Classic Hollywood Cinema
What to look for in Classic Hollywood Cinema
First sound film was in 1927 with the Jazz Singer; from this comes the Hollywood Studio System, the Star System.
Basic ideas of Classic Hollywood Cinema (Golden Age of Hollywood)
- "A chain of events in a cause-effect relationship occurring in time and space" by Bordwell and Thompson, Film Art.
- Mostly a style between 1920-1960's
- Environment looks realistic and believable to viewer
- Continuity editing is preferred style of editing during this time. Make sure story makes sense and looks smooth.
- Style is predictable
- Time is linear
- In development of plot and story each scene is motivated (cause and effect). It has beginning, middle and end.
- All employees of studios work together, directors are part of a team, as opposed to auteurs (which came later).
Classical Hollywood Cinema
Classical Hollywood Cinema is a term that has been coined by David Bordwell, Janet Staiger and Kristin Thompson in their seminal study of the same name. In this study the authors performed formalist analysis on a random selection of 100 Hollywood films from 1917 to 1960. They came to the conclusion that during this period a distinctive cinematic style developed that they called classical Hollywood style. Furthermore the authors claimed that this style has become paradigmatic because of the global dominance of Hollywood cinema. The most controversial claim of the authors has been that filmmakers anywhere basically face a choice between two alternatives. Either they succumb to the classical Hollywood style and follow its example, or they revolt against it and try to consciously subvert the norms of that style. (from U of Washington, Michael Lewis Goldberg)
Story/Plot
Perhaps more correctly labelled fabula and syuzhet, story refers to all the audience infers about the events that occur in the diegesis on the basis of what they are shown by the plot -- the events that are directly presented in the film. The order, duration, and setting of those events, as well as the relation between them, all constitute elements of the plot. Story is always more extensive than plot even in the most straightforward drama but certain genres, such as the film noir and the thriller, manipulate the relationship of story and plot for dramatic purposes. (Yale U, Film Analysis Guide)
5 Movie Plots That Hollywood Has Officially Done To Death
A certain amount of familiarity is acceptable and
maybe even desirable on film. We all expect the goodies to (mostly) win; we all
want the guy to (usually) get the girl. But some storylines are officially just
over, done, in serious need of wholesale replacement. The below are the most
over-familiar examples, stories that we keep seeing, and keep wishing would go
away. Not all the films below are bad, by any means – each of these plots has
been done well a number of times – but they are now used up and wrung-out like
last week’s laundry. Please, Hollywood, let them go.
The Plot
Probably-uptight workaholic learns what’s important
in life
Examples
The Family Man (pictured), Liar Liar, Ghosts of
Girlfriends Past, Baby Boom, Pretty Woman, Night at the Museum: Battle of the
Smithsonian, Jack Frost, Hook, Regarding Henry, Imagine That, The Ugly Truth, A
Good Year.
Typical Case
You know the story. Our Hero is a hard-working type
spends every waking minute in the office, obsessing over paperwork like Patrick
Bateman obsesses over business cards and showing about as much interest in life
outside the office as Bateman does in issues of women’s lib. If Our Hero has a
love interest, it’s an anaemic and ill-suited one. If he or she has children,
he neglects them and if he’s a he, there’s a 100% chance that he’s recently
missed their Little League game. But one day, a fairy godmother / crazy
accident / freespirited love interest comes along and changes all that.
Before you know it, Our Hero has thrown his
BlackBerry to the wind and is bunking off to spend the day romping with his
newfound supernatural friend / head-wound-inspired sense of wonder at the world
/ adorable child or lover. Cue hugs, puppies and future happiness, with a
convenient deus ex machina providing enough continuing income so that their
standard of living doesn’t abruptly plummet.
Honourable Exception
A Christmas Carol – the original and best.
Why This Needs To Go
In the current economic climate, this is just too
much of a fairytale. Also, it’s boooooo-ring.
