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.
Overall, I quite enjoyed ‘Bonnie and Clyde’, but I feel as if the fil is more style over substance, as I thought it looked really beautiful but to me the story wasn’t that engaging . I thought the chase scenes were really enjoyable to watch and I really liked the soundtrack throughout the film, especially the fast bluegrass, banjo tracks in the chase scenes. I thought the performances in the film were quite good, though I felt some performances were quite underperformed and a bit boring, which may of been intentional to add to the versimilitude of the film. I didn’t enjoy the pacing of the film, as I felt it was incredibly mismatched with sudden shifts in tone that didn’t, to me, seem to be that logical or make much sense.
Memorable Scene
As I said, the most memorable scenes for me in the film were the chase scenes when Bonnie and Clyde were escaping from the bank, as I thought the use of the fast-paced bluegrass soundtrack and the impressive long shots of the cars being chased were quite impressive and very enjoyable to watch. The use of the techniques mentioned add to the anticipation and energy of the scene, as upon first view, you as a viewer are wondering if these two criminals are going to be caught.
Humphrey Bogart – Rick Blaine. Was typically cast in gangster movies, mainly as the villain, was described as someone who was ‘tough without a gun’. Before Casablanca, he hadn’t been cast as a romantic lead. Producer Hal B. Wallis put his foot down and said the film and the role of Rick Blaine was made for Bogart. Was the first film in which he played a character who’s shows their emotions as well as their toughness.
Ingrid Bergman – Ilsa Lund. Hadn’t been in any American films before Casablanca, and wasn’t first choice for the role. Was a fresh face on the Hollywood scene. Was seen as a more exotic person to play the role, due to her beauty and her accent, which was mostly a key decision for casting her, as Americans stereotypically do like foreign accents.
Paul Henreid – Victor Laszlo. Originally born in Treiste, part of the Austro-Hungarian empire at the time, Henreid relocated to America (more specifically New York City) in 1940. His first film for RKO was ‘Joan of Paris’ in 1942 in which he played a Royal Air Force pilot trying to escape occupied France. The film was a big success, and may be the reason why Paul Henreid enjoyed being in war pieces whilst in America. He moved to Warner Bros. in 1942 and his first role with them was as Jeremiah Durrance in the romance ‘Now, Voyager’ and then after that he was cast in probably his most well-known role of Victor Laszlo in ‘Casablanca’. The film was a huge hit and is considered one of the best American films in history.
Peter Lorre – Ugarte. Originally born in Hungary, moved to Hollywood in 1935. Originally, was under contract at Columbia Pictures where they struggled to find roles that would fit him. After months of research, Lorre thought Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky would be a good film in which he could take the main part. Columbia agreed to do it as long as after he went to MGM, as they had lost a lot of money through him not appearing in any of their films. His next film for MGM was ‘Mad Love’, in which he played the role of a demented surgeon, Dr Gogol. He received critical acclaim for his role in this film. After this he went on to do films for 20th Century Fox, the Mr Moto films, a series of Japanese spy films. He then broke his contract with Fox after they promised him the roles of the Hunchback of Notre Dame and Napoleon in films they never shot. He then signed for Warner Bros. and was cast in ‘Maltese Falcon’ and, obviously, ‘Casablanca’.
Claude Rains – Captain Louis. Orignally born in London, he came from a lower class background and was said to have a speech impediment. In 1932, his screen test for ‘A Bill of Divorcement’ for RKO was a failure, but it is what led to him landing the title role of James Whale’s ‘The Invisible Man’ in 1933, which was a very well received film. In 1935, he signed a long-term contract with Warner Bros. worth 750,000 dollars over seven years. He played a villainous role of Prince John in ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ (1938). His other famous roles feature Dr. Alexander Tower, who commits murder-suicide in order to spare his daughter from a life of insanity in ‘Kings Row’ (1942), and whilst on loan at Universal he featured as the title character in their remake of ‘Phantom of the Opera’ (1943). He featured in a lot of Curtiz’s films, crediting the director with teaching the more understated requirements of film acting, or ‘what not to do in front of a camera’. For Curtiz, he appeared in such films as the previously mentioned ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ (1938), ‘Gold is Where You Find It’ (1938) and, obviously ‘Casablanca’ (1942).
Sydney Greenstreet – Signor Ferrari. Born in Eastry,Kent in 1879 ,he begun his stage career in 1902 in a production of Sherlock Holmes. Over the years he had many acting gigs, such as touring Britain with Ben Greet’s Shakespearean company, and in 1905 made his New York City debut in ‘Everyman’, but refused appear in films until he was 61, when he then began working for Warner Bros., with his debut role being Kasper Gutman co-starring alongside Humphrey Bogart in ‘The Maltese Falcon’. He then played the crooked club owner Signor Ferrari in ‘Casablanca’, where he earned a salary of 3,750$ a week for seven weeks’ work. He is also known for appearing in ‘Backgroud to Danger’ (1943) with George Raft and reuniting with fellow ‘Casablanca’ co-stars, Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre and Claude Rains in ‘The Mask of Dimitros’ (1944).
