The Influence of Hollywood on the Perception of the United States - Research Paper Example

How does Hollywood affect the worlds perception of the U.S? Does Hollywood hold any political importance to the U.S.? Hollywood has had exerted its influence in various fields of America, especially its cultural and political fields. The magical world caused for creating a different perception about America and its culture in the minds of people all over the world. The progress of Hollywood all thorough the years identify the popularity of it. Different analyses reveal that there are different factors, which made Hollywood popular. American culture includes various traditions, customs, rituals, human values, arts, literature, and scientific inventions. As film is the right medium if expression, it can attract the attention of the mass. It is the medium, through which one culture has merged with the other, or it is to an extent helpful in raising the perception level of a group of people. Hollywood, as one of the most important factor that really helped for the growth of American culture and when analysing the history of American cultural transition, one can see the influence of Hollywood in different fields of American social life of America. The notable factor is that now the present world looks on America through Hollywood. Most of the Hollywood films bring America to the other countries. As war has the tremendous influence on people’s social and cultural life, the portrayal of war in films has always welcomed. Hollywood knows the pulse of global audience and it produces different films based on the first and the Second World War. The portrayal of the Vietnam War in films also created a concept in the global audience about American culture and political scenario. Some of the Hollywood films have released with anti-American content and those films depicted a different America against the ordinary concept. This paper is an attempt to find out the world perception of U.S. through Hollywood. It also attempts a research on the political importance that Hollywood brings to U.S. At present Hollywood has emerged the status of a center American cinema. Hollywood situated at the west north-west of Downtown Los Angeles, California in the United States. It is a combination of commercial and technological institutions of film making. The term ‘Hollywood’ coined by H. J.Whitley and he is also considered as the founder of Hollywood. Hollywood became the center of world films because of geographical and cultural diversity. “An Old California “was the first ever movie which filmed at Hollywood 1 establishment of the first studio in the Los Angeles area was Selig Poliscope Company on 1909.It includes film production, film studios, recording studios and laboratories, and cinematography. Directors, producers, and other technicians have participated film production campaigns. There are fifteen studios including Nestor studio settled in Hollywood. Today Hollywood has number of neighborhood councils at various countries. Hollywood has its own special administrative system promoted by Hollywood Chamber OF Commerce. Hollywood has played a significant role in creating American culture. Through the films, which it produced, Hollywood itself presented as a central figure of American national identity and culture. It is the most influential public media in America. The values and traditional morale have performed in Hollywood movies. Through films and other communication Medias, the United States is spreading some human values and messages. After the Cold War between Russia and America, the world has victimized social, cultural and political changings. Because of these changes, United States became the centre of culture, science, inventions and development. 2 Through its culture, America spreads the noble message of freedom, democracy, equality and other human rights. If one analyzes the history of the United States, he/she can see the number of historical events that have influenced the social and cultural development of the world. In his book entitled Reaching American Culture Conrad Philip Kottak comments about American culture and it says, “American culture is a particular cultural variant, as interesting, as exotic, and as unique as any other.” 3 The author had reached to his comments based on traditional and historical events recorded in American history. According to anthropologists, culture means something more than refinement, cultivation, education and the appreciation of fine arts –its popular usage. (Conrad Phillip Kottak) Media play a vital role in the process of cultural formation in The United States. At the beginning of 19th century, Hollywood District in Los Angels had emerged as the centre of American film industry. As the center of American film industry Hollywood has often been the supplier of traditions and values of the United States. Sometimes Hollywood films had played especially the role evident in the documentaries and films that the industry produced during the period of World War II. This time Hollywood has a serious responsibility to teach the people morality and social values through movies. Hollywood films