The Plot
Misfit yearns to fit in with the In Crowd, but
learns the importance of being his- or herself
Examples
Marmaduke, Never Been Kissed, Teen Wolf (pictured),
High School Musical, Camp Rock, The Princess Diaries, Madagascar: Escape 2
Africa, Monsters Vs. Aliens, Shark Tale, Bratz: The Movie.
Typical Case
Hey, no one’s saying it’s easy being a teenager.
But it’s not easy in hundreds of different ways, so why do we see the same
story over and over again? Here’s how it goes: Our Hero, who’s probably a
teenager, has an eclectic group of friends. It’s possible that he or she has
just moved to a new school and been adopted by these people. In any case, all
is hunky dory until Our Hero, through a strange twist of fate, is noticed and
adopted by the In Crowd.
Before you can say “Yawn already” they’ve abandoned
and possibly betrayed their old friends, and cleaved to a more photogenic
posse. Soon, however, fitting in requires more of Our Hero than he or she is
willing to give, and they reject their new friends for the old, loyal posse –
who they win back with an overt display of humility.
Honourable Exception
Mean Girls, which is good enough to forgive. Also
The Devil Wears Prada, which at least spins it in a new way.
Why This Needs To Go
Because we get it already. Be Ourselves. OK. Only
if you make no effort to fit in, you’ll still be regarded as a weirdo all your
life, so films are lying to us, and should be stressing that there’s a happy
medium somewhere.
The Plot
Person lies about something to get guy/girl, falls
in love, is discovered and immediately dumped, wins them back
Examples
The Wedding Crashers, How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days
(pictured), Maid In Manhattan, The Secret of My Success, She’s All That, She’s
The Man, Step Up 3D, Failure To Launch, My Best Friend’s Girl, 10 Things I Hate
About You
Typical Case
It sometimes starts as a comical misunderstanding,
a case of mistaken identity perhaps. More often, it’s a deliberate but
short-term ploy that spirals out of control and takes over the hero’s life. But
soon Our Hero has seen the advantages of this charade – chief among them the
chance to get close to a hottie – and decided to keep up the front.
Cross-dressing, faking wealth, whatever: eventually the chickens come home to
roost, all comes out (Our Hero //might// confess) and the hottie immediately
lashes out, severing all ties no matter how baseless their outrage.
Our Hero sulks for a short time, and here the plot
diverges. Our Hero may begin a charm offensive to win back their hottie, or the
hottie may independently realise that Our Hero wasn’t so bad after all. Friends
and wise old mentors could play a part. The important part is, by the fall of
the curtain all’s forgiven and they’re all smoochy again. The moral? Lying will
land you eternal happiness with the hottie of your choice, as long as you come
clean at some point. Wait, that’s not what Sister Assumpta said about lying all
those years ago in RE class. We’re confused.
Honourable Exception
Some Like It Hot, where neither Marilyn nor
millionaire Osgood Fielding III blink an eyelid when their girl friends turn
out to be boyfriends.
Why This Needs To Go
Sure, people sometimes lie to get what they want.
But in real life they often explain themselves at a much earlier stage than in
the movies, and are forgiven rather than dumped more often.
The Plot
Fish-out-of-water teaches unforgiving new town to
respect his crazy ways
Examples
Crocodile Dundee, Elf (pictured), Lilo &
Stitch, Cars, What A Girl Wants, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Step
Up, Enchanted, Big, Legally Blonde, Kate & Leopold, Babe, Miss
Congeniality, Sister Act, Beverly Hills Cop
Typical Case
Our Hero is introduced into a new and very
different background. After years spent in the Outback / Vegas / the 19th
century / a pig-pen, here they are in New York / a convent / the 21st century /
a sheep pen – and boy are things different! Our Hero’s crazy ways make him or
her stand out like Arnold Schwartznegger in a nunnery, but he or she makes a few
efforts to fit in and is introduced to the delightful ways of this new
environment after some early – and oh-so-hilarious – faux pas.