Madeleine Lebeau – Yvonne. Lebeau married actor Marcel Dalio in 1939; it was his second marriage. They had met while performing a play together. She had already appeared in her first film, an uncredited role as a student in the melodrama Young Girls in Trouble (1939). In June 1940, Lebeau and Dalio, who was Jewish, fled Paris ahead of the invading German Army and reached Lisbon. They are presumed to have received transit visas from Aristides de Sousa Mendes, allowing them to enter Spain and journey on to Portugal. It took them two months to obtain visas to Chile. However, the Chilean passports they had acquired turned out to be fakes, leaving them and 200 others stranded upon the S. S. Quanza. Eventually, they acquired Canadian passports and entered the United States, where Lebeau made he Hollywood debut in ‘Hold Back the Dawn’ (1941). Later that year, she was cast in the role of Yvonne in ‘Casablanca’, where Warner Bros. signed to a $100-a-week contract for twenty-six weeks to be in a number of films. On 22 June, while she was filming her scenes in ‘Casablanca’, her husband, Marcel Dalio, who played Emil the croupier in the same film, filed for divorce in Los Angeles on the ground of desertion. They divorced in 1942. Shortly before the release of the film, Warner Bros. terminated her contract.
Joy Page – Annina Brandel. Page was the daughter of Mexican-American silent film star Don Alvarado and Ann Boyar, the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants. Her parents divorced when she was eight and in 1936 her mother married Jack L. Warner, then head of Warner Bros. studios. Warner did not encourage his stepdaughter’s interest in acting. Page, who initially thought the script to ‘Casablanca’ was “old fashioned” and “clichéd”, landed the role of Annina Brandel on her own and Warner reluctantly approved. She was only seventeen and fresh out of high school. Page, along with Dooley Wilson and Humphrey Bogart, were the only American-born feature actors in the film. Warner, however, refused to sign Page to a contract, and she never appeared in another Warner Bros. film. She went on to act in a number of films for other studios, including a featured role in her next film, Kismet in 1944.
Dooley Wilson – Sam. Arthur ‘Dooley’ Wilson was born in Tyler, Texas and at the age of seven, the same year his father died, he began to earn a living by performing in churches. By 1908, he was in Chicago in the repertory company of the Perkin Theatre, the first legitimate black theatre in the United States. He had earned the nickname ‘Dooley’ due to his performance of a song called, ‘Mr. Dooley’, in which he used whiteface. His breakthrough role came in 1940, with his portrayal of Little Joe in the Broadway musical Cabin in the Sky. This won him a contract with Paramount Pictures in Hollywood. He found himself playing Pullman porters while his stage role in the MGM film adaptation of Cabin in the Sky was played by Eddie “Rochester” Anderson. In May 1942, Warner Bros. were casting for their upcoming film ‘Casablanca’, and borrowed Sam from Paramount for seven weeks at $500 a week.
Conrad Veidt – Major Heinrich. Veidt was an actor who was most known for his roles in horror films, more specifically German Expressionist horror films, such as ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Calgari’ (1920). His starring role in ‘The Man Who Laughs’ (1928), as a disfigured young outcast servant whose face is cut into a permanent grin, provided the visual inspiration for the iconic Batman villain the Joker. Veidt starred in other silent horror films such as The Hands of Orlac (1924), also directed by Robert Wiene, The Student of Prague (1926) and Waxworks (1924), in which he played Ivan the Terrible. Veidt also appeared in Magnus Hirschfeld’s film Anders als die Andern (Different from the Others, 1919), one of the earliest films to sympathetically portray homosexuality, although the characters in it do not end up happily.He had a leading role in Germany’s first talking picture, Das Land ohne Frauen (Land Without Women, 1929). Veidt opposed the Nazi regime and when asked what his race was he declared ‘Jew’, even though he wasn’t a Jew but rather his wife was and he was saying it in solidarity with her.n By 1941, Veidt and his wife, Ilona, had settled in Hollywood to assist the British effort in making American films that might persuade the then-neutral and still isolationist United States to join the war against the Nazis. He starred in a few films, such as ‘A Woman’s Face’ (1941), and his most known is in this film of ‘Casablanca’, in which he plays General Strasser. Veidt noted it was an ironical twist of fate as he was praised for, in his words, ‘portraying the character who forced him to leave his homeland’.
John Qualen – Berger. Was an American character actor of Norwegian heritage who specialised in Scandinavian roles. Starting out as cookware salesman, Qualen made enough money to begin his acting career, in which he had his big break in Elmer Rice’s play ‘Street Scene’.His movie career began when he re-created the role two years later in the film adaptation of the stage production. That screen performance was followed by his appearance in John Ford’s Arrowsmith (1931), which began a more than 35-year membership in the director’s “stock company”, with supporting roles in The Searchers (1956), Two Rode Together (1961), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) and Cheyenne Autumn (1964).Appearing in well over one hundred films, and acting on television into the 1970s, Qualen performed many of his roles with various accents, usually Scandinavian, often intended for comic effect. Qualen assumed a Midwestern dialect as Muley, who recounts the destruction of his farm by the bank in Ford’s The Grapes of Wrath (1940), in a performance so powerful it reportedly reduced director Ford to tears; and as the confused killer Earl Williams in Howard Hawks’ classic comedy His Girl Friday (1940). As Berger, the jewelry-selling Norwegian resistance member in Michael Curtiz’ Casablanca (1942), he used a light Scandinavian accent, but put on a thicker Mediterranean accent as the homeward-bound fisherman Locota in William Wellman’s The High and the Mighty (1954).
