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The survival film is a film genre in which one or more characters make an effort at physical survival. It often overlaps with other film genres. It is a subgenre of the adventure film, along with swashbuckler films, war films, and safari films.[1] Survival films are darker than most other adventure films, which usually focus their storyline on a single character, usually the protagonist. The films tend to be "locate primarily in a contemporary context" and so film audiences are familiar with the setting, and the characters' activities are less romanticized.[2]

In a 1988 book, Thomas Sobchack compared the survival film to romance: "They both emphasize the heroic triumph over obstacles which threaten social order and the reaffirmation of predominant social values such as fair play and respect for merit and cooperation."[2] The author said survival films "identify and isolate a microcosm of society," such as the surviving group from the plane crash in The Flight of the Phoenix (1965) or those on the overturned ocean liner in The Poseidon Adventure (1972). Sobchack explained, "Most of the time in a survival film is spent depicting the process whereby the group, cut off from the securities and certainties of the ordinary support networks of civilized life, forms itself into a functioning, effective unit." The group often varies in types of characters, sometimes to the point of caricature. While women have historically been stereotyped in such films, they "often play a decisive role in the success or failure of the group."[3]

List of films[]

Film Year Ref.
33, TheThe 33 2015 [4]
127 Hours 2010 [5]
Adrift 2018 [6]
Against the Sun 2014 [7]
Alive 1993 [8]
All Is Lost 2013 [6]
Apollo 13 1995 [9]
Arctic 2018 [10]
Back from Eternity 1956 [11]
Battle Royale 2000 [12]
Blue Lagoon, TheThe Blue Lagoon 1980 [6]
Buried 2010 [5]
Captain Phillips 2013 [13]
Cast Away 2000 [5]
Cliffhanger 1993 [14]
Crawl 2019 [6]
Cry in the Wild, AA Cry in the Wild 1990 [14]
Dances with Wolves 1990 [14]
Dante's Peak 1997 [14]
Day After Tomorrow, TheThe Day After Tomorrow 2004 [14]
Deep, TheThe Deep 2012 [15]
Deliverance 1972 [8]
The Descent 2006 [16]
Edge, TheThe Edge 1997 [8]
Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition, TheThe Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition 2000 [14]
Escape from Alcatraz 1979 [17]
Everest 2015 [18]
First Blood 1982 [6]
Five Came Back 1939 [11]
Flight of the Phoenix, TheThe Flight of the Phoenix 1965 [3]
Frozen 2010 [19]
Gravity 2013 [13]
Grey, TheThe Grey 2011 [20]
Hijacking, AA Hijacking 2012 [9]
I Am Legend 2007 [6]
Impossible, TheThe Impossible 2012 [21]
In the Heart of the Sea 2015 [22]
Inferno 1953 [11]
Into the Wild 2007 [5]
Iron Will 1994 [14]
Jaws 1975 [14]
Jeremiah Johnson 1971 [23]
Jungle 2017 [24]
Jurassic Park 1993 [14]
Kon-Tiki 2012 [6]
Last Descent, TheThe Last Descent 2016 [25]
Life of Pi 2012 [26]
Lifeboat 1944 [27]
Lone Survivor 2013 [13]
Lord of the Flies 1963 [11]
Marooned 1969 [27]
Martian, TheThe Martian 2015 [6]
Man in the Wilderness 1971 [27]
Meek's Cutoff 2010 [23]
Moon 2009 [28]
My Side of the Mountain 1969 [11]
Naked Prey, TheThe Naked Prey 1965 [27]
No Blade of Grass 1970 [11]
Nobody Wants the Night 2015 [29]
Omega Man, TheThe Omega Man 1971 [27]
On the Beach 1959 [27]
Open Water 2003 [5]
Oxygen 2021 [30]
Panic in Year Zero! 1962 [27]
Perfect Storm, TheThe Perfect Storm 2000 [14]
Planet of the Apes 1968 [27]
Poseidon Adventure, TheThe Poseidon Adventure 1972 [3]
Predator 1987 [14]
Quest for Fire 1981 [5]
Rabbit-Proof Fence 2002 [5]
Red Dawn 1984 [14]
Rescue Dawn 2006 [5]
Revenant, TheThe Revenant 2015 [6]
Road, TheThe Road 2009 [9]
Robinson Crusoe 1954 [11]
Robinson Crusoe 1997 [31]
Robinson Crusoe on Mars 1965 [32]
Sanctum 2011 [33]
Sands of the Kalahari 1965 [27]
Savage Is Loose, TheThe Savage Is Loose 1974 [27]
Secret Land, TheThe Secret Land 1948 [11]
Seven Waves Away 1957 [9]
Shallows, TheThe Shallows 2016 [6]
Snow Walker, TheThe Snow Walker 2003 [14]
Southern Comfort 1981 [23]
Soylent Green 1973 [27]
Squid Game 2021 [34]
Stranded: I've Come from a Plane that Crashed in the Mountains 2007 [9]
Survival Family 2016 [35]
Survival Quest 1989 [8]
Swiss Family Robinson 1960 [20]
Teenage Caveman 1958 [27]
Touching the Void 2003 [5]
Tremors 1990 [14]
Ultimate Warrior, TheThe Ultimate Warrior 1975 [36]
Underwater 2020 [37]
Vertical Limit 2000 [14]
War Game, TheThe War Game 1965 [27]
Walkabout 1971 [9]
Way Back, TheThe Way Back 2010 [5]
White Water Summer 1987 [14]
World, the Flesh and the Devil, TheThe World, the Flesh and the Devil 1959 [27]
Z.P.G. 1972 [27]

