As a current senior at Old Dominion University I have come a great distance in my academic career and have learned a lot about both the subjects I have been enrolled in and myself. One of the greatest lessons I have learned is to always pursue your interests which is what I have done by majoring in Marine Biology. When the time came though to pick a minor, I had countless people trying to help me decide which study would provide the most money, help secure internships, or lead to a happy life. Even with all those closest to me I went my own way once more and pursued my ever growing interest in film theory to hopefully one day work in underwater cinematography. Through these minor specific classes I have learned much about what the theory of film truly is, but not yet enough on the historical significance and impact it has had. My goal with this class is to dive deeper into the depths of the history of American Film studies and understand the development and care this priceless industry has undergone in the last century.

Module 1:

Pre/Early-Cinema

Early on in the history of film many inventions went through extensive trial and error phases until industry standards took over much later. The magic lantern is a device that utilizes a lens, shutter, and persistent light that projects images and the original source of film production to show movement.The limelight is the use of lime and other substances utilized heat to create the correct amount of illumination to project images. Motion toys, marketed as children’s toys and parlor entertainments, showed continuously moving images for the first time. It all began with George Eastman who created the celluloid roll film, a strip of transparent film base with plastic coating that allowed for the persistence of vision. This was the lie that one image would persist on the human retina as the next image enters our consciousness, a physics and psychological concept. Soon after, Eadweard Muybridge used still pictures spliced together to show motion over time. This constant movement forward continued with Thomas Edison created the first working motion picture camera called the kinetoscope that would take a series of pictures quickly in motion. Then the Lumière Brothers created the next enigmatic invention, the cinemetographe, allowing image capture and projection of the first film The Workers Leaving the Factory. With this breakthrough audiences seemed to enjoy more “story films” so local storefronts were coined as nickel view programs, or Nickelodeons, for the short films they showed.

The Silent Era

The jazz age came with dancing in the form of flapping dresses and wild movements, following the Great Depression, allowing young people to fight the norm and flaunt their talents. At this time though, America still did feel dark as prohibition plagued the states. Even though illegal at the time, 2/3 of film created during this period of illegal alcohol consumption were breaking the law. At the beginning Hollywood supported so to entice people to see motion pictures. There were a lot of big names in the motion picture industry at this point as the market was exponentially growing with no intention to stop. Names like Irving Thalberg with his extensive knowledge of the movie industry, he brought order to Universal that was in turmoil but left to join MGM leading to the studios grand success. Marcus Loew who integrated his holding in the film business to form the first modern studio trust in the creation, distribution, and exhibition of films. Rudolph Valentino throughout the 1920’s was considered Hollywood’s most popular male lead, known for his sex appeal and his dancing, and his female counterpart Clara Bow as she appeared in over 50 films and was considered a beauty icon in the roaring 20’s. Gloria Swanson, best known for her amazing acting and being nominated for the first Academy Awards in the Best Actress category and produced multiple of her own films. Audience adored her extravagant wardrobes and became a “clothes horse.” Douglas Fairbanks showing off his athleticism and amazing outfits on screen in action films in addition to being a founding member of the United Artists, the Motion Picture Academy, and hosted the first Oscars Ceremony in 1929. D.W. Griffin known for being the most famous director of the silent era, but was flooded with controversy with the depiction of African Americans and the KKK in his film, The Birth of a Nation, but was revolutionary film and considered the longest of the time. Cecil B. De Mille, a man of the people, as he adhered to the principle, “making movies the audiences want to see,” which led to him being the most entertaining and successful cineaste. The realist, Erich Von Stroheim, articulating tragic stories of the poor and unlucky rarely using celebrities to produce an intense amount of immersion. F.W. Murnau, an international director who won best picture at the first Academy Award mostly utilizing low contrast, shadowy key lighting, compositions in high depth, and long unbroken takes taking great leaps in mise en scene. And, the hearty traveler, Robert Flaherty, often showing off far away and international locations through film to allow those less fortunate to experience these places. He even stayed with the subjects studied to get a more immersive and seldom looked upon angle of these locations and lifestyles. In this era there were also actor/actress and director pairs that took over the scene such as Mauritz Stiller and Greta Garbo, and Josef von Stenberg and Marlene Dietrich. Women also began in this male dominated industry. Such as; June Mathis an influential female screenwriter and actress leading to an executive production position at Goldwyn Pictures, MGM, and First National gaining power and control over her films in a male dominated space, and Frances Marion who served as VP of the Screen Writers Guild and winning multiple Academy Awards for her writings. Finally, the early comedians in film paved the way for one of the best and most enjoyed genres of all time. Charlie Chaplin who was a perfectionist that wrote, directed, produced, edited, starred in, and composed most of his films. He focused his talents to a hilarious slapstick comedy routine much like Buster Keaton, best known for physical comedy and his unfazed expression, and is often revered as one of the best actors of all time, if not the best during the silent film era.

Module 2:

Technical Innovations and Industrial Transformation

With the major improvements over only a decade, film quickly became an escape from reality, and earned a solid spot in entertainment, but still wasn’t missing one thing, sound. Warner Bros patented the vitaphone, a basic soundtrack for film which was separate from the reel played on a phonograph. After being shunned by competitors went on their own and created their own studio investing completely in sound which paid off exceptionally. With this invention Al Jolson and The Jazz Singer was celebrated as the first talking picture which marked the start of the Golden Age of the film even if still using some title cards, yet proved to be the first film to use spoken dialogue as part of dramatic action. Quickly becoming outdated the vitaphone was ditched for a more clean sound design, as the industry played around with sound being recorded directly on the film as it had much more of a future than that which was on the phonograph. This ultimately took a long time to master and many failed attempts at perfection. After the movement from silence to sound seemingly the only other hill to be crossed was from black and white to color. Hand tinting began this race to perfection by adding color to black and white film by letting it soak in dye, which proved non practical as it had to be done for 16 fps or 57,600/hr. From there, Charles Urban created the first practical two-color film system which favored the new look in color over the content behind the script, known as kinemacolor. This inspired Kalmus to play around with color saturation and neutrality creating technicolor. This form came in four different stages that all proved to have their own issues having to do with the process behind the cementing one print on another. Process No. 4 follows a three-color system quickly becoming the industry standard for the next two decades. Now with a “perfect” ability to see and hear a complete screenplay, audiences could begin to appreciate and love the creators and actors in film. The Contract/Star System was implemented to survive the economic and technological changes of this era hoped to avoid all risks so they worked out that everyone making films at a studio worked for that studio, for both economic and efficient benefits. Once solidified, the studio style sprouted from the contract system wherein a trademark identity for each studio was established and implemented in their films, which lead to the classical Hollywood style, linear, third person storytelling and seamless immersion of the audience, started by Irving Thalberg. With massive collaborations such as this, new stars arising seemingly everyday, and audiences begging for more, the styles and genres of film developed quickly into what we know and love today. Gangster films depicted a gritty realistic look which started from Zanuck’s canny low budget production values and exploitation of unglamorous, ethnic tough guy stars. Melodramas are a construct of collective experience that plays on our sympathies and antipathies which allows audiences to be more immersed as it shows life how it really is. Early horror experiences exploited basic human fears to provoke negative human emotions to face personal issues and fears internally or with others as a collective. Classic musicals provided firsthand experiences to the stages of Broadway as well as an escape from the daily slog of the Great Depression to enjoy watching the happiness of life. And finally, the last of the big blanket genres, comedies had an almost 180 switch. As slapstick and physical comedy became less utilized as verbal and dialogical captivated audiences, completely were enthralled with the sound on screen. Now, with this massive boom and large growth at this time in the industry regulations were put in place as the government knew how out of hand film could get over time and implemented a series of censorships. Self censorship focused on guaranteeing the profit of the business by adjusting their productions to the local censorship boards as they felt there was a sense of cultural and moral ownership and seriousness to the films. At this time, WIll Hays was the top man as MPPDA and implemented his first industry wide self-regulatory system, the “Do’s and Don’ts,” which included the prohibition on profanity, nudity, depictions of drug use, white slavery, and childbirth. It was also only warned to be cautious with depictions of crime and political sentiments, which did not hold very well. Finally, after the failure of Hay’s list a more comprehensive set of regulations was created as to uphold a higher level of wholesome entertainment supporting spiritual and moral progress over the next thirty years.

Module 3:

Hollywood in Transition

The ‘Big Eight’ studios, predominantly known for carrying Hollywood through this era in history were 20^th Century Fox, Warner Bros., Paramount, Columbia, Universal, MGM, United Artists, and RKO. Combined they produced 75% of the films and 90% of total revenue while releasing over 45 films a year, leading to over 60% of the population visiting the theaters at least 3 times a month (Module Notes). This feat was fantastic not only for the entertainment industry, and the ‘Big Eight’s’ pocketbooks, but for the American economy as well as monetary circulation was leagues above where it was a mere decade and a half before. At the start of the Second World War, America opted to stay out and avoid any unnecessary conflict, but that didn’t stop stars in Hollywood from speaking or acting about it. Charlie Chaplin used his character’s resemblance to Hitler as a political comedic routine in his film, The Great Dictator, which commented on the conflict overseas creating a rift in Hollywood. As other’s followed his lead (as there was good money to be made here) this tear grew between the predominantly Jewish labor force between the organized left and isolationist studio owners, talents, and politicians. These two sides took very different directions and directives around these sensitive topics which also influenced the future of film (Textbook p152).

Thankfully, not all films at this time were designed around the conflict in Europe and Asia, as many Americans searched for an escape from the constant bombardment of news from the front, Gone with the Wind, produced by David O. Selznick, second generation Hollywood higher up with connections to MGM, being the most influential. Selznick jumped around from different studios; Paramount, RKO, and landing finally at MGM where after great success so far in his career he began work on his magnum opus, Gone with the Wind. The film turned out to be the biggest American film of the first half of the 20th century costing over 4 million dollars and lasting 3.5 hours. The production team kept people interested by drip feeding information to the press about the production in displays of great feats such as burning down old studio lots. It became renowned and the highest grossing film until The Godfather, and focused heavily on the glory and greatness of the deep south’s family/social structure during the Civil War. The production ended up winning 8 Academy Awards in addition to Selznick receiving the Irving Thalberg Memorial Award making him just as famous as the film itself (Textbook p154). Another era defining film was Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane, which redefined the standard look of modern American cinema as it was written, directed, and produced by the star of the film, Orson Welles. After failing to develop his script for the novella, Heart of Darkness, he continued with his ideas of a social breakdown into the millionaire genre with William Randolph Hearst as his subject. Hearst attempted to buy out Welles who refused and went on to play Charles Foster Kane standing in for Hearst on screen. The film shows a parallel narrative structure, but focuses on the use of negative space, depth, and mise-en-scene with figures in the foreground and background simulating real living scenarios much like a stage play. Welles used mobile cameras to develop dramatic camera movement so the viewers would feel themselves in motion instead of cutting to different locations. And, focusing on his background in radio the sound design has actors speaking over one another in addition to song and background noise competing for the audience’s ear. Even after everything and being such a well-known figure in Hollywood and American Film history, this was Welles only conventionally successful film (Textbook p158).

With the war still raging on, and now a new form of propaganda at the feet of the United Sates Government that has been progressively improving over the last few decades, naturally they couldn’t help themselves. The War Department got Frank Capra to produce the propaganda film series running throughout the duration of the war titled, Why We Fight. Using cleverly spliced news reel footage from the active combat zones, the enemy could be seen by the American home front firsthand as monsters in need of being defeated. The films even included parts from pro-Nazi and Imperial Japanese propaganda commercial films as reasons their ideologies were twisted and/or incorrect. This series of film showed just how clever and persuasive Hollywood direction could become through recruitment films featuring well known celebrities and high-end production values, improving the conscription numbers of US troops to the front and the war effort back home (Textbook p164). Back home, with many of the men being conscripted into the conflict The Woman’s Picture genre became a huge success. These films focused on the female experience being away from the war and supporting the men fighting overseas. The ever known and experienced trials and tribulations of the American woman’s daily lives faced the big screen with centralized themes such as loneliness, sacrifices, temptations, risks, the economy, social autonomy, and general female independence. Many of these films were melodramas, following the genre’s formula but with a breath of fresh air in the realities of the American woman’s day to day experiences (Textbook p173). One such example of a Woman’s Picture was Now, Voyager that follows Charlotte Vale, played by Bette Davis, as she has been abused by her psychotic mother, yet saved by a psychiatrist who turns her life around. After she realizes her potential, she runs away and falls in love with a man, Jerry. Upon her return she is forced to deal with the death of her mother and the other men in her life around which she rejects. Charlotte grows close with a troubled girl at the hospital, Tina, who Charlotte decides she will take care of as the girl sees her as a mother figure. Charlotte reconnects with Jerry and continue their romance but decide not to act on sexual desire for the betterment of Tina and their relationship. The film shows great female empowerment and self-sufficiency which rang in unison to most of the other Woman’s Pictures as well (Textbook p174).