S.Z Sakall – Carl. Born as Gero Jeno in Budapest to a Jewsh family, he turned to acting at the age of 18 due to not having the nicest life in Hungary and in 1946 he became an American citizen under the name of Jacob Gero. Sakall began a Hollywood career that included “an endless succession of excitable theatrical impresarios, lovable European uncles and befuddled shopkeepers”. His first American film role was in the comedy It’s a Date (1940) with Deanna Durbin. The first big hit of his American career was Ball of Fire (1941) with Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. Later, he signed a contract with Warner Bros., where he had a number of other small roles, including one in Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) with James Cagney. Later the same year, at the age of 59, he portrayed his best remembered character, Carl the head waiter in Casablanca (1942). Producer Hal B. Wallis signed Sakall for the role three weeks after filming had begun. When he was first offered the part, Sakall hated it and turned it down. Sakall finally agreed to take the role provided they gave him four weeks of work. The two sides eventually agreed on three weeks. He received $1,750 per week for a total of $5,250. He actually had more screen time than either Peter Lorre or Sydney Greenstreet.
Director – Michael Curtiz. Makes a 173 films for Warner Bros. and makes a huge range of films. Has knowledge of leaving Europe, as he was a refugee from Hungary. Chose immigrants to act as the extras in the film, adding to the authenticity of the film. Over 34 nationaliys are represented in ‘Casablanca’. In teh scene where the people in the bar are singing the national anthem is made more authentic, due to the extra’s empathy. Broke away from the norm of Hollywood camera movement. Renowned for his use of dolly and making it moving around the characters, as they move around. Good example being the scene in which Rick flashes back to hid time with Ilsa in Paris.
Producer – Hal B. Wallis
Mise-en-scene in Casablanca
Locations/Settings
One good example of mise-en-scene in terms of location in ‘Casablanca’ is the setting of the actual city itself. The use of the light shining through the overhead grating, a typical technique of Film Noir, creates the imagery of prison bars for the audience, and conveys to them that most of these characters, unlike the main protagonists, will not get off of Casablanca and they will most likely be trapped here for years. Also, elements of the city itself, the bustling market stalls, the groups of foreign people, the dirt paths, help create this image of a so-called tropical paradise for the viewers, even though they will eventually learn that it is far from that and it is a place that people would rather leave than stay.
Another good example of mise-en-scene in terms of location is Rick’s bar, as a lot of the features of it, the lamps on the tables with the frilly bits on them, the exotic plants, the luxurious décor, all add to this idea that Casablanca is this tropical paradise that these people are willingly staying on, even though the audience knows that for most of the characters that is not true. It also conveys the Germans grip and jurisdiction on Casablanca become more present, as the exotic plants cast shadows onto the walls, which appear to look like fingers. The setting also is basis for ,in my opinion, the best scene in the film, where the Germans and the French refugees have a sing off with their respective national anthems, showing to the audience that the inhabitants of Casablanca will allow this place to also come under German rule.
Costumes
A good example of mise-en-scene in terms of costumes in Casablanca is Rick’s white suit, as it, once again, adds to this image of a exotic country. However, it also tells the audience information about the character of Rick, as the suit is quite expensive, so it tells the audience that Rick is a prosperous businessman and that his bar is thriving in Casablanca, even before it is even explicitly stated in the film. Also, the colour of white is associated with good so it visually places him on the side of good for the viewer, and also somewhat foreshadows that, as the film progresses, he will become a more morally ‘good’ character and will ‘join the fight’, as Laszlo says in the famous final scene.
Another good example of mise-en-scene in terms of costume is Ingrid Bergman’s character Ilsa Lund’s wardrobe throughout the film, which was done by costume designer, Orry-Kelly, an innovative and prolific costume designer in the world of Hollywood and although he didn’t win an academy award for his costumes in Casablanca, he did for three other films. The clothing worn by Ilsa Lund, simple day dresses and fitted suits, accessorized with hats, gloves, and brooches, gives the viewer and insight into the clothing of the 1940s, which was practical and utility-inspired, and adds to the realism of the film.
Props
A good example of a prop in terms of mise-en-scene in Casablanca is the ‘Letters of Transit’, who are provided to Rick by Peter Lorre’s character Ugarte. Throughout the film, they represent this theme of escapism from this ‘prison’ of Casablanca, which the vast majority of these characters seek throughout the film. It is also key for the plot, as it moves forward the event of Victor Laszlo and Ilsa Lund trying to escape from Casablanca.
Another good example of props in terms of mise-en-scene in Casablanca are the props within Rick’s cafe, such as the wicker chairs, the lamps with the frilly skirts round the outside, the exotic plants, as they, once again, add to this image that’s being painted in the mind of the viewer which is that Casablanca is a tropical paradise that the characters do not want to leave, even though they will learn soon that is not true. It also reinforces the idea that Rick’s bar is a form of escapism for these characters, especially those that have come America, as it has that kind of Las Vegas aesthetic.
Editing in Casablanca
Casablanca uses ‘invisible editing’, which is where the film’s editing does not bring any attention to itself, a key stylistic choice of most Hollywood films, as it adds to the immersiveness and versimilitude of it, whilst allowing the audience to feel more attached to the characters and, especially in this film, you feel like at some points you are witnessing the events through the eyes of the characters.
