Modern World Cinema - Essay Example

Modern World Cinema National world Cinema today can be described as place where movies, films and cultural shows are shown with the aim of renderingrecreation, relaxation, promotion of arts and culture as well as tourism. Today, the Cinema has grown into big a industry due to technological development as well as the desire to reach the wider world with various arts and culture and for the purpose of commerce. As at early seventies in Nigeria, the major Nigerian cinema hall were mainly into showing of foreign films such as Asian Films Popularly Known as Indian films as well as the popular Chinese films, Some of the Films include Burning Train, Nagin, Mother India, Disco Dancer, Daram Via, Immandaram, Shollay, Snake In The Monkey Shadow, The Shaolin Temple, Drunken Master, Five Element Ninjas etc. There were also the popular English films like combat featured by actors like Vick Morrow, Micheal London, Penal Robert, Dan Blocker, Long Green and Sean Connery, the list is endless. In the past two and a half decades movie industry in Nigeria was in bad shape, most films produced then were of very poor Quality, just a few exceptions like those produced by Late Actors and producers, by name Chief Hubert Ogunde and Moses Olaiya a.k.a Baba Sala.These two actors took Nigeria movie across the Globe and they were largely applauded for their immense contribution to the Nigerian movie Industry. The films produced by Hubert Ogunde include Aiye and Jaiyesimi, all these films were masterpieces of their own time, and today these films are still available at special occasions in cinemas all over the country. Chief Hubert Ogunde single-handedly built a film village in Musan, Ogun State in Nigeria. The film village is equipped with state of the art African artifacts required to give Nigerian films the necessary African background and other required parafinaliars, the Structure is still there today for use. Unlike the ancient Cinema, In Nigeria today, the National Cinema has developed from mere halls where Films on projectors are shown, display of arts and culture as well as stage play, to a bigger industry with International recognition.There has been a lot of improvement in the area of regulation and control in the movie industry, Presently there are some regulatory bodies that help to regulate their activities, these include National Copyright Commission, Film Makers association of Nigeria, as well as National Films and Videos Censor Board. Films in Nigeria can be categorized as Igbo Films, Yoruba Films and Hausa Films, depending on the language used in the film, currently most of the films are either produced in English or Subtitled in English. The movie industry in Nigeria has developed over the years into a great foreign exchange earner as Nigeria films are very popular market mover in foreign countries like Europe and America. The Nigerian Videos are said to attract higher prices in foreign countries, it is also the delight of Video Club Operators overseas. The government of Nigeria over the years has in one way or the other patronized the Nigerian Movie industry by helping in reducing import duties on equipment and materials used in the movie industry, The Government has further encouraged Film producers to produce films with historical, artistic and cultural creativity background, and those that will project good image of the country through Audiovisual means. Government major enfaces is against production of films that may encourage violence and immorality or portray Africa in general and Nigeria in particular as a fetish place. For these reasons the Government of Nigeria had to support and assists some of these regulatory bodies in the film industry to enable the nation position this industry and the nation in a better light around the world. According to Professor Akin Adesola,an assistant Professor in Department of comparative Literature in Indiana University, in an Interview “New Nigerian Cinema”: Its true that films made in Nigeria have caught world-wide attention only in the last ten years, in fact mostly after 2000. This happened to coincide with the change in the countrys political fortunes, following a string of nasty military dictatorships. But in fact, the growth has only accelerated due to this and other factors, like the phenomenal changes in the technology of filmmaking, Movie Industry in Nigeria has grown into an enviable edifice; there are a lot of remarkable developments that generate healthy competition. As we have Hollywood in America, we also have Nollywood in Nigeria, these Bodies has generated a lot of platforms for competition of excellence. In America we have the popular Oscar award which most actors and actresses look forward to as a mark of excellence in their desired carrier, In France we have the Cannes Film festival which is also of great importance in the carrier achievements of artist in France, Here in Nigeria we also have The Nigerian Film Festival which showcases the various Nigerian film makers, actors and actresses in there various commendable contributions in The Nigerian Movie Industry. The various artists that has so far been promoted by this body are so numerous, notable among them are Great producers Like Eddy Ugboma, Zeb Ejiro, Chiko Ejiro, Hellen Ukpabio, as well as actor and actresses like Pete Edochie, Kanayo O Kanayo, Charles Okafor, Francis Duru, Hilda Dokubo, Ini Edo, Geniviv Nnaji, Kate Henshaw, Ramsey Noah, Ike Obi, Jim Iyke just to mention but a few. The major problems facing the film Industry in Nigeria are that of high import duties and piracy. Hollywood in United States of America has produced popular Movie Stars such Tyler Perry’s,Alfre Woodard, Boris Kodjoe,Robin Williams, Oliver Stone, Ron Howard, Jonathan Dayton, Brian singer, Brett Ratner, Paul Greengrass, to mention but a few. The Mexican are also spreading there moving images throughout out Africa, all for foreign exchange and cultural promotion, presently Nigerian are welcoming Mexican films whole hearthedly, Few years back, it was “The Secret Of The Sand”, last Year, it was “When You Are Mine”, This year alone we have watched “The Gardeners Dauther” and presently we are watching “Catalina And Sebastian” on our regular television series here in Nigeria. The movie industries around the world is contributing seriously to the economy of the word today through international exchange of moving images, Countries like China produces an average of 468,India:839,Philipine:456,America:385 and Nigeria may hit an average of 1000 films par year soon. These developments are mainly due to the major development in information technology as well as Globalization Bibliography: The Oxford Guide to Film Studies. By Richard Dyer, Film as Social Practice. By Graeme Turner, Film Forum and Culture. By Robert Philip Kolker, Hollywood and Europe. By Geoffrey Newell-Smith and Stephen Ricci. Read More