Classical Hollywood Cinema

The Duel side of the classical period

Table Of Content Introduction…………………………………………………………………….…….i

What is classical Hollywood cinema…………………………………………………ii

The 3 Act Structure………………………………………….……………..………...iii

3 Systems of narrative films…………………………...............……………..……..iv

Editing, Space and Time…………………………………………..………………….v

Mise en scène………………………………………………….…..………..…….….vi

Film Ending………………………………………………...……………..…………vii

List of movies to refer……………………………..………………………..............viii

Does Classical Hollywood style still exists?.............................................................ix

How Classical cinema differed from alternative cinema?..........................................x

Introduction Topic: The Duel side of the classical period

Does classical Hollywood style still

exists?

About the presentation:

A brief discussion about the

classical Hollywood cinema and how

they differed from the alternative

cinema during that period of time.

Narrative is bound to human from the

prehistoric times till the present date.

Classical Narrative of Hollywood “A chain of events in a cause-effect relationship occurring in time

and space” by Bordwell and Thompson, Film art.

The term classical Hollywood cinema was coined by David Bordwell, Janet Staiger

and Kristin Thompson.

Over 40 yrs from 1917 to 1960s there were distinctive collection of movies which

had the similar way of story telling which was called the Classical Hollywood

cinema. The film style have a set of unwritten rules which was widely accepted by

the film makers

Casablanca

The 3 Act Structure Routine life (Introduction of the Problem)

Problem solving (The character logically works through the problem creating a story)

Problem Resolved (end of the problem where the life comes back to normal)

3 Systems of narrative filmsNarrative logic

Representation of time

Representation of space

(BGM and Editing applies for all the three above)

(Lighting and camera movements play an important

role in classical Hollywood movies.)

Film StyleThe classical Hollywood style falls directly

in between Realism and Formalism.

Although the film is shot in a controlled

environment by the directors orders the

environment has to look realistic and

believable to the viewers

Editing Editing plays a major role in films

because they are important to make the

film move forward.

In classical period the Type of editing

which was mostly preferred was

continuity editing.

The important goal of this type of

editing is to make the cuts invisible.

Space and Time

The time and space are unified and liner to match the perception of reality in

the films

For example: They prefer to take a 18o° shot to move around the characters

than using jump cuts.

Mise en scène

The term was originated in theaters which means Staging a scene in a

aesthetical arrangement of actors, set, lightings, props that the audience sees in

a particular frame.

The Mise en scène is designed by production designer in collaboration with the

Director of the film he is working in.

Each element in the Mise en scène adds to the films mood to the Audience.

Film EndingsThere are 3 types of Film Endings

Cultural (example: The Guy wins his love)

Counter Cultural (example: The lovers are separated)

Soft Spot ( example: The death of the lead character)

List of Classical Hollywood movies to refer

All About Eve (1950)   Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Casablanca (1942)   Director: Michael Curtiz

Sunset Blvd. (1950)   Director: Billy Wilder

A Streetcar Named Desire  (1951)   Director: Elia Kazan

Gilda (1946)   Director: Charles Vidor

Rebecca (1940)   Director: Alfred Hitchcock

From Here to Eternity (1953)   Director: Fred Zinnemann

The Apartment (1960)   Director: Billy Wilder

Some Like It Hot (1959)    Director: Billy Wilder

 Citizen Kane (1941)   Director: Orson Welles

Does Classical Hollywood

style still exists?

One thing that never changed Classical Hollywood style still exists?

Despite all the historic changes we find a local variants in the contemporary

film style we are still dealing with a version of classical film making.

Eg: Avatar and many animated movies…….

How Classical cinema differed from alternative cinema?

The directors were bound to follow the Classical Hollywood style during

that period of time were there was few movies that called themselves

alternative cinema. One of them is “Psycho” by Alfred Hitchcock.

Psycho can fall under the category “alternative cinema”

which was coined by Laura Mulvey for the films that divert

from the typical progression of a classical Hollywood film

or what may be “pleasurable” to the audience.

Comparing classical Hollywood cinema with Alternative cinema

Here I want to compare the classical Hollywood cinema in the movie

“Casablanca” And Alternative cinema of the same period “Psycho”.

In “Casablanca”: a problem arises and the lead characters try to resolve and

the life returns to normal

Whereas in “Psycho”: The lead

character who is a girl is killed

and the story investigates about

her murder.

Psycho Is considered as the Father of horror films. Which broke the

classical Hollywood Style during 1960. The movie hit a great block

buster and its still used a reference for horror genre.

The classical Hollywood period evolved from black and white to colour

during this period but Psycho was still a black and white film.

What do you think the reason for the films success?

Visual Pleasure and unexpected twists.

SummaryClassical Hollywood style is so predictable

In the development of the plot and the story every scene is motivated

The classical movie answers all the questions in the story by the course

of the movie so by the end of a classical narrated cinema the audience

does not leave home with a startled feeling like most of the

contemporary films gives us today.

Conclusion The classical style is more like a formula of film making.

It does not matter who the director is or the actor or the screen play writer

is, but the mainstream movies have a similar layout.

The classical Hollywood style serves as a base for the contemporary films.

It is been used unconsciously since the birth of cinema and we be in

existence far into the future.

Bibliography Book: The classical Hollywood cinema

Author: David Brodwell, Janet Staiger, Kristin thompson

Book: Film and the Narrative Tradition

Author: John L.Fell

Book: The way Hollywood tells it

author: David Bordwell

Sites:

www.sparknotes.com/film/casablanca/section1.rhtml

http://filmanalysisrobinson.wordpress.com/2013/03/15/psychos-nonconformity-to-classical-hollywood-films/

http://pages.uoregon.edu/jlesage/Juliafolder/CLASSICALNARRATION.HTML