Still, it's a two way street, and before you can
say, “Culture clash goes both ways”, people in this new town are saying G’day
mate / singing soul music in church / speaking the language of flowers or, er,
herding sheep with a pig. It’s a brand new day, a happier and more open place,
and it’s all thanks to Our Hero! Three cheers and a parade in his honour
please.
Honourable Exception
Edward Scissorhands, where the ending is very
different to normal.
Why This Needs To Go
There’s an argument that these stories are about
promoting understanding and fighting prejudice, in which case OK we guess. But
the sad fact is that a single person doesn’t usually have //quite// such a
seismic effect.
The Plot
Motley crew of misfits and rejects finds they’re
better than the existing top dogs
Examples
The Longest Yard, Bring It On Again, Sydney White,
The House Bunny, Revenge of the Nerds, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, Major
League, Mighty Ducks (pictured), The Replacements, Van Wilder 2: The Rise of
Taj
Typical Case
This is not the story of the band of misfits who
manage to get something done (think A Bug’s Life), but the specific case where
the misfits triumph over a better-trained, better-equipped, plain-old-better side.
It’s very, very common in sports movies. Our Hero, possibly an inspirational
coach, occasionally a Playboy bunny, finds themselves charged with a failing
team of something-or-others. We may be talking sports team, sorority house,
school class or prison inmates. Our Hero sets about inspiring this misfit crew
(there’ll be a fat one, a nerdy one, and a future star who just needs a
confidence boost for starters) and in the space of just a couple of montages
they’ll go from zero to hero.
But there’s still the Bad Evil Team, who probably
humiliated Our Heroes at the start and have almost certainly tried dirty tricks
against them throughout, waiting to be faced in the Big Final. With their
matching uniforms and crew cuts, the Bad Evil Team seem unbeatable, perfect and
poised. But what’s this? Our motley crew use their individual strengths and
quirks to form a formidable whole, and on that last, crucial, toss of the dice
/ football / C-major chord, they bring it all home. Drinks are on Our Hero
tonight, fellas!
P.S. – Bonus points if the inspirational player or
coach is a son of Martin Sheen – Emilio Estevez (in Mighty Ducks) and Charlie
Sheen (in Major League) have both taken this role.
Honourable Exception
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. Hey, it’s funny.
And Cool Runnings, because, you know, Cool Runnings.
Why This Needs To Go
Because usually the best funded team wins. Look at
bloody Chelsea.
A Bonus Plot Element That’s DONE
The Run For Love
Examples
Love, Actually, Notting Hill, The Proposal, Pretty
Woman, Valentine’s Day, When Harry Met Sally, Animal Attraction, Bridget Jones’
Diary, Kate and Leopold, Splash, Inner Space, Sweet Home Alabama, Norbit, She’s
Out Of My League, Sleepless In Seattle, Made Of Honour (pictured), My Best
Friend's Wedding.
Typical Case
This isn’t an entire movie plot; this is just a
tiny element, but it’s so damn ubiquitous that we’re naming and shaming it here
anyway. The run for love happens in far too many rom-coms to
accept it unthinkingly anymore. It goes like this. Our Hero realises, finally,
who he or she is in love with. But time is of the essence! Our Hero must get
across town / country before the object of his or her affections disappears
forever! Or maybe doesn’t, since half the time they’re not even going anywhere.
There’s a good chance Our Hero will be
inappropriately dressed for this dash, an even-better chance that they’ll get a
parking ticket or have the police trailing them by the end of the journey, and
a 100% chance that they’ll be sweaty when they arrive. Not that their honeys
ever seem to mind.
Honourable Exception
The Graduate, which doesn’t leave us on an
artificial high. Oh, and Wayne's World 2 for spoofing it all.
Why This Needs To Go
Because it’s so badly thought-out that, quite
frequently, there isn’t even a deadline that Our Hero is trying to fight.
They’re just running to add some excitement to a movie that can’t provide
excitement through the dialogue or characters.
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