What is meant by the term ‘New Hollywood’?

The term ‘New Hollywood’ stems from cinema in the mid to late 60s up until the late 90’s were films, by a new generation of directors reflecting a more broader innovation by covering topics such as political and cultural conflicts at large within America’s culture. Overall the control over films moved over from the studio towards the director to allow more creative freedoms. This came out of such events as the ‘Paramount decision’ where the court ordered a case to decide the fate of film studios owning their own theatres and holding exclusive rights on which theatres would show their own films.

Name some of the films, directors ands stars from this period.

Apocalypse Now, – 1979, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Is a well known New Hollywood film that challenged the morality of the Vietnam War. It starred well known actors such as Martin Sheen, Harrison ford and Lauren Fishburne.

Taxi Driver – 1976, directed by Martin Scorsese, Is one of Scorsese’s famous films about an ex-Vietnam vet who tries to save an underage prostitute from her pimp. It includes a well known actors such as Robert De Niro.

JAWS – 1975, directed by Steven Spielberg, is about a large white shark that fatally attacks swimmer’s, to get rid of it a sheriff teams up with a crew to hunt it down. This starred a famous actor, such as Roy Scheider.

What events were taking place in America around the period identified as the New Hollywood era of cinema?

During the period of the 50s up until the late 70s the US were involved in numerous events. Many of these centred around the battle of political ideology of capitalism VS Communism or social injustice:

• The Korean war – after the second world war, The US and other capitalist nations fought with the south Koreans against the communist china backed north Koreans.
• The Vietnam war, which spanned from 1955 to 1975, saw the US fight against the communist Vietnamese, backed by the USSR, this further goes to show the battle of ideology’s that soon became unpopular socially back home in the US as the death toll of Americans to prove which political ideology is better became unpopular after peace protests started to rise in numbers.
• The civil rights movement, took place throughout the 50s, which saw people of colour protest at the falsehoods of their rights and discrimination brought under laws such as segregation. The main event surrounding this can seen later on with Martin Luther King junior, giving his speech on the matter, this was supported by a quarter of million of people who attended his speech in Washington.

The Second World War:

During the release of Casablanca, it was both set and made in the time period of the Second World War. Only being a year into the conflict, after the events of pearl harbour on December 7th 1941 where the US were surprise attacked at a naval base in Hawaii. The US joined the allied forces of Great Britain and Canada to fight against both Nazi Germany and the imperialist empire, Japan.

Due to the sudden attack on American people, many young and old men fit for fighting signed up to join the US forces. This can shown through Casablanca as towards the end of the film, Rick can be seen to show his contribution as an American to the war effort by sending resistance members, Ilsa and Victor to the United States to provide vital information to win the war.

Prior to this, on the 25th of June, 1940 France had fell to might of Nazi Germanys collected and modernised tactics. During the Nazis control over France, it was split into parts: the Nazi occupied North and the Vichy south, where the french government was allowed to remain but regulated and puppeted by Germany. Including the nation itself, its territories overseas were placed under german control. This included Morocco which at the time was under french control and wasn’t a country like today.

With the film ‘Casablanca’ named and set after a city in Morocco it would be impossible to have a locational film there under the circumstances of the War. This meant that filming of Casablanca was to be done in sets or in familiar locations in the deserts of Burbank, California.

Dialogue –

“I stick my neck out for nobody” – This use of dialogue creates an insider to the type of character rick is early on in the film, it isn’t until having rekindle the love he has for Ilsa he changes from his cynical nature to that of a Caring person. This can be proven with his reoccurring line ‘Here’s looking at you, kid’ being said whenever he is in a happy mental state.

Underscoring –

Underscoring is used to establish a characters presence in Casablanca. This is best shown in the scene where Rick sees Ilsa. Further in the film we come to understand the significance of the dramatic score used to mark her presence as he is shown to be her past lover.

Sound Motif –

The sound of a piano is associated to Ricks café, this is because whenever a scene inside the bar is shown, the sound of music coming from Sam’s piano is always associated to it.

