Cinema Ch.6,7,8,9,10

8.7.3 United Kingdom

-The 39 Steps. Most people have not seen this Hitchcock's film. The 39 Steps 1935 -A Grierson's documentary. Notice how the rhythm of the images, created by the editing, matches the rhythm of the narrator, creating a joined new meaning. Click inside the black YouTube window and will take you to the clip (in YouTube) "This is the night mail" - WH Auden 1936 -The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)

Chapter 7: European Cinema in the 1930s 8.1 International Cinema in the 1930s Timeline

1931 - 25% of the working population in Germany is unemployed.Europe in 1930 1932 - The Nazi party wins the German elections. 1933 - Famine in the USSR: millions starve to death. 1935 - USSR: Stalin kills thousands of dissidents. 1936-1939 - Spanish Civil War: General Franco will rule for the next 40 years. 1937 - Japan invades China. 1939 - Germany invades Poland and Czechoslovakia.

9.5 Animation

BEFORE WWII: ANIMATION GETS LONGER While Melies' animations were short films, El Apostol (1917) made by Argentinean Q. Cristiani is considered the first animated feature. Cristiani's film is forever lost and can not be viewed. The first existent feature animation film is the work of German L. Reiniger and B. Bartosch: a silhouette-animation movie named The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926). Disney's first feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) was followed by Pinocchio, Bambi and Fantasia. However, it would be the awkward and fearful Dumbo (1941) the feature that would bring the studio finances into stability. CARTOONS GO TO WAR Like any other studio division, the animation departments got mobilized during the early 1940s, producing propaganda cartoons to increase enrollment, train the troops, boost morale and encourage the war effort. The dominant studios were Disney, MGM, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Columbia, UPA, Fleischer, Schlesinger and Lantz. Some studios used already famous characters placing them on war sketches, while other production companies developed new characters for this specific type of cartoon. Some examples: Fleischer's Popeye the Sailor enrolled in the Navy, while WB's character Private Snafu was created. DIFFERENT STYLES Every studio had their own style making their cartoon characters unique and forever funny. Disney's style was very different from Warner Brother's. Think about Snow White and compare it with Bugs Bunny. Disney used a more naturalistic, polished style, while WB used a rougher, cartoonish style. Disney's smooth movements and traditional illustration backgrounds were replaced at WB's with abrupt motion, and more stylized simpler environments. The traditional values of Disney movies were absent in the WB stories. While WB's animation was based on absurd situations and character reactions, Disney's was based on fairy tales and logical, sentimental characters.

11.8 Method Acting

Based on Constantin Stanislavsky's system of training actors at the Moscow Art Theater, Method Acting was then explored by the Group Theater in New York and Lee Strasberg who taught Method Acting for years at the Actors Studio. The founders of the Actor's Studio were Elia Kazan, Cheryl Crawford and Robert Lewis. Under Stanislavsky's direction, an actor would recall personal sensations and memories from his or her own experience to connect with the character that he or she is performing. Method Acting used Stanislavsky's premise, and encouraged actors to live the part every moment the character was being played, paying attention to the expression of emotions with gestures better than words. The inner dialogue had to be more important to the actor than the spoken dialogue. The character was developed through the search that takes place in improvisations. Many of the most famous actors have used this method, including Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, and Al Pacino. Also among those who trained at the Actors Studio were James Dean and Marilyn Monroe.

11.12.2 All About Eve

Bette Davis fabulous performance. " Monroe scenes in "ALL ABOUT EVE" (1950)" Marilyn was unknown back then. She played Miss Casswell in the movie and that might be her first important role. Lovely, sexy but a little bit overdoing.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKhyLCjIpvw&feature=youtu.be "All About Eve (Bette Davis as Margo Channing)" http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4kbw4_all-about-eve-bette-davis-as-margo_shortfilms

10.5 United Kingdom

British movies of the 1940s revolved around three main themes: literary and theatrical adaptations, musicals and war stories. The movies of actor, director and producer Laurence Olivier exemplified the adaptations of this era. Like Korda, Olivier's sophisticated style created classical works that had interesting composition and camera angles. His award-winning film Hamlet (1948) became a clear example of Olivier's control of deep-focus photography and mise-en-scene techniques. This movie's elaborate crane and dolly shots created lengthy takes that minimized the editing. With a new approach to theatrical adaptations Olivier dealt with the long Shakespearian monologues combining voice over and on camera dialogue. This clean classical style with well-written scripts, excellent acting and an emphasis on the spoken word is the result of British meticulous approach to dramatic material that had its source in the theater. The movies of this decade were mostly period stories with high production values. The musicals of the 1940s are best represented by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's beautiful movie The Red Shoes (1948). Their film depicts many of the characteristics mentioned above, applying them to excellent choreography and visual effects. The Archers (refers to Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger) were able to convey the deep emotions of their characters with a singular combination of music, dance, lighting, color and visual symbolism that rends homage to the earlier works of German Expressionism. Based on H.C. Andersen's tale of a young woman whose shoes will not let her stop dancing, this film received two Oscars for Art Direction and Music. British war stories have their best ambassador in Carol Reed's The Third Man (1949). David O. Selznick, Korda and Reed joined forces to produce this novel adaptation; a riddle immersed in espionage, love and deceit set Vienna of post-WWII, (when the city was divided four in sections). This movie is one of the best examples of British Film Noir.

10.6 Germany

By the time the German film industry got nationalized in 1937 many of the most creative filmmakers were already in exile. During the war years the import of American movies was forbidden. German productions consisted mostly propaganda and anti-semitic movies, along with musical operettas, and war romance films. After W.W.II, local productions out-numbered the few American imports that were allowed. By the end of the decade, movies dealing with post-war life appeared on the screens with the same style as the movies of the Italian Neorealism. However, it will take about twenty more years for this industry to recover to the levels of the 1920s.

9.8.5 Animation

Compare these two films: their theme, their characters, and their animation style. [Disney's first feature: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs -"Whistle While You Work - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIwa9sPFT5] [and Warner Brothers' cartoon: "Slick Hare" (complete). Can you identify some of the real life character's in this famous cartoon? -Bugz Bunny https://vimeo.com/69975085 ]

7.3.2 Styles

Despite using the same techniques and production formulas, all studios were different. Each studio had an individual style that identified their product. Paramount specialized on sophisticated "European" comedies, many directed by German filmmakers that had left the UFA studios. Warner focused on urban melodramas with a fast pace, the type that could appear on the headlines of a newspaper. MGM was known for its lavish spectacles with big stars and glamorous art direction. Fox produced quality products that yielded a profit. Lastly RKO, the smallest of the majors, employed many independent filmmakers that mostly made musicals and special effects movies. Ironically, the term Hollywood Style refers to a visual style so polished that it is invisible, in which camera techniques should not be noticeable, and editing had to be seamless.

