Download - AMERICAN FILM
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AMERICAN FILM
PERSISTANCE OF THE CHC…
& SOME ALTERNATIVES
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American film seems to be a monolithic entity
Seems to follow a fairly rigid pattern However, room for diversity, both
within & without the Hollywood industry
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DIVERSITY WITHIN THE INDUSTRY Studio Era: musical shorts, cartoons,
newsreels & short documentary pieces Different genres, each with its own
conventions (but always within CHC style) There are influences from other film styles
German Expressionism Italian Neorealism European Art Cinema
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The Cabinet of Dr Caligari(Robert Wiene, 1920)
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Frankenstein (James Whale, 1930)
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Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944)
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Rome, Open City (Roberto Rossellini, 1946)
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On the Waterfront (Elia Kazan, 1954)
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Last Year at Marienbad(Alain Resnais, 1961)
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Eraserhead (David Lynch, 1978)
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DIVERSITY WITHIN THE INDUSTRY
Combinations of animation & live action, etc.
Occasionally a documentary Some personalities powerful enough to
“go their own way”
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Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (Roger Zemeckis, 1988)
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Cool World (Ralph Bakshi, 1992)
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Roger & Me(Michael Moore,
1989)
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Bowling for Columbine(Michael Moore, 2002)
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D W Griffith
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King Vidor
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Woody Allen
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Francis Ford Coppola
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Oliver Stone
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Spike Lee
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David Lynch
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Eraserhead (David Lynch, 1978)
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OUTSIDE OF THE INDUSTRY
Since silent era, individuals have made more personal films
Most short, avant-garde films Some documentaries, ethnographic
films A few feature films, but usually too
expensive for an individual
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Meshes of the Afternoon
(Maya Deren, 1943)
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PERSISTENCE OF THE MODE
CHC persists, largely unchanged by alternatives
The fact that we refer to “alternative films” indicates that they are not dominant
Most films, made anywhere, follow the basic conventions of the CHC
Narrative structure (individual protagonist, cause & effect construction, goals, etc.)
Stylistic conventions (continuity editing, esp.)
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PERSISTENCE OF THE MODE
Even alternatives limit their “deviations” to specific features
They use CHC as a base, then deviate from it in specific, & limited, ways
Ensures that audience can follow the narrative
We all speak the language of Hollywood
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WHAT DO WE CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES TODAY? The term “independents”, in the
business sense, applies to all films made today
But we think of independent films based on stylistic features, not mode of production
Some are playful with temporal & spatial relations
Others are more like European Art Cinema, with a sense of ambiguity
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WHAT DO WE CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES TODAY?
Some explore the limits of technology & aesthetics
A look has been accepted as “good” for Hollywood films
Fairly soft, warm lighting A clear image Fine-grained film stock “Professional” acting, good-looking stars in
sympathetic roles
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WHAT DO WE CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES TODAY?
Some films challenge accepted aesthetic qualities
May use natural lighting, regardless of resulting clarity of image
May use non-professional actors, or not especially good looking
May use cheaper alternatives to expensive film stock & cameras (digital video)
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Natural Born Killers (Oliver Stone, 1994)
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The Blair Witch Project (Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sánchez, 1999)
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Traffic (Steven Soderbergh, 1999)
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HOW DO ALTERNATIVES FIT IN THE HOLLYWOOD SYSTEM?
MARKETING “Independent” or alternative films share a
number of conventions that signal “art” to some viewers, who then seek out movies with these conventions
Tend to receive awards at film festivals & approval of critics, both used in marketing
Add diversity of product to a studio’s offerings
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HOW DO ALTERNATIVES FIT IN THE HOLLYWOOD SYSTEM?
Have taken over some of the role of B movies
Many actors, directors & technicians begin on these low-budget movies before moving into mainstream
Some never do, as a matter of choice Some prefer the relative freedom offered by
smaller budgets Some simply prefer these kinds of films
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HOW DO ALTERNATIVES FIT IN THE HOLLYWOOD SYSTEM?
Some well-known actors (& sometimes directors) make these movies later in their careers
May be trying to prove that they are real “actors”
May be trying to “jump start” their careers during a slump
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Sylvester Stallone in Cop Land (James Mangold, 1997)
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John Travolta in Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)
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Bruce Willis in Pulp Fiction(Quentin Tarantino, 1994)
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John Cusack & Cameron Diaz in Being John Malkovich (Spike Jonze, 1999)
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John Malkovich in Being John Malkovich (Spike Jonze, 1999)
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HOW DO ALTERNATIVES FIT IN THE HOLLYWOOD SYSTEM?
New technologies, especially video & digital technology, can be explored
Doesn’t jeopardize success of expensive movies
Technologies then used in more expensive movies
Technologies are often used as aesthetic features, usually with narrative implications
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HOW DO ALTERNATIVES FIT IN THE HOLLYWOOD SYSTEM?
Because they are almost always distributed by majors, will almost never deviate too much from CHC style
The most obviously different films tend to be made without studio financing
Studios would demand changes before investing &/or agreeing to distribution
May agree after film is made & has had some exposure; a “negative pick-up”
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HOW DO ALTERNATIVES FIT IN THE HOLLYWOOD SYSTEM?
Most films don’t offer extreme alternatives
They are just kind of “quirky” Allow viewers to think of themselves as
artsy & clever, without having to think too much or get too confused
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