Synchronous Music –

Synchronous sound can be heard with the plane to Lisbon for example, When the sound of a plane engine is heard by the characters, Rick and Ilsa the next shot is of its origin as a planes propellers start to spin.

Sound Mixing (Atmos/Foley) –

Sound mixing, also known as Foley sound can be found mainly in the scenes of Ricks café. With the clinks of glasses being heard in the background during dialogue, it creates an immersive atmosphere to the scenes location.

Representation:

In terms of historical context, the ideology of how these different groups are represented shows a lot about of how people may of viewed things back then.

Women –

Women in Casablanca, Such as Ilsa, the past love-interest Rick kicks out and the losing gamblers pleading wife are all represented as being almost like accessories to the men, being clung onto or holding onto the men’s arms whilst having decisions made for them. This is best shown in the scene where Ilsa is lovingly clinging to Rick, here she is heard to say “your going to have to do the thinking for both of us”. This in a modern viewpoint is a very patriarchal representation of how women are seen. However during the 1930’s and up until the early 1940’s, Women were often unemployed, having their usual role being in the home, taking care of it and providing for their families, this changed however, as women eventually went to work in factories due to lack of men working because of the war.

Men –

Men in Casablanca are represented as calm and collected, Men such as Victor Lazlo as well as Rick resemble this with their usual expressionless close-ups. Furthermore, Men are shown to be seen to be main decision makers, This can be shown with Rick arranging for Ilsa’s escape with Victor Lazlo. Men can also be shown to be vulnerable, this breaks the usual stereotype as Men in that day were never usually seen to express their emotions. This is shown in the scene where Rick sadly sits at his Bar with tears almost swelling in his eyes as he talks about Ilsa’s return into his life after she had ran away.

Authority Figures –

Authority Figures in Casablanca are represented as mix between corrupt and some signs of fairness. An example of this Mix is Captain Louis Renault, he even admits he is corrupt in a scene where is speaking to rick and in another scene where he closes Ricks Café for gambling just before taking his earning from when he had just been previously playing. Abiding by both Nazi influence and his own, he often helps Rick but additionally betrays him such as reporting the escape of Victor Lazlo. Other representations of Authority figures can be seen with the cruel dictating Nazis, Characters such as Major Strasser represent this as he tries to find ways to arrest Victor Lazlo for his involvement with rebellion activities to the Nazis regime in other European countries.

People of Colour –

People of Colour in Casablanca are represented as either background characters to the setting of Morocco, where people of colour are born there or as an accompanying protagonist to Rick. This can be exampled through Sammy, Ricks Piano player who had travelled with him from France to Morocco. Compared to the society of time where people of colour where still segregated in American, this usage of a black actor as a key part in the story, it shows an early sign of progression in society. This can also be said to act as a form of propaganda, as during the second world war laws on segregation in the US armed forces where lowered so that more men could help in the war effort, Black and white soldiers fought together against the enemy and shared the same equipment, facilities, etc.

Americans –

Americans in Casablanca are represented as divided getting involved with the war, this is shown with the only American, Rick. EX-patriated from his country after becoming stuck in Nazi occupied French-Morocco, he has become distant with his country and the War after losing his true love, Ilsa. Eventually helping in the war effort by helping her and her husband escape to Lisbon. This can been to be a propaganda representation of Americans as during the films release, the Americans involvement with the war was still new. To convince the public to help in the war effort, seeing a fellow countrymen take part would act as good encouragement.

