Title: Movie Themes: Examples of Common Themes for Screenwriters
Headings: Movie Themes: Examples of Common Themes for Screenwriters
Movie Themes: Examples of Common Themes for Screenwriters
Theme in film
What is a movie theme?
Movies Themes • Equipment for Living
THEME DEFINITION
What is a theme in film?
Movie Themes #1
God and Philosophy
Are the Coen Brothers Obsessed with Desks? • Subscribe on YouTube
Coin Toss Scene • No Country for Old Men
I Feel Overmatched • No Country for Old Men
Themes in Coen Brothers’ films
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
Movie Themes #2
Survival
“There’s something inside they can’t get to”
“I guess it comes down to a simple choice.”
Ending Scene • Shawshank Redemption
THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
Movie Themes #3
Virtue and Values
“It’s creepy! Let’s go home!”
Judgement, Courage, Loyalty
SPIRITED AWAY
Movie Themes #4
Love
“You are our last hope.”
Judgement, Courage, Loyalty
CASABLANCA
Movie Themes #5
Social themes
Mookie and Pino
Death of Radio Raheem
DO THE RIGHT THING
Movie Themes #6
Good vs. Evil
The hottest spot north of Havana
“Why did you do that!?”
GOODFELLAS
Movie Themes #7
Discovering Self-Knowledge
Contempo casual
Cher’s new project
All by Myself
CLUELESS
UP NEXT
Theme: Definition and Examples
Showcase your vision with elegant shot lists and storyboards.

Content: For example, while “justice” may be the overriding subject of a movie, a theme derived from this subject may be something like, “If a person doesn't first do herself justice, she can never do it for others.” In the film analysis below, we organize a number of types of themes into seven major subjects: God and Philosophy
Survival
Virtue and Values
Love
Good vs. Evil
Society
Discovering Self-Knowledge
For each of these subjects, we generate a list of subtopics, then analyze how classic films transform several of those subtopics into common themes in movies. Any given movie, of course, can yield multiple and overlapping movie theme examples from across these major subjects. Movie Themes #1
God and Philosophy
In this category, subtopics that yield common themes include: Faith vs. doubt
Fate vs. self-determination
Reason vs. faith
Facing an empty universe
Destruction of the soul
Joel and Ethan Coen’s No Country for Old Men (2007) features themes derived from these topics. Typical themes in Coen Brothers' films include the idea that the universe is beyond comprehension or appeal. The Coens often symbolize this theme with a desk, which represents an implacable force that cannot be reasoned with, as seen in this video. Are the Coen Brothers Obsessed with Desks? • Subscribe on YouTube
The symbol of the desk is used in No Country for Old Men, a movie in which the implacable force is pure evil in the form of Javier Bardem’s terrifying serial killer, Anton Chigurh, whose nature and motivations the other characters cannot fathom.