11.3 Wider Screens

During the period of change and adaptation following the arrival of TV the film studios tried all sorts of things to retain their audience. Hollywood looked for ways to make the movie experience better than a TV one. The studios implemented some technical changes that, while costly, would assure their prominent status. Back then TV screens were very small. Equating bigger with better, an explosion of different film screen formats took place. Abel Gance's 1927 Polyvision was revisited becoming Cinerama; it too required three cameras for production along with three projectors and three screens for exhibition. The result was an aspect ratio of 3:1, meaning that the three theater screens together showed an image that was three times wider than taller. While the system was able to use the same 35 mm film of a regular movie, each production had to seriously increase its budget, spending three times more film, needing three camera operators, etc. The exhibitors had to make reforms in the theaters to accommodate three projectors and three screens per movie. Cinerama created spectacular results but it was full of technical difficulties and high costs. An example of this format is How the West Was Won (1962). See some images in the "vocabulary and images" section of this module. Looking for a simpler and cheaper tactic, producers dig up the Chretien's hypergonar lens that compressed the picture horizontally, allowing for the capture of very wide shots on regular 35 mm film using one camera only. A lens with the reversed design was used during projection, decompressing the image. It received the name of anamorphic lens and was the basis of Cinemascope. This format became very popular because it was less expensive. MGM came up with their own proprietary system, it was some kind of hybrid: the aspect ratio of 2.78:1, almost as good as Cinerama. It was achieved using one camera and one projector with anamorphic lenses, but it also needed a 65 mm film that was almost twice as wide as the regular 35 mm. William Wyler's Ben-Hur (1959) was shot in MGM 65. Another try at a wide screen was VistaVision. It only needed one camera and one projector, but in order to achieve the desired width with the regular 35 mm film, the camera had to be modified to accommodate a wider horizontal frame. An example of VistaVision is Hitchcock's Vertigo (1958). They were other systems that presented different combinations of the same elements with similar results. Worth mentioning were Todd-AO, Technirama, and SuperScope. In addition to increasing the screen size, movies gave a try at 3D, using a rudimentary system of one camera with two lenses. The audience needed to use glasses that had green and red filters. Fifty-five years later, the 3D system used nowadays also requires the audience to wear glasses, although now they have clear lenses. Other ways to compete with TV were in the category of gimmicks and not real technical developments, including Smell-o-vision.

10.7.2.2 Jean Cocteau

From Beauty and the Beast, I recommend to watch the first 25 minutes. Very influential movie, its images created with theatrical visual effects, no electronic/digital enhancements. It will be homaged over and over again, as in the movie Repulsion (1965) by Roman Polanski. [Beauty and the Beast -"La Belle et La Bête" https://youtu.be/OQtmFglneko?t=4s ] ["Repulsion (1965) - Madness" -Left alone when her sister goes on vacation, a young beauty finds herself besieged on all sides by the demons of her past. -twisted scenes Disclaimer: this clip is from Repulsion and it is not for everyone -repulsive. Viewer discretion advised. http://youtu.be/1swzjZvAeiI ]

10.7.3 United Kingdom

From the UK watch The Archers, Reed and Olivier

10.7.3.3 Laurence Olivier

Hamlet, this clip includes the famous "to be or not to be" monologue. It is a very long movie, watch a scene or skip through it, depending how much you like this classic. The most important thing is to get a sense for the style: performance, cinematography, art direction, etc. Hamlet - To Be Or Not To Be - Laurence Olivier "Olivier's Hamlet film (1948): To Be Or Not To Be soliloquy" -with music by Sir William Walton.

7.2.2 Ensuring Box Office Profits

How To Ensure Box Office Profits? Owning the best theater chains was not a warranty that the audience would like any movie. To ensure predictable profits the Hollywood studios built three main pillars: the Studio System, the Star System, and the System of Genres.

8.2 Protectionism and Regulations in Europe

In the 1920s and 30s European countries focused their economy on rebuilding, after the destruction resulting from WWI. While some film industries were healthier than others, none of them could compete with the numerous American films that soon flooded the silver screens. Most countries imposed some protective regulations directed to promote local representation with a minimum of national films screened in the theaters. The most common model was a system of quotas that would stipulate the amount of local films (national and European) that had to be produced and exhibited before the license for the exhibition of American films could be obtained. As a result of those regulations, exhibitors demand for national films rose and local production increased. Unfortunately, quantity decreased quality and many of those new films were produced just to get the licenses of the more profitable and glamorous American films. With infra-low budgets and the quickest production schedules, the European films could never compete with the product of the Hollywood studio machine.

8.7.2 France (men trying to escape multi x's)

La Grand Illusion If you speak French, you can watch the entire movie online, but these are the only clips that I can find with English subtitles. It is a great movie!

8.5 United Kingdon: Genres

MUSIC HALL, THE LEAST KNOWN GENRE In the 1930s Charlie Chaplin was the biggest silent star born in the UK. During this decade, British cinema gave birth to Music Hall films. Similar to American vaudeville shows, those films included different acts, with songs, humor and short sketches. Music Hall films did not have any star of Chaplin's stature, but they would be especially important to keep moral up during WWII. THE DOCUMENTARY MOVEMENT From 1927 until W.W.II, J. Grierson (1898- 1972) developed a strong unit that was at the heart of the British documentary film movement. He believed in the profound lessons that were revealed through the documenting of real events that happened to real people. Unlike the films of the Revolution made in the URSS in the 1920s, Grierson believed that documentaries could be used as teaching devices, an inspiration for social change. His educational films were produced with financing from the state. A. Cavalcanti and P. Rotha were other filmmakers of this movement. CLASSIC LITERARY SOURCES On the other side of the spectrum stood the work of director and producer A. Korda (1893-1956). Born in Hungary, Korda worked in England, France and the United States. He was an intellectual with a broad culture, had a taste for the literary classics and had developed a sophisticated visual style. His movie The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) brought prestige to his career and attracted financial backers to the British industry. Finally, movies that were interesting and commercial were being made in the UK. Working with his brothers Zoltan (director) and Vincent (art director), A. Korda produced screenplays written by the best literature writers of the time. He even hired respected foreign directors. His studios, London Films, also produced early Technicolor films like The Four Feathers (1939). Korda moved his operations to Hollywood during W.W.II but returned to Europe afterwards. SUSPENSE Along with Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1981) is probably one of the best know worldwide British filmmakers of the 20th century. Considered the master of suspense, Hitchcock applied the editing theories developed by Kuleshov and Pudovkin. After shooting a movie in Germany his cinematography became heavily influenced by expressionism. While working on his tenth film Blackmail (1929) he began to develop the creative possibilities of sound. However, it would be the 1930s when Hitchcock's work started to be very successful. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), The 39 Steps (1935), and The Lady Vanishes (1938) would be the most famous of his British period before D. O. Selznick brought Hitchcock to Hollywood.

8.4 Germany: Politics and Films

Rebuilding Germany had been a difficult task during the 1920s. However, in the 1930s it became even more difficult. The effects of the crash of Wall Street and the Great Depression that followed had ripple effects all over Europe. Massive unemployment, Hindenburg's shaky political leadership, and unsustainable social conditions created a fertile ground for the growth of Nationalism. And with it, the proliferation of Mountain Films, a type of genre that dealt with heroic rescues in breathtaking landscapes. The first German talkie was completed in 1930 by J. von Sternberg called The Blue Angel. It was the first of the seven pictures that Sternberg made with his protégé Marlene Dietrich. In this movie Sternberg plays with sexuality and destroyed egos defining his most famous character: an attractive but very dangerous woman, especially dangerous for a proud man. Dietrich's character, a woman of no moral, would have a profound impact on posterior American films. With Emil Jannings as the male lead, and produced by E. Pommer, the profits of this film helped the finances of the UFA studios. By 1933 A. Hitler was the head of the National Socialist Party in Germany. J. Goebbels was Hitler's propaganda minister and the head of the film industry. The Nazi's anti-Semitic policies forced many talented filmmakers -from all German dominated territories- to flee to America: Pommer, DuPont, Weine, Douglas Sirk, Billy Wilder and F. Zinnemann, are some of the most famous names. From that point on propaganda films will take the center stage of the German film industry. Among the filmmakers that stayed in Germany and worked for Hitler was actress and director Leni Riefenstahl. Her well-acclaimed documentary The Triumph of the Will (1935) showed the Nazi party's first convention at Nuremberg, underlining the power of propaganda films. Riefenstahl's Olympiad (1938) was less political, focusing on a poetic presentation of the human body during athletic competitions. This movie is considered a propaganda "art-film" and it shows how original and modern her filming style was. After WWII, Riefenstahl went to prison for four years because of the films she made for Hitler.

