Made-Up Genres: Introducing the Brown Movie

Entertainment!
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There is a specific genre of film that I love that round casa noopout are known as ‘Brown Movies’.

Yes, that’s an extremely unappealing title and no, Brown Movies have nothing to with toilets.

I realised my love for this genre when girlfriend noted that I was always watching “some brown coloured movie with loads of men in suits” when she was out. She is determinedly not a Brown Movie fan.

Hallmarks of a Brown Movie are:

  • Ideally from the 1970s, 80s or 90s
  • Majority male cast
  • Very talky
  • Set in one enclosed location? That’s a classic Brown Movie trope

Great subjects for Brown Movies:

  • Heists
  • Fraud
  • Gambling
  • Magicians (depressing)
  • Detectives

David Mamet is the king of the Brown Movie, imo. Paul Schrader also. House of Games possibly the ur-Brown Movie. Bonus points if your brown movie has Ricky Jay in it.

Here is my ongoing LB list of Brown Movies

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Please use this thread to either talk about your own favourite made-up genres, or recommend me a Brown Movie I may not have seen.

Thank you for reading :game_die:

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My ex said something similar

“Films with men in dark rooms talking”

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The Conversation feels like it fits the bill for a Brown Movie pretty well

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Ooh yeah great shout, not sure why I haven’t included that

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Here’s the scene in All the Presidents Men where they find the exact shade of Brown Nixon wanted to keep under wraps

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Also a great shout. A lot of the 1970s paranoid thriller are too action-y to fully count as a Brown Movie, but ATPM definitely fits the bill

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yeah I love a brown movie

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An interesting example of the genre is Ricky Jay and his 52 Assistants, an hour-long magic special directed by David Mamet.

No wait come back!!

Really recommend this to people, even people who don’t like magic. Full thing is on YouTube, you can watch it in your lunchbreak.

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never thought about it that way before, but I enjoy a good Brown Movie once in a while. what about The Post (2017)?

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Not seen, could be a contender though

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Always referred to these as beige movies personally and consider Three Days of the Condor to be the peak of the genre.

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Seriously, look how much beige Cliff Robertson is rocking here.

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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is very brown. And very men-talking-in-roomy

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Especially if you mean the BBC miniseries

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The film too

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Immediately thought of this.

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Great thread. Great genre. Great!

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Miller’s Crossing is very brown.

Also:
A Few Good Men - lots of brownish activity
Get Carter - classic 70s brown. Lots of flowery wallpaper and avocado bathroom suites

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