like “It’s a wonderful life” and “You can’t take it” were the great promoters of American culture and identity 4 American war films are widely acceptable and popularized movies in Europe as well as in Afro Asian countries. Almost all American war movies portrayed as a tool, which justified the American participation in war and other invasion and movies and documentaries presented in more predisposed way. The Cold War between America and Soviet Union had influenced all aspects of social, economical, political and cultural aspects of American life. The producers and directors from Hollywood have tried to explore American nationality and the warning against the precarious Communism at their homeland and the outer world. American soldiers and army officers became the structure icon of box office victory and the films had speeded the examples of Celluloid imagination. In the web article titled Films of the Cold War: 1948-1990 Philip J. Landon gives more clarifications for the above-mentioned argument. He remarks, “The influence on the American film industry was deep and long-lasting. Hollywood became a highly visible target of the House Un-American Activities Committee during the late 1940s and 1950s.” 5 The trendsetters of Hollywood film industry wanted to reveal and convince their nationality and the great American success myth through the films. A significant example of the biased version of American movie is Iron Curtain directed by William Wellman. The film based on the life story of a Russian clerk named Igor Gouzenko. Through this film, the director and entire crew have provided the evidence of The Soviet espionage operation in North America. (Landon) Hollywood movies have played a crucial role in creating the feelings of Americanism, which greatly influenced the cultural life of the United States. Because of the wide popularity and box office success of these War films Americans have concentrated to develop a culture that reveals the prosperous, unified, and heroic nature of Americans. The following statement gives a clear idea about the way Hollywood handle the topic of Vietnam War. It says, “They also regard the movie as deeply rooted in one of Americas cinematic traditions.” 6 The major event for the discussion is that the representation of Vietnam War in Hollywood films. American invasion was the result of American colonialism. During the time of 1960s except European countries, most of the Afro-Asian countries received Hollywood films as merely American movies. The globalization of Hollywood film industry is a term, which is essential for more discussions. The artistic quality of a media program mixed with the aesthetic sense of its audience or in other words, media texts should allow enjoying a large number of different audiences. Early American movies and television programs have concentrated the tastes of homeland and they have based on American nationality, cultural and ethnic diversity that promote American culture. After the emergence of globalization, Hollywood became a major agency for spreading an authentic culture, which is blended with other cultural elites in many Afro-Asian countries. When analyzing the cultural and aesthetic features of Hollywood movies one can see the visible characteristics of the contemporary American movie gives emphasis on cultural transition from Americans to other nations. At present producers in Hollywood film, industry began to join filmmakers from Brazil, Hong Kong and other production centers in the world. This cultural transition paved the way for aesthetic polarization among the viewers of Hollywood movies. Currently filmmakers from Hollywood film industry try to follow an innovative method in filmmaking. Now, Hollywood films and television programs cross cultural and national boundaries. The filmmakers of Hollywood film industry search new stories and themes for their films through these new systems. American films present a new cultural history. Directors and filmmakers concentrate international market. The movies like ‘Titanic’, ‘Lost world’ and latest ‘The Slum dog Millionaire’ speak the new language of Hollywood movie. After the World War II, United Nations had emerged as a new political and economical power in the world. Through this leadership, the United Nations have formed a new cultural status, which have a powerful domination among other nations. A large number of films were made in Hollywood film industry based on World War II. In almost all these movies filmmakers have tried to convey American dominance in cultural and social arena. Because of this cultural domination, United Nations itself planted the seeds of anti-Americanism. Communist nations especially Soviet Union and its supporting nations became the undeclared enemies of The United States. Movies and television programs from California remain the status of a key stone in Hollywood artistic culture. The directors of these movies are never ready to change their traditional way of filmmaking. They have concentrated only on conventional themes, domestic subjects and audiences. In the beginning of 1990s one can see some notable changes have appeared in Hollywood film industry. The journal article titled The Globalization of Hollywood by Olson, Scott R remarks “Films like Titanic found a way to appeal to African-Americans, Italian-Americans, Korean-Americans, and Latin Americans.” 