See also[]

  • List of apocalyptic films
  • List of disaster films

References[]

  1. Sobchack 1988, p. 12
  2. 2.0 2.1 Sobchack 1988, p. 14
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Sobchack 1988, p. 15
  4. Long, Tom (November 13, 2015). "Review: 'The 33,' true story of struggle for survival". The Detroit News. http://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/movies/2015/11/13/movie-review-true-story-struggle-survival/75695346/. 
  5. 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 Staff (January 23, 2012). "The 10 Best Survival Movies". Rotten Tomatoes. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_grey_2012/news/1924342/the_10_best_survival_movies/. 
  6. 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 Lascala, Marisa (April 20, 2020). "The 20 Best Survival Movies to Show You What Grit Truly Is". Good Housekeeping. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/g32171994/best-survival-movies/. Retrieved May 29, 2020. 
  7. Laskin, Nicholas (November 18, 2014). "Watch: Trailer For WWII Survival Film 'Against The Sun' Starring Garret Dillahunt, Tom Felton, Jake Abel". The Playlist (Indiewire). http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-trailer-for-wwii-survival-film-against-the-sun-starring-garret-dillahunt-tom-felton-jake-abel-20141118. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Ferguson, Lee (November 12, 2010). "127 Hours and five other great survival movies". cbc.ca (CBC News). http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/things-that-go-pop-blog/2010/11/dating-as-far-back-as.html. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Staff (October 17, 2013). "20 Survival Films That Will Take You Into The Abyss". The Playlist (Indiewire). http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/20-survival-films-20131017. 
  10. Barraclough, Leo (May 22, 2017). "Mads Mikkelsen on Surviving the Polar Wilderness in 'Arctic'". Variety. https://variety.com/2017/film/global/mads-mikkelsen-polar-wilderness-arctic-1202439557/. Retrieved October 11, 2018. 
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 Fristoe, Roger (December 22, 2017). "Survival Movies: Fridays in January". tcm.com (Turner Classic Movies). http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/1374554%7C0/Survival-Movies-Fridays-in-January.html. 
  12. Crandol, Michael (17 June 2021) (in en). Ghost in the Well: The Hidden History of Horror Films in Japan. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 3. ISBN 978-1-350-17874-8. https://books.google.com/books?id=pDgfEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA3. 
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 McGrath, Charles (November 1, 2013). "Tales of Danger for You to Survive". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/03/movies/gravity-all-is-lost-and-other-films-face-death.html. 
  14. 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 14.15 Robinson, Alex; Farabee, Kelsey (November 22, 2010). "The Best Survival Movies Ever". Outdoor Life. https://www.outdoorlife.com/photos/gallery/survival/2010/11/best-survival-movies/. Retrieved May 29, 2020. 
  15. Kaufman, Amy (September 3, 2015). "Fall Movie Guide: Making 'Everest' was a tall order for filmmakers". Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-ca-mn-sneaks-everest-20150906-story.html. 
  16. Kennedy, Michael. "The Descent's Multiple Endings Explained". ScreenRant. {{cite web}}:
  17. Vanhala, Helena (2011). "International Terrorism and the Commercial Hollywood Film Industry". The Depiction of Terrorists in Blockbuster Hollywood Films, 1980–2001: An Analytical Study. McFarland. p. 105. ISBN 978-0-7864-3662-0. 
  18. Adams, Sam (September 2, 2015). "First Reviews of 'Everest': Stunning Spectacle, So-So Drama". Criticwire (Indiewire). http://blogs.indiewire.com/criticwire/first-reviews-of-everest-stunning-spectacle-so-so-drama-20150902. 
