THE BIG PICTURE: CONTEMPORARY HOLLYWOOD CINEMA FTMFM015,

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1 THE BIG PICTURE: CONTEMPORARY HOLLYWOOD CINEMA FTMFM015, Autumn 2013 Module Convenor: Peter Krämer Registry 3.26, Tel Advising hours: Wed and Fri , Registry 3.26 Screenings: Wed , Registry 3.12 Thu , Registry 3.12 Module Aims What are Hollywood s biggest hits in recent decades, and what, if anything, do they have in common? What kinds of films does Hollywood invest in most heavily, and which target audiences are these films aimed at? What are the habits and expectations of cinema audiences, and what meanings and pleasures do hit movies offer to them? Who are the key decision makers in the industry, and which names have the biggest clout at the box office? How does the theatrical release of films in the US relate to their circulation in foreign markets and in other media (television, video, DVD)? What is the status of theatrical films within the operations of today s multi-media conglomerates? These are some of the questions this module is going to deal with. We are going to begin to answer them by combining surveys of general developments since the 1960s with in-depth case studies. The analysis of individual films will be complemented by a consideration of production and reception contexts, making use of a wide range of sources. These may include articles and statistics published in the trade press; newspaper reviews and magazine articles; script manuals; the novels on which many of the films are based; books about the making of particular films; (auto)biographies and published interviews; advertising materials; audience surveys; as well as the vast secondary literature on the economics, aesthetics and ideology of contemporary Hollywood. Module Description The starting point for our module is what is by some measures the most successful film of all time in the world, namely Avatar (2009). Whether we like it or not (and I happen to like the film a lot), Avatar has been a truly global phenomenon, and, as is the case with many Hollywood blockbusters of the last few decades, its story is about global developments (both on the distant moon Pandora and also on planet Earth). What is more, like so many big Hollywood productions the key person behind Avatar is a foreigner (the Canadian James Cameron). After watching and discussing Avatar in Week 2 (which is the week starting September 30th), we will go back to the 1960s, examining a film which is typical of the kind of global blockbuster Hollywood produced during the period from the late 1940s to the late 1960s (the so-called roadshow era ): the historical epic and bestseller adaptation Dr. Zhivago (1965, directed by British filmmaker David Lean and largely made in Europe). From this point onwards we will proceed chronologically through the decades until we arrive back in the Noughties where we started. The films screened in Weeks 4-12 are:

2 Bonnie and Clyde (1967; a controversial hit movie which is usually regarded as the beginning of the Hollywood Renaissance or New Hollywood ); Jaws (1975; the biggest hit of the decade , directed by the most commercially successful filmmaker of recent decades, Steven Spielberg); Star Wars (1977; another turning point in Hollywood history, inaugurating what some people have called the New New Hollywood ); E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982; Spielberg s biggest hit and in inflation-adjusted terms one of the biggest hits of all time; like Star Wars, this is an archetypal family-adventure movie ) Schindler s List (1993; a surprise hit around the world about the Holocaust, one of the key events in 20th century history; also Spielberg s most critically acclaimed film) The Lion King (1994; not only a massive box office hit but also the biggest selling video/dvd of all time and the source of one of the most successful theatrical productions ever; arguably the Disney company s most successful franchise) Independence Day (1996; the biggest hit in the astonishing career of German filmmaker Roland Emmerich; also the film which turned black actor Will Smith into a global superstar) The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001; another bestseller adaptation, this time largely made in New Zealand; as with the previous film, the source novel is British) In our seminars, we will discuss the themes as well as, to a lesser extent, the form and style of the film screened that week. We will also discuss how it fits into broader developments, both within and beyond the film industry. In addition we will address some fundamental questions about how Hollywood operates. In doing all this, we will draw on various primary sources and on set readings. Reading The two books from which most of our readings will be taken are the following: - Peter Krämer, The New Hollywood: From Bonnie and Clyde to Star Wars, London: Wallflower, 2005 ( 14). - Paul McDonald and Janet Wasko (eds), The Contemporary Hollywood Film Industry, Oxford: Blackwell, 2008 ( 23) You should buy both books. They are available at the Waterstone s shop on campus. Learning Outcomes By the end of this module, you should have acquired a basic understanding of how contemporary Hollywood operates and how its operations have changed since the 1960s; also some insights into the habits and preferences of film audiences and the factors that shape their decision-making and their responses. You should be able to explore the success of Hollywood s biggest hits of the period with reference to filmic themes, form and style as well as a range of extratextual factors; and to make use of industry statistics as well as a range of other primary and secondary sources in this exploration. Preparation Even though we are discussing familiar films, it is necessary to watch them again, preferably as a group, so that they are fresh on our minds for the seminar. Hence, the screenings on Wednesday afternoons are obligatory, unless you have a good reason for not attending (please let me know as soon as possible). Brief introductions may be given at this time. For every session, you will be given several tasks and questions. On the basis of the reading

