History of genre

Action

Early action films

• First action films were filmed in 1920 and they were adventure medieval films as well as westerns in these films Douglas Fairbanks would usually wield sword or guns and play main characters. 1940s and 50s action movies were based on war, in 1960 James bond was introduced and action movies were seen as one man army hero. The Bond films also utilized quick cutting, car chases, fist fights, a variety of weapons and "gadgets", and ever more elaborate action sequences.

1970

• More film directors started to copy The Bond series and changing and adding their own views to it films like Dirty Harry or The French Connection but instead they added more drama and many more cuts in action like car chases performed by stunt men etc. Clint Eastwood out of his cowboy typecasting, and became the urban-action film's first true archetype. Proving that the modern world offered just as much glamour, excitement, and potential for violence as the old west, Dirty Harry signalled the end of the prolific "cowboys and Indians" era of film westerns.

1980

• This where most of biggest action films stars were found actors like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Chuck Norris. These actors become icons of action movies. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas even paid their homage to the Bond-inspired style with the mega-hit Raiders of the Lost Ark In 1982, Nick Nolte and rising comedian Eddie Murphy smashed box office records with the action-comedy 48 Hrs. Which is credited as the first "buddy-cop" movie. That same year, Sylvester Stallone starred in First Blood, the first instalment in the popular Rambo film series.

1990

• This is when computer generated imagery started to work for most movies and real world scenes were less used as computers could do anything. Most films were shot in studios. The success of the Dirty Harry and James Bond sequels had proven that a single successful action film could lead to a continuing action franchise which worked in many cases. In 1990 more hybrid genres started to be made like spy-action movies and urban action movies were more common to be made as it reached higher audience.

Now

• Action movies now are usually hybrid action films like si-fi action movies etc. director started to use comics as good inspiration for movies, movies like Batman (DC Comics) and movies like spider-man or x-men (Marvel Comics) were more appealing for audience and because of technology improvements many movies now are entirely shot in studios and are made in green screen which works good for action movies because of explosions, flying hero's etc.