8.6 France: Styles and Themes

THE AVANT-GARDE: EXTRAVAGANCE AND SURREALISM After making Napoleon (1927), considered an encyclopedia of visual effects, Abel Gance (1889-1981) directed his first sound film La Fin de Monde (1930). A comet is about to crash into earth and everyone knows it is the end of the world. Under this premise, the extravagant Gance encouraged his actors to behave as if it really was the end of the world, while he placed his camera in a pendulum to emphasize the emotions of the characters. Some scenes got out of control and became a real orgy. Even with a large budget, this ambitious production was rapidly running out of money. The film was taken away from him. Gance went on to direct several other films after La Fin de Monde, but his director's heart always remained with his beloved film Napoleon. Filmmaker, poet, painter and writer, Jean Cocteau (1889-1963) embodied the Surrealist movement. His film The Blood of a Poet (1930) had a dream like quality with symbolism and visual illusions that take place inside the artist's mind. This personal movie had a big influence in European and American movies. Cocteau would not direct for fifteen years after that, focusing on his other interests: novels, paintings and plays. POETIC REALISM Carne_and_Prevert.jpg Director Marcel Carne (1909-1996) and writer Jacques Prevert (1900-1977) are considered the representatives of a style that emphasizes ordinary working class life in a romantic manner, called poetic realism. Their characters are trapped in a hostile universe where even killing another human results from lacking other choices. Their stories had the realism of a life lived on the streets, and a fatalism that ends on suicide. Carne's most important films of this decade are Port of Shadows (1938), and Le Jour se Leve (1939). NATURALISM AND SOCIAL SATIRE Nobody can tell stories with the combination of poetry, humor and deep sympathy for humanity like Jean Renoir (1894-1979). Being the son of renowned painter August Renoir, Jean developed a contemplative, realistic, and unconventional sensibility. Renoir expressed his naturalistic view of the world by making his own productions with the fewest possible number of shots, minimizing his own editorial perspective, and reproducing as many natural sounds as possible. His film Grand Illusion (1937) is considered a masterpiece and illustrates Renoir's belief of multitude of truths. The story is set in a German prison camp during WWI; a group of French prisoners await the end of the war and establish a relationship with the German officer that represents Renoir's own ideas of how humanity transcends country, gender or class. Renoir cast Stroheim as the German officer. Stroheim had just returned from Hollywood with his career in shambles when he ran into Renoir at a film festival. In the same elaborate way that Stroheim had made his movies, he added many details to this character, lengthening it from a much shorter role. Renoir agreed with most of Stroheim's suggestions and they were incorporated into the film.

10.2 Film Industries During and After W.W.II

The 1940s was a decade clearly divided in two: the first half dominated by the rigors of WWII, and second half immersed in the post-war reconstruction. Since most European countries were directly involved in the war their film industries were affected in similar ways. Anti-Semitism profoundly impacted the European film industries. In most cases employment of Jews was forbidden and those who could flew to other countries. Other industries, like Hollywood and London, greatly benefited from this migration. Those filmmakers who did not leave went underground. Many did not openly work again until after the war, some were forced to work in a different field, and others ended in concentration camps. Several film industries were either nationalized or controlled by German occupation forces producing mostly propaganda films, newsreels and government-sponsored documentaries. With never-ending bombings and shortage of supplies, it became an almost impossible task to make any other kind of film. The prohibition of American and Soviet films in the theaters did nothing but worsen the situation. In some countries, the clandestine screenings of forbidden movies like Gone with the Wind (1939) fueled the revenues of the black market. Despite those conditions, some sentimental home-front movies were made to boost morale. In the UK, some films about the social impact of the war away from the front lines were also produced. Almost everywhere musical comedies and classical literary/theatrical adaptations were very popular and became an easy escape. Historical and political figures were also taken to the silver screen, like Eisenstein's two-part epic Ivan the Terrible (1944). After the war, the devastation in the cities was such that filmmakers felt the need to turn their cameras to the countryside where something good and beautiful could still be found. Several countries including Austria focused on melodramas with a rural background. Hungary and other Eastern-European countries were under communist ruling with nationalized film industries, and like the Soviets in the 1920s, used peasant characters to voice the message of the state. The UK and Belgium are examples of those countries that made comedies, some of them splashed with black humor like R. Hamer's Kind Hearts and Cornets (1949). Even though Spain had not participated in W.W.II, Spaniards suffered similar poverty, famine and devastation, inherited from their own civil war. Having a military government, and the strong influence of the Catholic Church, movie scripts had to get approval from both. The movies produced during this decade were moral tales promoting conservative values, classic literary adaptations, and folk tales with gypsy songs and dances.

9.4 Filmmakers Seeing Through Their Movies Casablanca

The Maltese Falcon (1941) is one example of J. Huston's realistic style with a simple visual treatment. His movies revolve around well-defined characters that try and fail. The son of an actor, Huston was able to help his actors develop the psychology of their characters: men and women who cannot escape their fate. Another movie from 1941, Citizen Kane, represents the more expressionistic style of filmmaker Orson Welles. Using more theatrical and contrast lighting, deep-focus cinematography, and a story structured with flashbacks and montage scenes Citizen Kane was a very innovative film. Welles, who was a child actor, developed his career in the theater and radio where he produced The War of the Worlds, a radio show that made Americans panic because they believed that Martians were landing on Earth. Casablanca (1943) was also based on a play, and is probably the best-known movie by M. Curtiz. Produced as one of the many low budget movies of the 40s, all shot in studio, it is a simple story of a love triangle with a good song. Using the war, which was going on at the time, as a backdrop, the tremendous success of this movie immortalized the romantic couple played by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Curtiz also directed Yankee Doodle Dandy in 1942. From Double Indemnity (1944) to Some Like It Hot (1959) B. Wilder proved to have a wide directorial range. Being a writer, Wilder was always focused on the story and considered fancy cinematography and elaborated sets a distraction from the plot. He chose actors for roles that were against their type, making very interesting casting choices like Humphrey Bogart in Sabrina. Wilder directed some of the most recognized names in Hollywood: Barbara Stanwyck, Greta Garbo, Gloria Swanson and Marilyn Monroe. Despite being labeled a "women director", G. Cukor made The Philadelphia Story in 1940. This film earned James Stewart an Academy Award. Also in the cast were Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn, who had purchased the rights to the play to assure the movie would be her start vehicle. Through out his career, Cukor concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations.

7.8.9 Unforgettable

The Wizard of Oz. I guess most of you have seen the movie already. Somewhere Over the Rainbow - The Wizard of Oz (1939) Gone with the Wind. The clip below is the trailer.

7.3 The Studio System

The first pillar of the Hollywood studios was known as the Studio System.

