The vigilante film is a film genre in which the protagonist or protagonists engage in vigilante behavior, taking the law into their own hands. Vigilante films are usually revenge films in which the legal system fails protagonists, leading them to become vigilantes. The vigilante film has in recent years often crossed over with the superhero genre, due to character origin stories frequently involving an injustice having been committed against them.
In United States cinema, vigilante films gained prominence during the 1970s with "touchstones" like Death Wish and Dirty Harry , both of which received multiple sequels. The 1974 film Death Wish has been described as officially starting the genre, causing many cheap imitations and knockoffs such as Vigilante and Vigilante Force , with the most financially successful being 1980's The Exterminator . [1]
The Los Angeles Times reported, "Vigilante vengeance was the cinematic theme of the [1970s], flourishing in the more respectable precincts of the new American cinema even as it fueled numerous exploitation flicks," referring to Taxi Driver as a respectable example of the genre. [2] It reported in 2009 that such films were making a comeback after "the comparatively prosperous and peaceable 1990s", with examples like Walking Tall (2004), Death Sentence (2007) and Law Abiding Citizen (2009). [2]
This list related to film, television, or video is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (October 2021) |
Film | Year | Ref. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tracked by Bloodhounds; or, A Lynching at Cripple Creek | 1904 | ||||
The White Caps | 1905 | [3] | |||
The Birth of a Nation | 1915 | ||||
Judex | 1916 | The Adventures of Robin Hood | 1938 | [4] | |
The Mark of Zorro | 1940 | ||||
The Ox-Bow Incident | 1943 | [5] | |||
The Big Heat | 1953 | [6] | |||
The Bravados | 1958 | [7] | |||
The Virgin Spring | 1960 | [8] | |||
Treasure of the Silver Lake | 1962 | [9] | |||
Youth of the Beast | 1963 | [10] | |||
A parody film or spoof film is a subgenre of comedy film that lampoons other film genres or films as pastiches, works created by imitation of the style of many different films reassembled together. Although the subgenre is often overlooked by critics, parody films are commonly profitable at the box office. Parody is related to satire, except that "parody is more often a representation of appreciation, while a satire is more often...pointing ...out the major flaws of an object through ridicule." J.M. Maher notes that the "difference is not always clear" and points out that "some films employ both techniques". Parody is found in a range of art and culture, including literature, music, theater, television, animation, and gaming.
Yakuza film is a popular film genre in Japanese cinema which focuses on the lives and dealings of yakuza, Japanese organized crime syndicates. In the silent film era, depictions of bakuto as sympathetic Robin Hood-like characters were common.
Rape and revenge, or rape-revenge, is a film subgenre characterized by an individual enacting revenge for rape or other sexual acts committed against them. Rape and revenge films are commonly horror films, thrillers, or vigilante films.
Hangup, also called Hang Up and later released under the name Super Dude, is a 1974 film directed by Henry Hathaway. It stars William Elliott and Marki Bey. This was the last film directed by Hathaway.
The survival film is a film genre in which one or more characters make an effort at physical survival. The genre focuses on characters' life-or-death struggles, often set against perilous circumstances. Survival films explore the human will to live, individual motivations, and personal desires, prompting audiences to reflect on broader aspects of humanity and personal values. They balance realism and believability with slow-burning suspense to maintain a sense of urgency. While some survival films may have epic scopes and lengthy running times, their effectiveness lies in creating an atmosphere where every moment poses a passive threat to the protagonist's existence.
Manhunt in the City, also known as The Manhunt, is a 1975 Italian poliziottesco film directed by Umberto Lenzi. It was co-written by Dardano Sacchetti and has a score by Bruno Nicolai.
Psychological drama, or psychodrama, is a sub-genre of drama that places emphasis on psychological elements. It often overlaps with other genres such as crime, fantasy, dark comedy, mystery and science fiction, and it is closely related with the psychological horror and psychological thriller genres. Psychological dramas use these genres' tropes to focus on the human condition and psychological effects, usually in a mature and serious tone.