3 and film viewing you have done, you are expected to take some notes on these in preparation of the seminar. If everyone is well prepared, we are more likely to have a lively and productive discussion. We may not always be able to discuss all the questions in depth, but taking notes on questions will nevertheless help you to process all the reading you are required to do. Altogether you are expected to spend at least 12 hours every week for this module. This includes five hours for the screening and seminar; four hours for the set reading and seminar preparation; and three hours for extra viewing and reading, in particular in preparation of your written work. Assessment Assessment for this module will be based on two essays. The first essay (2,000 words, accounting for 40% of the final mark) is due on Tuesday of Week 8, 12 November, by 3pm. The essay is meant to deal with the period The second essay (3,000 words, accountig for 60% of the final mark) is due on Monday, 13 January, by 3pm. It is meant to deal with the period since The first essay will be returned to you in class in Week 10, so that my feedback can inform your plans for, and your work on, the second essay. The second essay will be returned to you in January via the pigeonholes in the Arts Hub. When choosing your topic for an essay, you should make sure that it will allow you to demonstrate that you have achieved at least some of the learning outcomes for this module. You will have plenty of opportunities to discuss your essay ideas with me in my advising hours. You can come and talk to me about your initial ideas at any time. You will also have to arrange a more formal meeting about your first essay with me in Week 7. During this tutorial you will have to present an essay plan (about one page) and a draft of your introduction to the essay (again about one page). We will repeat this procedure for your second essay. You will have to present an essay plan and a draft of your introduction to me by the beginning of Week 12. Submitting your work: All assessed coursework will be submitted via E-submission. For information about how to do this and about penalties for late submission, please refer to the central university policy documents available at the following two websites: Problems and extensions: If you have a serious problem that is affecting your work overall, please make an appointment to see either your Personal Tutor or the Senior Advisor in your school as soon as possible. If you require an extension to a deadline for the submission of assessed work, you have to submit your request to the Arts Hub. You should do so before the deadline, using the University Extension Request Form accompanied by appropriate evidence. Extensions submitted after the deadline may be considered by the LTS Manager provided they meet the criteria and are not for a period longer than 7 days.

4 Marking descriptors: All student work assessed in the School is graded against the categories outlined in the University of East Anglia Marking Descriptors. Your feedback and marks on the module will always be mapped against these standards, and in relation to the Learning Outcomes outlined in this handbook. Feedback: You will receive written feedback for your assessed work. You should use this feedback to help shape future assessed work. If you need additional feedback, please book time to see me during my office hours. Avoiding plagiarism and collusion: For help on how to avoid plagiarism and collusion, please see the Learning Enhancement Service website: Further information can be found in the university s policy documents. Duplication (self-plagiarism): Be aware that you may not resubmit, in whole or in part, a piece of coursework that has been previously submitted for credit at this University or at another institution. Whereas you may and would be expected to use ideas and research generated from previous coursework, you cannot duplicate this work. Turnitin: Any coursework submitted for this module that is suspected of plagiarism, duplication or collusion may be scanned with Turnitin, the university s plagiarism detection software. If such a suspicion arises, you will receive a request by the Arts Hub to submit an electronic copy of the coursework in question, to which you must comply within five working days. Failure to comply with this request will automatically result in receiving a zero on the coursework in question. For this reason, you must keep electronic copies of all coursework submitted for a grade during the entire course of your undergraduate studies. Learning Support The Learning Enhancement Team (LET) in the Dean of Students Office offers a range of ways to help you study more effectively and to improve your work. Tutors provide expert guidance on study skills and academic writing, including use of English. For further information, see the LET website: Also check out the Royal Literary Fund Fellows: Week 1: Induction No Screening or Seminar Week 2: Introduction Avatar (2009, 162min) Weekly Schedule