11.10 Audience Fragmentation

The insertion of television in the homes of American families drew audiences from the movie theaters. One of the effects of this shift was audience fragmentation. Up to this point the movies had no age boundaries; adults and children shared the same film. The diversification of entertainment offerings meant that families did not have to go to the movies together anymore; the kids could stay home watching TV, while their parents went to the movies. Fragmentation allowed the movies to cater their stories to different audiences: different ages and different interests. As a result, more mature movies with racy plots and stronger language were produced. New phases of audience fragmentation were noted by the advent of video games, and later on by the Internet. With so many sources of affordable entertainment nowadays, it will be interesting to see how all these media would continue to fight for the audience.

11.9 Filmmakers

The number of American filmmakers of this period and the quality of their work is such that it would be impossible to cover them all. The most important ones are part of the book readings, but only three are reviewed in this section. Their significant work serves as an example. One of the founders of the Actors Studio, Elia Kazan, made films that emphasized the story; presenting the rebel point of view of adolescents, an unusual approach at that time. Some of his movies are A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), and On the Waterfront (1954). Joseph Mankiewicz was a great director who mixed method and non-method actors in his productions. His film All about Eve (1950) got fourteen nominations, gathering six Academy Awards. In it, the seasoned Bette Davis shared the screen with Marilyn Monroe in one of her first performances. Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, did not like surprises in his work and always prepared very detailed plans and notes. He believed that the best way to create mystery was by keeping the audience and the characters in the dark, while suspense was achieved by showing the audience all the facts. Hitchcock avoided clichés in his plots. One of his best films of this period is Rear Window (1954). Hitchcock is considered one of the most universal filmmakers of all times.

9.8.1 War and Post-war Cinema

These are examples of war and post-war movies. The Battle of San Pietro is one of the most famous documentaries about WWII with images that shook the audience for their realism and unglamorous view of the war. The Best Years of Our Lives is based on a novel and tells the story of the return and the difficulties re-connecting with civilian/family life. I recommend watching some sections of the first film and several of the second one (other clips available online). [The Battle of San Pietro Published 1945 Usage Public Domain Topics war, WWII, documentary Documentary of the US efforts to take Italy by acclaimed director John Huston. The US Army which commissioned the film refused to show it because it was too honest in its portrayal of the high cost of battle and the difficulties faced www.archive.org/details/battle_of_san_pietro] [The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) several clips to choose from. This film is a great example of Social Realism. http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/314754/Best-Years-Of-Our-Lives-The-Movie-Clip-Among-My-Souvenirs.html ]

10.7.1.2 Vittorio De Sica

[De Sica's famous Bicycle Thieves -"Bicycle Thieves" (1948) -Italian: Ladri di biciclette), also known as The Bicycle Thief, is director Vittorio De Sica's 1948 story of a poor father searching post-World War II Rome for his stolen bicycle, without which he will lose the job which was to be the salvation of his young family. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x10jp1t_bicycle-thieves-1948-pt-1_creation]

10.7.1.1 Roberto Rossellini

[It would be very difficult to understand Neorealism without watching Rossellini's Rome, Open City, I recommend the entire movie. It is one of the best known films from this movement. This clip (first of two) refers to the ideology and values of this movement, seeing through the eyes of the main characters. -"Rome, Open City" (1945) http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x15g3ok_rome-open-city-1945-pt-1_creation]

9.8.6 The Maverick

[Orson Welles' Citizen Kane -(70th Anniversary) -b&w This clip is the first 10 minutes only. You choose if you want to see the rest or not. http://youtu.be/q2LTo4SIsZE ]

Chapter 6: American Cinema in the 1930s 7.1 American Cinema in the 1930s Timeline

1912-1920 - Film companies establish production facilities in Hollywood: Fox Film Corporation, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, United Artists, etc. 1926 - First commercial feature with synchronized music and sound effects recorded on disc: Don Juan 1927 - The Jazz Singer, silent film with sound scenes: synchronized dialogue, music and effects recorded on the Vitaphone system. 1921-1928 - More film companies establish production facilities in Hollywood: Columbia Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer, Warner Brothers, RKO, etc. 1929 - Wall Street crashes; it would have devastating effects all over the world. 1933 - F. D. Roosevelt New Deal: Agricultural Adjustment Act, Farm Credit Administration, Home Owners Loan Corporation, National Industrial Recovery Act were all established. 1935 - The FBI and Social Security begin activities. 1939 - Germany invades Poland. In the US, Snow White, first animated feature film premieres in theaters.

Chapter 9: European Cinema in the 1940s 10.1 International Cinema in the 1940s Timeline

1939-1945 - WWII, 100 million people from 30 countries were involved. 1941 - Germany occupies most of Western Europe and part of the URSS. 1943 - Fall of Mussolini. Italy declares war on Germany. 1945 - Hitler commits suicide and Mussolini is killed. V-Day. The war ends. 1948 - Brussels treaty. 1949 - Birth of the "Cold War"

Chapter 8: American Cinema in the 1940s 9.1 American Cinema in the 1940s Timeline

1941 - U.S. enters WWII 1942 - About 100,000 Japanese Americans are forced into internment camps, most of their possessions left behind. 1944 - D-Day: allies bombard Germany and Japan non-stop. 1945 - U.S. destroys Hiroshima and Nagasaki with atom bombs. War ends. 1947 - U.S. Marshall Plan brings aid to European countries destroyed by WWII. - G.I. Bill of Rights created to educate and get American Veterans back on their feet

11.1 American Cinema in the 1950s - Timeline Rosa Parks_Dec 1, 1955 achievement video

1950 - Television sets begin a fixture in American living rooms. 1950-1953 - Korean War. 1950-1954 - Senator J. McCarthy's investigation of communist infiltration. 1954 - The Supreme Court desegregates public schools. 1955 - African-Americans protest bus segregation in Alabama (Rosa Parks). 1956 - Martin Luther King Jr. becomes the leading figure of desegregation. 1954-1959 - Era of financial prosperity. Suburbs sprout. People buy houses, cars and TV sets. 1959 - Beginning of US involvement in Vietnam War.

7.7 Vocabulary and Visuals

A and B movies: a term that made reference to bigger or smaller budgets as well as big stars or less-known performers in the film. Star vehicle: a movie that was produced to promote the career of a star. The plot had to showcase the talents and beauty of the star in musical scenes, dramatic or comedic scenes, action sequences or dialogue exchanges. Vertical Integration: the ownership or otherwise control of all areas of the film making process: production, distribution and exhibition. Block Booking: the rental of movies grouped together in one packet by independent theaters. Blind Bidding: the rental of movies without previewing them; sometimes without even a description of the plot. Independent exhibitors would only know the name of the lead actor or the genre. The Golden Age: from 1927 until 1948. During those years, Hollywood had complete control over its product, yielding maximum profits.

9.8.3 Film Noir

A great low budget Film Noir film, the complete Detour. -by Edgar G. Ulmer -Published 1945 -Topics noir, Tom Neal, Ann Savage, poverty row, suspense, P.R.C. https://archive.org/details/Detour_movie (Links to an external site.)

