Warren Beatty:

Previous films Beatty has been in include Dick Tracy and Heaven Can Wait. He was a star before being in Bonnie and Clyde as he starred in Splendor In the Grass which was made in 1961. I think he was casted as Clyde as he has been the leading male in other previous films. it is also because of his strong presence to be a rising star as well as his connection with producers.

Faye Dunaway:

Dunaway started her carrier in the 1960s on Broadway and then it swiftly moved over to movies. Bonnie and Clyde was her first movie meaning she was not a film star before. previous films she was in before include The Handmaid’s Tale (film) and Mommie Dearest. I think Dunaway was casted for Bonnie and she is youthful and pretty but also from past experience of being in theatre.

Michael j pollard:

Before Bonnie and Clyde was released Pollard featured in The Wild Angels and Summer Magic, he wasn’t a lead in these films, named part. He was a star before Bonnie and Clyde as he was on television series and also on Broadway. he got casted for his distinct looks and strong acting ability.

Gene Hackman:

Hackman started off his carrier by performing on off-Broadway plays such as The Saintliness of Margery Kempe in 1959 however, he made his Broadway debut in Children From Their Games. He soon moved on to a television series called the invaders, before Bonnie and Clyde. Bonnie and Clyde was he very first film. I think he was casted in this role because of his background (having experience).

Estelle Parsons:

worked as a writer, producer and commentator for The Today Show. She made her Broadway debut in 1956 in the ensemble of the Ethel Merman musical Happy Hunting. Her Off-Broadway debut was in 1961, and she received a Theatre World Award in 1963 for her performance in Whisper into My Good Ear/Mrs. Dally Has a Lover (1962). She featured in one film before Bonnie and Clyde called Ladybug Ladybug.

Denver Pyle:

Pyle was not a major star before Bonnie and Clyde, but he is notable in are in a tv show called “Briscoe Darling, Sr”. I think Pyle was casted for this because in previous shows his in he has played rugged, grizzled characters so he has experience.

Dub Taylor:

Taylor was not a major role before Bonnie and Clyde however was featured in lots of tv shows and films especially westerns and B-movie roles. His early carrier include roles in “The Wild West”, he usually seen to be the humorous side kick. He was casted because of his extensive experience of being in western films which made him perfectly fit the role of Ivan Moss.

Gene Wilder:

Wilder was not a star before Bonnie and Clyde. His breakthrough role happed afterwards however, the movie was released in the same year (1967), the film was ‘The Producers’. Previous films Wilder was in before Bonnie and Clyde is “The Little Prince” (1966) but he did have a small role. Wilder was cast for the role of Eugene because of him excellent versatility skills, he could easily perform the comedic parts and also the dramatic.

Mise-en-scene:

Sets/Locations:

Bonnie and Clyde are from Texas, on location filming was always used (real locations). Verisimilitude heavily used, very realistic at all times: streets, houses, fields. Great Depression happening at these times of the movie of which it is set in (1930s), and Bonnie and Clyde helps show what life was like then, era is vividly shown throughout the entirety of the movie.

 Costume/Props:

Bonnie’s fashion was very 1960s  Gangsters costuming was very authentic, realistic with costume, sets and props. Props used are guns and cars however, with having real locations when filming various different props can be seen in the backgrounds.

Editing:

Bonnie and Clyde use discontinuity editing, meaning the audience/viewers are always aware that cuts are happening. this ruins the flow of the film and it can also help support the story line/plot.

first sequence of Bonnie and Clyde description:

Extreme close up (her lips filling the whole camera), Close up (camera focuses on her face /shoulders upwards, suggests to the audience she is naked), close-up (between her bed bars is her head is amplifies she is trapped).medium (she starts getting changed behind a stand you see from her hips upwards), establishing (when the camera jumps the Clyde outside then changes to her it establishes where she is/seeing her from her window). This does not follow the Classical Hollywood style as it does not start with an establishing shoot, instead of pronouncing where, who is being shoot it went straight to an extreme close of her face then panning to a closeup of her in the mirror. The editing is continuous in my opinion until it jumps to Clyde outside. The extreme close-up suggests she cares about her looks. It uses both French new wave and classical Hollywood, at the beginning its French new wave/ unconventional however when Clyde is established it uses classical editing, such as shot reverse shot, and it is important of the telling of the story.  

Bonnie and Clyde both reinforces and changes the sequence of Classical Hollywood. However it uses some attributes to help storyline.

Sound:

Music has a period feel to it, Blue Grass “foggy mountain breakdown” (sound motif) evokes the period of the great depression. Deep souths feel to it (Louisiana, Mississippi) it is played on a banjo. In tone that it is upbeat and lively, enhances the period and location.  

Dialogue takes up majority of the film, (most scenes have speaking) 

Music is used for car chases however; music stops when a bad person is on shot as is dramatically changes the mood completely indicating to the audience the upbeat fun music does not represent them as a character.  