Even with some of the best films coming from this period, the American public were in dire need of a few laughs. Comedians such as Preston Sturges and the duo, Abbott and Costello, filled these voids with some of the greatest comedic routines of all time. Preston Sturges developed arch and topical comedies as an escape from the serious and depressing news of the war. Weary with dealing with the higher ups in Paramount he signed a contract with Howard Hughes which allowed creative freedom but led to the end of his career since Hughes lost interest. Sturges unfortunately passed away shortly after broke and insignificant (Textbook p176). Abbott and Costello were the two most important comedic stars of the 1940s. They were inverse proportionally; Abbott being tall and slick while Castello was short and rotund, which led to a great comedic back and forth and well written productions. Most of their films held an extremely loose story that centered around the skits and routines designed for laughs not substance, much needed at the time (Textbook p180). On the other side of the spectrum, film noir was breaking out as these films had a high sense of moral ambiguity. This sub-genre of melodramas utilize low contrast cinematography, revolutionary camera work, and darker plot-lines to depict human beings with treacherous and violent natures, through a very animalistic view (Textbook p181).

Finally, some of the most well known and appreciated films of all time came from this time period; Casablanca, Meet Me in St. Louis, and The Best Years of Our Lives, all adored for their own reasons. Casablanca is one of the most well-known American films ever made adapted from the play Everybody Comes to Rick’s by Julius and Philip Epstein. The advertisements for the film confused audiences as to what they would be getting into, a designed effect by the brothers to grow audience engagement and interest for the film’s release. Humphrey Bogart was the star assigned to the film by Warner Bros., surrounded with many A-list well-known actors, since he had great experience in past noir films. Rick and Ilsa, the two main characters, both show noir characteristics as they bend the rules and play dirty to get what they want, typically a scummy thing to do. The story is that about a man dealing with his ever-present responsibilities to his country and what he needs to sacrifice to make that happen as he chooses the success of the war effort over Ilsa, which some argue is the best ever written (Textbook p188). Vincent Minnelli was noticed by MGM musical impresario Arthur Freed after he saw Cabin in the Sky giving his name to the studio to direct Meet Me in St. Louis and Judy Garland. He filmed the musical numbers in the film as additions to everyday experiences instead of staging each song as a Broadway production number, a revolutionary idea. The film itself was divided by the four seasons which shows a variation of daily life and how quickly time passes as this design of the film shows the two daughters dealing with life’s ups and downs: a highly relatable and comforting plot-line . They enjoy all major holidays, seasons, and experiences that at the time many Americans couldn’t experience. After this production Minnelli earned a reputation for grandeur and showmanship in his films while Garland was further shown as one of MGM’s greatest stars (Textbook p191). Finally, The Best Years of Our Lives, directed by William Wyler, is considered by most to be a combination of docudrama, social-realist parable, and postwar family melodrama. The film depicts veterans dealing with PTSD and how servicemen and women returning to postwar life back home. The main characters, Al Stephenson and Fred Darry, develop parallel storylines experiencing turmoil and stress from both psychological and physical scars the war left on them. Earning 11 million dollars and winning 7 Academy Awards, the accolades stand as a testament to how moving the story and acting was in the film, so much so that the MPAA got involved. With such high acclaim political forces in Washington unfortunately moved to remove social messages out of films, as they were worried people would start following the perceived leftist-Communist influence as they entered the Cold War (Textbook p194).

Module 4:

Adjusting to Postwar America

After a decade going back and forth legally with the Justice Department, and low box office numbers being made public in 1948, the studios were given a voice in the Paramount Case. Justice William O. Douglas believed that the studios should be considered trusts, and the only path forward was the divestiture of the chains. The courts determined the defendants, the major production companies, had agreed to limit free and fair trade while monopolizing the market. This outlawed price fixing, pooling agreements, and block booking. Douglas’ opinion revealed contempt for the relationships of agencies in Hollywood which he had justified utilizing aspects of the First Amendment. Once concluded, the case’s impact was seen immediately as industry revenues decreased by more than 20% over the next half decade. The only positives for the theater being the international domination of Hollywood films where most the revenue could be seen moving forward (Lewis p. 199-201). In 1947, the House Committee of Un-American Activities (HUAC), subpoenaed almost twenty studio employees regarding Communist ties in Hollywood. But, due to unfriendly witnesses and lack of movement forward, the committee adjourned before its conclusion. Two main questions were asked during their interviews; “Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the Screenwriters Guild?” and “Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?” Those brought in refused to answer these questions, in addition to their Fifth Amendment right to self-incrimination, which left many other questions on the table. Through this process a growing sentiment of negative opinions grew towards the Jewish community the committee believed ran Hollywood. Originally, the MPAA defended the Hollywood Ten, but when HUAC indicted them, they were condemned by their own. The blacklist provided a  quick answer so the studios could deal with future problems internally as the struggle for power raged on (Lewis p. 201-204).

After the war ended, Film Noir emerged as the films written around this genre showed the postwar frustration, discomfort, and alienation that most Americans felt every day.  This genre became unified between the pulp/pop writing style and pre-code gangster films focusing on world pessimism and ambiance (Lewis 208). This is a genre that was never intended to be created but sprouted up from the French term noir meaning “black (dark) film.” This style utilizes dark lighting strategies focusing on the nighttime setting in even darker, dirtier, urban streets using fill lights and backlights eliminating shadows while adding depth. In addition, postwar advances in advanced film stocks allowed for actual nighttime shoots instead of adjusting a daytime shoot leaving a more immersive and grittier atmosphere.  These films focus on a need for social change after the feelings of loss and despair was rooted in most American hearts, as many focus on one pivotal poor decision that completely alters the main character’s lives for the worse, much like the war. Another attribute was the use of women in this genre focused on the reality of sex, while male counterparts gave into lust, passion and obsession, this woman described as a “Femme Fatale” (Lewis p. 209-215). Noir women believed that sex is only a means to an end and value the practicality of life, conversation, and getting what they want or desire. These women do have counterparts but are often looked over by noir men as they seem to be too safe an alternative, or uninteresting (Lewis p. 216).

This ear was home to many different well known individuals in Hollywood that all added to the aesthetic and style that mad this time period so unique, each for their own reasons. Orson Welles only commercial success, Citizen Kane was the only film he was known for, as his career provides a now well-known lesson into the uneasy relationship between art and commerce. In his films after his success, he emphasized set design, lighting, and the general mise-en-scene as his revolutionary use of deep-focus composition and layering of various sounds became a new tradition in Hollywood, though didn’t help his career much. However amazing and fantastic his films appeared relationships between himself and the studio, RKO, increased drastically over time.  They believed his films were too long and slow, and when told to adjust to their criticisms, he did so in unsatisfactory ways, cutting into narrative elements and functions. This severance led to trouble at the studio and a rapid decline in his career only working on a few more films in which he advanced his filming techniques but failed at the box office (Lewis p. 220-223).

