What is meant by the term ‘New Hollywood’?

New Hollywood refers to the shift in the preferences of Americans, this became more prominent at the end of the 1950s and beginning of the 60s when most Americans already owned TVs meaning cinema audiences significantly decreased and so did the youth’s interest in what the film studios were making at the time.

new Hollywood films, directors and stars

Cleopatra (1963) – directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, starring Elizabeth Taylor

Easy Rider (1969), directed by Dennis Hopper, starring Peter Fonda & Dennis Hopper

The Godfather (1972), directed by Francis Ford Copolla, starring Marlon Brando

Bonnie & Clyde (1967), directed by Arthur Penn, starring Warren Beatty & Faye Dunaway

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

The ‘New Hollywood’ era spanned between 1960 and 1980, not only did technology advance by a lot during this period (the invention of TVs became more and more popular) but America also:

• witnessed 3 assassinations of public figures within the span of 5 years, John F. Kennedy (1963), Malcom X (1965) and Martin Luther King (1968)

• the ‘Civil Rights’ movement was put into place (1954-1968), this aimed for legalised racial segregation, discrimination and hate crimes towards black people to be stopped

• from 1959 through to 1973, American soldiers were being sent to help out in the Vietnam war but Americans did not agree with this happening as they wanted to decrease the spreading of communism for soviet powers

• Richard Nixon (president at the time) was involved in a huge scandal called the ‘Watergate’ and as he was being found guilty, he was the one and only president so far who has had to

the influence of ‘French New Wave’

What is meant by the cinematic term ‘French New Wave’?

This term refers to what is considered the most influential era of film making where French films became more and more popular in America as this movement’s impact is still seen in various films today, spanning from the late 50s through to the late 60s. Young film makers wanted to rebel against the Old Hollywood style which was seen as out dated and the younger generation were rejecting the traditional plots and techniques. ‘French New Wave’ films would typically feature elements such as the use of natural lighting, realistic looking and simplistic sets due to the low budgets some films had because of the money crisis after WW2, improvisation from actors and some starring in films were not even actors. Taking a break from traditional filmmaking also became more popular as well as experimenting, leading directors to get inspired by each other’s techniques.

What specific stylistic and structural elements are present in ‘French New Wave’ Films?

• location shooting
• handheld camerawork (documentary aesthetic)
• deemphasised plot
• improvised dialogue
• direct sound
• using the lighting available on location when not filmed in a studio setting
• the use of jump cuts over focusing on the continuity (condensing time, creating montages, snappier and more abrupt looking)
• democratisation of cinema as anyone could pick up a camera and make their own films
• voice-overs
• breaking the forth wall
• rapid and sudden mood changes

Which directors and films from the ‘French New Wave’ influenced Arthur Penn as he was making ‘Bonnie & Clyde’?

Arthur was not heavily influenced by the films ‘Jules at Jim’ (1962) and ‘Shoot The Pianist’ (1960) but also by other film directors such as Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut who helped and supported Penn in the making of ‘Bonnie and Clyde’. Robert Benton and David Newman who were ‘French New Wave’ fanatics themselves approached Arthur regarding directing the film themselves but Penn turned down their offer.

Bonnie & Clyde scenes which enhance the ‘French New Wave’ style:

deemphasized plot

This film is immensely iconic and well-known due to its abrupt ending. After following the love arc between Bonnie and Clyde, they both just die at the end. This was very sudden and unexpected because it is presumed that most viewers expected and wanted a typical happy ending for them however the ending of this film exceeded everyone’s expectations which is a very common ‘French New Wave’ feature as it moves away from the classical Hollywood style.

location shooting

Due to the lower budges of film makers during this period especially ones who were just starting out, it was very difficult to build or even rent out a whole sound stage and set therefore film makers resulted to filming on location. This wasn’t only much cheaper and accessible but it also conveyed a sense of realism and made them become more believable.

hand held camera work

Film makers started moving away from using camera stands or dollies especially because they were harder to to move around or even get a hold of in the first place if the budget of the film was not particularly high. They started filming while holding the camera as it was much easier to follow the actors moving around in some specific scenes but it also gave the viewer the illusion that they were somewhat actually in the film themselves as it mad everything seem more life-like and natural.