Gun shots that are used effect on the viewer. Foley sound is deliberate (the volume level).  

Aesthetics:

The tone in Bonnie and Clyde varied throughout the film. You could go from watching a comedic car driving with upbeat music over the top to suddenly seeing a shooting scene with bombastic gun shots.

Overall Bonnie and Clyde is realistic, from the costumes, music, setting all attributes make it believable to the audience that it is set in the 1930s and there is no scenes that use anything cartoon based.

The visual French New Wave style is reinforced within Bonnie and Clyde as it is set on real locations which is a feature in the FNW style and also has 360 degree shots.

Representation:

Women: By only having two female protagonist, the characteristics of them are very different. Bonnie is a powerful, independent, dominating character who creates a countertype for women and is a clear representation of New Hollywood. However Blanche is a weak, vulnerable character who stereotypically relies on a man, she represents Classic Hollywood. These two characters have totally different ways of being viewed.

Men: In Bonnie and Clyde are the ‘dominant characters. however they are not always the countertype gangsters people might see them to be. Clyde, who is the main gangster is easily dominated by Bonnie making him seem more vulnerable. Judging the men on their actions they are stereotyped to be the people who rob banks, kill and hurt people.

People of colour: Very few people of colour, two. shows that white men/people are dominant. No lines are given to any people of colour. Unfairness is shown and discrimination, no equality.

Working Class Americans: Clyde giving to poor, house taken from bank. The working class people in Bonnie and Clyde truly represent how their lives really were in the Great Depression. They are seen struggling with poverty and struggling with economic challenges. Characters are seen working in farms. A lot of the working class admire Bonnie and Clyde, they are seen to align themselves with Bonnie and Clyde as they are rebellious and are also seen as outlaws. In the film Clyde is giving to the poor, people are effected financially as one scene consists of one family re-visiting their house that got taken by the bank.

Political and Social Context:

The Great Depression (1930s), displayed a mass of poverty throughout America. It lead to people jobless and having to find work in farms. The 1960s were marked by civil rights movement, anti- Vietnam War protests, and a general distrust of authority.

1.) What is meant by the term New Hollywood?

New Hollywood is an American film movement that took place in the mid 1960s to the early 1980s, where a new generation of filmmakers came to prominence. It had been influenced by Italian Neo-Realism and often featured taboo characteristics such as morally ambiguous characters, violence and antiauthoritarian sentiments.

2.) Name four of the films, directors and stars from this period

Films:

Directors:

Stars:

3.) What events were taking place in America and elsewhere in the world around the period identified as the New Hollywood era of cinema?

• The Cold War
• Arms race
• Vietnam War
• Civil rights movement

French New Wave

1.) What is meant by the cinematic term French New Wave?

A cinematic movement that took place from the late 1950s (1958) to the late 1960s. The theory associated with French New Wave believed that rather than have films accredited towards the producers and actors, that the author or ‘auteur’ should be the director, and therefore the driving force towards the creativity by creating a visual style specific to them. This would be applicable to their body of work, and audiences should be able to recognise director’s work immediately. It broke away from traditional filmmaking, after French director Francois Truffaut wrote an article criticising its lack of creativity. This prompted the beginning of the movement, which featured new techniques such as handheld cameras which gave a documentary aesthetic and jump cuts, as well as different storytelling styles.

2.) What specific stylistic and structural elements are present in French New Wave films?

French New Wave films typically featured natural light, non-actors, improvisation and natural sets stemming from the low budget environment that was the result of the poor post Second World War economies. In terms of techniques, handheld cameras gave the iconic, more naturalistic style of typical French New Wave films. Jump cuts, inspired by Jean-Luc Godard, were popular within the movement and influenced other directors to break away from the traditional way of filmmaking, even breaking through into mainstream films.

3.) Which directors and films from the French New Wave influenced Arthur Penn as he was making Bonnie and Clyde?

• Penn was heavily influenced by the French New Wave directors Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard and their innovative and unconventional techniques.
• The jarring nature of the straight cuts used frequently in Bonnie and Clyde were not at all typical of Hollywood film at the time, and is considered to be inspired by Truffaut’s The 400 Blows (1959).
• Bonnie and Clyde was influenced by Truffaut and his de-emphasised plots, with the film being almost more of a character study rather than being plot driven.
• French New Wave films were often shot on location to enhance the films’ realism and depth, which inspired Penn to also shoot most of Bonnie and Clyde on location.
• A theme of French New Wave films was to include music, which is used often throughout Bonnie and Clyde, specifically when they are being chased by the police or driving from a crime scene.

4.) Identify 3 scenes from Bonnie and Clyde where stylistic links are created with French New Wave cinema and why was this the case?

The opening scene of Bonnie and Clyde demonstrate the iconic jump cuts that are archetypal of the French New Wave style, coined by Godard.