A sequence in the film that uses great editing is the sequence in which Rick helps out a couple trying to leave Casablanca by rigging the roulette wheel for them. The sequence cleverly builds tension by cutting between shots of Rick telling the young man where to bet his money, to the close-ups of the young man’s hands pushing towards the spot that Rick has told him, and to the close-ups of the roulette wheel landing on the number Rick has predicted. It also does close-ups of the spectator’s faces, showing the emotion’s they are experiencing, such as the wife’s mirth and the captain’s befuddlement. This builds tension and great excitement for the audience, as they most likely feel that something is going to happen to Rick due to his rigging of the roulette wheel. This is also the first time in the film that the audience sees Rick as this person that can care for others, rather than someone that just cares for himself.
Sound in Casablanca
Dialogue
The dialogue in Casablanca is extremely iconic, with a plethora of iconic lines, such as, ‘here’s to looking at you kid’, which Rick says to Ilsa throughout, specifically in the final scene, showing he still loves her and ‘you know, I think this gonna be the start of a beautiful freindship’, which is said by Rick to Captain Louis at the end of the film, about the topic of what they are to do now they’ve killed the German general. As well as it being iconic, it is also extremely funny and full of wit, an example being when Captain Louis says, ‘I am shocked to find out there is gambling going on in here’, after which he is then told, ‘Here are your winnings sir’, to which he replies with a ‘Thank you’, which I just find incredibly funny. And finally the dialogue, at times, is extremely heart-wrenching, especially Rick’s monologue to Ilsa in the final scene, in which he says ‘We’ll always have Paris’, which is extremely emotional, as they will probably never see each other again.
Soundtrack/Score
The soundtrack of Casablanca, which was composed by renowned film composer Max Steiner, who is known for his work on such films as ‘Citizen Kane’, ‘Maltese Falcon’ and ‘Gone With The Wind’, plays a huge role in the emotional impact that the film is trying to have upon the audience. A key example of this is the film’s iconic track, that Max Steiner didn’t actually compose and didn’t even want in the film, that being ‘As Time Goes By’, which was originally written by Herman Hupfed. It is heard numerous times throughout the film, thus making it a musical motif, representative of Rick and Ilsa’s time in Paris, and the love that they once shared. Max Steiner cleverly wrote into the score of other scenes to portray the feelings that Ilsa and Rick are showing towards one another. For example in the scene where Rick and Ilsa see each other again for the first time the theme is much darker, as it represents the drunken hate that I think Rick feels towards Ilsa at this time. When we get to the final scene the motif returns, but this time much more heart wrenching and emotional played on some very legato strings, to show that the two of them have realized that even though they have to leave one another, they do still love each other.
Aesthetics in Casablanca
Realism
The main way in which Realism is made for the viewer and audience is through the Classical Hollywood technique of ‘invisible editing’, which means that the editing is done so cleverly that the audience will not notice that it is there. The adds to the realism of the film, as it makes the audience feel like they are witnessing something that it is happening in real time before them and not something that is artificial and planned. Another element of the film that adds to its realism is the set design in the film, as the sets are so well designed that they feel like they are these real places in this portrayed tropical paradise.
Visual Style (Film Noir)
The obvious element of the film that adds to it’s film noir aesthetic is that is shot in black and white, as most films of that genre are shot in, but another element that adds to the films Film Noir aesthetic is its use of shadows and light, and having lights pass through blinds and shutters, which can be seen multiple times throughout the film. The use of this technique of using lighting and shadows usually is connoted with evil, such as the fake plants in Rick’s cafe, which look like protruding fingers or bars, portraying the imagery of the German/French powers keeping these people on Casablanca. The example of this that springs to mind for me is when the characters of Victor Laszlo and Carl are hiding from the German/French police of Casablanca, after they were found at this ‘secret meeting’, which is implied to be a meeting of the French Resistance, a French freedom fighters group that fought for the Allies during WWII.
Themes and Issues
Isolationism – what was America’s view on WWII and how can that been seen through the character of Rick ?
Isolationism – a policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries
Rick turns from a cynic only caring about himself and his bar to being a more sentimental person, who actually cares about his actions affect others.
If Rick does represent America in ‘Casablanca’, then him only helping out the characters once his bar is closed down could perhaps be the director drawing parallels to America getting involved in the war only when one of their harbours is attacked.
At the start of WWII, 96% of Americans wished to stay neutral in what they thought was a ‘phony war in Europe’.
Representations in Casablanca
Women
In Casablanca, women are portrayed, as people who are manipulated by men, emotionally and physically, usually by the main protagonist of Rick, which adds to his character of someone who only cares for himself. The main examples of this within the film are Ilsa Lund, the main female protagonist who needs Rick for the ‘In Casablanca, women are portrayed, quite stereotypically, as always relying on a man within the film, usually the main protagonist of Rick. The main examples of this within the film are Ilsa Lund, the main female protagonist who needs Rick for the ‘Letters of Transit’, so that herself and her husband, Victor Laszlo can escape Casablanca. There is Yvonne, a drunk who clearly wishes to pursue a relationship with Rick, which he quickly rejects and there is the character of Anina Brandel, whos been manipulated by Captain Renault, but is then actually helped by Rick, which is the first time within the film that we see Rick as someone that cares about other people, not just himself.