7 The symptoms of cross-cultural communication can be seen through these new movements. There is a popular saying that art imitates life. Literature, paintings, movies, press and other forms of art directly or indirectly reflect human life. There is no chance of an exaggeration if we say that art and life are interrelated. It seems that Hollywood films set the image of Americans as superficial in this world. The supporters of anti-Americanism argue that American media and Hollywood have been responsible to create the status that Americans are groups of superficial idiots. Hollywood films have pictured that the Americans are economically, politically, and socially very rich and they live without a proper understanding about the real world. In the early period of 1990s, the influence of Jewish Hollywood writers and directors caused for another cultural degradation in The United States. The following years Hollywood films and television programs established a range of depraved values. The following statistical data will help a reader to identify the gradual increasing of violence culture in Hollywood movies. The journal article says “Hollywood movies and television at-large have been increasingly attacked in recent years for propagating a range of decadent values. 82% of Americans polled in a 1989 Associated Press/Media General survey felt that todays movies had too much violence, 80% felt there was too much profanity, and 72% too much nudity. 72% of a Parents magazine survey supported prohibition against making fun of religion in the mass media.” 8 Films produced by Jewish Hollywood collaboration have always been ferment for all sorts of violence. These films promote an angry Youngman concept among the audience of domestic region. A gradual downfall is visible in the Upper middle class people in America. The cultured middle class people are down to hippie roles. The Jewish influence on Hollywood film industry cultivated the Christian fears that commercial culture in America would become corrupt. Consumerism of sexuality, social corruption, anti social activities and youth crime etc were the visible symptoms of Jewish Hollywood association. In the early 1940s Hollywood victimized other events. After the sufferings of the Great Depression, a group of film producers and writers joined with the American Communist party, and they developed a new field of arts and entertainment. Number of actors, screenwriters, and directors were members of this movement and they discussed the evilness of American capitalism in their movies. Their movies included the stories and experiences of the working class people. The end of 1950s Blacklist movement became considerable which influenced the cultural and political life of the United States. Police based crime stories became a major theme in Hollywood during the early period of 1950s. Hollywood films such as Clint Eastwoods Dirty Harry, and Rambo portray idea of American masculinity which reveal more independent and victorious face of the Americans. Political importance of Hollywood to the U.S. Whenever one attempts a study over the influence of Hollywood in American politics, one can see that both Hollywood and politics are interrelated. Many political occurring were the subject matter of so many Hollywood films, which became box office hits and attracted the global attention. Most popular Hollywood films include war films, especially the two world wars and the Vietnam War. The arrival of the popular film artists to political fields has also increased the political importance of Hollywood in U.S. It is difficult to measure the impact of Hollywood upon American politics. Since 1930s, the role of American culture has been a powerful one and it influenced other countries. Their contribution to the ideology of its creative elite was not much, though much has written about the film industry. Many questions have risen regarding the influence of this created elite and it affected the portrayals of America that appear on the screen. Hollywood in America is marvellously rich and it combines meticulous systematic analyses of fifty years over the top grossing films with a history of the changing structure that framed the modern film industry. Hollywood was always aware of the pulse of the market that gained mass audience for Hollywood films. When comparing the American society as a whole, one can see that Hollywood’s creative leadership influences the global audience than its influence on American society. Though Hollywood films at the beginning were the collective work of a particular group, later it brought many people who tend to express their talents and what the people really wanted. These motion pictures have an incontrovertible influence on the beliefs, lifestyles and action of the Americans and their culture. “The myths and symbols of Hollywood are permanent features of America’s historical consciousness.” 