5 McDonald & Wasko, The Contemporary Hollywood Film Industry, Intro and Ch.1 Responses to Avatar Key developments in the American film industry since the 1940s What is a major studio? Week 3: Hollywood and Europe Doctor Zhivago (1965, 193min) Krämer, The New Hollywood, Intro and Ch. 1 Joseph Garncarz, Hollywood in Germany: The Role of American Films in Germany, , in David W. Ellwood and Rob Kroes (eds), Hollywood in Europe: Experiences of a Cultural Hegemony, Amsterdam: VU University Press, 1994, pp , photocopy to be handed out Compare and contrast Dr. Zhivago and Avatar. Identify one key historical development discussed in Garncarz s essay and prepare a short summary of this particular development for presentation in class. How does Dr. Zhivago fit into hit patterns at the US box office during the 1950s and 1960s? How does Dr. Zhivago fit into hit patterns at the German box office from the 1920s to the 1960s? Week 4: The New Hollywood Bonnie and Clyde (1967, 112min) Krämer, The New Hollywood, Chs. 2 and 3 Compare and contrast Bonnie and Clyde and Dr. Zhivago. To what extent does Bonnie and Clyde exemplify a shift in hit patterns at the US box office? Return to Garncarz s German charts and determine whether there is a similar shift in Germany. How can we explain these shifts? Week 5: Filmmakers and Audiences You should start thinking about the first essay. You can see me about it in my advising hours. Jaws (1975, 124min) McDonald & Wasko, The Contemporary Hollywood Film Industry, Chs. 2 and 9 What is the significance of Quint s Indianapolis speech in Jaws? What kind of audience is the film and its marketing (see the poster and trailer on the internet) primarily addressed to? Who might be excluded? How does Jaws fit into US box office trends in the 1960s and 1970s? (Compare and contrast

6 Schatz s and Krämer s approach to this question.) Film reviews and scholarship have paid a lot of attention to film directors. On the basis of the two chapters in the McDonald & Wasko collection, reflect on what directors actually do in the production of films? On the basis of prior reading you may have done about this, what would you say was the contribution of Steven Spielberg to Jaws? Week 6: The New New Hollywood You should get ready to discuss your essay outline and introduction with me in my advising hours. Star Wars (1977, 121min) Krämer, The New Hollywood, Conclusion Christopher Vogler, Introduction / A Practical Guide, The Writer s Journey: Mythic Structure for Storytellers and Screenwriters, London: Boxtree, 1996, pp. 3-31, photocopy to be handed out McDonald & Wasko, The Contemporary Hollywood Film Industry, Ch. 13 What does the application of Vogler s model of the hero s journey reveal about the structure and themes of Star Wars? Compare and contrast Star Wars and Jaws, especially with regards to the audience groups they seem to target. To what extent does Star Wars exemplify a shift in hit patterns at the US box office? Return to Garncarz s German charts and determine whether there is a similar shift in Germany. How can we explain these shifts? How does the chapter from McDonald & Wasko s collection contribute to our understanding of Hollywood s role in Germany? Week 7: Essay Week During this week, your focus is on writing your first essay. There will be no screening or seminar. I will see all of you, either individually or in small groups, in tutorials (times to be arranged). You need to bring your essay outline and introduction to this tutorial. The essay deadline is 3pm on the Tuesday of Week 8. Week 8: E.T. The Extraterrestrial (1982, 115min) McDonald & Wasko, The Contemporary Hollywood Film Industry, Ch. 4 Peter Krämer, Would You Take Your Child To See This Film? The Cultural and Social Work of the Family-Adventure Movie, in Steve Neale and Murray Smith (eds), Contemporary Hollywood Cinema, London: Routledge, 1998, pp , photocopy Report on your emotional responses to E.T. when you first saw it (probably as a child) and when you saw it again in preparation for this seminar. Pay particular attnetion to those scenes (such as the closing scene) that may have brought you (close) to tears. What do you think

