New Hollywood 1960-1980/1990
- European influence
- Experimental style
- Less emphasis on narrative- lack of expert exposition/ open endings
- Problematic protagonist- morality/ motivation
- Film school
- TV influences
- Teen marketing
- Age restrictions- more sex and violence- given ratings
- High concept film
- Escapism and social/political commentary
European influence: 50s and 60s:
- Italian- Neo realism – Rosselini and Bazin
- French new wave- Truffaut and Goddara
Classical Hollywood and New Hollywood have distinctly opposing characteristics due to their different social/political/cultural contexts. For instance Classic Hollywood between 1926 and 1960 mainly consists of five key points. This includes devices (such as the 180 degree rule, 30 degree rule, close up and continuity editing), narrative logic, cinematic time, cinematic space and Hayes code. Hayes code in particular, during this period, set limitations to what companies could show their audiences, including the use of drugs, sex and violence with scenes. In addition to this characteristics such as narrative logic and cinematic time, served the narrative with its ’cause and effect’ style. Socially this also meant the protagonist in any classical Hollywood film was portrayed to have a clear goal with a clear moral. In terms of political characteristic typically films of that period, for example Casablanca, contained propaganda for the war and prompted the American government. Classical Hollywood was referred to as the golden age in terms of social contexts, and based on the economy, as it was seen as a period of great growth and change that brought profit and international prestige to the Hollywood industry, as well as it actors.
However the period of New Hollywood between 1960 and 1990 appears to have opposing characteristics due to the change in social/political/cultural contexts. For instance New Hollywood, culturally, was heavily under European influence such as Italian Neo Realism from Bazin and Rosselini. As well as being influenced by the French New wave from Truffaut and Goddara during the 50s and 60s. This also meant that New Hollywood relied more on giving the audience the feeling of escapism rather than using it to promote propaganda , however this still included political contexts as films of this period used heavy social and political commentary. Another reason Classical and New Hollywood could be seen as different is the new experimental style. This meant that there was less emphasis on the narrative, rather than all films having narrative logic, and consisted of more open endings with lack of expert exposition and problematic protagonists. Socially at this time the influence of TV was important in targeting teen marketing and putting age restrictions on their films, opposite to Hayes code used in the Classic period.
Emma Coe Film Studies 