Europeans –

Europeans in Casablanca are represented as either collaborators with the Nazis, such as the Vichy French policemen or Italians who formed the axis with the Germans during the second world war. Other Europeans, like Victor Lazlo, who is Czechoslovakian represent the resistance to the nazis. This could possibly stem from their early occupation dated pre-war showing how they are the most likely to want to fight against the nazis. Obviously, germans in this film are represented as the enemy, the divide in between the main characters and the point of conflict within the storyline.

new hollywood is the period of hollywood from between the late 1960s to the late to mid 1970s where studios relinquished control to young directors in hopes of capturing these arthouse audiences, allowing for greater risk-taking and broader innovation.

stars from the new hollywood period:

• woody allen
• Warren Beatty
• René Auberjonois
• Karen Black
• Timothy Bottoms
• Christopher berry

some directors are

• Martin Scorsese
• Steven Spielberg
• Robert Altman

some films from new hollywood are

• taxi diver
• Bonnie and clyde
• China town
• badlands
• jaws

around this period the TV was rising in popularity

the civil rights act had just been past

the americans started the cold war with the USSR

New Hollywood was a movement after the Studio system was outlawed, and this mainly meant that the directors had more of a key role in the production compared to the studios.

prevalent films/actors/directors:

This film defined a lot of the Hollywood, and had Actor Warren Beatty and director Arthur Penn.

This film was an independent film directed by Martin Scorsese and starred Harvey Keitel and Zina Bethune.

This was a thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and starred Roy Scheider.

Prevalent Events:

America gained a new fear on communism, which greatly affected film stars such as Charlie Chaplin who was feared to be a communist

The Vietnam war, a war revolved around communism was happening for around 10 years, and the soldiers who came back weren’t seen as heroes

The Cold war introduced the fear of atomic weapons

their was corruption in the American Senet, with Richard Nixon and the Watergate Scandal. there as also inequality in America.

What is meant by the term New Hollywood?

New Hollywood is the post-classical Hollywood, from the mid to late 1960s through to the mid to late 1970s, the control moved more from the studio to new generations of directors that reflected political and cultural views at the time.

Name some of the films, directors and stars from this period.

Films – Bonnie and Clyde, Midnight Cowboy, The Graduate

Directors – Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Arthur Penn

Stars – Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, Woody Allen

What events were taking place in America around the period identified as the New Hollywood era of cinema?

The creation of the Hollywood Antitrust Law in 1948, the dismissal of the Hays Code in 1968, the civil rights movement, communism, the Vietnam war, John Kennedy’s assassination, Watergate scandal, inequality in American society.

1. Hollywood cinema from the mid to late 1960s through to the mid to late 1970s, especially films by a new generation of directors that exploit economic uncertainty in the film industry and reflect political and cultural conflict in the culture

2. jean Harlow starred in, red dust and bombshell

Alice Faye starred in, tin pan alley and fallen angel

3. The economic troubles of the 1930s were worldwide in scope and effect. Economic instability led to political instability in many parts of the world. Political chaos, in turn, gave rise to dictatorial regimes such as Adolf Hitler’s in Germany and the military’s in Japan

Hollywood cinema from the mid to late 1960s through to the mid to late 1970s, especially films by a new generation of directors that exploit economic uncertainty in the film industry and reflect political and cultural conflict in the culture at large. (control moved from studio to director)

Films from this period include Bonny & Clyde (1967), Taxi driver (1976) and Midnight cowboy (1969)

Famous directors from the period include:

Francis Ford Coppola – He is considered one of the leading figures of the New Hollywood film movement of the 1960s and 1970s and is widely considered one of the greatest directors of all time, some movies include The Godfather (1972), The Godfather pt ii (1974).

Martin Scorsese – Taxi driver (1976), Man streets (1936), New York, New York (1977)

Popular new Hollywood actors include:  John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Henry Fonda

events that where taking place at the time include:

• Civil rights act
• First spacewalks
• Berlin Wall erected
• Kennedy assasinated

The New Hollywood era of filmmaking showed a period of time in which creative control of films moved from the studios to individual directors, giving them the opportunity to tell stories that don’t particularly have to appeal to mass audiences.

Notable films from this period include Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Taxi Driver (1976), Planet of The Apes (1968) and Night of the Living Dead (1968).

Directors that became well-known through this era include Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and William Friedkin.

Some examples of stars from this period are Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, Sean Connery and Robert De Niro.

Notable world events during this time include the rise of Communism, the assasination of JFK, and the Vietnam War.