I. Introduction Little should be doubted about the imposing presence of US motion pictures in global cinemas. It is uncommon to see a country not showing Hollywood blockbusters each summer, from action-packed superhero films to children-favourite animations. As Kindem (2000, p2) puts it, “many countries’ domestic movie markets have been greatly impacted if not dominated by Hollywood movies since at least 1917.” The supremacy of American films in foreign markets presents no new phenomenon; it boasts a Hollywood power that shows no sign of waning as of today. That leads to a popular notion of Hollywood hegemony in production and distribution, which describes the level of dominance generated by US movie industry over the world. This essay seeks …show more content…
to discuss the concept of Hollywood hegemony, exhibiting it in the context of globalization. The author aims to interpret the rise to fame of Hollywood by analyzing its efforts, innovations, and advantages to develop such an influential industry. The paper affirms that while countless reasons are accounted for Hollywood’s extraordinary performance in global settings, they can be concluded in 3 primary rationales: (1) the quality of US film production, (2) the management and marketing structure of US film industry, and (3) the attempts at utilizing movies as a strategy to assert US power. On the other hand, a discussion about the relevance of cultural imperialism regarding US movies’ impact as an implication will also be provided. II. Hollywood and its hegemony over the world movie industry 1. The notion of Hollywood hegemony Hegemony, in general, refers to “leadership or dominance, especially by one state or social groups over others” (Oxford Dictionaries, no date).
On a different note, Agnew and Corbridge (1995) emphasize that hegemony is positioned in certain time periods. This variable proves to be critical since distinct epochs pose diverse environmental settings for dominance to be achieved. That is, prerequisites, altered from time to time, decide the basis of hegemony only if the occasion for their prominence is ripe. Stating further, cultural hegemony concept cites viewpoint on principles, ways of life as well as social thoughts as the bridge to dominant status (About.com, no date). This idea is illustrious in the way that it fits the expansion of Hollywood to world movie cinemas and global movie market as a …show more content…
whole. Accordingly, Hollywood hegemony could be framed as the leading eminence of the US in the world film industry while its impact on foreign markets in various aspects is second to none. It can clearly be perceived when studying the presence of American movies in foreign markets, which demonstrates superior numbers in market share. In 2014, despite a fall in the share of US films in Europe Union countries to 63.1 percent from 69.5 percent of 2013, it still led the market and Hollywood productions dominated their box offices with 8 works out of top 10 in the admission chart (Roxborough, 2015). Earlier data indicate that Hollywood revenues from overseas are ceaselessly on the upsurge, with the Asia-Pacific seeing revenue of US films escalate by 15 percent in 2012, reaching $10.4 billion in which Chinese market marked a 36 percent increase (and became the largest foreign market for Hollywood) (Hoad, 2013). Besides, Klein (2003) articulates that Hollywood dominates revenue of Taiwan cinemas at 96 percent, of Thailand at 78 percent, and of Japan at 65 percent. These figures seem more astonishing if one considers the number of films released by Hollywood in a year. Indeed, statistically, Hollywood often lags behind Bollywood, with only 476 movies released compared to 1.602 of its Indian counterpart in 2012 (McCarthy, 2014). Despite some exceptions, Hollywood outdistances local movies in their own markets and assumes the leading role. This hegemony should be put into the perspective of globalization. Reflecting on the times of globalization, US movies find their ways to international markets in a more efficient manner, both in terms of production and distribution. With the rise of bilateral trade agreements and free trade areas, governments bound by trade agreements often elect to open the national cultural market, prompting a more profound invasion of American cultural goods and services. South Korea, for instance, had been insisted by the US to slash its yearly screen quotas of foreign movies from 40 percent to 20 percent before the bilateral trade agreement between the two states could be concluded in 2007 (Jin, 2011). In addition, it is active Hollywood business in co-producing and co-financing its franchises with foreign partners to take advantage of their domestic capacity that displays global reach of Hollywood. The US-French cooperation of the movie 1492 (1992) is a prime example (Balio, 2002). As such, the globalization in business accompanies the presence of US films in international markets. The emergence of US movie industry to the world, furthermore, touches the aspect of cultural hegemony.
The influence of American values established in Hollywood movies reflects in widespread US products, lifestyles, and thoughts outside its borders. Regarding motives, “America is not just interested in exporting its films. It is interested in exporting its way of life” (Jacob, quoted in The Economist, 1998). Possibly, US cultural imperialism is relevant to the extent that Hollywood filmmakers need no blatant techniques to promote American values. The popularity of Hollywood exports naturally impregnates foreign audiences with American images and ideologies by way of audio-visual acceptance. Whereas old saying states that trade follows the flag, films perhaps carry the
flag. Perhaps the idea of American heroes saving the world is most portrayed to this end, such as in Spider-man, Batman series along with Marvel franchises. The theme of freedom, which is intensely integrated into American spirit, is another premise for global penetration, as illustrated by the success of blockbusters like Braveheart (1995) and the more recent The Hunger Games (2012). Meanwhile, US values in products or fashion trends can as easily be seen in various parts of the world as in Hollywood films. Maisuwong (2012) notices that American fast-food chains McDonald’s and KFC are favored by international audiences upon their placement in Hollywood movies. The cultural facet of this industry expresses its hegemony by spawning propitious world-wide reception.
