Hollywood Film Analysis PDF

# Hollywood Film Analysis ## Post-War Hollywood - **Classical narrative style prioritizes clear story-telling and continuity.** - *Casablanca (1942)* shows this style by following the structure of a causality and a resolution. The scene where Rick sacrifices his happiness for Ilsa’s escape....

# Hollywood Film Analysis ## Post-War Hollywood - **Classical narrative style prioritizes clear story-telling and continuity.** - *Casablanca (1942)* shows this style by following the structure of a causality and a resolution. The scene where Rick sacrifices his happiness for Ilsa’s escape. - This clear cause-and-effect logic and character motivations reinforce the pre-war classical style. - **Post-war Hollywood films focused on more darker issues.** - *The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)* shows this transformation by focusing on unresolved emotional struggles from the war. - The scene where Al struggles to give a speech at the banquet highlights the lingering of his war experiences. - These two films from during and after the war showcased how culture and historical shifts influenced Hollywood Storytelling. ## American Film - **Film genre during the classical era became defined by the commitment to recognizable elements and audience expectations, solidified by the studio system’s production practices.** - *Bringing Up Baby (1938)* shows a classical narrative genre, romance comedy. - The scene where Susan’s leopard escapes and wreaks havoc combines romance and humour by using comedic mis-understandings and witty dialogue. - This scene’s blend of romance and humour showcases the genre’s appeal to audiences. - **Post-war Hollywood transformed genres by introducing darker tones and complex characters.** - Although classified as an adventure film, *The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)* shows this switch during the scene where Dobos spirals into paranoia, accusing his companions of betraying him. - This scene showcases the mix of adventure and drama, showing the shift toward moral ambiguity as well as noir elements. - This 10-year difference shows how audience tastes changed as well as the social and economic shift of the post-war period. ## Key Concepts ### Objectification & The Code - **Objectification of women challenges the restrictions society places on women, sexism and the code’s restrictions by addressing society’s expectations while adhering to the “Code.”** - The film’s creativity critiques society’s double standards within the Code’s restrictions. ### Expressive Space - **Expressive space/space takes up volume.** - **Using the setting or environment to reflect characters, emotions or the theme.** - The scene in *King Kong (1933)* where Kong climbs the Empire State Building mirrors the danger and awe created by Kong. - Using expressive space creates more tension and spectacle. ### Casual Agents - **Casual Agents/agents of change** - **Characters, events or action that drives the story forward, often through motivation or external events.** - The heist plan in *Odds Against Tomorrow (1959)* is considered to be the main central agent. - The scene where racist tensions between Johnny and Earle explode, not only disrupts the plan but also adds emphasis on the film’s broader commentary on prejudice and its consequences. - The motivation is Johnny’s financial situation and Earle’s deep-rooted issue with greed and prejudice. - The motivations explain why the characters act the way they do. ### Verisimilitude - **Verisimilitude/Veri similar to real life** - **illusion of reality in film, achieved through believable events, visuals and performers.** - Where Rick sacrifices his love for Ilsa by helping her ex-husband shows character interactions. - The foggy setting along with the score also helps to create an essence of authenticity by enhancing the emotional impact. ### Genre Mixing - **Combining elements from different genres like adventure, drama and thriller.** - *The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)* where Dobbs gets paranoid about his gold blends elements of drama and noir to explore themes of greed, trust and human corruption in the harsh environments of Mexico. - This mix shows how complex the narrative is, making it more than just an adventure film. ### Production Code Administration/ PCA - **Production Code Administration/ PCA** - **Code enforcers** - A group that enforced the Hays code, which controlled how films depicted morality and societal values. - A scene in *Dance Girl, Dance (1940)* where Judy confronts the audience telling them off.