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Police
Used for:
Action-adventure
Detective
Suspense
Related Terms:
Caper
Crime
Film Noir
Gangster
Mystery
Thriller
Scope Note:
Fictional work portraying the activities and personalities of official law enforcement officers and agencies (from municipal police to F.B.I. to G-men) in tracking criminals. Police stories offer many of the same elements as the Crime and Mystery genres, but with an added concentration on the procedures of police work and characterizations of police officers. Narratives are often concerned with their excessive devotion to their work and police procedure as they cope with office routine, bureaucracy, and the death of fellow officers in the line of duty. Unlike detectives, policemen fear discovering that they will turn corrupt or are beginning to share traits in common with their criminal adversaries, by also adopting illegal tactics, although for the purpose of apprehending criminals. Note: Some police may operate as detectives in a Mystery, or work as part of a team with a fellow policeman creating a Buddy work. Feature examples: THE BLUE LAMP; DETECTIVE STORY (with Adaptation); DICK TRACY; THE FBI STORY; THE FRENCH CONNECTION (with Adaptation); "G"-MEN; LETHAL WEAPON (with Buddy); THE NAKED GUN (with Parody). TV examples: ADAM-12; THE BLUE KNIGHT; CAGNEY & LACEY; DEMPSEY AND MAKEPEACE; DRAGNET; HAWAII FIVE-0; HIGHWAY PATROL; IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT; KOJAK; MIAMI VICE; THE MOD SQUAD; NIGHT HEAT; POLICE WOMAN; PRIME SUSPECT; THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO; THE SWEENEY; WISEGUY.
Subject Categories:
Genres