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Depiction of blacks in films
Strategies in films about race
Race and Ethnicity in Art, Film, and TV
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Recommended: Depiction of blacks in films
Spate of formulaic films produced in the 1950s film culture outperformed in questioning social stereotypes than TV. Though NAACP protested against the negative representation of African Americans in Hollywood since 1930s, the films in the following decade dealt with class conflict and effects of economic scarcity. The subpoenas of the Hollywood Ten in 1947 was a clear indication that the power of film images worried both HUAC and the compilers of the industry blacklist Red Channels. But the films dealing with class and race conflict dominated the early 1950s till spectaculars like religious epics and consumer films took the centre stage. Thus social films give way for religious and consumer films. Films like The Men and Bright Victory …show more content…
Genre based Science-fiction and westerns can be viewed in one way as escapist-those transporting audience away from the cold war anxieties but these anxieties were reinforced in public safety films like Pattern for Survival (1950). Science fiction films conveyed the complexities of the atomic age without requiring a clear-cut moral message. The Thing From Another World (1951) and The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957), The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) are excellent examples. Western genre underwent change in the 1950s with the strong masculinist myth of the West got challenged and it foregrounded new themes. Westerns such as The Searchers (1956), Gunman’s Walk (1958) and The Unforgiven (1960) dealt with problems of miscegenation and white supremacist attitudes of integration of races. Westerns centrally dealt with race and also the ways in which rugged masculinity of the West was under siege from 1950s domesticity. The war novels of Norman Mailer The Named and the Dead and James Jones’s From Here to Eternity tackled the links between racial arrogance and masculine bravado and the film musical The King and I (1956) and the Hong Kong based melodramas Love is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955) and The World of Suzie Wong (1960) dealt with issues gives a more …show more content…
With its exotic setting in Hong Kong these films arouses fantasy but Hong Kong according to Gina Marchetti also offered a “place where a postwar American identity can be defined against an emerging Asian communism and the decay of European colonialism” (110)/(qtd in Halliwell 179). Gina Marchetti sees Hong Kong as a luminal space between West and East in which cold war oppositions could be smoothly played out in a mixed-race love story setting which avoided the stigma that could otherwise happen if set in Deep South or the Midwest. The plethora of films that explored social issues were Salt of the Earth (1954), Storm Center (1956), On the Waterfront (1954), The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), Man on a Tightrope (1953) and Tea and Sympathy (1956). Another film that garnered the attention was Cry the Beloved Country (1957) which dealt with social and political issues. It was difficult in the early 1950s to take an explicit stance in political and social issues so Hitchcock along with Wells and Ray opted
Good evening and welcome to The History of Television. On tonight’s show we will focus on how and
“Men want to be as lucky and enviable as he is—they want to be like him. And women imagine landing him.” The influence of North by Northwest on the action and spy film is immeasurable. It influenced the James Bond series, the Die Hard movies, and even science fiction films such as Total Recall. What Hitchcock did, basically, was create an action film of such quality that directors ever since have been trying to equal its success in story, action, and characterization.
In the 1930s and 1940s many Hollywood writers, actors, producers, and directors were suspected for communist affiliations. During this time, communism was a popular political movement in the United States, especially among young liberals. There was a growing fear of communism invading American society. By the end of World War Two an event known as the Red Scare resulted in communism become increasingly feared and hated by many in the United States. The Hollywood blacklist caused the Hollywood industry a lot of harm in its business and reputation.
Technology in the 1950s started with many great innovations that shape the way we live now. Probably the most important innovation of television was the introduction of cable T.V., television broadcasting, sitcoms and talk shows. Television went though many changes in its younger years. The way T.V. Developed in the early years is the foundation for what we watched now days. Transitory radios became very popular in the fact that Music could be heard in any location because it was now portable. Still T.V. Innovations were what the 1950s were all about from a technology and the birth of the T.V. show.
In The Pathos of Failure, Thomas Elsaesser explains the emergence of a new ideology within American filmmaking, which reflects a “fading confidence in being able to tell a story” (280) and the dissolution of psychologically relatable, goal-oriented characters. He elaborates that these unmotivated characters impede the “the affirmative-consequential model of narrative [which] is gradually being replaced by another, whose precise shape is yet to crystallize” (281). Christian Keathley outlined this shape in more detail in Trapped in the Affection Image, where he argued that shifting cultural attitudes resulted in skepticism of the usefulness of action (Keathley). In Robert Altman’s McCabe & Mrs. Miller and Roman Polanski’s Chinatown, this crisis of action is a key element of the main characters’ failure, because it stifles the execution of classical narrative and stylistic genre conventions.
During the 1940’s and 1950’s, a new film genre called Film Noir became popularized. Film Noir translated from French means “black film” which is what these movies were. Some of the characteristics movies in this genre shared were that they were shot in black and white, there was no happy ending, the protagonist was often a war veterans, the plot was ruled on fate, emotions were usually raw, and the theme dealt with the darker side of human nature.
The 1950’s was a time in history when America began to flourish, through its advancements in music, technology, and its emphasis on the individual. The emergence of Rock and Roll contributed to the birth of the ‘rebel’ by giving teenagers an excuse to disobey their parents through the expression of music. Adults of the 1950’s insisted that Rock and Roll corrupted the minds of the youth. This revolution in music not only affected the decade from an entertainment standpoint, but also from a fashion perspective. Teenagers wore leather jackets, poodle skirts, slicked back hair, and beehive hairdos. Through sports and the civil rights act, blacks began to be more accepted into the 1950’s society. Although segregation was still alive, many blacks swore they could see freedom in the near future. Black athletes, like Jackie Robinson, proved that talent outweighed skin color. Existentialism became a popular philosophy during the 1950’s, which emphasized the individual. The true meaning of this movement was vague, but followers believed that society was trying to control their every action. Many authors and philosophers of this decade wrote on the subject of existentialism, including Flannery O’Connor. Flannery O’Connor’s short story, “Good Country People,” was published in 1955 and demonstrates the 1950’s view of existentialism through the use of symbolism and irony.
