British Hollywood

This chapter used the example of Notting Hill as a hybrid of British and American culture. I thought of others such as Love Actually & The Holiday. In Love Actually, two attractive easy bimbos greet the English characters. They are wearing boots and have an accent like a cowboy. In The Holiday, Cameron Diaz pairs up with Jude Law and Jack Black with Kate Winslet. I admire actresses such as Cate Blanchett that can drop an English accent depending on what fil she is satrring in. Dr. Phipps had an English friend that came here and thought "Arrows Up Ahead" sign meant that there were Indians nearby and you could get shot by an arrow. I thought it was odd to see American stereotyped characters from another country. We're getting a small taste of what our films and TV shows do to ethnic groups everyday. Chinese are masters of martial arts (Karate Kid, Kill Bill), Irish are drunks (The Quiet Man), Arabics are dangerous (Hildalgo), Italians are members of the Mophia (Goodfellas). It seems that each group has their own category and traits. Their race defines what charcter role they will play.
Harry Potter films use English actors that most Americans have seen in other films. Examples: Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Helena Bodham Carter, Michael Gabon, Robbie Coltrane . . .I think that makes them popular because they speak English, people are willing to watch them. People don't have to read subtitles as long as they can understand the accent. I find that I enjoy British crime mysteries more than ours. Becuase they are less graphic and focus on the mystery. Usually, ours are so easy to solve. You can figure out the whole thing in the first ten minutes. I love how it keeps changing and the facts get more complicated within British mysteries. I posted movie trailers for Notting Hill, Love Actually, and The Holiday, you can see similarities
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLJri7eueXQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0p8Su3bdHc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYCkFTyADJ0

Foreign Films vs. Hollywood

One issue mentioned is taking foregin films and forcing the Hollywood agenda on them. I did not realize before taking my Screenwriting class that companies such as, Miramax distribute films but do not really take part in making them. Such as Blue, White, Red, Life Is Beautiful, Chocolate y Frezca, and more. I didn’t realize how much Life is Beautiful, one of my favorite films, follows the Hollywood tradition. I recognized right away that Blue felt different. This one is a French film. It has a great deal of suffering for the main character. Her husband and daughter were killed in a car crash. She suffers quitely, there are not moments of anger or rage. She continues to retreat away from life and pull herself away from her emotions. One scene that is very painful to watch is an old woman trying to throw a bottle away. As she struggles, the main character Julie just watches. The scene moves very slowly. I felt that it connects more with real life because when we replay the day we had in our heads, we may think I should have done something or ask why didn’t I do something. She eats ice cream fast because it reminds her of her daughter. This film requires the viewer to watch for the little things. Blue, White, and Red are all very real because of the simplicity and they lack the “overdone” quality of Hollywood. It makes sense to me why Blue is first and Red is last after watching all three. Red seems to complete Blue. One example is that in Blue, the hero allows a cat to kill a mother mouse andher babies. In Red, the main girl aids a pregnant dog and helps her take care of her puppies. To me, Red heals the suffering in Blue. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/415Q02HNNDL.jpg

Agents

Covered in this section is Jack Valenti and the MPAA. Not long ago, I would not have known much about the process of how they decide the ratings of films. But after seeing This Film isNot Yet Rated, I know that this group likes to stay in the dark. Now, I know their decision making does not have any rhyme or reason and can limit a film’s potential. I also know that without a rating a film dies in the box office. So the film will probably end up being filtered or altered so the studio can get a better rating. And that the black spot for filmmakers is NC-17.
Another topic discussed is actor’s choice of agents and/or managers. I had read the early MGM from different starlet memoirs owned everything pretty much but their souls. However, MGM did keep them away from a lot of negative press. Judy Garland’s mother was basically her agent. Her mother wanted her to be a star and go above and beyond. So she would often let her fall prey to the studio because Judy was terrified of thought of disappointing her mother. The studio owners kept her for a long time imprisoned with a young girl and a virgin appeal. Everyone for the most part of Wizard of Oz was terribly uncomfortable in their costumes. Garland had to wear a very tight wrapping cloth so it would not appear that she had breasts. Another issue on the set was the scene in which she had a slap the Lion for frightening Toto. They kept shooting the scene over and over because instead of slapping him, she would laugh hysterically. She said she couldn’t bear the thought of hitting him. Then the director had enough and went across the set, slapped her hard in the face, and told her in one or more words that’s how you do it. When she came back from a brief timeout, she slapped the Lion perfectly. Actors and actresses used to be so owned by the studios. It is scary and not the rosy picture you’d associate with a classic film. Or that this role crippled her in a sense because studios did not want her to grow up or marry in real life. The beloved song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlH68k832Ew