Men
A lot of the men within Casablanca are presented as the stereotypical strong man, such as Rick and General Strausser. The staff of Rick’s bar are presented as very nice and caring people, shown through Carl talking to these German patrons of Casablanca, who are leaving for America. An interesting portrayal of man is Captain Renault, who even though, through the background information that he blackmails women sexually to give them transit papers, you expect to be a morally bad and sleazy portrayal of man, is actually throughout the film is a source of comic relief, and come the end of the film, he walks off with Rick into the fog, almost as a hero of the film, even though his actions are clearly not heroic.
People of Colour
There is only one person of colour within Casablanca, that being Sam, who is portrayed as this stereotypical black blues/jazz musician who would’ve been popular in America during this time period. His relationship with Rick is portrayed as being good, as he says he doesn’t even have time to spend all the money that Rick gives him, but at the same time is rather odd as I think Rick views their relationship as like they’re old buddies, where as I think Sam views they’re relationship as more business like.
Americans and Europeans
Americans and Europeans are represented in two distinct ways. On one hand you have the highly patriotic representation of characters such as the French citizens of Casablanca and the character of Victor Laszlo, whose intentionally patriotic representation was most likely done to sway the American public out of this Isolationist mindset. And then on the other hand, you have the portrayal of the Nazis, who throughout the film are seen as these borderline maniacal villains, who inhibit the progress of our protagonists actions and goals. This portrayal is to obviously install the belief that the Nazis were extremely evil into the audience watching.
Historical and Political context in Casablanca
Allied Powers – Great Britain, USA, USSR
Axis Powers – Germany, Japan, Italy
France
At the start of WWII, France was on the side of Great Britain. However, France was invaded early in to the war and were then occupied by Germany. A small part of the French population still fought on the Allied side under the title ‘The Free French’. Vichy France is a territory, about half of France, has its own government, who are basically puppets to the Germans. Vichy France is under control of Morocco, and more importantly, Casablanca.
Americans would learn about the war through radio, newspapers and films, which arguably are the most informative because they show whats happening through images and not words.
Pearl Harbour(Dec 7, 1941)
America joined WWII on the 7th of December 1941, as a result of Pearl Harbour, an unprovoked bombing on an American harbour in Hawaii by the Japanese.
Operation Torch (Nov 8, 1942 – Nov 16, 1942)
The film captured the zeitgeist (the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time) of American Patriotism at the time of the war, which was a result of Operation Torch, which was when the Americans and the British planted their foothold in Occupied territory in, coincidentally, Morocco, Casablanca (North Africa).
‘Casablanca’ First Screening (Nov 26, 1942)
The first screening of Casablanca took place in New York City, November 26, 1942.
Casablanca Conference (Jan 14, 1943 – Jan 24, 1943)
The Casablanca Conference was a meeting between U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the city of Casablanca, Morocco that took place from January 14–24, 1943. While Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin received an invitation, he was unable to attend because the Red Army was engaged in a major offensive against the German Army at the time. The most notable developments at the Conference were the finalization of Allied strategic plans against the Axis powers in 1943, and the promulgation of the policy of “unconditional surrender.”
‘Casablanca’ General Release (January 23, 1943)
Casablanca was generally released to the public on January 23rd, 1943 and was extremely well received. It is now considered one of the greatest pieces of American film-making of all time.
Film Noir is a term relating to black and white gangster/crime films that are mostly filmed in the 1940s-1950s, the ‘Golden Age of Hollywood’. They are associated with a low-key, black and white style that has roots in the German Expressionist style.
This film is most certainly a masterpiece of film-making and one of the best films of the era of classical Hollywood. It certainly uses the idea of ‘invisible editing’ to full effect, as watching it you do truly feel like you’re in Casablanca and not on a studio lot in Hollywood. Also, the camerawork is simply sublime, truly adding to the immersiveness of watching this film. Furthermore, the film’s story and script is extremely well written, as not only is there a plethora of famous and rememberable and lines but watching it you do definitely care about what’s going to happen the characters in the film, as they are all so well written. Though the acting in the film may be seen as overdone and exaggerated at times, I believe it is some of the best of the era, especially Humphrey Bogart as the brooding bar owner Rick Blaine, who’s performance is truly a treat to watch for the viewer. And finally, I think another element of the film that is truly masterful is it’s soundtrack, composed by Max Steiner, who also composed the soundtrack for King Kong (1933) and Gone With The Wind (1939).
Memorable Scene
The most memorable scene/sequence for me is when Rick flashbacks to his and Ilsa’s time that they shared in Casablanca. It is so memorable for me because when I was watching for the first time I found it simply amazing to finally find out what happened between Rick and Ilsa in Paris. Another reason why I find it so good is because there are so many brilliant, well planned moments that tell the viewers Rick’s desire to still be Ilsa in Paris, and how he desires to go back to those times and still be with her. This is evidenced by the parallel drawn by the director/producer when in the flashback Ilsa knocks over the bottle of champagne, which is then mirrored by Rick knocking over his bottle of whiskey. This shows to the audience that Rick most definitely longs for those times back in Paris, as well as drawing attention to the depression and sadness Ilsa’s rejection caused him, as in this sequence he is pictured drinking whiskey alone.