A significant amount of Bonnie and Clyde was shot on location, which was common among the low budget French New Wave style. A lot of the film was noticeably set outside, apart from when the Barrel Gang were hiding out or robbing banks, which makes the shooting on location easier for Penn.

The use of a handheld camera in this opening scene is reminiscent of the French New Wave style, as it allows for the fluid and spontaneous movement of the camera.

New Hollywood Style

1.) How did New Hollywood directors like Penn approach his film narratives?
Penn was directly influenced by French New Wave directors such as Truffaut, which helped to shape the style he used for Bonnie and Clyde. Notably, the narrative in Bonnie and Clyde is very much de-emphasised, with the film not following much of a plot and feeling more like a character study rather than a plot heavy film, which strayed far away from the Classic Hollywood storytelling style. This is influenced by the French New Wave style of non-linear storytelling.

2.) What is discontinuity editing?
Discontinuity editing is a style of editing which ruins the continuous flow, with an emphasis on showing the difference between shots. This style of editing has the goal of drawing attention to a particular shot, scene or sound.

3.) Why is this time in film production sometimes referred to as “The Rise of the Auteurs” in Hollywood?
This time in film production can sometimes be referred to that way due to the rise in directors having their own distinct style. The word ‘auteur’ meaning ‘author’ was first used to describe filmmakers by Francis Truffaut, who had been criticising films at the time for not being creative. He suggested that audiences should be able to recognise a directors’ work immediately, which soon prompted a wave of filmmakers to join this movement. This style quickly found its way to America and into the ‘New Hollywood’ style.

4.) What is the lasting impact of the New Hollywood style on modern films?
Since the New Hollywood movement, directors have become far more involved in influencing the looks and overall style of their films. Furthermore, the ‘Auteur Theory’ can be seen in directors of the modern day, such as Wes Anderson.

As well as this, the rebellious plots and rise in graphic content led to the fall of the Hays Code, a strict set of rules designed to censor ‘immoral’ content and restrict what can be shown on screen.

What is meant by the term New Hollywood? (Consider how this links to the decline of the Hollywood Studio System of the Golden Age) New Hollywood refers to the shift in habits amongst Americans in the early 1960s, television took away audiences from cinemas.

Name some of the films, directors and stars from this period. Cleopatra (1963, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz– the release of this film coincided with the collapse of the studio system), Easy Rider (1969, directed by Dennis Hopper), Carnival Of Souls (1962, directed by Herk Harvey), The Godfather(1972, directed by Francis Ford Coppola). Some stars included: Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Elizabeth Taylor, Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster.

What events were taking place in America around the period identified as the New Hollywood era of cinema?  The New Hollywood era of cinema spanned from the mid-1960s to the 1980s, and within that time frame America endured: Three assassinations on public figures, John. F. Kennedy (1963), Martin Luther King Jr. (1968), and Malcom X (1965). In 1959, through till 1973, America was involved in the Vietnam war, soldiers were fighting in Vietnam whilst American citizens protested against the war (1966, White House protests) because Americans wanted to halt the spread of communism from soviet powers. President, Richard Nixon’s, Watergate Scandal from 1972 until his resignation in 1974. The Civil Rights movement which aimed to abolish legalised racial segregation, discrimination, and disenfranchisement in the country (1954-1968).

How did New Hollywood directors like Penn approach film narratives? Many directors, such as Arthur Penn, approached film narratives with an ‘anti-establishment’ point of view, meaning that they went against the established norms for Americans and how they should behave. This typically involved ‘outsider’ characters and the pursuit of freedom which laid outside of societal norms; this was reflected in the real world with protests, riots, and movements.

What is discontinuity editing? A noticeable cut in a sequence which grabs the audience’s attention due to its unnatural and ridged nature. This jump cut technique is typically used to indicate a significant jump in time.

Why is this time in film production sometimes referred to as “The Rise Of The Auteurs” in Hollywood? A lot of the biggest names in Hollywood today gained notoriety during this time period, to mention a few: Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Martin Scorcese. Unlike Old Hollywood, where the actors in a film created excitement around a film, this era shone the spotlight on the directors behind the films – a result of this was films being recognised for their ‘auteur style’.

What was the lasting impact of the New Hollywood style on modern films? The New Hollywood style left its mark on the film industry by allowing and encouraging director-driven creativity and experimentation.

Initial Rating – 5/10

Favourite moment – A moment which stands out to me the most is when they take pictures together with Clyde’s brother, Buck Barrow, and his wife Blanche. This stood out to me the most as Blanche seems to represent the ideals and morals of old Hollywood films, as well as, American society during the 1900s-1950s – as a woman she is defined by her husband and is almost docile. In the pictures, Blanche takes one with her husband whereas Bonnie, who stands for the second wave, feminist movement during the 1960s, poses alone with a cigar and a pistol.