BasicPlotStructures

Manymoviesfollowaformulaicplotstructure,sometimecombiningtwoormoreideas
intoasinglefilm.
Someoftheseare:
1.Let'sBeFriends
Thestandardromanticmovie.Twopeoplemeet,andendupasfriends.Thiscanbe
yourtypical"buddy"movie,orboymeetsgirl(orbmborgmg).Thereisusuallya
periodofconflictbeforetheybecomefriends.Oftenthereisinitialfriendship,followed
byseparation,followedbyreconciliation.(NottingHill[1],LethalWeapon,Dinosaur[2])
AnothervariationiswhereAasksBtohelphimaccessC,sincehehasthehotsforC.
NaturallyheendsupfallingforBinstead.
2.RoadMovie
Inthegeneralversion,agroupofcharacterstravelfrompointAtopointB,having
variousadventuresalongtheway.NowadaysHollywoodconcoctsreasonsforthetrip
(usuallyallthewayacrossAmerica),whileinthepasttheyhadgoodreasons,like
drivingaherdofcattletomarket.(TheLordoftheRings[3],CentralStation[4],Road
Trip[5],Dinosaur[6])
3.SliceofLife
Wegettotakealookatdaytodayactivitiesofagroupofpeople.Sometimesthey
actuallydosomething,likegotoadisco.(HumanTraffic[7],BringingOuttheDead[8])
4.ComingofAge
WhilesoundingsimilartoSliceofLife,itdiffersinthatthere*is*usuallyastory.Wejoin
theheroatacriticalpointinhislife(usuallyadolescence/brinkofadulthood)andwatch
astheydealwithaparticularcrisiswhichmaturesthem.(WheretheHeartis[9],The
CiderHouseRules[10])
5.Escape
Agroupofcharactershavetoescapefromconfinement,usuallyinaprisonorprison
campofsomesort.(EscapefromAlcatraz)
6.Heist
Thestarshavetostealorrecoversomeobjectfromanimpenetrableplace.Insome

ways,theoppositeof"Escape".Thisisoftencombinedwitha"Buddy"themeinwhich
thepartnersstartoffas'enemies'andendasfriends.(TheScore[11],Entrapment[12])
7.KilltheMonster
Standardplotstructureforhorrormovies,andmanyothers.The"monster"maybea
realmonster,ormerelytheBigBaddie.Usuallytheheroeshavetoworktheirwayto
themonster,byeliminatinglesserbaddiesalongthewayfirst.Alsoacommonplot
structureforvideogames.(Scream[13],KissoftheDragon[14])
8.WhoDiesNext
Thesecondbasicelementinhorrormovies,especiallyTeenSlasheryarns.Thegroup
ofcharactersisknockedoffonebyone,theaudiencehastoguesswhowillbenext,
howtheywilldie,whowillsurvive,andwhoisdoingthekilling.(FinalDestination[15])
9.TheCon
Theheroessetouttotricksomepersonwhoneedstobetaughtalesson.Thereisa
variationcalledWho'sFoolingWho,inwhichthingsarenotastheyseemandthereare
numeroustwistsalongtheway,asahiddenhandmanipulatesthings.(TheSting,Wild
Things[16],ReindeerGames[17],HouseofGames)
10.Buddy
Mostoftentwomismatchedpeopleareforcedtoworktogetherandendupbecoming
buddies.Nowadaysthepeopleareusuallyeithercopsorcrooks.(LethalWeapon,The
Score[18])
11.DotheRightThing
Theheroisthrownintoasituationwithmoralambiguitiesandconflictofinterests,and
hastodothenoblething.(Casablanca,DotheRightThing)
12.PoorBoy
ExtremelycommonplotinBollywoodmovies.Ourheroisapooryoungmanwhofalls
inlovewitharichyoungwoman.Herfamilyrefusetoallowthemtomarry.Soourpoor
herogoesawayforafewyears,makeshisfortune,andcomesbacktoclaimhisbride.
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Links

1.http://www.moviesite.co.za/1999/0827/notting.htm
2.http://www.moviesite.co.za/2000/0623/dinosaur.htm
3.http://www.moviesite.co.za/2001/1219/lord.htm
4.http://www.moviesite.co.za/1999/0723/station.htm
5.http://www.moviesite.co.za/2000/0901/road.htm
6.http://www.moviesite.co.za/2000/0623/dinosaur.htm
7.http://www.moviesite.co.za/2000/0414/human.htm
8.http://www.moviesite.co.za/2000/0519/dead.htm
9.http://www.moviesite.co.za/2000/1020/heart.htm
10.http://www.moviesite.co.za/2000/0407/cider.htm
11.http://www.moviesite.co.za/2001/1214/score.htm
12.http://www.moviesite.co.za/1999/0806/entrapment.htm
13.http://www.moviesite.co.za/1997/0509/scream.htm
14.http://www.moviesite.co.za/2001/1123/kiss.htm
15.http://www.moviesite.co.za/2000/0615/final.htm
16.http://www.moviesite.co.za/1998/0605/wild.htm
17.http://www.moviesite.co.za/2000/0721/games.htm
18.http://www.moviesite.co.za/2001/1214/score.htm
19.http://www.moviesite.co.za/privacy.htm
20.http://groups.google.com/group/moviesiteza
21.http://www.zti.co.za/