Classical Films of the 30s and beyond The main genre of the
1930s was the musical Films were character based, story developed
through one protagonist Actions are clearly motivated through
acting style, costume, dialogue, and actions Usually 2 goals: (1)
needs to solve a problem, (2) need to get the romantic couple
together Editing is meant to go unnoticed; continuity a
priority
Slide 3
Musicals Busby Berkeley (dance director) and Fred Astaire
(exquisite tap dancer) made the musical sophisticated enough to
become the major genre of the 1930s. Berkeley used aerial
photography (using a crane), kaleidoscopic lenses, highly
expressive camera movement, and sophisticated montage techniques.
His production numbers (musical numbers) came closer to
experimental cinema than to anything in traditional narrative
film.
Slide 4
Coming of Sound Changes Cinema Other genres made possible or
great with sound: Historical biography like Marie Antoinette
Dialogue comedies W.C. Fields (sound films) and the Marx Brothers
Screwball comedies like Bringing Up Baby and His Girl Friday. These
had wisecracking dialogue, fast pacing, and an element of slapstick
comedy. Many careers declined like those of Buster Keaton and
Charlie Chaplin.
Slide 5
The Studio System: 1910s to early 1960s When the Motion Picture
Patents Company was destroyed then independent film studios decided
to move in and assume monopolistic control over film production,
distribution, and exhibition. Films became big business. Stars had
contracts to stay with one studio (they didnt just pick and choose
which films they wanted to be in like today)
Slide 6
Studios and Monopolies Vertical integration from the 1920s and
30s (ending in 1948 with Supreme Court case) meant 5 film studios
(MGM, Warner Bros., Fox, Paramount, and RKO) had control over all
of the production, distribution, and exhibition of films (3 other
studios Universal Studios, United Artists, and Columbia Pictures
had control over production but did not own theaters so they were
not vertically integrated) This is considered a type of monopoly
which meant foreign films had trouble coming into U.S.
Slide 7
Production Codes In 1934, the Hays Office and the Catholic
Church intervened in Hollywood after many scandals had made many
appalled at the possible influence Hollywood films might have on
social attitudes and behavior. A study (the Payne Fund) found that
movies brought new ideas to children, influenced interpretations of
the world and day-to-day conduct, and presented moral standards.
These findings were shocking to Americans of the day. How scared
they would be today.
Slide 8
Production Codes Contd Legion of Decency was set up by the
Vatican to fight for moral motion pictures Production Codes came
into being that were very repressive. Forbidding: scenes of
passion, not upholding the institution of marriage (while not
sharing a bed), nudity, representing surgeries, showing guns or
details of crimes, showing law- enforcement officers dying at the
hands of criminals, violence should be avoided unless necessary to
the plot and could not be excessive, racial slurs, excessive
drinking, criticizing religions of any sort, bad deeds going
unpunished, profanity, and anything sexual happening
Slide 9
MPPDA (1922) and PCA (1934) The Motion Picture Producers and
Distributors Association of America: all studios were a part of it
and had to submit all films to be approved before distribution
could happen. The director of The Production Code Administration
had to sign off on the film before it could be distributed Any
company who released a film without the seal of approval would be
fined $25,000
Slide 10
Studio Structure Distribution happened at a national level
Since the major 5 studios owned the means of production and
distribution, they made all of the decisions and could do whatever
they wanted (minus the production codes) To ensure high quality
films, emphasis was put into what they could easily control:
quality of equipment, techniques, photography, staging, and
costumes.
Slide 11
Heres how the magic happened Writers: scripts were prepared in
detail even down to the shot types (writers were present during
shooting); as many as 20 writers worked on a single script.
Producers: approved the screenplay and cast the actors. Producers
or studio managers: selected art directors, composers, cameramen,
and editors. Directors: might help cast minor roles or make changes
in writing, rehearse the actors, etc. Head of the studio made the
big decisions (or any decisions for that matter) From 1930 to 1945,
7,500 feature films were made with every aspect of production
carefully controlled by the studios. What is different about that
today? What are the positives of the studio system? What are the
negatives of the studio system? (highlight 2 of each in your
notes)
Slide 12
About the Studios Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer: known for The Wizard of
Oz and Gone with the Wind. A major visual style of films from this
studio had high-key lighting (3 point lighting system using a key
light, fill light, and backlight) and amazing production design.
Considered the richest and most prestigious. Paramount: considered
the most European (many filmmakers came from Europe to work for
Paramount). Made Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde plus many Marx Brothers
comedies, Cary Grant, and W.C. Fields films.
Slide 13
Studios contd Warner Bros.: Studio of the working class,
specializing in low-life melodramas and musicals. Usually set in
the Great Depression. Imposed a strict code of production
efficiency on its directors, technicians, and stars.
Director-in-chief at the time won three Academy Awards for
production efficiency in the 1930s. 20 th Century Fox: 3 rd most
profitable studio. Had a reputation for hard, glossy surfaces
produced through careful budgeting and production control and the
best special effects department. Produced the most Technicolor
features through 1949. Known for Shirley Temple films.
Slide 14
Studios contd RKO: the smallest of the major studios. RKO
stopped production entirely in 1957 since it was sold to a non-film
company. A financially unstable film studio through the 30s and
40s. A risk taking studio. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made it
their home. RKO did a lot of musicals, literary adaptations,
brilliant stop-motion photography and special effects, and made
Walt Disney films. Known for making Citizen Kane and many other
excellent films. The film studio went under after Howard Hughes
took over.
Slide 15
Le Million by Ren Clair Musicals were famous in France during
the 30s as well. He was a writer and director. He made many
experimental and avant-garde films like Entracte. He first
established his reputation in the 1920s as a director of silent
films in which comedy was often mingled with fantasy. He went on to
make some of the most innovative early sound films in France,
before going abroad to work in the UK and USA for more than a
decade. Le Million was the second sound film he made.
Slide 16
Le Million (1931) Employs a whole range of nonnaturalistic
effects on the sound track. Most historians feel that this is the
best European musical comedy of the period between the wars. While
being hounded by creditors, a debt-ridden artist discovers he has
just won a lottery worth a million Dutch florins. Realizing that he
has left the ticket in the pocket of his jacket, he attempts to
retrieve it but discovers that his fianc Beatrice has given away
the jacket to a criminal in order to elude the police.