Howard Hanks worked as a recluse in the film industry, creating films of consistent quality while remaining invisible and out of the spotlight. He believed that value of the story outweighed that of style and storyteller. He worked in both black and white and in color shooting both in the studio as well as on location and preferred to present information on-screen subtly so to not insult viewers intelligence. He also utilized an action coined “invisible editing” in which cutting is used only as a segue to scenes. Viewers were known to comment that you could watch an entire Hawk’s film and only notice a few cuts as the transitions are concealed through camera movement and angles. He was pretty fluid on his style of work but focused on ethical dilemmas and morality leading to an introspective and well thought out film narrative (Lewis p. 223-225).

Billy Wilder was a German screenwriter who escaped Germany before Hitler made emigration near impossible. He quickly learned English while studying Hollywood, and by the end of the 1930’s became a well-known crack-comedy script writer. He had a great career, as he didn’t put a distinct artistic stamp on his films and went with the flow, much like Hawks. He focuses his film narrative mostly on the American mass culture and stands by the films he made, unlike Hawks, becoming one of the first sound era auteur celebrities. Wilder was nominated for twenty-one Oscars over the course of his career and was even awarded the Irving Thalberg Memorial Award in the late 1980’s. He had very few issues while working within the studio system as he tried to tell compelling stories with straightforward and unprovoked narrative depth Lewis p. 227-230).

Elia Kazan directed some of the most notable  films of this era but is most well-known for snitching on his fellow filmmakers during the HUAC hearings. While his career blossomed in left-leaning films he maintained a large stage presence in New York where he established the Actors Studio. Here he trained many of the best stage and screen actors and actresses of the 1950’s and became one of the best directors at the time. His notable style became known as the Method, that forsakes the expression of artificial emotions by gestures and other acting techniques for more naturalistic expressions rooted in the actor’s personal emotions. But when Kazan was called to testify Infront of the HUAC he was afraid to lose his career and told all. He was the biggest individual the HUAC subpoenaed and never went back on his statements shared to the committee. His career post-HUAC was average at best though as most of his work after was outshined by his testimony (Lewis p. 230-232).

Ida Lupino started off as a star actress in Hollywood, but as many women in Hollywood at the time, desired to direct. She left Warner Bros. to make her own production company in the late 1940’s to develop and produce her own films, as one of the only women at the time to work behind the camera. She was tired of stereotyped roles in formulaic genre films and created films about interesting, different and complex women. The men in her films are mostly kind and caring that seem less realistic, but more idealistic, while the women in her films are troubled. Most of the themes follow self-doubt, overly ambitious, capable but cold, vulnerable but sexy, and complex yet emulative. She utilized her status as a minority in the industry to her advantage, but did not attempt to radicalize her viewers or push an overly feminist agenda (Lewis p. 233-236).

Module 5:

Moving Towards a New Hollywood

At the beginning of this era, CinemaScope and VistaVision were used to enhance the size and shape of the image on screen from an aspect ratio of 1.33:1 to 1.85:1 for non-Scope (flat) and 2.35:1 for Scope. Cinerama was considered a wide-field format which projected images around six times its normal size on curved screens. Audiences felt extremely immersed here even some claiming to feel inside the image. This feeling led to the testing of 3-D experiences where audiences would wear special plastic glasses to achieve this effect (Lewis p. 240) Audio was also given an upgrad! Created in the 1940s, but not perfected until the 50s, stereophonic sound was an audio system that outperformed the previous 4-inch speakers and minute amplifiers in the television boxes of this era. This type of sound was usually called a stereo device that produced sound from a 3-D audible range, again adding to the immersion (Lewis p. 240). Along with these revitalizations, censorship was once again being revisited as a topic of discussion. Alfred Kinsey wrote two reports, “Sexual Behavior in the Human Male” and “Sexual Behavior in the Human Female,” that completely revitalized the censorship protocols around this time in film. The previous censorship production code was designed by a Jesuit priest and devout Catholic which highly pampered what could be displayed on screen resulting in a dying moviegoing experience as audiences would rather watch their personal televisions than venture out to the movies. This all changed when analyzing the modern sexual behavior of humans (Lewis p. 240).

A common occurrence in the mid 1960’s was the use of European pick-up films. This style of film entailed the development of popular European films such as Casino Royale, The Dirty Dozen, and The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, which quickly became some of the most beloved films of all time. These films did especially well with American audiences and newspaper reviewers, but did develop issues with the Production Code Administration for content issues (Lewis p. 243). Jack Valenti was the MPAA President at this time who let his voice be heard regarding the industry’s concern about the growing value of foreign-made pictures in the American film marketplace. He confronted many reviewers he felt were not supporting Hollywood movies in their decline at this period in favor for the European films. His fear wasn’t in direct response to the foreign film industry, but mostly came from the larger concern of mass content regulation as foreign films could be made with much less regulation and had an ‘unfair advantage’ (Lewis p. 243). Valenti was hired in general to fix the box office problem and modernize the PCA. The film Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf was his first challenge, but he knew both issues could be fixed in a fell swoop. Released as a PCA exemption and part of the deal to secure an MPAA-sanctioned release, the film was marketed “For Mature Audiences” which began an age-based regulatory system which was deemed a success when the film topped third at the box office. This voluntary rating system became the standard for film regulation as the mature audience tag not only helped regulation, but box office sales as well (Lewis p. 248).

Genres throughout the 50s and 60s resulted in many moviegoers returning to what was seeming like a declining industry as new stories and troupes were added to the already extensive list. Westerns were dependable bankable creations that developed on progress over nostalgia, civilization over wilderness, violence over idealism, and bond over isolation. These attributes offer distinguishable difference between right and wrong which many young individuals as well as those returning from the Second World War needed in their lives. The films often strike true with many male viewers as the struggles of the hero fit in well with the audience (Lewis p. 251). John Ford was the best-known director of movie westerns in film history. Ford had to work his way up the ranks in Hollywood before finally becoming a director with his first film The Tornado. Being one of the greats Ford traversed multiple ears of film as the first notable, non-short film, he directed was The Iron Horse,  his first sound-era western being Stagecoach, and his best being The Searchers, all deemed classics. He enjoyed westerns as a devout Catholic since the films were seen as a frame for human analysis under stress, and formulated stories about sin and redemption (Lewis p. 253). John Wayne acted in many of Ford’s films and is also deemed one of the best and notorious western actors of all time. Wayne was well known for his dabbling in right-wing politics and as a high-profile member of the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals, combatting Communist infiltration into Hollywood. Most of his best films weren’t created until he was forty and had an amazing box office run where his name was in the top ten for twenty-five years, missing out only once. His age secluded him to popular roles mostly as heroes realizing the West is changing and his ear is behind him, which became a popular sub-genre (Lewis p. 253).