New Hollywood film style

How did New Hollywood directors such as Arthur Penn approach film narratives?

Penn was directly influenced by the French New Wave movement and other directors practicing this style of film such as Truffaut who helped perfect the style Bonnie & Clyde is filmed in. This film did not have a lot of focus on one specific plot but rather focused of the character arcs and having multiple subplots with a de-emphasized plot at the end which significantly derived from the Classical Hollywood style many were used to.

What is discontinuity editing?

Discontinuity editing refers to an editing technique which became more and more popular due to the French New Wave. This is when the flow of the editing didn’t follow a specific pattern which necessarily made sense therefore ruining the continuous flow of the film, this gave films a more modern and retro style and it’s aim was to bring the viewer’s attention to specific sots and scenes.

Why is this time in film production sometimes referred to as “The Rise of Auteurs” in Hollywood?

Many famous film makers across the world started their career during this time as the Hollywood Studio System had its infamous collapse which meant that there was now more space and a bigger audience for smaller film companies and directors. Due this, new film makers such as Penn for example had the freedom of creating whatever style and genre of film they wanted which is what many others did therefore, creating their own recognisable style and being referred to as Auteurs which basically means that they are like the authors of the film.

What is the lasting impact of the New Hollywood style on modern films?

Due to the New Hollywood movement, film makes introduced more graphic content and much more sensitive topics within their films such as sexuality and racism as well as conveying their own styles which had a massive impact on the overall look of films today, this includes editing the colouring of films to be brighter colours and give a sense of realism and enthusiasm.

New Hollywood refers to the era of film that came after the collapse of the studio system in the 1960s. Americans films around this era started to become “meaningless”, and younger audiences began gravitating towards foreign films instead. Additionally, in many American film studios a lot of “flops” were being produced- commercial failures that did not produce money- some examples being “Cleopatra” and “Hello Dolly”. This may have been because the films were no longer relevant to a younger audience, and they were demanding different things… the studios were becoming out of touch. Finally, the habit of ‘going to the cinema’ had been broken due to the mass production of televisions across American households.  

Some key aspects in New Hollywood is the use of handheld cameras, unconventional angles, and naturalistic lighting which contribute to making the films feel authentic, as if the viewer is there. Additionally, there is a naturalistic acting style.

Films in New Hollywood

Easy Rider, Dennis Hopper (1969)

The Graduate, Mike Nichols (1967)

Point Blank, John Boorman (1967)

Cleopatra, Joseph L. Mankiewicz (1963)

The most prominent stars and directors in this era widely varies. Firstly, for directors, the less known ones would include Mike Nichols, John Schlesinger, Tobe Hooper and Sidney Lumet, however some more famous directors that rose to prominence around this era include Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and George Lucas.

And for some stars in the New Hollywood era, there is:

Warren Beatty

Candice Bergen

Harrison Ford

And Karen Black

New Hollywood- History and Context

The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War, (1954–75), was a conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies in South Vietnam, known as the Viet Cong against the government of South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States.

However, this led to many protests at home for hundreds of thousands young and educated Americans across the US, as they did not like the US’ involvement in the war.

Riots in the Ghettos

The term ghetto riots, also termed ghetto rebellions, race riots, or negro riots refers to a period of widespread urban unrest and riots across the United States in the mid-to-late 1960s, largely fuelled by racial tensions and frustrations with ongoing discrimination, even after the passage of major Civil Rights.

Political assassinations

In this era there were many political assassinations. The most major though, was of John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) in the 1960s. The others being those of Robert F. Kennedy (1968), Malcolm X (1965), and Martin Luther King Jr. (1968).

There also a lot of political disgrace.

1969 to 1972 – Richard Nixon (A US republican). Had to resign while holding the post due to being behind an ordeal where he ordered his henchman to plant bugs in the offices of other candidates running for office.   