9 which had a tremendous influence on America’s cultural power. The historical films revived historical personalities and even recreated dramatic struggles. From depicting merely the past, Hollywood has often attempted to influence history from a conscious design to matters of social or political importance. Rather than acting in the role of historian, Hollywood has often been an unwitting recorder of national moods. Unlike musicals, westerns, gangster films made to expose existing wrongs can yield more information about their times than was intended. “The Snake pit (1948) reveals unconscious attitudes post war read Strangelove (1964) gives access to a later period.” 10 Wilson (1944), a biographical film, by Darryl F.Zanuck highlighted an effective story of Wilson’s fight for the League of Nations hoping that may be the effective story which would change the American public opinion in favour of the United Nations. He had the hope that it would create a path for the peace for the new generations after the World War II. A person named Thomas knock made a study of Wilson; he concentrated more on the historical issues while remained attentive on artistic elements of filmmaking such as casting, set design and story evolution. Unlike all other films, Wilson was a powerful attempt by Hollywood to mould America’s historical consciousness. During the period of 1920s and 1930s Hollywood influenced the making of documentary films. Many social and economical issues which are ignored by Hollywood are recreated by American film service documentaries and Frontier films. “When war came to America, Hollywood professionals under the supervision of Frank Capra were drafted film which would ask why we fight.” 11 It was at this time (1935-1953) a weekly newsreel entitled “The March of Time” began in America and it has an important role to relate motion pictures in to the people. It has provided numerous sources for famous films. 12 The documentary films such as The Plow That Broke the Plains (1936) and The River (1937) are committed to influence public opinion than that of March of Time weeklies. They made concentration on the dramatic potentials of music, voice and editing. Native Land (1942) 13 was an extra ordinary, unlike the March of Time or the New deal documentaries. This film emotionally touches the viewers. The film Snake Pit by Anatolia Litvak had the impression that it would improve the conditions of mental health across the United States. Not only the director but the actors were also very much committed to make it as a reformist goal. When it was released this motion picture was hailed as a crusading production but later some critics identified that some harmful messages are included in this film. “The central character in the film, The Snake Pit, named Virgina returns to sanity only when she gives up her dream of becoming a professional. The film condemns “as feminine ambition as diseased.” 14 It was at this time the development of a film Dr. Strangelove, having inundated distribution centres, mostly the college campuses. Even though it addresses the obvious antinuclear theme, it concentrates on political leadership. A look into the American motion picture as a commercial product, discloses the influence of American capitalism which is really promoted by corporate, legal and governmental pressures. An introspective analysis of film is capable of making one realise the institutional dimension. “In tracing such a web of relationships Douglas Gomery’s essay on how the Fox Film Corporation converted to sound is nicely balanced by Leonard J.Left’s narrative description of the demise of the motion picture production code: both essays indicate the wealth of insight available to cultural historians willing to pursue.” 15 From economic theory Douglas Gomery borrows a model of technological innovation. He traces how sound started invention, an innovation and then he moves to motion pictures. Douglas is important because he gives importance to the personality and vision on the business side of the film industry. Boris Kaufman translated the theme of ambivalence conceived by Kazan and Schulberg. Boris Kaufman is a cinematographer for On the Waterfront. Kaufman’s special skills with framing, lighting, camera placement and one of the specialties is that he is a maker of synchronous sound. All these are performed in this film. The actor who assumed the significant role in raising the popularity of Hollywood to the world was the great actor Charlie Chaplin. Through his unequal talent as a comedian and director of films like “The Kid”, he popularized American film industry. “When full sound technology was available Charlie Chaplin continued to make silent films. Ira Jaffe’s study of City Lights (1931) Modern Times (1936) and The Great Dictator (1940) reveal that in Chaplain’s case there were more economical and technological dimensions to the sea change to the silence to the sound eras.” 16 The salient features of Chaplin’s films were its economical and technological benefits. The portrayal of myth, women race and nostalgia in their films, the westerners showed the world how one can shape one’s nation and beliefs. Films covered with myth has always gained the mass attention and thus by Hollywood’s popularity. “Today the American history has been an irresistible source for the filmmakers.” 