1. Film makers and producers moved to Hollywood because the mountains, plains and low land prices made Hollywood a good place to establish film studios.
2. Some of the big stars, directors and pictures from the Silent Era of Hollywood are: – Charlie Chaplin (actor/director), born in London, United Kingdom – Greta Garbo (actress), born in Stockholm, Sweden – Erich Von Stroheim (director), born in Vienna, Austria – F.W Murnau (director), born in Bielefeld, Germany – The Great Dictator (film) – Metropolis (film)
3. Early Hollywood studios were like production lines as they used to constantly churn out films on a rapid rate, to try and make as much money as possible
4. The first ever ‘talking picture’ was ‘The Jazz Singer'(1927) by Alan Crosland.
5. The end of the silent era caused some actors to leave the industry entirely as their acting standards or the sound of their voices were not up to par with the new era of ‘talkies’, as films with dialogue in were known as.
6. The major historical event that happened during the birth of Hollywood is World War 1, which led to many different ways of film making, such as the impressionistic Germanic style and the Russian propaganda that was extremely intuitive and influential when it came to editing. Another key event during this time period was The Great Depression in 1929, which was a great economic crash for American society, which led to people losing their jobs and livelihoods. This would’ve impacted the films made and also the amount of money films made, as films would’ve been a form of escapism for the people of this time.
The Golden Age of Hollywood (1930 – 1947)
1. The big 5 studios were: – Metro Goldwyn Mayer, who filmed big blockbuster films with large budgets. – RKO, who filmed a wide variety of films, such as the original ‘King Kong’ and the highly innovative ‘Citizen Kane’, which is regarded as one of the greatest films of all time. – 20th Century Fox, who filmed a lot of historical films and novel adaptations, such as ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ and ‘All About Eve’. – Warner Bros., who filmed some big hits during the Golden Age of Hollywood, such as ‘Little Caesar’ and ‘The Public Enemy’. – Paramount, is the longest operating studio in Hollywood, and is responsible for making films such as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby’s ‘Hope’ series and ‘Going My Way’.
2. Vertical Integration is a business strategy to take ownership of two or more key stages of its operations to cut costs. Block-booking is a system of selling multiple films to a theater as a unit. Block booking was the prevailing practice in the Hollywood studio system from the turn of the 1930s until it was outlawed by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc.
3. The original studio system around which the industry had been organized for three decades finally expired in 1954, when Loew’s, the last holdout, severed all operational ties with MGM. The reason that it expired was mainly due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc., as it outlawed these film companies owning cinemas and only showing their own company’s films, instead of films from all companies.
Classical Hollywood Style
1. Invisible storytelling is when the elements of film, editing, acting, costume design, are done so seamlessly and perfectly that the audience doesn’t notice them. This done so the film feels more immersive for the audience. Can also be described as illusionistic, as it is creating a story that the audience feels is actually happening before them and the events unfolding did actually happen.
2. Continuity editing is an editing system used to preserve the consistency of the events that are unfolding throughout the film.
Throughout the film, the young people, known as Generation X, are portrayed as nihilistic and unknowing of what they want to do with their lives, shown by the fact that the vast majority of the main cast are heroin addicts and that the characters of Sick Boy and Allison unsuccessfully being able to care for a new life and maybe even this could be seen as them being unable to care for the next generation. A contrasting representation is portrayed to the audience by the character of the school girl, Dianne. She, unlike most of the characters in the film, knows what she wants to do with her life and sexual, whilst also being knowledgeable about the way in which the new generation is heading.
Older People
The main depiction of older people in the film ‘Trainspotting’ is that of Renton’s parents, who are depicted sympathetically as a caring loving couple, deeply concerned for their son. However, I also think there is a bit of hypocriticalness in their behaviour, as through Renton’s dialogue and the visual depiction of the mother and father, the audience knows that they too are drug addicts constantly drinking and smoking. The difference they are socially acceptable drug addicts and this depiction may be the director socially commentating that these people too should be shunned for their unhealthy habits.
Working class people
Working class people are depicted as something for the main protagonists/drug addicts to take advantage of, for the their own beneficial gain, evidenced in the airsoft gun scene, where Renton and Sick Boy shoot a pit-bull and get it to maul it’s master and the scenes of Bigbe’s irrational outbursts, such as the multiple bar fights throughout the film, cause we know thanks to Renton that Bigbe finds pleasure in other people’s pain. A major sequence which echoes this message of working class people being taken advantage of is when Bigbe and Sick Boy move into Renton’s new flat without asking and turn it into a dump.
Scottish People
The key representation of Scottish people that comes to mind for me and most likely many viewers is when the character of Tommy tries to make the group go on a hike through the Scottish hillsides, which they then reject, resulting in Renton’s infamous ‘it’s shite being Scottish’ monologue/speech towards the rest of the group. Though it is fuelled by his realisation that his lover is a school girl, it stills represents the key representation of Scottish people in this film that being they don’t have a very view of themselves and, even though they hate England, they realise its probably a better place to live. This thought is thrown to the curb when Renton moves to England and he realises its just a big of a dump as Scotland is.