7 caused your emotional reaction? To what extent is E.T. representative of Hollywood s biggest hits since 1977? What are the major developments in film exhibition from the 1940s to the 1980s, according to the table reproduced on the photocopied handout from Finler s Hollywood Story (p. 281)? Consider attendance levels and box office revenues as well as the number and types of movie theatres (including drive-in and multi-screen cinemas). What are the main developments in film exhibition since the 1980s (according to the chapter from the textbook)? Week 9: Schindler s List (1993, 190min) McDonald & Wasko, The Contemporary Hollywood Film Industry, Ch. 11 William J. Niven, The Reception of Steven Spielberg s Schindler s List in the German Media, Journal of European Studies, vol. 25 (1995), pp , photocopy Selection US reviews of Schindler s List (on photocopied handout; this also includes reviews from New Statesman and Society and Sight and Sound, which are British publications) Compare and contrast E.T. and Schindler s List. What are the main themes in the American critical reception of Schindler s List? How do these themes compare to the main themes in the film s German reception (as analysed by William J. Niven)? In particular, what kind of ethical and/or political relevance do American and German critics ascribe to the film? How is the film seen to relate to our understanding of, and actions in, the world today? What do you make of Oskar Schindler s breakdown ( I could have got more people ) towards the end of the film? How does the chapter from the textbook explore Hollywood s relationship with American politics? How does this relate to the usual Film Studies practice of offering political readings of particular films? Week 10: You should start thinking about your second essay. You can see me about it in my advising hours. The Lion King (1994, 87 min) McDonald & Wasko, The Contemporary Hollywood Film Industry, Chs. 5-8 (most of these chapters are very short) Mark Phillips, The Global Disney Audiences Project: Disney Across Cultures, in Janet Wasko, Mark Phillips and Eileen R. Meehan (eds), Dazzled by Disney? The Global Disney Audiences Project, London: Leicester University Press, 2001, pp , photocopy What would you say The Lion King is about? What patterns can you discern in the chart of all-time top-selling films on video and DVD? To what extent does The Lion King (which tops the chart) represent general trends? (See the handout I distributed in Week 6.) Relate your own experiences with Disney products in general, and with The Lion King in

8 particular, to Mark Phillips discussion of global audiences: Can you confirm his conclusions? How do the major studios make a profit? In other words: What are their main sources of income, and what are their main expenditures? (Refer to the reading you have done so far in the McDonald and Wasko collection, in particular the chapters you read for this week.) Week 11: The first essay will be returned this week. You should get ready to discuss your essay outline and introduction with me in my advising hours. Independence Day (1996) McDonald & Wasko, The Contemporary Hollywood Film Industry, Chs. 10 and 16 To what extent is Independence Day specifically addressed to American audiences, and to what extent could it be said to address global audiences? What, if anything, does Independence Day tell us about the relationship between Hollywood and the Germans? How does Independence Day fit into patterns amongst Hollywood s biggest export hits since the 1970s? (See the chart on pp in the reading for next week.) What is the role of stars in Hollywood cinema (for the industry and for audiences)? How has the composition of Quigley s list of the top ten money-making stars changed over time? (See the handout I distributed in Week 6. Pay particular attention to gender, race and age groups.) Week 12: You should present your essay outline and introduction to me in my advising hours this week. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) McDonald & Wasko, The Contemporary Hollywood Film Industry, Ch. 21, plus one of the following: Chs , Peter Krämer, Hollywood and Its Global Audiences: A Comparative Study of the Biggest Box Office Hits in the United States and Outside the United States Since the 1970s, in Explorations in New Cinema History: Approaches and Case Studies, ed. Richard Maltby, Daniel Biltereyst and Philippe Meers, Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011, pp How did you first encounter the Lord of the Rings saga (novel or film)? What were your responses to the first movie? To what extent might your responses have been typical for audiences in the country you come from? Report on the chapter you selected from the above list (Chs , 17-20): Prepare a brief statement on what you find to be one particularly important aspect of Hollywood s role in the country/countries covered in this chapter. What, if anything, does The Lord of the Rings tell us about the relationship between Hollywood and New Zealand? How does The Lord of the Rings trilogy fit into patterns amongst Hollywood s biggest export hits?