Society in America during the 1950’s was one that portrayed men and women in very different, but rigid roles. Women were housewives, secretaries, and mothers. Men were providers, war heroes, and businessmen. Television, newspapers and magazines played an important role as well in determining ways men and women should behave. Advertisements for real estate were designed to sell to the “All-American” family. For example; Dad would be the returned home veteran who is now running the company, Mom is an ideal housewife who works a couple days a week for extra vacation cash, little Billy likes baseball and his sister Susie plays with dolls. Houses designed with this type of family in mind would prove very effective in luring away many from the city to live in suburbs like this at a rapid pace. Most jobs in the work place were gender divided. Help-wanted ads placed in newspapers in the 1950’s were very gender biased as well. Some ads with attention getting headlines could have read: “Sales Girl,” and “Brides! Housewives!” Occupations offered to women at this time were very limiting.
The fifties was a learning year and the 60's became the time to express everything that they learned. The 60's was a time for new and innovative ways to entertain the people. Since the blacklisting continued in Hollywood, the making or films became very difficult to express. The restrictions, such as the production codes, kept the big corporations to produce films that had no interesting subjects. These films also had to be films that show no signs of communistic values. The film industry was failing to bring in the audience to the theaters. With the TV making a big wave all over, the U.S. the film industry was losing it is money. Then in 1961 something big happened, 20th Century Fox took apart its lot. This act was one that led to a chain reaction. Studios were assuming the role of distributors. This would allow the independent companies to come in and add a new flavor to the silver screen. During this time films changed it's traditional film making ideas. Things started to get graphic, more violent, sexual and more expressive. Movies had found a new look and with the production codes now gone and the blacklisting ending, there was an explosion of ideas that would be presented to the United States.
In recent times, such stereotyped categorizations of films are becoming inapplicable. ‘Blockbusters’ with celebrity-studded casts may have plots in which characters explore the depths of the human psyche, or avant-garde film techniques. Titles like ‘American Beauty’ (1999), ‘Fight Club’ (1999) and ‘Kill Bill 2’ (2004) come readily into mind. Hollywood perhaps could be gradually losing its stigma as a money-hungry machine churning out predictable, unintelligent flicks for mass consumption. While whether this image of Hollywood is justified remains open to debate, earlier films in the 60’s and 70’s like ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ (1967) and ‘Taxi Driver’ (1976) already revealed signs of depth and avant-garde film techniques. These films were successful as not only did they appeal to the mass audience, but they managed to communicate alternate messages to select groups who understood subtleties within them.
The 1950s in America was a time that was peaceful; five years after winning World War II, America established themselves as a power country. Society was optimistic; soldiers were coming back from war to start their new jobs, families getting new homes and the baby boom is about to begin. American industries expanded and people began to get products that were not available to them during the war. Televisions were coming up in family households and becoming a main staple in America. Coca- Cola was in the golden age of their product. With growth of televisions in homes, Coca- Cola began making advertisements that featured relaxing, and being comfortable on the television, billboards and magazines which appealed to America. Even though America recently came out of war, America was headed into another one called the Cold War against the Soviet Union that lasted until the late 80’s. The 1950’s was a time of feel good in America and there are many reasons why it was including Coca- Cola, sports and breaking down racial barriers.
...e American Dream. Larry Ceplair and Englund stated in the book The Inquistion in Hollywood, “The destruction of the motion picture Left not only transformed the political atmosphere in Hollywood, but also adversely affected the kind of product which the studios turned out. “ In the early 20th century Hollywood reframed from producing politically controversial films in fear of becoming a target of McCarthy or the HUAC. Anti-communism influences the films produced, films portrayed communism as evil and immoral. The films during the cold war certainly portrayed the political storm between the progressive left and the conservative right. Films such as Ninotchka in 1939, showed anti-communism, guilty of Treason 1949, showed an attack against communism, exploiting the evils of communism was shown in Docudrama. The Red Menace in 1949 showed the immense threat f communism.
As World War Two came to a close, a new American culture was developing all across the United States. Families were moving away from crowded cities into spacious suburban towns to help create a better life for them during and after the baby boom of the post-war era. Teenagers were starting to become independent by listing to their own music and not wearing the same style of clothing as their parents. Aside from the progress of society that was made during this time period, many people still did not discuss controversial issues such as divorce and sexual relations between young people. While many historians regard the 1950s as a time of true conservatism at its finest, it could really be considered a time of true progression in the American way of life.
Woll, Allen L and Randall M Miller. Ethnic and Racial Images in American Film and Television: Historical Essays and Bibliography. n.d. Print.
Every film can be related back to socially significant issues that occurred during the time it was released. It’s a snapshot of the issues during that time period. Film is not created in a vacuum. As described in our textbook, film “Conveys “the temper of an age of a nation” as well as that of the artists who produces it” (Belton 22). Films tend to reflect current society, country ideals or beliefs in order for the audience to relate. Some of those techniques used include, the American dream, family, corruption, divorce, and crime. If a director decides not include current social issues than it becomes harder for an audience to relate to the film because they will not be able to connect to the characters and get into their shoes. One film that encompasses all of these current social issues is American Hustle (David O. Russell, 2013). This film is a melodrama because of the context and social issues this film deals with. American Hustle has a social significance to today’s current culture, society, beliefs and social issues through the use of the American dream, corruption, divorce, crime and family.