17And many historical films helped Hollywood and America in attaining their desired recognition. Different from the historians, the filmmakers are interested to find the historical events. The films such as Birth of a Nation (1915) and Roots (1977) Apocalypse Now (1979), and Saving Private Ryan (1998) 18 History Book Club selection - May, 2009 show how much entertainment is rooted in historical fact. These films examine how the filmmakers have presented and interpreted the most important events, topics, eras and figures in the American past. At present Hollywood are the major contributors of the American economy and one of the most important reasons for the cultural domination of the United States towards other nations of the world. The exponents of anti-Americanism argue that Hollywood is an oligopolistic industry that has extreme money power and little self-discipline. They continue their complaints against Hollywood film industry; they said that Hollywood produces stereotyped characters and never create enriching personalities and role models in their movies. Another notable complaint against Holy wooed films is it creates a culture of extremism. Hollywood followed a group of general beliefs and practices based on capitalism. The people who worked Hollywood have developed a particular style, their own tastes typical storyline and theme. The outer world has explored an adjustment problem to this elite style and culture. During the beginning of 1950s, Hollywood movies have discussed unserious subjects, repetitive ideals that come from the attitudes of Hollywood towards the world. Hollywood has promoted a culture covered with hypocrisy like the hypocrisy of Victorian England. Hollywood films have noted for its incredibility, silly themes, excessive proud of Western culture and tradition, self-tolerant products, and dead values. At the beginning of 1980s there were some hopeful changes have recorded in the history of Hollywood films. Here Hollywood has made more meaningful and serious films. The producers and directors have discussed innovative films, which provide public role models. American cultural power and its enemies: Now America has emerged as the cultural power of the world though it faces many difficulties. One of the important incidents that had a tremendous influence on America’s social and cultural aspects was the September 11 attack. Analysis reveal the fact that these attacks wee capable of let loose the balance to American cultural system. But contrary to the expectation, various nations of the world expanded their relations with America and they were ready to put aside their differences with the United States. Countries like China, Japan and Russia joined hand in hand with the United States to fight against terrorism. They engaged in various talks including nuclear downsizing and missile defence. All these conditions were indescribable before those attacks. There are various reasons for the cultural superpower of the United States. One of the prominent reasons that one feels is the foreign policy of the United States. The foreign policy of U.S is marked as a “status quo.” 19 Material power is the tool by which the United States maintains the groups of nations. The main feature of the Unites States’ foreign policy includes its unimposing trade relations with others. “It has supported and encouraged the move towards nation-neutral, rule-based mechanisms for governing international economic relations, in other words a system that restricts the sway of its own material might.” 20 When comparing the internal affairs and international relations of the United States with past relations, what is seen now is that the United States is a less imposing force today. But even now the United States is the hegemony which causes for much controversy. Many have overviewed that elites will always be boasting over the U.S. capabilities. Regarding the elites of the world, they are aware that Americans miss something by and large. “Although Americas active, material power is smaller than it was half a century ago, America also commands a remarkable passive, immaterial power - what some have dubbed "soft power" but might more accurately be called cultural power.” 21 One can see that America became a cultural power gradually influenced with various factors. Different leaders, scholars, journalists, and activists have marked their own viewpoints regarding the topic. After the collapse of Soviet Union, world has identified the growth of the United States to a powerful position and it is a growth that earned them the name, “hyper power.” It is inferred that the cultural dominance of U. S. has, to an extent, helped in making Europe of today. It is cultural power of the United States that frightened other nations continuously. They thought the United States as a threat to peace. These countries tried to explore a way to transform the “unipolar” world into a “multipolar” one. It is the same fear that tempted the terrorist groups to commit devastating suicide attacks against the institutions within and outside the United States. Observation will reveal that these attacks were incapable of making any terror to American cultural power. “A loud chorus of international voices has joined in denunciations of the American culture of Coca-Cola, Disney, McDonalds, and Levis, a culture that they charge is pushing out all others and taking over the world.” 