3rd Week's Reading

One topic discussed in this section is the tactic of trying to sell films through soundtracks. Music videos and getting audiences hooked on some of the songs to encouraged them to go to the theatres. Examples of successful films included American Graffiti, Saturday Night Fever, and Flashdance. I think that also older past songs can pump up the audience with enthusiasm. Two movies I saw in theaters this past year did this. Yes, Man uses Journey’s song “Separate Ways”. They played the very beginning of the song as Jim Carey’s ringtone but he keeps ignoring the call. However the audience knew what song it was because it is so well known. It also adds humor that this would be the song for such a dull character. Then at the end to get back his girl, his character goes back with that song playing in the background. Then I saw The Hangover and one of the most hilarious scenes was when they sing to Phil Collins “Don’t Lose My Number.” Everyone in the packed theater lost it and my boyfriend was whispering to me what is that song. I could barely answer because I know it so well. My mom is a die-hard Phil Collins fan and she played this song all the time she was pregnant with me. Before I was born I was hooked to his music.

There has been a noted decrease in the amount of sales for soundtracks or people may buy them but not see the film. In the 1960’s and 1970’s soundtracks sold themselves. I think here in the U.S. we are no longer the best target market for soundtracks anymore. It coincides with that we are no longer MTV’s primary target audience anymore. It would be cool to see the next movie and music trend. Maybe some new technology will bring back the love of both soundtracks and films.

“Separate Ways” used in Yes, Man
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y_nkA54YUQ

"Studio System"Chapter

I was drawn to the first chapter “The Studio System” discussing how in the 1950s to the1960s the trend was to create an epic biblical type of film. Ben-Hur won 11 Oscars and that was not matched until 1997 with Titanic. The Robe and one of my ultimate favorites, Spartacus, was born from this fad. I read in a film book that a must-see was Cleopatra. I saw it and I thought wow, people actually could possibly die of boredom. It was four hours long. In all seriousness, there was tremendous work to bring about the set, the costumes; the three hundred extras, and more to make the film look so brilliant. A huge expense and amount of work. I knew before reading this section that the movie was a flop at that time. Possibly, the only reason it is still remembered because at the time and during its production was a Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie thing. Elizabeth Taylor was married to her fourth husband, Eddie Fisher, and began her ultimate romance with actor and player Richard Burton (who was also married). Their romance was very public and they were not ashamed of it. Later in her life, Elizabeth Taylor apologized for the people it may have hurt but she knew they had to be together. The famous scene when she is dressed in gold coming into Rome with her young son for the first time is an important scene. Elizabeth Taylor received many threats because of her affair not just people calling her a whore but threatening to kill her. She was terrified to do that scene. There would be no bodyguards and she would be an easy target for an assassin. You can’t hear it but the extras were saying “Kisses, Kisses” in Italian (film was shot in Italy.) So after the scene was done she thanked them all for their kindness and acceptance.
Late 1960s to 1970s, we see this new movement attracting a mainstream young audience with Jaws, the Exorcist, Star Wars. Not the traditional epic but still well known today. They changed the course of film from fewer epic movies to many cult classics in a sense. Jaws grossed over two million according to the text. Jaws was a major breakthrough and if you say it today, people know exactly what you’re talking about. Same with Shining crowned as one of the scariest movies of all time. You know you are a success if decades later people model films or reference to yours. Ted, these clips are especially for you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92yHyxeju1U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf7h6o3I8yw