...m industry, which is the largest in the world. From the movies and shows people see the life style, American life style. They are becoming more Americanized every time when they watch a film where American marines one again save the world. A huge part of American movie industry is based on propaganda movies. And this is not all, bois in the information programs such as CNN and ABC sometimes can be completely misinformed.
The overall appeal of the cinema to the masses was particularly evident during the interwar era. Audiences worldwide wanted to watch the variety of films, particularly American produced films, and they always went back. The visibly attractive and glamorous Hollywood movies often depicted the success of the underdog over unjust authority. Values of cash over culture were often a theme in the early American films and societies with restricted social mobility, such as those in Europe, could dream of such a triumph. The working class and unemployed could fantasise about wealth, fame and freedom which America as a country was portrayed as offering.
Pop culture in the 1950s and 1960s began to spread and infest the nation from front to back through radio shows, books and magazines, television programs, and even motion pictures. Whether it is culture in terms of political affairs, clothing or the latest musical sensations, the United States has always played the dominant role when it came to who knows what is best, first. Some cases of Americanizati...
Lewis, J. (2008). American Film: A History. New York, NY. W.W. Norton and Co. Inc. (p. 405,406,502).
The glorified portrayal of their own countries, people and culture, present in both American and German film propaganda, reflect each respective countries values of patriotism, nationality and superiority. Hollywood movies consistently glorified the achievements of the American soldier. After Pearl Harbor, the War Department asked Hollywood directors to make short documentaries that could be presented in theatres before the featured films.
Describe some ways in which business values and artistic values in Hollywood contend with one another.
Many people might have a diverse opinion on the extend of the American cultural influence on Canada, but the truth is, these two countries share a long common border, they use frequently the same language, they watch the same movies, listen to the same music and collaborate on other numerous levels, including economic and political activity. In this paper, I would like to show the extent of the influence on Canadian popular culture that comes from the United States. For my analysis I have chosen four segments of popular culture: television, printed media, music and films. In these are the main sectors where we can see the biggest evidence of this phenomenon. In the first part I would like to shortly introduce the history of this issue. The second part is the analysis of the four sectors.
...cate American entertainment films. But what was the cost to the development of Canada's supposed "cultural identity" and the perogative of the Canadian filmmaker to make a film without mimicking Classic Hollywood style and theme? Toward the mid-1980s, following the demise of the Capital Cost Allowance tax shelter in 1982, the "success" of a Canadian film was determined less by its forecast box office potential. The trend in the late 1970s and the early 1980s towards what Ted Magder calls the "If you can't beat `em join `em" (Magder, 169) relationship with the commercial Hollywood production infrastructure, was met in the mid-1980s by an equally vehement movement, which maintained that the infiltration of American culture and the adoption of their economic or "big-business" approach was precisely the problem with the Canadian film industry, and hence Canadian films.
The United States of America has one of the oldest and largest (in terms of revenue) film industries. Hollywood is the main location of the United States film industry. However, four of the six largest film studios in the U.S. are owned by the companies that are located on the East Coast. Only The Walt Disney Company - which owns six other film-making companies (Walt Disney Pictures, Lucasfilm Limited, the Pixar Animation Studios, Hollywood Pictures, Touchstone Pictures and Marvel Studios) is located and fully based in Hollywood, California. Sony Pictures Entertainment also has headquarters in Culver City, California, although its parent company, the Sony Corporation, has main headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.
Schepelern, Peter. "Film according to Dogma: Ground Rules, Obstacles, and Liberations." Transnational Cinema in a Global North. Eds. Andrew Nestingen and Trevor G. Elkington. Detroit: Wayne State Press, 2005: 73-107
Thompson, K 2003, ‘The struggle for the expanding american film industry’, in Film history : an introduction, 2nd ed, McGraw-Hill, Boston, pp. 37-54
Marchetti, Gina, and Tan Kam. Hong Kong film, Hollywood and the new global cinema no film is an island. London: Routledge, 2007. Print.
But we should start out by acknowledging its success. In considering some of the reasons for the recent success of South Korean cinema, two further observations can be made. First, if we pay attention to the international export success of South Korean cinema, we can see that it has carved out a new route. This is based on regional markets, at least as much as Europe and the United States. Second, unlike the successes of the Taiwanese and Chinese “new waves” since the 1980s, it is not based on the old European art cinema model.
Tinseltown is a slang term used as another name for Hollywood. Hollywood’s association with the film industry has made it a magical place for some Americans who seek fame, therefore giving it the name Tinseltown. Although the term was used around the 1970’s, Tinseltown is still popular today. Iconic buildings and places such as the Chinese Theater is one example. Today’s Hollywood is no longer a Tinseltown, but more like a “TinselCity.”
'Hegemony' meaning is like leadership, and social, cultural, ideological, or economic influence exerted by a dominant group. Media is one of the key institutions that perpetuates hegemony, influencing mass consumers to unconsciously accept notions of inequality. There must be thousands of commercials that illustrate patterns of hegemonic culture. Cultural hegemony gives good things or bad things to other countries because cultural hegemony destroys the other country culture. Accept good thing adds traditional culture of the own country. It means that if accept cultural hegemony, accept country losing their own culture. For example,