Addicts
In ‘Trainspotting’, the obvious portrayal of addicts is that of the main cast of protagonists, who are addicted to heroin. Their addiction is shown to be something that hurts all those around them, key examples being Renton’s parents constantly being disappointed in him throughout the film and the death of Sick Boy and Allison’s baby. Other addicts in the film are Renton’s parents, who are seen throughout the film constantly smoking and drinking. As Renton says, they are ‘socially acceptable addicts’ and perhaps Boyle’s inclusion of these characters carrying out these actions may be him critiquing society and saying that all drug addicts, socially acceptable or not, should seek help.
Men and Women
The entirety of the film is told from the white male perspective of Renton, meaning the views expressed throughout the film are that of a white male. Men in the film of ‘Trainspotting’ are pictured as being careless, not thinking about if their actions are hurting anyone, as shown through the heroin addiction of the main protagonists and the robbing montage, where the main protagonists rob all types of different people, including old people. The women in the film are pretty much in there for love interests for the main protagonists. However, the character of Dianne does give some insight to how the next generation will get on with life. Renton saying ‘one thousand years from now there will be no guys and no girls’, does show that he thinks there will be gender equality down the years, whilst also suggesting his views on sexual fluidity.
Versimilitude: the believability or semblance of truth in a work, even if that work doesn’t reflect real-life accurately. Example: ‘The Wolfpack’ (2014). Uses the real-life people who experienced the events shown in the film, adding to the versimilitude in the film.
Social Realism: when a film tries to draw attention to the real socio-political conditions of the working class as a means to critique the power structures behind these conditions. Example: ‘The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner’ (1962). The main protagonist uses running as a way to mentally reflect upon his political thoughts and realises the class divisions within in England.
Magic Realism: when a film portrays fantastical events in an otherwise realistic tone. Example: ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2016). Tells a realistic story simultaneously with a fairytale.
Hyper-reality: a film in which what is real and what is fiction are seamlessly blended together so that there is no clear distinction between where one ends and the other begins. Example: ‘The Matrix’ (1999). The virtual reality medium is used to illustrate the concept of hyper-reality, which is what the majority of the film is based upon.
Visual Style
Iconography: the use of recurring visual images and symbols in movies that convey specific themes, evoke emotions, and build a film’s narrative identity. Example: ‘Schindler’s List’ (1993). The recurring symbol of the girl in the red coat, which represents the persecution of innocence and the needlessness of war.
Intertextual Referencing: when films over lap with another piece of literature or an idea. Example: ‘Shrek’ (2001). Throughout the ‘Shrek’ franchise many fairy tales and other pieces of literature are referenced, such as the characters of Pinocchio or The Three Little Pigs.
Visual/Sound Motifs: A recurring visual or aural element that is link to a thematic meaning. Example: ‘Psycho’ (1960). Throughout the film, the character of Norman Bates is frequently seen with images of birds or actual taxidermized birds. This foreshadows to the viewer the twist ending that his mother is dead and that Norman has been preserving her since her death.
Colour Grading: Manipulating contrast, colour, saturation and other aspects to match scenes that are shot under different conditions or that have similar thematic content. Example: ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015). The film of ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ has an amazing orange hue throughout and was done by director George Miller’s wife Margaret Sixel. It was a risk as she had never edited a film before but Miller wanted a woman’s take on editing. She ended up winning an academy award for Best Film Editing in 2015.
Auteur Trademarks: a reference (a character, an angle, a theme) that is recurrent in the author’s work. Example: ‘The Shining’. Stanley Kubrick’s auteur style is marked by grandeur and meticulous craftsmanship. His style consists of striking symmetry, innovative lighting techniques and detailed set designs whose visual depth mirrors the thematic depth of most of his films.
Tone
Pathos: To appeal to the audience’s emotion. Example: ‘The Lion King’ (1994). The scene in which Mufasa dies by the hands of his own brother, Scar, is sure to evoke some emotion from the audience as someone in the audience has surely lost a parental figure.
Bathos: When a film’s tone starts out serious and then turns trivial. Example: ‘War of the Worlds’ (1953). The ending of the film ‘War of the Worlds’ is definitely anticlimactic and bathetic, as the Martians die to microbes in the atmosphere that their immune systems were unprepared for. This delivers an unexpecting ending for the audience.
Suspense: The audience’s excited anticipation about the the plot or the conflict, which may be heightened by a violent moment or a stressful scene. Example: The Conjuring (2013). The scenes in which the family first arrive at the house are rather suspenseful, due to the set design of the film, which utilises narrow staircases, low ceilings and an unsettling atomsphere.
Comedy: ‘Make ’em laugh’ films designed to elicit laughter and excrete humour from the audience. Example: ‘The Three Amigos’ (1986). A personal favourite comedy film of mine, featuring Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short, in which Three actors travel to a Mexican village to perform as their movie characters, the Three Amigos. However, the community thinks they are actual gunfighters and asks them to stop a group of bandits.
Dramatic Irony: A plot device to highlight the difference between a character’s understanding of a given situation and that of an audience. Example: ‘Jaws’ (1975). Throughout the film, there are moments where the audience knows the shark is there, when the characters do not.
Distancing Effect (Verfremdung): When a character reminds the audience that they are watching a play, rather than making it more realistic. Example: ‘Palindromes’ (2004) in Palindromes, Solondz uses the alienation effect to create a space for discussion over what abuse can look like from a child’s perspective
Postmodern Humour: When a comedy presents a thoroughly undeceived view of human life. Example: ‘Wayne’s World’ (1992). Uses post modernist humour to discuss the fragility of the media.