11.12.6 Salt of the Earth

A very important film that could not be seen for a long time. This movie was banned in the US because it was made by blacklisted filmmakers. The actors were non-professional, but the story keeps the audience engaged. The struggles of New Mexican miners standing for their rights, in the context of gender inequality. This is the first part, the rest is online. "Salt of the Earth (Part 1)" by Michael Wilson

7.5 The System of Genres

After WWI, American audiences considered European films artsy, downbeat, very slow, even pessimistic. In the 1920s and 30s, following the taste of moviegoers, Hollywood focused on unpretentious, optimistic, fast moving, success stories. These movies were pure entertainment, allowing the viewers an escape from their own reality. The third most important element for the studios to be profitable was the System of Genres. Genre films referred to popular story types with similar elements (i.e. western, musical, etc.) that people could identify easily, creating a group of followers. The Hollywood factory was making formula pictures; like in a cooking recipe, they would combine different ingredients (i.e. humor, romance and music) and would obtain predictable results. Genre pictures were, and still are, profitable because they were predictable: they follow a formula. Once the formula worked it was easy to imitate. With a simple substitution of some ingredients in the formula they studios would get a different movie! And the box-office would produce the expected results, with just a few exceptions. Most of these genre pictures were considered B-movies; with no stars and small budgets. It was easier to generate revenue. In addition to profits, Genre films became important to the studios because they were also used as testing grounds for new actors and directors without risking a big investment.

11.12.5 High Noon

Another classic! Here is the famous montage scene. "High Noon Train Scene / Montage" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOuvcMkaXUU

7.2 Golden Age of Hollywood

BUILDING A DREAM The Hollywood studios were developed by T. Ince following the example of the Ford factory system (assembly line). The studios became manufacturers that specialized in dreams. The period from 1927 (the end of the silent era) to 1948 (the end of the studios oligopoly) is considered the Golden Age of Hollywood. During this time, there were five companies that were considered the major studios: Paramount, MGM, Fox, Warner Brothers, and RKO. Three other companies were referred to as the smaller studios: Universal, Columbia, and United Artists. All of them owned back-lots, facilities, equipment, human resources, distribution channels and movie theater chains.

7.2.1 Vertical Integration, Block Booking and Blind Bidding

By controlling production, distribution and exhibition, the studios had achieved Vertical Integration, making them very powerful enterprises that were always able to sell the films they produced. To minimize competition in exhibition, the big five studios divided the country in five geographical areas assuring the control of the first run theaters. Independent theaters were forced to rent packets formed by multiple films bundle together with one lead film, and the rest being a combination of less important A and B-movies. This practice was called Block Booking. Some times independent exhibitors were even forced to Blind Bidding, which meant having to rent films from distributors without seeing them, maybe just knowing their genre or the name of the star in them.

8.3 American Studios in Europe

By the end of the 1930s some changes on the protectionist regulations in some countries resulted in the making of fewer films, but with higher quality. The more relaxed rules also created a better atmosphere for American film businesses in Europe. The Hollywood studios went from filming on location in Germany at the beginning of the decade, to establishing satellite studios in London by the late 30s. Some of their films, like Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939), became very successful.

7.5.1 Silent Genres vs. Sound Genres

During the Silent era the most profitable genres were westerns, slapstick comedies and melodramas with happy endings. Those genres never disappeared they just took a step back. A few changes took place during the Sound era, the first of which was very predictable: the Musical was born. The second change referred to the rise of Gangster films, but if we analyze those movies, they are basically westerns at heart. Lastly, Slapstick Comedies yielded their place to another form of comedy, the Screwball Comedy.

11.12.1 Wide screens

CINERAMA: This image is the result of a simultaneous projection in three screens. Note the change in color from screen to screen. Sometimes it is also noticeable a shadow where the projection overlaps creating a line between screens. "This is Cinerama" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doYLaLYhCtk CINEMASCOPE: This image uses the optical compression (lens) during filming and decompression during screening. Here is a documentary about the story of cinemascope. "The CinemaScope Story" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bve8wGAPhIg

11.11 Vocabulary and Visuals

Cinerama: How the West Was Won zorarah.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/how_the_west_was_won_screenshot1.png VistaVision: Vertigo artandliterature.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/vertigo21.jpg MGM Camera 65: Ben-Hur generationfilm.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/ben-hur_chariot_race.jpg Todd-AO: Oklahoma! www-tc.pbs.org/wnet/wp-content/blogs.dir/12/files/2008/11/590_oklahoma_musicsel.jpg Technirama: Sleeping Beauty 2.bp.blogspot.com/-bKKXywFO6HM/TkFPgBzDg-I/AAAAAAAAFIE/dSPJaqNEMKM/s1600/sleepingbeautymano13452.png Smell-o-vision: Scent of Mystery www.kritzerland.com/KL_SOMcov72.png 3D Glasses http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-alWiWqoOsbU/UhdPbd9CqrI/AAAAAAAACo4/BMkYcEwSFlA/s1600/3d-Glasses-Red-And-Blue2.jpg

7.6 The End of the Golden Age

DISINTEGRATION In 1948, the vertical integration of the Hollywood studios got abolished. In an antitrust lawsuit the Supreme Court ordered the complete separation between the production-distribution and exhibition enterprises. It is known as the Paramount Decision. With this separation, Block Booking also came to an end. RKO was the first studio that began to sell their movie theater chains. This was because it was the studio with the least amount of theaters, and because the studio saw the opportunity to improve its status if the other studios with large amounts of theaters were forced to sell. RKO was followed by Paramount, and that became the end of the studio-lawyers' argument that "it couldn't be done". Coincidentally, the advent of Television during the same years brought another round of instability to the already rocky state of the film studios. NEW PLAYERS The structures of Studio System were shaky, allowing for some changes to occur. Independent producers replaced the omnipotent figures of the production moguls. The Stars negotiated the end of their contracts and went independent, some creating their own production companies. Hollywood was about to face a radical transformation.

10.4 France

ESCAPING TO FANTASY France was another devastated country that lost its position in the film world. For the first five years of the decade Germans forces occupied the country. During the war, production was shot down and in accordance to German policies, American movies were forbidden. For several years only a hand full of films were made. In this challenging period those filmmakers that were able to put a production together looked back to the past, escaped to fantastic worlds, or both. Only the films of two filmmakers are worth mentioning: Marcel Carne's Children of Paradise (1945), and Jean Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast (1946). Filmed during the occupation, Children of Paradise did not get released until the war was over. Surprisingly, this movie did not lack variety of costumes or sets. While the characters are based on real people, the story was created by writer J. Prevert. Carne's movie deals with the different love that four men have for the same woman. The performance of Jean-Louis Barrault as the mime is fantastic. As most French films, the plot is not fast paced, and developing the story of four characters that crossed paths resulted in a 3-hour film. In Beauty and the Beast, the father of the avant-garde film J. Cocteau recreated this classical tale with his own personal touch. The visual style resulted from a realistic representation of the fantastic story. As he did in the Blood of a Poet, Cocteau mastered the low-budget visual effects, making them eerie and completely believable. Cocteau merged the opposite worlds of Belle and Beast in a seamless way. The images of this wonderful film had a big influence on posterior British and American films.

9.3 Film Noir

Film Noir is the opposite of Social Realism. Film Noir stories are tales of private detectives, crooks and police officers that never arrive on time. Inspired by German Expressionism, Film Noir movies are pessimistic, showing the dark side of society in which there is no escape for men suffocated by crime, night and rain. Mostly based on novels by writers like Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett, the male characters in Film Noir movies, like the WWII veterans, feel threatened by women who have become independent while they were away at war. The femme fatale character represents a more powerful woman that has fallen into a world of danger and seduction. The detective character is a man that cannot be bribed but will do anything for a damsel in distress; a loner who does not fit into the system; he would move freely between legal and shady situations; he represent the "access key" to all levels of society for the audience. Most of those films were made in studio, where filmmakers had more control over the lighting contrast, the desolated sets and the weather. These are some of the elements that define film Noir. J. Huston's The Maltese Falcon (1941), B. Wilder's Double Indemnity (1944), and E. Dmytryk's Murder, My Sweet (1944) are wonderful examples of this genre that truly represents the Hollywood of the 1940s.