22 Other great influence of the United States that created a different perspective among other nations was the U.S. films. The most popular Hollywood films like ‘Pearl Harbour’ had acquired world attention and have played a very notable role in the process of promoting U.S. culture. 23 An overview makes clear the deep influence of Hollywood films among non-English speaking global audiences. When reaching the conclusion, one can say that Hollywood has always been a very influential factor which exerted crucial role in bringing America to other nations. The perception of the people of other nations to America has subjected to changes during the forties and fifties. Before forties, the people of other nations had perceived of America and Hollywood as “superficial idiots” who produced films which speak only of American success or the films aimed at only a particular group of people. Later, when there began negative sentiments towards the traditional American concepts and beliefs, American films attracted global attention. Portrayal of myth, nostalgia and disaster were the themes that Hollywood films promoted later in years. All these were really helpful in raising the graph of American film industry and it boosted America as a cultural power. Political importance of Hollywood is too much. Political factors have had significant roles in the production of films and vice versa. Portrayal of the important political issues was common in the film industry, especially in Hollywood and some of the political parties use films as a medium to enhance the popularity of their films. Freedom movements, death of eminent political leaders like Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and so on in the Hollywood films were capable or rousing people’s anxiety and removing the veil that covered the death of these people. It is the war films which helped the people of other nations get a clear picture about the war proceedings. Some of these films were the true depiction of the world wars or Vietnam War. Even Gulf Wars were themes of some of the films. But some others hid the reality form the spectators’ eye and created another perception. When analysing the cultural power of the United States, one can infer that Hollywood has a negotiable role. It may be the foreign policy of the United States, which helped in assuming cultural power. To conclude, one can see that Hollywood has affected the worlds perception of the U.S in various ways and the political importance of Hollywood to the U.S. has undoubtedly proved. Bibliography “Excerpts from: When victims rule. A critique of jewish pre-eminence in America: Pornography, drugs, Hollywood, and Jewish influence upon the values of mass culture,” http://www.jewishtribalreview.org/porn.htm (accessed May 25, 2009). Epand, Victor. 2009. “About the Hollywood film industry.” Ezine Articles. http://ezinearticles.com/?About-The-Hollywood-Film-Industry&id=1099434 (accessed May 25, 2009). Ghahghaei, Azadeh. 2009.”Hollywood Movies and American Identity Formation,” Ezine Article, http://ezinearticles.com/?Hollywood-Movies-and-American-Identity-Formation&id=202746 (accessed May 25, 2009). Hollywoods West: The American Frontier in film: Television and history. 2005. Hegemony of the heart. (Provided by customer). Landon, Philip J. “Films of the Cold War: 1948-1990,” http://userpages.umbc.edu/~landon/Local_Information_Files/Films%20of%20the%20Cold%20War.htm (accessed May 25, 2009). Kotak, Conrad Philip. Researching American culture: a guide for student anthropologist: Anthropological analysis of Mass Enculturation. University of Michigan Press, 1982. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=cYuKbD3EFdgC&pg=PA46&lpg=PA46&dq=FEATURES+OF+american+cultures&source=bl&ots=bLNo-vqaLX&sig=z9BwbjQEmrSc5cu8eHp6ebFqOKg&hl=en&ei=sAIMSsrxC6OctgPRpJT7Ag&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4#PPA40,M1 (accessed May 25, 2009). Llacer, Eusebio V. and Enjuto, Esther. 1998. “Coping strategies: Three decades of Vietnam War in Hollywood: The end of the war. Hollywood welcomes the vets.” http://www.publicacions.ub.es/bibliotecaDigital/cinema/filmhistoria/Art.Llacer_Enjuto.pdf (accessed May 25, 2009). “Native land (1942) (criterion edition).” 2009. Reel.com. http://www.reel.com/movie.asp?MID=143339&PID=10124908&Tab=reviews&CID=18 (accessed May 25, 2009). “Peter C. Rollins.” http://petercrollins.com/banda.html (accessed May 25, 2009). “Pearl Harbor movie review.” 2008. Kids World. http://www.kidzworld.com/article/883-pearl-harbor-movie-review (accessed May 25, 2009). Rollins, Peter C. 1997. Hollywood as historian: American film in a cultural context, University Press of Kentucky. Scott R, Olson. The Globalization of Hollywood? (Provided by the customer). “The march of time 1935-1951.” 1996. Movies. http://www.harappa.com/march.html (accessed May 25, 2009). Read More