Many notable films came out of this era as censorship was being reformed once again, then possibilities of what could be seen on screen was vastly different from merely a few decades before. One massive sub-genre that brought much revenue was that of the teenager drama or action flick. Attempting to capture the younger demographic in a slightly failing time in the industry, filmmakers attempted to adhere to the interests of the youth. Having relatable teen movies was somewhat difficult as there are always a wide range of teenage demographics, but the morals around them usually stayed the same, idealistic struggles with corrupt power and a tender fascination with brief violence. This era and genre of films is often looked upon in a beneficial light as morals and themes were developed further (Lewis p. 254). The Wild One directed by Laszlo Benedek was the first financially successful studio made film that targeted the teenage audience. The film is loosely based on newspaper headlines written about a  motorcycle gang attacking and harboring themselves in a town in California. The film touched audiences through its opening disclaimer reminding them about the true nature of the film and the repercussions if it were to repeat itself. The film itself was politically conservative as it was structured as a western and holds true to those similar values. Teenagers at the time identified with the main characters struggle with authority and adult society which celebrates the outlaw behavior the film itself condemned (Lewis p. 254). Nicholas Ray’s Rebel Without A Cause released two years after using widescreen technologies adhering with the melodramatic formula popular at the time with both teenagers and adults. The central theme that most sided with was the similarities of all American teens regardless of backstory, mainly all being misunderstood. The film touches on alienation in society and how the young individuals must find where they fit in both in their community and at home. This film was another great steppingstone for the industry as its relativity to the teenage climate of the era did very well in the box office (Lewis p. 256).

Another great adventure in these decades were the advancements in the classic genre, the musical. West Side Story won ten Academy Awards when released and was a throwback to the old American style from the classical era. The genre needed an update as widescreen technology was brought into the musical experience for their giant song and dance number riddled throughout the film’s run time. The camerawork utilized also added insane amounts of never seen before depth to the movement during these numbers as the choreography could be seen from multiple angles and movements (Lewis p. 265). Alfred Hitchcock started his career in England writing for silent pictures and directed his first film The Pleasure Garden in 1925. His initial work followed an apprentice in Germany where his style developed from antimontage which eschewed the cut in favor of a more theatrical and photographic emphasis. He used deep-focus compositions or moved the camera fluidly through the set for his desired cinematography which was deemed successful by his works when they hit the box office. His best-known works are Blackmail (1929), The 39 Steps (1935), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), and his American classic Psycho (1960). Hitchcock is often acclaimed for his transference between genres including his work in gothic melodramas, psychological suspense films, and espionage dramas (Lewis p. 266).

Comedy can simply be defined as developed as decades of previous work culminated to the comedic genius we still look up to today. Appearing in over fifteen top twenty pictures in the 1950s, Jerry Lewis is the most successful comedian at the box office to date. Accompanied by singer Dean Martin, Lewis appealed to both children and adults developing a name for himself in film, and like many of the other comedic greats before and after, followed up with directing his own films. Martin and Lewis worked hand in hand staring in The caddy and the Stooge and Artists and Models which quickly resulted in a split between the two partners. Lewis luckily did quite well on his own, while Martin seemed lost in Hollywood without them (Lewis p. 276).

Women and the sexual revolution of the 1960’s also tapped into the Hollywood demographic in notable positions of beauty and wondrous fashion. By far the biggest star of the 1950s, Marilyn Monroe was everywhere taking over as the female icon of the era. Starring in only a couple of films though, mostly as a wide-eyed innocent woman yet extremely sexually mature, her career in film as many of the films are accredited to her instead of their directors. Her best films are deemed Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Seven Year Itch, and Some Like It Hot. Being the embodiment of male desire, Monroe’s career seemed ready to take off but always seemed caught in controversy regarding her body, but without shame she addressed the allegations and in fact became more popular for her forwardly actions and authenticity. Her actions on set later in her career were well documented as she was eventually seen taking her time and not regarding others leading to an inverse in her inward appearance by the end of her career (Lewis p. 278). After Monroe’s death, Doris Day replaced the attractive blonde girl stereotype in Hollywood with her role in Move Over, Darling. Day was originally a dancer, but after an accident studied vocals which developed until a prosperous acting career. Her rise to stardom was assisted by Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much and The Pajama Game by George Abbott, which led to her breakout role in Michael Gordon’s Pillow Talk. Through the sexual revolution of the 60s, Day was an icon as her work in film during her prime defined the era along with Marilyn Monroe. As she did age, her turn to television in The Doris Day Show was phenomenal and concluded her career adequately (Lewis p. 281).

The two most influential and well known films of the 1960’s were Bonnie and Clyde and The Graduate, which are known to summarize this fantastic era of American Film History as a whole. Warren Beatty was given the green light on this depression era bank robbing duo after initial lukewarm reactions from the Warner Bros. Studio. Originally finding the mix of comedy and violence off-putting, the company eventually approved the creation of Bonnie and Clyde. Luckily for all involved, the film was a massive success at the box office proving the Warner Bros. wrong on their initial reaction as Arthur Penn’s novice direction of the film brought a cinematic style that defied the outdated Hollywood structure. The ending of the film is the most well known as the mauling of the two main characters at its most climactic point, welcomed the anti-hero troupe we know and love today (Lewis p. 283). Mike Nichols, hot off his previous success, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, directed an even greater success in The Graduate in 1967. The film’s immediate success, and Nichols’ previous, proved to the world that the over thirty-year-old PCA formula was outdated. The multi genre film incorporated not just teen elements, but that of romantic comedy as the main character is seen as confused and alienated life that many young people of this era resonated with which added to the box office success. The film also provided the industry higherups with a better sense of what the people wanted shown and represented in modern film which defined the coming decades (Lewis p. 286).