10.7 Screenings- 10.7.1 Italy From Italy watch Rossellini and De Sica

Italy, France and the United Kingdom will be the focus of our screenings in this module.

11.7 Social Realism

Following Italian Neorealism, a number of movements with similar ideology and style sprouted. Most of them dealt with the stories of regular people that were oppressed by poverty and injustice. The films had the intention of raising the social consciousness of the audience. Some of these movements were the Soviet Socialist Realism, the British Kitchen-Sink Realism, and the Indian Social Realism. Social Realism arrived late to the United States. One of the best films of this movement was the controversial Salt of the Earth (1954). The film's director, Biberman, had been accused of contempt after the HUAC hearings, and imprisoned for six months. Once out, he started to put together this film. Like the story in the film, the production also became a complete struggle. In part because many of the people involved were also blacklisted. This film created such controversy in the industry that the film labs did not want to develop the film. The non-professional actress playing the lead role was deported to Mexico, and all theaters in the country, except for about a dozen, refused to screen the movie. The film is now available on-line, see it in the screenings section of this module.

9.6 The Stars

HOLLYWOOD'S FIRMAMENT In the 1940s they were even more stars than in the 1930s. As one of the components of the Hollywood machine, the Star System was always looking for a different combination of stars that would yield bigger box office profits than the previous ones. One very lucrative formula was "the couples". From the romantic and dependent couple like Bergman/Bogart in M. Curtiz's Casablanca, to the couple that best represented the reversal of roles: Hepburn/Tracy in G. Stevens Woman of the year (1942), and G. Cokor's Adam's Rib (1949). But not all the stars were able to maintain their status in Hollywood's firmament. Some stars reinvented themselves, but some got bypassed by a new generation that could deliver what audiences were looking for, and some stars simply vanished. No movie illustrates this better than B. Wilder's Sunset Boulevard (1950).

7.3.1 The Dream Factory

In the 1930s Hollywood dominated 80 % of the worlds' screens and new movies were premiered every week. The studios wanted to insure consistent productivity and quality, with predictable revenues. Assembly line techniques and mass production brought costs down, increasing profits. However, this formula also allowed for complete control of the product in the hands of the smallest group, the heads of production. The studios had thousands of people on their payroll: actors, producers, directors, writers and technicians. Their hierarchical structure resembled a family, with the production chief heading the Front Office. Their grounds were run like a small city: some had their own fire department, their own chapel, and their own post-office. Sound stages were in production twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, with three shifts per day, accommodating multiple productions at the same time. The lack of Unions meant that technicians worked for decades without days off. In the middle of the Great Depression, the only successful industry that never slept and did not know the meaning of the word unemployment was the "Dream Factory", Hollywood. While the head of any studio would run the day-to-day operations and had control of production in Los Angeles, most studios were part of major corporations and the ultimate power was in the hands of corporate presidents in New York City.

11.4 The New Experience of Television

In theaters the audience sits down and looks up at the screen, it is considered a reverential experience. The TV experience is different because the audience is often seated higher, or at the same level as the monitor, and is operating the remote control; that is why watching TV is considered a dominating experience. That sense of domination felt new and stroked a cord with the audience of the 1950s. TV was a new experience also because it had multiple advantages for the audience: the convenience of being at home. Also the shows were more intimate than the big spectacles of the movies, they had a sense of closeness and excitement similar to a theater play because they were live (not recorded). Plus they felt fresh and fast paced, after all they were made by a younger generation.

7.8.4 Gangster Movies Scarface (1932) Cafe hit scene (shoot out at cafe, didnt get name of guy on phone)

One of the jewels of the 'Triple Crown'. 3 movies that defined the parameters of the gangster genre - Little Caesar, Public Enemy, Scarface My favorite part of Scarface is from 27:50-42:00 because I laugh every time, but the entire movie is very good. It depicts Hawk's particular sense of humor. Here is only a part of that section.

7.8.7 Westerns

One of the most famous directors of westerns: John Ford, and one of his most famous films: Stagecoach. Considered one of the best westerns of all times. Stagecoach (1939) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEuCMRRLts8 Actors: John Wayne Claire Trevor Andy Devine

9.2 Combat Films

PROPAGANDA, NEWSREELS, DOCUMENTARIES AND FICTION The movies made about WWI dealt with the courage (or lack of it) of the individual soldier, while the movies made before and during WWII had a different viewpoint; they focused on the team. The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 got Hollywood mobilized. A number of humorous movies were produced encouraging people to enlist. Comedies about the draft were followed by training films. Soon, the Office of War Information was supervising the massive production of war films. Made to promote enrollment, propaganda films like Frank Capra's series Why We Fight declared the reasons for the war. Along with them, weekly newsreels also helped with the war effort. Commissioned by the War Department, other combat films were documentaries that showed a more personal vision of the war experience. These documentaries were made by some of the most famous filmmakers of that time: W. Wyler's The Memphis Belle (1944), J. Ford's The Battle of Midway (1942), and J. Huston's The Battle of San Pietro (1945) are some examples. On the other hand, Huston's Let There Be Light (1946) was banned by the War Department for being too realistic. Fictional movies with all of the Hollywood conventions were also produced. Those movies usually presented the stories of a small group of soldiers whose dialogue preached ideals and glamorized the war. J. Ford's They Were Expendable (1945) is a very good example. POSTWAR: SOCIAL REALISM At the end of the war, combat movies shifted focus to the difficulties of transitioning to peace times, dealing with the return of the veterans to a civilian life that not longer felt the same. Social Realism was the term given to these films made on location presenting a more realistic, deglamourized view: the psychological confusion of the postwar era. One of the best examples is W. Wyler's The Best Years of Our Lives (1946).

11.12.4 Rear Window

Rear Window - Opening from Adam Fletcher https://vimeo.com/25660023

7.8.3 Fantasy Films

Some of the best production values of the 1930s. Considering that they were completely hand made, these visual effects were the best for that time. Scroll down, the last clip is Frankenstein. King Kong when you click on the link below you can see three clips, I recommend the dinosaur fight http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/219246/King-Kong-Movie-Clip-Dinosaur-Fight.html (Links to an external site.) Frankenstein How is this movie different from Nosferatu? Here is a link to the complete movie, don't mind the Spanish subtitles: http://vimeo.com/10060290 (Links to an external site.) Also, the scene "it's alive", in case you do not have time to watch the entire movie above. http://youtu.be/1qNeGSJaQ9Q

7.8.8 Women in the movies

Two clips of very different female characters, but with the same strength in common. Compare these women with the protagonist of It Happened One Night, what do you notice? A couple of clips from She Done Him Wrong; May West and Cary Grant's exchange is suggestive and fun. http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/458455/She-Done-Him-Wrong-Movie-Clip-Come-Up-Sometime.html The Little Foxes This movie is from 41, but it is a great representation of the type of characters that Bette Davis was known for. It also shows how Hollywood depicted racial issues in the South at the end of the depression. Here is the link to three clips from the movie. Let me know what you think. http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/357516/Little-Foxes-The-Movie-Clip-When-We-re-Very-Rich.html

8.7.1 Germany

Two examples of very different styles: Olympiad and The Blue Angel Olympiad, this is the entire film, good quality, and English version. Feel free to skip to the sections you may prefer. Watching the entire movie is not required. The Blue Angel This is a great film that shows Expressionistic sets. The beginning of this film would have a deep influence on French filmmakers of the 1950s and Americans in the 1970s.