Masculinity is a key theme of the film ‘This is England’, as obviously a lot of the characters in the film are men. There are two main characters, in my opinion, which not only exhibit masculinity to the characters in the film, but also represent two types of masculinity in the eyes of the viewer. On one hand, you have Woody, who embodies the male in Britain at the time who was accepting of everyone, no matter of their appearance, age, gender or ethnicity, which is shown by him inviting Shaun in to his group despite being such a young age. Then you have Combo, who embodies the males who had very right wing views and who believed that through Britain caring for minorities that the white working class male had become a minority themselves.
Women
Women throughout the film of ‘This is England’ are shown to be caring towards the male characters in the film, such as Shaun’s Mum to Shaun, the girls in the gang to Shaun and Smell to Shaun. They’re also used in the film to portray some of the horrible that happened to women during that time period and still happen today. This is shown through the interchange between Combo and Lol in which Combo claims that the thought of their ‘love’ got him through prison. Lol then implies that Combo raped her whilst drunk, as she says that she’s been trying to forget about that night ever since it happened. They’re also portrayed as the more sensible characters in the film and soceity at the time, as shown by the second montage in the film where the boys are messing about and walking solemnly towards the camera, and also when Shaun’s mum takes him to the shoe shop and insists he gets a certain pair of shoes.
Young People
Young people throughout the film are shown to be quite impressionable to their surroundings, such as when Combo convinces a handful of Woody’s gang, including an extremely young Shaun, to join him in committing these heinous, racist acts that we see them do throughout the film. They are also actually shown to be more sensible than adults that we see throughout the film, and even though they do destroy an old abandoned house, that has a nice, friendly tone to it, as they aren’t hurting anyone and they’re bonding with one another over something. On the other hand, the adults throughout the film do horrible, disgusting things, such as prank Woody’s party with a machete. It is only once the young people find themselves under the adult’s tutelage that start to do horrible things, such as racially berate children and men and sexistly taunt women. This film maker showing the audience how impressionable the youth of that time was.
Older People
In terms of older people in the film ‘This is England’, some of them shown to be the caring parental figures in Shaun’s life, such as his mum and Combo, even though Combo does have malicious intent, he is shown to be caring towards Shaun at certain points throughout the film. Politicians, such as Margaret Thatcher, are shown to be, just like in real life, uncaring fools, shown by the graffiti on the side of the church, which is constantly shown throughout the film. Her lack of caring for the working class is the reason for the emergence of these subcultures, such as the ska movement that Woody’s gang follows and the right wing liberalism that Combo believes in.
English People
English people in the film ‘This Is England’ are portrayed in a majority of ways, one being the way in which they are portrayed as violent through the characters that support the political views of the far right, such as Combo. This portrayal is also shown through the opening compilation, in which there is quite a lot of footage that shows British people rioting. Another in which British people are portrayed are quite accepting other people no matter their age or ethnicity. This shown through Woody’s gang and how he invites Shaun, a child, into the gang/friend group as well as being friends with Milky, who is black. This representation though is contradicted later on by the far right characters who berate and abuse people of other ethnicities, such as the man who owns the corner store.
Asian/Black People
Asians and Black people are represented through the characters of Milky, the only black skinhead, and the Asian man who owns the corner shop and the group of Asian boys playing football. Throughout the film, these characters are constantly discriminated against, the most memorable examples for me being when Shaun calls the shop owner a paki and when Combo beats Milky nearly to death whilst berating him with racial slurs. This representation in the film shows to the audience the discrimination people of different ethnicities faced during this time period.
Place (the Midlands where it is set)
The setting of the midlands in the film feels like its own sort of character and as a way for the director to show to the audience the feelings that people had at the time towards those in power, evident from the mise-en-scene which portrays a run-down northern town, telling the audience that the government don’t really care about these people, which is why they’re angry at them. Another element which portrays this anger towards government officials is the ‘Maggie is a twat’ graffiti shown throughout the film.
Class
From the very beginning of the film, directly after the montage, the audience is presented with a clear image of a working class home, which is the opening scene of Shaun’s bedroom and the basic furnishings that it has. The audience is then shown the negative effects that poverty can have upon a person mentally, besides from the obvious effects such as lack of food, as Shaun is bullied for his outdated and ill-fitting clothes. Other images of class presented throughout the film are Combo and his defiant stance on society that the working class male has now become a minority, due to too much immigration, which even those is wrong, could be viewed as right in the case of Combo, as he has clearly had a poor education and where he lives isn’t the nicest of places.
‘ Throughout Joker, cinematography is used effectively to create a sense of chaos within the film’s diegetic world’, ‘This reframing of the central character has a potentially cathartic effect for the viewer’, ‘This suggests to the spectator that…’
Diegetic – (of sound in a film, television programme, etc.) occurring within the context of the story and able to be heard by the characters. This includes sound, characters, landscapes etc…
Cathartic effect – Trying to make the viewer have an emotional response, such as cry
Reframing – Shifting your perspective in a conflict or situation
The first sentence of the paragraph is the point in this response. The second sentence is the evidence and rest of this response is them explaining the effect this has on the viewer.
