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- God and Philosophy. In this category, subtopics that yield common themes include: Faith vs. doubt. Fate vs. self-determination. Reason vs. faith.
- Survival. In this category, subtopics that yield common themes include: Human vs. nature. Human vs. human. Individual vs. self. Perseverance/finding strength.
- Virtue and Values. In this category, subtopics that yield common themes include: Courage and heroism. Honor and loyalty. Hypocrisy. Facing fear/finding bravery.
- Love. In this category, subtopics that yield common themes include: Love vs. loneliness. Love vs. Social control. Finding self-love. Regret over lost love.
Oct 18, 2023 · Common Themes. When watching movies, you may notice that there are certain themes that frequently appear across different films. Some common themes found in movies include love, death, justice, coming-of-age, and man vs. nature. These themes help to convey deeper messages within the film and can provoke thoughts and emotions in you, the viewer.
- Love. Who doesn’t enjoy a good love story? The movie Titanic is built around the theme of love (right down to its Oscar-winning theme song). Love can conquer incredible obstacles, like class divides, disapproving family members, and disaster.
- Humanity vs. technology. Science fiction offers particular opportunities to explore anxieties about technology. 2001: A Space Odyssey provides a masterful example.
- Sacrifice. The Lord of the Rings trilogy has several different themes throughout it, but the most unifying is that of sacrifice. While Sauron and Saruman are defined by their lust for power, the heroes—like Gandalf, Sam, and Frodo—distinguish themselves through their willingness to sacrifice themselves for others and the greater good.
- Good vs. evil. The main theme of the Star Wars saga is good vs. evil, and the series provides an excellent demonstration of how all the elements of cinematic language can support a central theme.
- Love
- Fear
- Good vs Evil
- Death
- The Top Death Movies
- Revenge
- War
- Coming of Age
- Overcoming Adversity
- The Hero
While we are giving you the most successful themes in movies, we are not ranking them on their importance. As you’ll see, most standout films have more than one theme. If you’ve ever watched a film you’ll have noticed that 100% had loved as one of its themes. Think about it? There’s always a love storyline in any film. Go ahead, try and think of a ...
One of the most popular film genres is horror, and in horror, there is a ton of fear themes. If you’re writing a scary move and don’t incorporate fear, then you haven’t written a horror film at all, you’ve written a boring drama. Horror is more than just a bunch of jump scares and gore. It has to be based on fear, otherwise it isn’t really horror a...
Do we even have to explain this one? Any superhero film that you have ever seen falls into this theming. Even films like the Lord of the Ring series is all about Good vs. Evil. Good and evil are two of the most used psychological concepts in movies and TV shows. There’s a reason for it: they’re extremely easy to understand and apply, and they’re ve...
We’re all going to die someday. That can be a very scary thing for some and a calming thing to understand for others. Death is a major part of life so its obvious that it would be a major theme used in all sorts of films. Usually, in high stakes type of films, death is the danger of pushing our characters into action. A film like Inception, by Chri...
Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now is about a United States soldier named Captain Willard. He is in Vietnam at the time, and he is about to be promoted to Sergeant. He is also having problems with the men under his command. He gets into a fight with them, and he ends up shooting the man who was leading the fight. The other men try to kill him, but they cannot. They eventually bring him to a medic, and he is sent home. As he is on his way home, he is shot by another soldier. Willard ends up in the hospital for th...
A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street is about a girl named Nancy who is a high school student. She has a crush on a boy named Johnny, and she spends most of her time at his house. One night, she is watching television with Johnny and his parents when the television turns on by itself. It shows an old woman, and she says, “What is your name?” She then tells them to leave the room. Nancy and Johnny are trapped in the room with the woman, and she tells them that they will die if they do not get into bed wi...
Taxi Driver
Taxi Driver is about a taxi driver named Travis Bickle. He lives in New York City, and he is having problems dealing with his past. He is a Vietnam veteran who was dishonorably discharged from the military, and he is obsessed with the death of his girlfriend. The main theme of the movie is what it means to be human. We see that the most human thing is to love someone and to be loved. When Travis meets Iris, he falls in love with her. This causes him to become very violent. He kills his friend...
Who doesn’t like to watch a film about someone getting their comeuppance? A revenge story is usually told through the eyes of a protagonist who finds out some bad news and reacts by taking action to make things right. Films like Gladiator, Kill Bill: Vols 1 & 2, even Mean Girls, are all about our main protagonist getting revenge (justice) for what ...
This one, like love, is very straight forward, in fact probably more so. War stories are a staple of Hollywood blockbusters and independent films alike. It’s no coincidence that the most successful movies have been ones about battles for survival, love, independence, and freedom. And a good war story isn’t just one that shows up in a movie. It can ...
Not only is this a theme a lot of popular films explore, but its also a popular genre. To put it simply, a coming of age a story about how a character learns to grow up, get out of his or her comfort zone and learn the necessary skills to become a mature adult. This may include the character going through a rite of passage (such as a coming of age ...
If you’re familiar with the “overcome adversity” storytelling format, you know the idea behind it. An underdog rises to challenge the status quo, and wins. Overcoming adversity is a great way to capture attention and inspire readers. Movies like Titanic, The Fighter, Rocky and Million Dollar Babyall use this formula. Overcome adversity is a great t...
When we think about heroes in films, we often think about the ones who are doing something great, whether it’s saving people or winning the battle or saving a country. This kind of heroism can make us feel good and helps us overcome our fears. However, there’s another kind of heroism that we can draw inspiration from—it’s the hero of the story who ...
For example, in The Godfather, themes of power, family, and corruption are woven seamlessly into the narrative fabric. To understand the role of themes in filmmaking, consider these key points: Themes are different from the plot; the plot is what happens, the theme is what it means. A strong theme can elevate a movie’s impact, lingering in ...
Feb 5, 2024 · Movie Themes Explained with Examples. Definition: A movie theme is the central idea or concept explored throughout a film. It is the broader concept the film explores, often reflecting on human experiences, emotions, societal issues, or philosophical questions. In other words, movie themes are central ideas or concepts explored and depicted in ...
Apr 1, 2011 · Learn about the most common themes and motifs in film, such as Man vs. Nature, Revenge, and Death as a Part of Life. See examples of how these themes are used in popular movies and how to write your own script with them.
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