10.3 Italy

TELEFONI BIANCHI The movies of the 1930s called Telefoni Bianchi were Italian versions of the glamorous American movies made by De Mille and other filmmakers with similar style. "White Telephones" was the name given to these upper class, conservative stories because they always included white telephones as part of their rich sets, symbolizing wealth and prosperity. NEOREALISMO Created as a critical view of the opulent movies from the 30s, Italian Neorealism was a movement that presented the opposite ideology and style. It is not surprising that during WWII, unemployment, poverty, the black market and prostitution were found all over Italy. In these circumstances, Italian Neorealism provided a democratic view of society, with compassionate stories about poor and working class ordinary people focusing on their emotions. Furthermore, these films were made with non-professional actors, using conversational speech, and authentic dialects. Inspired by the Poetic Realism of Renoir, the "styleless" Neorealism, used the technical simplicity of the documentary visual style, with unpretentious camera movements, simple angles and editing. Mostly shot on real exterior locations, lighting was either natural or simply functional. This movement captured the dramatic effects of poverty and desperation. With loose plots, these films were melodramas that showed a realistic picture of a hungry and agitated Italian society during the German occupation. Driven by a strict control of production and lack of supplies, some producers were forced to film under wraps, buying clandestine negative film and sending it out of the country to be developed. L. Visconti, M. Antonioni and C. Zavattini are some of the best know filmmakers of this movement. However, nothing captures the spirit of Neorealism better than R. Rossellini's Roma, Open City (1945), and V. De Sica's Bicycle Thieves (1948).

9.7 Hollywood on Shaky Grounds

THE ROLLERCOASTER During the 1940s the Hollywood studios were on a roller coaster. The earlier part of the decade was marked by tremendous profits. The difficult times of WWII created a need for audiences to escape from reality, and Americans were massively going to the movies every week. With no competition from other media, all studios saw unprecedented financial success. However, in the second part of the decade two events became major blows to the film industry leaving Hollywood in shaky grounds. PARAMOUNT DECISION The real profits of the industry were in sales and that meant exhibition in movie theaters. However, in the Paramount decision of 1947, the Supreme Court ordered the complete separation between the production-distribution and exhibition enterprises. The anti-trust ruling meant that the studios no longer were able to own the theaters that allowed them to have complete control over their products. Forced to sell their exhibitions chains, the future was not longer assured. HUAC Also in 1947, the Congressional House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) conducted a series of hearings to investigate the infiltration of communists in Hollywood. Writers, directors, producers and actors were called to testify, becoming "friendly" or "unfriendly" witnesses, depending if they had "identified" or not the suspected communists. In the aftermath of WWII and the beginning of the Cold War being a communist meant in many cases going to jail. As a result of those hearings the "Hollywood Ten" (ten writers and directors) were accused of being un-American and their names placed in McCarthy's black list, the first for the entertainment industry, with devastating consequences to their life and careers. This was another blow that shook the entire industry.

11.5 Experimentalists From New York

TV had advantages for the audience, but also for those who produced it. It was a new media and nobody really knew its real potential. It was a land of experimentation that appealed especially to young directors, actors and producers. There was no division of labor simply because there was not enough personnel. Budgets were very low and the sets were small and simple, hence the name Kitchen Sink Dramas for these type of productions. The equipment was new and the technical difficulties were constant. With weekly shows that were aired live the schedules were very short. The audience had to live with the multiple mistakes, however, it was exiting because it was live and new. The big movies were not paying much attention to Television until the audience shifted. In 1953, Marty, a TV show from NBC became a huge hit. So popular that in 1955 United Artists released a film version of the TV show. It was so unusual to see an intimate story on the big screen that it won an Oscar. Hollywood had finally recognized TV. As TV sets proliferated, other shifts took place. Sponsors began to invest on TV and demanded control of the content. The invention of tape meant no more live shows, the thrill was gone. Changes on management made the media more corporate. The young experimentalists left New York and moved west. Once in Hollywood they clashed with the unionized hierarchy of the Studio System. However, there was room for them. Their experience with low budgets and short schedules made them very appealing to a new generation of film producers. Those who succeeded were able to turn things around and ended playing by their own rules. Like a revolving door, later on Television would be the one to honor Hollywood. Almost twenty years after the show Marty was made into a movie, the movie M*A*S*H got made into a TV series.

9.8.2 Famous Couples

Two movies with contrasting romantic couples, they are complete opposite; one couple shows a submission/domination dynamic and the other couple struggle for power. These films illustrate gender roles in the 1940s [Bogart and Bergman: The Traditional Love Story. Casablanca -the famous request scene -"Play it, Sam" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vThuwa5RZU&feature=related ] [All About the Classic Movie "Casablanca" -and a short but very important documentary on the movie -Max Steiner -Warner Brothers musician -Director- Ortis- wrote "Captain Blood(1935), The Adventure of Robin Hood(1938) came from Europe, had thick ascent https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=SeqA7R8TSoM&feature=youtu.be ] [Tracy and Hepburn: The Reversal of Roles. "Woman of the year" (1942) Katharine Hepburn & Spencer Tracy -Note: this is the clip in which they meet, seting up their relationship. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H00_NJtbJY&feature=youtu.be ] ["Adam's Rib (1949) - Licorice" Do not miss the following example of the reversal of roles: Adam's Rib. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KIsbOYj97M]

7.4 The Star System

The Hollywood studios saw actors as property. They were considered valuable investments: expensive, well trained and protected from any wrongdoing by the studio's legal department. Like anyone else, stars were also owned by the studios; under contract, they were sometimes loaned or traded to other studios. Stars were created from scratch. The studios would change actors' names, their appearance, teach them how to do public speeches and perform for the camera, and would fabricate their social lives to increase the stars' box-office appeal. Bigger than life, most stars had fan clubs fueled by the studio's publicity department. The most profitable stars would gain some privileges regarding script approval, and selection of director, producer or cast. Stars were classified into character types (i.e. the "Latin Lover", the "dumb blond", etc.) Those who did not want to be typecast would take on smaller but more challenging roles. Other stars would usually play themselves and were considered "personality-stars". The studios developed all sorts of marketing strategies to best position their products. In addition to fun clubs, and absolute control of the press, the studios made movies that showed the best features of their most recognizable assets: the stars. Those movies were called "star vehicles". Clark Gable, also known as the "King of Hollywood", Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, Lionel Barrymore, and Jean Harlow were some of the biggest names of this era. Even some cartoon characters got start treatment, like Disney's Mickey Mouse and Snow White.

10.7.3.2 Carol Reed

The Third Man, the quintessential movie about espionage and post war society. I love spy movies! "Third Man, The (1949) -- (Movie Clip) What A Hope They Had" Wilfrid Hyde-White who'll play "Crabbin" narrates, about Vienna, mentioning Harry Lime and introducing Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten), who meets the super (Paul Hoerbiger) at Harry's apartment, opening Carol Reed's film from Graham Greene's original screenplay, The Third Man, 1949.