  19. Wood, Jennifer M. (February 9, 2010). "Adam Green Reaches New Heights With Frozen". MovieMaker. https://moviemaker.com/adam-green-frozen-hatchet-20100210/. Retrieved May 28, 2021. 
  20. 20.0 20.1 Guzman, Rafer (January 27, 2012). "Survivor films: Which live, which die – and why?". The Sacramento Bee. http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/27/4215839/survivor-films-which-live-which.html. 
  21. Topel, Fred (November 6, 2012). "AFI 2012 Review: The Impossible". CraveOnline.com (CraveOnline Media, LLC). http://www.craveonline.com/film/reviews/199277-afi-2012-review-the-impossible. 
  22. Chang, Justin (December 2, 2015). "Film Review: 'In the Heart of the Sea'". Variety. https://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/in-the-heart-of-the-sea-review-1201651468/. Retrieved October 11, 2018. 
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 Mertes, Micah (November 1, 2013). "The 10 best survival movies". Omaha World-Herald. http://www.omaha.com/go/the-best-survival-movies/article_f0e4dd9e-8a8d-57c1-baf0-b948b0593195.html. 
  24. Stewart, Harry. "The True Story Behind the Jungle Thriller (2017)". Culture Trip. Retrieved 2021-09-17. {{cite web}}:
  25. Jones, Morgan. "Utah Nutty Putty Cave accident to be depicted in new film, 'The Last Descent'". Desert News. Retrieved 24 February 2019. {{cite web}}:
  26. Holden, Ed (December 19, 2012). "Life of Pi review". MSN Movies (MSN). http://movies.uk.msn.com/reviews/life-of-pi-review. 
  27. 27.00 27.01 27.02 27.03 27.04 27.05 27.06 27.07 27.08 27.09 27.10 27.11 27.12 27.13 27.14 Yacowar, Maurice (2003). "The Bug in the Rug". In Grant, Barry Keith. Film Genre Reader III. University of Texas Press. pp. 281–282. ISBN 978-0-292-70185-4. https://archive.org/details/filmgenrereaderi00barr. 
  28. Siegel, Tatiana (5 May 2008). "Sony lands 'Moon' rights". Variety. https://variety.com/2008/film/markets-festivals/sony-lands-moon-rights-1117985128/. Retrieved 18 March 2019. 
  29. Roddy, Michael (February 5, 2015). "Arctic survival film, from female perspective, kicks off Berlin fest". reuters.com (Reuters). https://www.reuters.com/article/us-filmfestival-berlin-idUSKBN0L92FO20150205. 
  30. Tartaglione, Nancy (May 12, 2021). "'Oxygen': Alexandre Aja & Mélanie Laurent On Why Making Netflix’s Confined Thriller Was A Breath Of Fresh Air". Deadline Hollywood. https://deadline.com/2021/05/oxygen-alexandre-aja-melanie-laurent-interview-netflix-1234754548/. Retrieved May 28, 2021. 
  31. Brosnan, Pierce. "Robinson Crusoe". Internet Archive. Archived from the original on 3 May 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019. {{cite web}}:
  32. Leskosky, Richard J. (February 2, 2014). "A new film genre: Solitary survival". The News-Gazette. http://www.news-gazette.com/arts-entertainment/local/2014-02-02/richard-j-leskosky-new-film-genre-solitary-survival.html. 
  33. Burr, Ty (February 4, 2011). "Sanctum". The Boston Globe. https://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2011/02/04/sanctum_2_d_characters_in_a_3_d_world/. 
  34. Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "What distinguishes 'Squid Game' from other survival thrillers | DW | 06.10.2021". DW.COM. Retrieved 2021-11-02. {{cite web}}:
  35. Tsui, Clarence (Dec 19, 2016). "‘Survival Family’: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/survival-family-film-review-macau-2016-956026. 
  36. Shapiro, Jerome F. (2001). Atomic Bomb Cinema: The Apocalyptic Imagination on Film. Routledge. p. 160. ISBN 978-0-415-93660-6. 
  37. DeFore, John (Jan 7, 2020). "'Underwater': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/underwater-review-1267985. 

Bibliography[]

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