers to the way in which studios "groomed" or
star system prepared/educated stars under contract, and
sought star vehicles for them; studios served as
protectorates/patrons for their stars.
refers to the all-powerful control the
studio system monopolistic film studios had over all aspects of
assembly-line filmmaking and film production
from the 1920s until the late 1950s, when chiefs
- moguls (Mayer, Selznick and Zukor) ruled;
tactics included the ownership of property,
control of publicity and marketing, and iron-clad
contracts with star-actors, directors, composers,
cameramen, costume designers, writers, and
producers.
a clever phrase or short sentence to memorably Examples: "This is the
tag line characterize a film, and tease and attract weekend they didn't play
potential viewers, or sell the movie; also creates golf" (Deliverance (1972),
a catchy 'soundbite' often repeated or "The Night He Came
presented in a trailer or on a film's poster, Home!" (Halloween (1978),
sometimes along with the film's leitmotif "Where were you in '62?"
(American Graffiti (1973),
"Small town. Big crime.
Dead cold" (Fargo (1996)
the common term used for films with sound Example: The Jazz Singer
talkies (beginning in 1927), although rarely used (1927) the first talkie, then
currently. The advent of talkies marked the Singin' in the Rain (1952)
dawning of the era of sound films, as opposed which took a look back at
to silent films or ‘silents’ the dawning of the talkies
an excessively-sentimental or emotional film, Examples: Dark Victory
A tearjerker(s) usually with suffering female protagonists, (1939),Now, Voyager
 tragic circumstances, manipulative scenes, and (1942), Mildred Pierce
dramatic musical scoring; akamelodramas or (1945), Letter From an
weepies; derogatively known as a 'woman's Unknown Woman (1948),
film' or 'chick flick'; contrast to feel-good film Love Story (1970)
(pictured), Beaches (1988),
and Steel Magnolias (1989)
refers to a feature-length motion picture made
telefilm for television; also known as telepic or telepix;
see also made-for TV movie
tentpole an industry slang or trendy buzzword term, Example: Armageddon
meaning a film that is expected to serve as a (1998) and other $100
primary support for a studio, i.e., to be a top- million-plus films, such as
grossing blockbuster (usually during the Spider-Man (2002) or
summer season), to compensate for a studio's Shrek (2001)
other flops; usually the film is the start of, or an
installment in, a franchise.
word of mouth a term referring to the public discussion or buzz Examples: The Hulk (2003)
that a film can acquire, fueled by sneak opened with $62 million
previews and advance advertising; word of but fell 69.7% by its second
mouth is an important marketing element in a weekend, due in part, to
film's success or failure - positive word of mouth negative word of mouth,
gives a film legs, while negative word of mouth whereas Disney's Finding
may prematurely close it down Nemo (2003) had
incredible word-of-mouth
and staying power over
many weeks