11.2 Film and TV: Struggle and Mutual Dependency

The first part of the 1950s inherited some of the worries of the WWII post-war. Due to the result of the military and political tensions of the Cold War with Russia, the Red Scare rose in America, which also had its effects on Hollywood and the new media, television. The second part of the decade is marked by racial tension and desegregation efforts. Furthermore, television began to play an informational and critical role at this time. For over 50 years the movies had no competition. However, in 1947 a new baby was born in the entertainment business. Television was nothing but a crying infant, a nuisance to the Hollywood empire. By 1951 Movie Theaters were closing everywhere; fifty-five of them in New York City alone. The audience was home watching TV. The monopoly of the movies was over. Hollywood's denial had reached its expiration date and a threatening cloud was above the film studios. Weakened by the lost of theater chains and massive revenues the Hollywood leadership did not know how to cope with TV. The studios developed some good marketing strategies to compete with the new media. A series of promotional commercials featuring coming attractions in film were actually aired on TV. Contrasting with an all-black-and-white television, movies were produced in color and became more sophisticated productions of grand epics and lavish spectacles. The studios then went through a period of change and adaptation. They focused on technical developments that, they were confident, would leave the TV toddler in the dust. Big screens, good audio, and lots of visual effects, including gimmicks like 3D images that needed red and green glasses. Once the dust settled down, the studios accepted that TV was growing, and they sought to create a new relationship with the new media, a symbiosis. Thus, Hollywood began producing shows for TV; initiating a romance that would end up in a marriage made in some kind of heaven, in a far away galaxy. Hollywood rented out the studios back-lots and sound stages to TV bringing its assembly line techniques proven to speed up production, increase production values and decrease cost. The studio infrastructure allowed TV to have a regular cast, a consistent set for all the episodes of the same show, highly trained personnel, etc. In exchange, Television offered an always-growing audience. The result was filmed TV.

7.8.1 Studio System

This is a series of documentaries that are excellent and cover several of our topics for the 1930s and 40s. I recommend episode 2: Studio System. You can click on Previous and Next arrows to find other episodes, this is #2. http://www.learner.org/vod/vod_window.html?pid=206

7.8.2 Stars

This is a series of documentaries that are excellent and cover several of our topics for the 1930s and 40s. I recommend episode 3: The Star. You can click on Previous and Next arrows to find other episodes, this is #3. http://www.learner.org/vod/vod_window.html?pid=207

7.8.6 Screwball Comedy

This is a series of documentaries that are excellent and cover several of our topics for the 1930s and 40s. I recommend episode 5: Romantic Comedies. You can click on Previous and Next arrows to find other episodes, this is #5. http://www.learner.org/vod/vod_window.html?pid=209 (Links to an external site.) The following two films are some of the best known classics of this era. -It Happened One Night (1934) is a romantic comedy about a spoiled heiress who, while running away from her family, falls in love with a reporter who is actually looking for a story. Directed by Frank Capra. Starring Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert. https://www.viki.com/videos/219482v-it-happened-one-night (Links to an external site.) -My Man Godfrey (1936) [Romance] [Comedy] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiSjeLhg25w&feature=youtu.be (Links to an external site.)

11.12.3 On the Waterfront

This is probably the most famous part of the movie, the car scene. "I Coulda Been a Contender - On the Waterfront (1954)" -Terry (Marlon Brando) speaks with Charley (Rod Steiger) about his lost days of promise, then Charley hands him a gun and lets him go. Mob

7.8.5 Musicals

Watch Gold Diggers 1933 and Gold Diggers 1935. Then compare their style with Top Hat. They are all short clips. Gold Diggers 1933. This clip includes the famous dance number with the gold coins. I have not been able to find my favorite choreography online but there are several other remarkable dances in this film. The second clip is from Gold Diggers 1935. You can see the same style, a bit more refined. Gold Diggers 1933 We're In The Money https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r3KdTL6mjk (Links to an external site.) This is the famous "Shadow Waltz". Gold Diggers Of 1933 - The Shadow Waltz Top Hat. My favorite dance in this film. Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire

7.5.2 Classical Cinema

While Silent movies only had a storyline before they were filmed, sound pictures required dialogue and the studios had several people writing the talkies, including producers, directors, stars and scriptwriters. Many films were adaptations of literary properties: theater plays, novels, and short stories. Most followed the rules of what became Classical cinema. It was based on the classic Greek theater and focused on the story with linear narrative structures in the form of a journey, a chase or a search. The conflict was set between the protagonist who initiated the action, and the antagonist who resisted it. The conflict escalated to the moment of maximum tension, the Climax, which was followed by a confrontation and resolution, and ended with any of the formal regular closures: death, return to normal or a happy event. Some of the criticism of the formula pictures was that many became a cliché, predictable and boring. Only some of the best producers demanded the creative idiosyncrasies of good stories. The rest were more focused on the revenues.

11.6 The Red Scare

While the hearings of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) took place in the late 1940s, the effects of the black list were strongly felt in the 1950s. Those blacklisted, the Hollywood Ten, were directors, producers and mostly screenwriters. Some were able to work under a pen name, some under a friend's name, but some had to change professions, their lives and careers destroyed. However, the effects of the Red Scare went beyond that particular list, affecting hundreds of artists, including actors and musicians. Almost anyone who was suspected of having any ties with the communist party or have had any connection with communists were either persecuted or denied employment. Fred Zinnemann's film High Noon (1952), was written by Carl Foreman who had ties with the communist party ten years earlier. When producer S. Kramer and other people in the industry found out, Foreman was fired. He then flew to Europe, knowing that he would not be able to get hired again in Hollywood. The Red Scare also hit television. Shortly after Edward Murrow aired some episodes critical of Senator J. McCarthy in 1954, his CBS show See it Now lost its weekly spot and got canceled in 1958. Furthermore, some stations had internal offices that investigated their employees. Even Lucile Ball had been under scrutiny, apparently because she had enrolled in the communist party at the request of her grandfather, but never attended any party meetings.

10.7.3.1 The Archers

["The Red Shoes" (1948) An important movie, worth watching specially for the visual effects, got an Academy award. The entire movie is available online, this is a clip about the ballet. Very influential on American musicals of the 50s. Also, notice the expressionistic sets and shadows. I hope you like it as much as I do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktv3-1JTspc ]

10.7.2.1 Marcel Carne

[My favorite part of "Children of Paradise" is from 14:00 - 29:00, featuring the wonderful performance of the mime and the world of the theater. -Voted "The best French film ever made" by the French Film Academy. The Children Of Paradise (Les Enfants Du Paradis) is a film of such dazzling proportions it has been labelled the French Gone With The Wind. Set amidst the glittering theatre world of 19th century Paris, the story revolves around the beautiful and free-spirited courtesan, Garance, and the four men who compete for her affections a mime-artist, an actor, an aristocrat and a criminal. As the melodrama unfolds, we are treated to one of cinema's greatest love stories, a captivating tale of passion, deception and murder. http://youtu.be/3tdXMgY42H0 ]

9.8.4 The Vanishing Stars

[Watch this documentary about the famous Sunset Boulevard, and do not miss the very significant ending scene. Do you recognize the actor playing film Director? -"Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard - a look back (deutsch untertitelt)" This is the documentary about the movie. http://youtu.be/aIp8rK8vG8s ] [Spoiler alert: this is the end of the movie, a classic. -"Mr. DeMille, I'm Ready for My Close-Up - Sunset Blvd. (1950)" -Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) gives her final performance as she descends into madness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMTT0LW0M_Y]