Module 6:

A Hollywood Renaissance

At the peak of the Vietnam Conflict, and right only a few years after the end of segregation, the United States was in a strange spot in the film industry. New ideas were spinning, audiences needed an escape from reality, and luckily Hollywood delivered in full, but not before some changes had to be made. Jack Valenti, MPAA President, issued a revolutionary new rating system in the last quarter of 1968 that overhauled the way films were perceived by both critics and audiences. The voluntary rating system had four categories that all films would fall under: G for general audiences, M for mature, R for restricted barring all under the age of sixteen without a guardian, and X barring all under the age of sixteen. The movement was adopted industry wide with the support of all studios and their constituents as the rating system focused on parental guidance and studio compliance (Lewis p. 293). Three features from June 1972 to 73, Deep Throat, Behind the Green Door, and The Devil in Miss Jones, outearned almost all other studio releases. This struck back Valenti as the X rating was the only one, he wasn’t sure about including in his press release. The popularity of pornography developed further here as it was fueled by the broad social changes in this era. The change brought question to the continuation of these types of films which went all the way to the Supreme Court in the case Miller vs. California where it was returned to California. In this court case the conclusion became that on the local level, those in power should decide whether porn films should be shown locally, settling the matter (Lewis p. 297).

This era provided some of the most notable and critically acclaimed films of all time as a refresh essentially from some of the old genres audiences knew and loved. Directed by Dennis Hopper, Easy Rider, commanded the attention of the younger generation using rock and popular music from Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, and others. The teen biker documentary style film was created with a budget of just under four hundred thousand, yet net over nineteen million in its time at the box office. It became so well known and loved from the use of unknown actors and handheld camera work adding immersion and intrigue to the filmmaking process and the story. The success and notoriety ensued a brief run of counterculture productions, but none as popular (Lewis p. 298). After some initial failures pitching film ideas to the higher ups at Warner Bros, Francis Ford Coppola was given a chance to develop the World War 2 film, Patton, which became an immediate success. With this win, and his other ideas tabled, he was assigned the now classic epic, The Godfather. This film revived the gangster film genre seemingly lost in the rear-view mirror from decades prior as it touched on the same themes, immigration, assimilation, and ambition, yet with a darker twist. The mix between the professional and private life of modern gangsters seemed to worry many at Paramount but were met with Coppola explaining the film’s true theme, not gangster life, but family life. With this the film touched on many of the important problems in modern society becoming one of the most well-known, studied, and loved films of all time (Lewis p. 303). After the success of The Godfather, Robert Evans light the green light on Chinatown, an extremely graphic and modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. With the dark, shadowy noir style, the focus on intense detective work, femme fatale involvement, and a sadly tragic ending, the film obviously became a huge success garnering a new look into the beloved genre. The film also spoke on some raw moments in American history and the human experience as the corruption shown painted most audiences a picture from their own backyard (Lewis p. 310).

With all of these fantastic films releasing, with audiences and critics alike begging for more, the notorious faces behind these films must be discussed. Martin Scorsese joined the film game along Francis Ford Coppola after graduating film school and working in predominantly B movies, until his first real success, Mean Streets, in 1973. His notable style is fore fronted with stylistic tendencies and habits offering repetitive insights into personal obsessions. He kept his sets well lived in and realistic which immersed audiences into the strange lives his character lived. His active cinematography and camera style fluidly moves making the audience active viewers empowering them to be part of the film. The shots throughout real-life act as B-roll and provide an insight in the world outside the main character’s plight and goals adding to the sentiments taken home with the audience (Lewis p. 312). Robert Altman started from an industrial film company, rising through the ranks of episodic television, commercials, and finally landing his role directing MASH. With the Vietnam conflict still raging on, the sarcastic and comical take on a wartime medical hospital was beloved by American audiences and did extremely well with the youth. His success was attained through his aural technique to achieve large-scale realism utilizing features to re-create the look and sound of the environments he portrayed while adding his own flair of the dramatic in the way of popular music and pop-culture references that fit in with the period he was currently working in (Lewis p. 314). Stanley Kubrick began his journey in film direction with Paths of Glory in 1957, and developed eight other fantastic and beloved films before his prime in the 1970’s. At this time, he created 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, and others capitalizing the decade as the best yet. He started out as a photographer, but quickly fell in love with filmmaking and the culture behind it as he created films from all different genres; historical, war, science fiction, dramas, action, and horror. His films are extremely immersive as his eye for key details, symbolism and theming complement the tone he provides for each film. Also, the sound design always accompanied his cinematography enhancing the tone and underlying atmospheric tension (Lewis p. 317). George Lucas’s first major success came as American Graffiti netting over twenty million dollars in the box office and became a well-known name in Hollywood. He was never great at directing actors, as he was not particularly communicative, but was acclaimed for his efforts on atmospheric development of grand set pieces. His work on this film set a standard for music in film as they were set in the environment instead of edited over as used in the past. Eventually, Lucas became most well-known for debuting his Star Wars franchise which developed a massive rave for the science fiction genre yet focused on the narrative. The songs in this film, though were so beloved by fans that they were eventually packaged in an album and distributed breaking into an untapped market of future postproduction revenue (Lewis p. 324). Steven Spielberg had his first win with Jaws as he crushed The Godfather’s box office record becoming the industry’s first one hundred-million-dollar grossing picture. The film is commonly described as an experimental prototypical horror film as his expert manipulation of tropes and themes brought everyone out to the movies. This started a new formula known as high-concept entertainment described as simple narratives, easy to condense into a single line to promote the film. The emphasis on simplicity was matched with jaw-dropping special effects defined this era as the mold from the past was slowly being broken and refit for new, younger audiences (Lewis p. 325).

Genres also experienced a revival around this time as new ideas flowed and meddled their way to revolutionize the memories from decades before bringing together both young and older audiences. The horror of over-the-top action, gore, and the beauty of the Wild West can only be seen in the Ultraviolent Western reinvented by Sam Peckinpah. With his release of The Wild Bunch, the intensity and duration of violence could only be described as exponential from the previous decades. From his prior experience directing episodes of Gunsmoke and The Rifleman, Peckinpah revitalized the genre from the classic standoff to absolute blood baths and carnage on the prairie. Mirroring the violence overseas during Vietnam, these films were greeted with skepticism at first, but slowly loved as a safe parallel between generations. The new rating system by the MPAA also left a somewhat new line for filmmakers to tread along providing new ammunition in a time where people were still upset for fighting for the wrong cause (Lewis p. 334). The New American Horror reemerged in the 1970’s with cheap exploitation films starting with Rosemary’s Baby in 1968 that catalyzed the new wave of entertainment and fear. Brian De Palma was the largest standout name as his reputation for gory flesh, vulnerability, and extreme brutality intrigued many viewers. His inclusion of beautiful women having heinous acts of violence cast around them was worrisome, but quickly became a stylist endeavor that was carried through to the 80’s as a classic film troupe. John Carpenter’s Halloween took what De Palma had started and ran with an under five hundred-thousand-dollar budget that grossed forty-seven million in only its first theatrical run. This also began a continuous cycle of sequel series, especially in horror, as the fear and terror continued (Lewis p. 338).

