California And Hollywood: The Evolution Of Hollywood And Filmmaking

The Evolution of Hollywood and Filmmaking The director yells “cut,” signaling that the scene has been finished. In an instant, the lights go dim as the actors and actresses disperse among the set to get their makeup and hair redone. Presumably, no other world could embrace the lights, camera, and action as well as Hollywood. One of the most well known places in California, Hollywoodland, was founded by Harvey Henderson Wilcox and his wife in 1853. In Hollywoodland, movies and films were produced for the public. After the sign was established in 1923, it was neglected, which led to the disrepair of the letters. The last four letters were taken off in 1943 as it is now known today as “Hollywood” (“History of Hollywood, California”). Los Angeles,

In fact, 1946 is one of Hollywood’s most successful years. This was due to the massive influx of people returning from World War II, that had ended in 1945. There was a shift from manufacturing items needed for the war towards common household items. During this time period, the Great Depression and wartime air were slowly fading out (Quart and Auster 17). “The film industry changed radically after World War II, and this change altered the style and content of the films made in Hollywood” (“Post-War Hollywood”). Filmmakers started entertaining the technique of using more color and sound in their films to attract more people. At the time, American films embodied the themes of victory and national triumph. Within a time span of two years, 1942-1944, Hollywood produced 440 films in total (Quart and Auster 17). Although there was a positive boom of Hollywood and films, there would be a time of decline that followed

Movies will become less as of a political standpoint to more of a storytelling platform. Many filmmakers achieved this idea of storytelling by using narrative perversity (Berliner 9). According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, one of the definitions of the word “perverse” is “improper, incorrect” (“Perverse”). Given this, narrative perversity is when the filmmaker turns away from the narrative’s linear timeline. Most movies, prior to the seventies, used the technique of scene x and scene y, scene x then scene y, or scene x therefore y (Berliner 10). The French Connection, a 1971 film directed by William Friedkin, used this technique which allowed it bring in a gross amount of $51,700,000. The plot of this movie consisted of two New York cops are trying to bust a heroin drug shipment from France; this five oscar winning thriller is considered one of the best crime movies of its time (“The French