USA Counterculture 

This was an anti-establishment cultural phenomenon and political movement that developed in the United States during the mid-20th century. It began in the early 1960s, and continued through the early 1970s. These people concerned themselves with individual equality for the younger generation which included gender identity and opposing the Vietnam war.  

The influence of French New Wave

The French New Wave was a film movement from the 1950s and 60s by a lot of young and inspired French directors and one of the most influential in cinema history.

 It gave birth to a new kind of cinema that was highly self-aware and revolutionary to mainstream filmmaking. It is a rejection of the old, American way of making films.

Some directors, like the well-known Goddard and Truffaut actually began as film critics before their directorial debut. They were passionate about the art of film and wanted to bring in their own ideas. They believed that films had lost their ability to capture true human emotion and “lacked sincerity.”

Some other notable directors from this new wave of cinema included Jean-Luc Godard, Claude Chabrol, Eric Rohmer, Jacques Rivette, Louis Malle, Alain Resnais, Agnes Varda, and Jacques Demy.

They are also not making films just for the sake of money, in fact a majority of the films were very low-budget. This was due to low funds because of the financial restraints from World War 2. And with a “cheap digital camera”, everyone can make a film- this was referred to as democratisation of cinema.

Some stylistic elements

• Deemphasized plot & dialogue was often improvised
• Jump cuts rather than continuity editing
• Location shooting – not building it
• Handheld cameras – gives a sense of a documentary aesthetic
• Long takes
• Direct sound & available light (live recordings, often didn’t adjust light)
• Natural light – “shooting 360 degrees in space”
• A lot of voiceovers
• Using “non actors”- people who have never acted before

Bonnie and Clyde’s director, Arthur Penn, was even inspired by Truffaut. He was particular inspired by Truffaut’s “Jules and Jim”.

New Hollywood Style

• New Hollywood directors like Arthur Penn approached film narratives with a fresh, unconventional style that broke away from the traditional, studio-driven storytelling of classic Hollywood. They used non-linear storytelling, anti-heroes, natural dialogue and improvisation, genre subversion as well as tragic conclusions.

• Discontinuity editing is an editing style that is the opposite of classical editing. It is known for it very specific techniques in which the director would use an arrangement of shots that are out of place, confusing or just non-sensical in comparison to the traditional style of narrative. The main techniques include: jump cuts, temporal ellipses, repeating and abstract shots.

• New Hollywood was often referred to as the “rise of auteurs” because it marked a period in American cinema where directors had creative control over their films. This shift was influenced by the French concept of auteur theory, which argued that the director is the primary creative force behind a film.

• In the modern age, filmmakers still follow the influence of New Hollywood, making movies that are both artistic and exciting. Whether in independent films, streaming movies, or big franchises, the spirit of New Hollywood still shapes how stories are told today. Stuff like bold storytelling, realistic characters, and new ways of mixing genres together.

What is meant by the cinematic term French New Wave?

French New Wave 1958-1960s

New Wave was a film movement from the 50s the movement was known for breaking the traditional filmmaking conventions. The term came from film critics who turned into the leading directors of the era. This was a rejection of classical Hollywood film making

What specific stylistic and structural elements are present in French new wave films?

Directors had a Auteur on each of their films. Previously to this the movie was recognized by the stars or studio which made the film. In the new wave each director took control of their movie and put their own distinctive twist on it.

Selection of music was used that matches the tone of the movie and added emotion at vital moments

Directors had low budgets, however this is what made the movies so creative traditional movie rules were broken such as filming on location and natural light. This made film accessible for everyone to create

As they were filming on location this meant that they often used non professional actors and used people in the location this created a sense of realism.

Film was used a medium to express peoples emotions.

Which directors and films from the French new wave influenced Arthur Penn a he was making bonnie and Clyde? why do you think this was the case?

His main influences were Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. This was due to their style and knowledge of the new movement. The new movement and especially Jean-Luc Godard gave him the advice and inspiration to create something new. Godard experimented with jump cuts and location work which Penn went on to adapt into his movie in Bonnie and Clyde. The jump cuts where one of the first things which I noticed about Bonnie and Clyde and how it added a frantic pace into the movies nature. Francis Truffaut was best known for Gangster movies with a twist of a love story being involved which Penn used the concept for Bonnie and Clyde.