Along with these great genres, comedy also was progressing into something the public had yet to see. Beginning as a gag writer for co-comedians, Woody Allen rose as a stand-up comedian as he wrote his first script for the 1965 What’s New, Pussycat. The film was a hit that opened his career to Take the Money and Run and Sleeper. From this rudimentary form of comedy grew an interest in the creation of story-driven and adult-themed pictures such as Annie Hall which brought him to stardom. This life became mingled, and he began work on Manhattan an autobiographical picture that left audiences laughing, but also somewhat uncomfortable due to some of the context around his private life. This came to a head later towards the end of his career as he was involved in a serious sexual abuse scandal with his adopted daughter, ending his career (Lewis p. 342). Mel Brooks started his career doing stand-up comedy along the Borscht Belt in New York City but started his career in film with The Producers. The film was a landmark on the contemporary comedy sub-genre. His big success came in the way of Blazing Saddles that made a joke of the overplayed Hollywood Westerns that played along with the racial tensions that had been heating up in America for the last few decades. It was released controversially but deemed a success. His last good film, Young Frankenstein spoofed the classic horror genre cementing his style as a play on fellow filmmakers and the classic troupes of modern film (Lewis p. 344). Beginning his career in supporting roles, and a well-developed stand-up comic, Richard Pryor, held most of his success onstage instead of in front of the camera. He proved to be an inspiration in the genre inspiring fellow African American comics to get their foot into the industry as it was a relatively untapped market. He focused his shows on telling the truth especially about the issues around race targeting adult audiences and providing a voice for those that couldn’t in a time of immense racial division (Lewis p. 345).

African Americans and women also finally began to set a firm foot into the film industry as the end of segregation and sexual revolution of the 1970’s paved the way for the future. Actors such as Sidney Poitier in the 60’s and 70’s utilized his race to his advantage depicting how African Americans live in an integrated America. This push for an alternativist feels for black narratives was necessary due to the continuous back and forth between the black and white communities’ post-segregation which ended in 1965. This change in culture became known as blaxploitation, referring to the anticipated black American audience and celebrates the genre’s production style and exploitative marketing scheme. The best examples of these films are Gordon Park’s Shaft and Super Fly. The genre is known best for heroic, capable individuals who transcend the immortality and criminality of the urban scene. The realistic viewpoint directed from struck true to many, not just African Americans (Lewis p. 349). The New Woman’s Film spearheaded the women’s liberation movement of this era with significant ties to the suffragette movement of the turn of the century. Passing of old stereotypes such as women shouldn’t smoke, this new generation of women did not want to be defined by the opinions of men generations prior. Films such as Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and Pakula’s Klute, showed how the modern woman desired sexual and social freedom. The departure from the studio’s sex appeal and eye candy was fresh and beloved by the audiences of the 1970’s as the realistic take on the world was something they could all appreciate. Some did deem these films as progressive. But, Hollywood had come a long way and this business sub-model was still new, but broke open the barrier for the next decades allowing the women of the future a chance to do what those in the past couldn’t (Lewis p. 353).

Module 7:

A New New Hollywood

With the expanding industry and advancements in technology of video capture and media distribution, the home-box-office market was a defining attribute to this era of American history. Having paid television, videocassettes, and network television completely changed the way audiences were able to watch and enjoy this medium of media. The Screen Actors Guild strike in the fall of 1980 began on the demands for establishment of contractual revenue shares for post box office media similarly to how television residuals were managed at this point. The SAG eventually backed down demonstrating the studios were now diversified conglomerates with other income sources and the guilds could not rely on the public. This was a hard time for the laborers in filmmaking (Lewis p. 360). Beyond the television, watching feature length films at home, when one desired became a high demand in the 1980s. This movement divulged the videocassette recorder (VCR), which showed that copyrighted material might be freely duplicated by consumers, cutting out the studios entirely. Disney and Universal began a lawsuit against Sony after the VCR took off, which was eventually dismissed based on consumer free will with no ill intent on the behalf of Sony (Lewis p. 360).

In the 1980s and 1990s cinema and filmmaking returned from the auteur of the 1970s to the genre style of decades before. The most beloved trend being the blockbuster, or event film, giving audiences new experiences independent of plot and performance, a breath of fresh air. The change began with two of the most success films of all time, Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark. The films began the movement of formulaic and familiar, holding mirrors to the Hollywood success of the past leaving audiences with nostalgia for the previous golden age of filmmaking (Lewis p. 362). Following the grand success of Star Wars many films began digging deeper into the science fiction market through social or political commentary. Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner is a prime example of this emergence into the politically conscious through the symbolic meaning of life, whether human or artificial. The mirroring in this film between city space and urban America had audiences contemplating their own mortality and meaning of life beyond what one could consider the basic nine to five. Ridley Scott continued his social commentary on the human condition by exploring different sides to humanity but keeping them all well shaded in symbolism (Lewis p. 369). Scott directed the first of the Alien film franchise that began an interest in genre hybrids. His direction tapping into the horror, action adventure, and science fiction was a fresh use of now classic movie tropes such as profitable enterprises vs. public good, last left alone to fight, and doomed not to be believed. The use of tight shots and heightening tension, the huge ship the original film is set on becomes small and claustrophobic. The series is widely considered to start a now powerful trend of horror sequels as the universe and methodology continued to grow as other directors and producers built on the onscreen world (Lewis p. 372). At the same time, comedies were taking over the younger audiences. The most popular comedies of the 80s and 90s were written and directed by the legendary John Hughes, beginning with Sixteen Candles in 1984. His teen comedy formula centered around the white, suburban teen experience usually involving stereotypical characters outcast from their known worlds revolving on the realization that being yourself is the best you can be. In these films, the pursuit of happiness comes by finding your own way through triumphing over parents and the normality of the cliquish high school experience. Almost all his film’s follow this beloved formula such as The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day off, and Pretty in Pink (Lewis p. 375).