Jean-Luc Godard-

He was a French Swiss film director who came to prominence with New Wave group in France during the late 1950s and the 60s. He worked as a critic for many years before becoming a director himself. His most notible movies include:

Breathless 1960 – A Crime Drama film

Contempt 1963 – Drama/Melodrama

Pierrot le Fou 1965 – Romance/Crime

Francois Truffaut-

Francois was a French filmmaker, actor and critic, people see him as an icon of the French new wave movement. He was passionate about the Auteur theory and directors should create their own vision of the film. He made many notable films including:

The 400 Blows 1959 – Family/Drama

Jules and Jim 1962 – Romance/Comedy

Stolen Kisses 1968 – Comedy/Drama

Identify at least 3 scenes from Bonnie and Clyde where stylistic links are created with French New Wave cinema and say why this was the case.

Location shooting

All the exterior shots of the movie where filmed on location in Texas, this gives Bonnie and Clyde a good sense of reality. The new wave movement popularized this due to budget they used real locations and natural lighting

Jump cuts

The jump cuts at the beginning of the film are very apparent as bonnie moves around her bedroom, again a style used by the French new wave movement.

Handheld

Some of the shots of the movie are handheld in Bonnie and Clyde which is helpful to achieve angles you couldn’t achieve on the steady cam. French new wave directors used handheld as they were easy to set up and use.

New Hollywood 1960-1990 

The term new Hollywood follows the decline of the the old Hollywood era. Tv had slowly become a stable in every American household, this led to the “habit” being broken by going to the cinema every week. The films also being made at this time didn’t resonate with the American people meaning that many “flops” happened for example Cleopatra. Young people also moved to enjoying Foreign films more, as the American studios were out of touch with the interests of the younger generation.

Name some films, directors and stars from this period. 

Directors-

Francis Ford Coppola

A American director born in 1939, He has worked on a range of different movies. However he is best known for the Godfather, a series of epic gangster movies.

Martin scorsese

Martin Scorsese born 1942 is an American filmmaker. He emerged as a major figure in the New Hollywood era. He has received multiple awards for his most notable films such as Wolf of Wall Street 2013, Shutter Island 2010 and Killers of the Flower Moon 2023.

George Lucas

A American film director born 1944, he is best known for the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchise.

Steven Spielberg

A filmmaker and a major figure of Hollywood, He is regarded as one of the best directors of all time. He has multiple iconic movies such as Jurassic Park, Schindlers List and War horse.

Films-

The Graduate 1967 Comedy/Drama/Romance

Mike Nichols

Easy Rider 1969 Adventure/Drama

Dennis Hopper

Midnight Cowboy 1969 Drama

John Schlesinger

The Wild Bunch 1969 Action/Adventure/drama

Sam Peckinpah

Stars-

Robert De Niro

Jane Fonda

Al Pacino

Jack Nicholson

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

Cold War 1991

The cold war was a period of geopolitical rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies.

Vietnam War 1955 – 1975

A conflict which pitted the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam its principal ally, the united states.

New Hollywood

The term New Hollywood is a movement in American film history from the mid-1960s to the 1980s.

Some of the films, directors and stars from this period are: – Jack Nicholson (Actor), Dennis Hopper (Actor, Director), Woody Allen (Actor, Director), Robert De Niro (Actor), George Lucas (Director), David Lynch (Director), ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ (1967), ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ (1968), ‘Planet of The Apes’ (1968), ‘Midnight Cowboy’ (1969).

Some important cultural events that took place in America during the period of time in which the emergence of New Hollywood happened were: – The Flower Power Movement – The Vietnam War – The assassination of MLK Jr. – The assassination of JFK

The Influence of French New Wave on New Hollywood

French New Wave was a film movement in the late 1950s, which rejected the traditional conventions of Classical Hollywood film-making. The movement is seen as an embodiment of rejection and youthful rebellion and the people that are part of it are seen as innovators in the art of film. The directors who were making the films wanted the director to be seen as the main power behind the film, not the studio. This then leads to the idea of ‘auteur’ theory. The film makers within the period were working with low film budgets, due to the aftermath of WWII.

Some specific stylistic and structural elements present in French New Wave are:

– Handheld cameras: Handheld cameras were used by French filmmakers as they were cheaper to get a hold of than a bigger mounted camera, like the ones that would be used in Hollywood. This would give the films a documentary aesthetic.

–On location filming: French New Wave films typically filmed on natural locations, not big, constructed sets, due to their low budgets and financial constraints that the directors of these films had.

–Natural Lighting: French New Wave films most of the time used natural lighting, as they were filming on location and using handheld cameras. It also meant that the films had smaller crews and that the camera could swing around 360, as there is no film crew behind that would be filmed

–Deemphasized Plot: In French New Wave films, there are no clear plots and typically just follow around the events of the people within the film. If there is a plot within the film, the structure is usually messed around with, an idea presented by the director Goddard, ‘Every plot has a beginning, middle and end, its just the order in which it is told can be changed’.

–The Use of Non-Actors: French New Wave directors favoured not using trained actors but rather, mainly for smaller roles, used amateur actors and people that they just found out on the street, which certainly adds to this realism aesthetic that these films have. The directors also gave the actors a lot more freedom, allowing them to improvise their own lines and just allowing to them to carry out their own actions.

–Breaking the Fourth Wall: French New Wave directors used the technique of looking into the camera and breaking into the fourth wall to highlight to the audience that this a film they are watching. This may of made the audience feel quite disenfranchised towards the films.

Some directors and French New Wave techniques that influenced Arthur Penn as he was making Bonnie and Clyde were:

–Fast paced music: Bonnie and Clyde uses fast paced music in the car chase scenes, which evokes this sense of humour in running away from the police, which presents this real clash of tones within the film, as one moment you’ve got this humorous car chase scene and the next you are being shown people getting shot and dying in quite a graphic way.

–Costume Elements: In the famous final scene of ‘Bonnie and Clyde’, Clyde wears a pair of glasses with one lense missing. This is a direct homage to Godard debut 1960 film, ‘Breathless’, in which the main character suffers an awful fate wearing a similar pair of sunglasses with a lense missing.

– Graphic Content: Bonnie and Clyde’s graphic content and scenes were too taboo for the American audience of the time, but they do have substance, and the, in some people’s opinions too grotesque, graphic content does take its influence from French New Wave films.

– Intense Close-ups and Jump Cuts: In the final sequence of Bonnie and Clyde, an abrupt ending which sees our two main protagonists getting brutally murdered, director Arthur Penn has the two main protagonists look at each other in a series of match cuts, which closer towards the characters face, which, in my opinion, shows to the audience the deep love and personal connection these two characters have. This technique is once again used in Goddard’s debut ‘Breathless’, in which he uses jump cuts to also show the intimacy between the two main characters.

New Hollywood Style

Penn and other New Hollywood directors approached narratives by placing an uncommon emphasis on irresolution, particularly at the moment of climax or in epilogues, when more conventional Hollywood movies busy themselves tying up loose ends. They also hindered on narrative linearity and momentum and scuttled their potential to generate suspense and excitement.

Discontinuity editing is when the audience visually notices a cut, because something about the cut calls attention to itself and it does not feel natural and seamless.

This period of time in film production is known as ‘The Rise of Auteurs’ because directors were influenced by this French New Wave ideology that directors should be the ‘stars’ of film production and that they should have their own distinct styles and far much more control over the creation and the elements of their films for them to stand out.

The lasting impact of the New Hollywood style on modern day films is that it has allowed directors to have a much greater role in creating their films rather than the studio having all the power and telling the directors what to make. It’s also allowed for more graphic content to be shown in films, as the ‘Hayes’ code, which forbid things such as nudity, sex and drugs to be shown in films, was replaced with the MPAA film rating system in 1968.