The box office is always a huge point of discussion on how the audience and public perceive the current movement of film. In the 1980s, this demographic was completely dominated by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas with successes such as Raiders of the Lost Arc, E.T., Poltergeist, Gremlins, Back to the Future, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. They continued their run in Hollywood even with Lucas not directing a film for over twenty years, due to his successful production company, Lucasfilm. The films the two directed and produced was seated on a throne of intense special effects and childhood alluring audiences to events of their own lives and relatable early film experiences. The characters are always in motion against an obvious evil, with defined heroes and villains the films dominated the public. The end of the cold war demonstrated on screen to audiences as their lives were mirrored by the Hollywood greats (Lewis p. 378). Following Spielberg and Lucas, Oliver Stone also left connections between the ongoing cold war and the American people’s reality in his films. Some experiences he witnessed firsthand were direct inspirations for his films such as the John F. Kennedy assassination for his 1991 film JFK. Following this attack on America, the Vietnam Conflict inspired his anti-war trilogy through the late 80s to the early 90s with Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, and Heaven and Earth. His depiction of the crippling experience of American soldiers helped show both physical and psychological damage the soldiers returned with, marking a change in the development of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) research and understanding in American history (Lewis p. 382).

With film focus constantly shifting, but most finding a central medium on social and political commentary, few dared to go as far as Spike Lee. Beginning his Hollywood career with She’s Gotta Have it, Lee partnered with Nike exploited his own performance in the film gaining the public eye through ads and building a name for himself. He eventually concluded talks with Universal to direct the 1989 film Do the Right Thing, widely considered his best. The film dealt bravely with the unfortunately common racial divide in urban America which hadn’t been depicted on screen much at all prior. The success of the film opened him up to examine more racial issues and standings in his future films including Jungle Fever, Get on the Bus, and He Got Game, all developing on different areas of indecency due to race (Lewis p. 386).

Beginning the small group of commercially successful film auteur directors in this era, Tim Burton began his career an animator with Disney. His oddball takes on kid’s pop culture refused to pander of condescend the viewer defined his career. He is responsible for two Batman films showing the gritty world of Gotham in a dark and derelict sense, while Edward Scissorhands follows a deformed freak turned hero, The Nightmare Before Christmas is a great stop motion redemption story. Range as a director is important, and Burton’s take on the child’s experience overcoming stigmas and stereotypes was widely accepted and adored by many (Lewis p. 390). David Lynch began his career while in art school and worked as a painter before his debut in 1977 with Eraserhead. The film is extremely strange about a freak on the outskirts of society whose pregnant girlfriend gives birth to a mutant. This strange depiction defined his style as an artist and filmmaker focusing on the medium of film instead of the action itself. His wild and outlandish symbolism secured many successes such as The Elephant Man and Blue Velvet. His shots of visual dichotomy usually set up the theme of filth and cleanliness, both human and theoretical, living in tandem. His darkness continued with Wild at Heart, Lost Highway, and Mulholland Drive leaving many audiences uncomfortable with the amount of explicit and violent content (Lewis p. 391).

Out of the darkness, a former video store clerk and self-proclaimed exploitative film enjoyer emerged as the most talked about director in 1990s Hollywood. Quentin Tarantino generated his fame from self-promotion and methodology beginning his career with two fantastic films Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. Tarantino is known for working within familiar genres, but with a twist of exploit the traditional style through careful manipulation and altering common tropes. His films are mostly dialogue and set focused with the occasional wild and gruesome acts of violence or sexually charged scenes only described as bizarre or abstract. He treats the screen as a stage and directs like a stage director resulting in a unique style of narrative fluidity seen in his later films of the 90s Jackie Brown and Kill Bill Volumes 1 and 2 (Lewis p. 393). Independent filmmakers grew cult followings in the 1980s and 90s with wildly abstract representations on niche subcultures and lifestyles depicted in American society. The Coen Brothers, Joel and Ethan, debuted with Blood Simple in 1984, a noir film set in rural Texas deemed a hit that walked a tight line between independent and commercial Hollywood. The pace and critical distance of the films demonstrate their independent style in films like Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and O Brother Where Art Thou? Their films centralize on the stupidity of average people and familiar predicaments being extreme challenges for various individuals usually seen on the outskirts of society. The violence they depict is often straightforward and pervasive as marketed to younger individuals almost adding comical elements to the story such as in The Big Lebowski (Lewis p. 401). Art house-to-multiplex crossover hits were rare in this era, making Steven Soderbergh’s Sex, Lies, and Videotape a fresh unapologetically quirky experience netting over twenty-five million dollars in its initial domestic appearance. He followed this abstract film with Kafka which was so confusing audiences were reported leaving theaters early. His films afterwards, King of the Hill and The Underneath only cemented his independence, only breaking out and becoming an A-list director with Erin Brockovich. His films are centered around character studies of people in exile whether internal or physical making many of these journeys complex and confusing (Lewis p. 404).

Women in the 1980s and 1990s had major difficulties emerging from indie filmmaking to mainstream commercial styles. Luckily, Kathryn Bigelow was able to thrive in a male dominated Hollywood with her indie vampire film, Near Dark in the late 80s. She utilized cross genre troupes to demonstrate character arcs and decisions in her films through symbolism and contextual evidence. This was seen as successful and loved by both male and female audiences of this ear as she continued her career with Blue Steel and Point Break. She had a commercial failure with Strange Days, barely making less than a fifth of the budget for the film. This did not deter the pioneer as she returned in the early 2000s with K-19: The Widowmaker, and became the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Director in 2010 for The Hurt Locker. This was a huge step for women interested in directing and Hollywood in general (Lewis p. 408).

Module 8:

Epilogue

The future of film is now, as we move on from viewing these discussions from the rear view mirror and start looking out to the open road. Our known world expands with every small idea that may eventually grow to the size of a script, short film, documentary, feature length film, epics, or even anthologies. One always acknowledges the future as a motion of progress showing just how far we have come as an individual or society, especially in film. Taking ideas or examples from past work, and improving or constructively working with past projects for the current generation sums up how positive and hard working the film industry in America has, and hopefully always will be. This is not just an impact on itself, but the people, communities, and world around it, as much of the world today has had direct correlations to the growing film industry of the last century. One such example is the impact Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now had in 1979. Being filmed in Southeast Asia post Vietnam conflict had many in those countries critical of the film’s tones and negative representation of the citizens in this area. The film was so controversial there had to be specialized documentation written and approved by the Australian government to have the movie made on the north side of their country. With this, many other countries, especially America, wrote new legislation to push the limits of what could be shown on screen, as the film was widely loved. Apocalypse Now is widely seen as one of the greatest anti-war war films ever created, which can be attributed to it’s international impact it had during its creation, breaking the boundaries of that era’s film creation. This example, and many others, shows how impactful film has always been. The future is very bright as now more than ever directors, producers, and actors are all working together to make the most cinematic experiences for audiences and critics alike. If this trend continues, who knows what the students of the future will be writing about in a century from now.