Easy Rider and Bonnie and Clyde Hollywood Films - Movie Review Example

Making detailed reference to TWO ical Hollywood films, discuss how they exemplify and/or problematize the accepted formal paradigm ical narrative: Easy Rider: Bonnie and Clyde Introduction Today critics and theorists recognize classic Hollywood cinema as containing a number of established conventions. In terms of narrative structure, classic Hollywood implements a traditional beginning, middle, and end. Additionally, the classic Hollywood narrative implements a number of thematic components. These include strong moral elements, uplifting endings, large production budgets, and traditional story arches. In the early 1970s, the New Hollywood movement challenged these classical narrative elements. The New Hollywood movement was partly influence by the European auteur cinema, as well as the 1960s counter-culture movement in America. These films eschewed many of the classic Hollywood narrative themes. Instead, these films embraced moral ambiguity, unique narrative structures, and a general embrace of the film director’s artistry. Two of the most prominent New Hollywood films are Easy Rider and Bonnie and Clyde. This essay examines how these films exemplify and problematize the accepted formal paradigm of classical narrative. Analysis Easy Rider Easy Rider is today recognized as one of the seminal New Hollywood films. Produced in 1969, this film starred Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. Additionally, Hopper directed the film. The film gained its reputation for its popularity, but also for its stark rejection of the classical Hollywood narrative paradigm. Just as will later be witnessed in Bonnie and Clyde, Easy Rider problematizes the classical Hollywood narrative in-line with the broader social trends challenging traditional American culture. Indeed, Schneider (2010, p. 320) notes, “It defies as many conventions of American cinema as it does conventions of American social life.” One considers that the narrative progresses as the characters travel from the Pacific and interact with various characters. Rather than implementing a traditional plot, instead the narrative focuses on these specific interactions as a counter-cultural statement on American society. While the classic Hollywood paradigm had long embraced values of American exceptionalism or at least a subtle patriotism, this film criticizes American values. One considers the scene when Wyatt and Billy meet the hitchhiker and take him to his commune. Rather than embracing traditional American values, this portion of the narrative emphasizes the counter-cultural elements of the individuals. For instance, when Billy and Wyatt encounter the hitchhiker he says to them, “the people this place belongs to are buried under here.” This statement obviously refers to the deceased Indians and is again a counter-cultural statement. As the bikers get back to the camp they discover that the individuals grow all their own food, live in a commune, and seem to emphasize free love. Again these elements resist traditional Hollywood concerns. Within this mode of understanding, there is the further recognition of the general sense of moral ambiguity the film adopts. It’s noted that the classical Hollywood narrative paradigm, “has always been a rule in mainstream cinema that drugs, when used on screen, should either be detrimental to a character’s life or signifying of a character’s deviant status” (Schneider 2010, p. 320). In this way Easy Rider resists these traditional narrative conventions. For instance, both of the main characters regularly use marijuana throughout the film. Rather than demonizing their drug usage, the film simply portrays it has a means of relaxing. These elements are accompanied with a general disillusionment of the moral structure of mainstream American culture. While this film problematizes the classic Hollywood narrative there is the consideration that this film, as well as the later analyzed Bonnie and Clyde, incorporate classic film noir narrative conventions. For instance, the moral ambiguity and the dark lighting exemplified in the scenes at the commune are both classic film noir conventions. Ultimately, then while the film problematizes the classic Hollywood narrative, there is also the recognition that woven into its very fabric are traditional Hollywood elements. One of the most prominent considerations in terms of problematizing the narrative is the way that the film abandons the classic Hollywood movie genre. For instance, its abandonment of the road movie genre is clear. This genre had explored classic Hollywood narrative conventions in terms of a driving or traveling adventure. While Easy Rider exemplifies many of these classic narrative conventions, in many ways it problematizes the accepted formal paradigms. One considers that classic Hollywood narratives idealize the travel from East to the uncharted West. Easy Rider problematizes this narrative as the characters travel from West to East. In this way one can argue that there is the symbolic consideration that all that has been discovered about American society has already been discovered. This then is a general statement of disillusionment that is contrasted with the classic Hollywood narrative. In other ways the film embodies many of the formal conventions of the classic road movie narrative. Klosterman (2008) establishes one of the conventions of the classic road movie narrative as the protagonist “experiences abstract loss and attempts an exodus from normal life.” While this is not explicitly stated, there is the general qualitative recognize that the Peter Fonda character has experienced such a loss and the subsequent narrative is an exploration of these traditional themes. Another classical convention of the road movie is stated to be that, “Upon the recognition of seemingly self-evident realizations, the character desires to return to the point of origin.” The notion of self-evident realizations is exemplified throughout the film in many ways. For instance, towards the film’s conclusion, Wyatt turns to Billy and states, “We blew it.” This statement seems to indicate that they have failed to achieve the counter-cultural freedom that they have been seeking. Perhaps more importantly, there is the recognition that at the film’s conclusion Wyatt and Billy decide to return to Florida. In this way the film follows the traditional narrative of the road movie in that the characters decide to return to the physical place of Florida, as well as the symbolic area of mainstream American culture. Bonnie and Clyde There are a number of ways that Penn’s Bonnie and Clyde problematizes the accepted formal paradigm of narrative. Just as Easy Rider implemented auteur elements in its construction of narrative, it’s clear that Bonnie and Clyde incorporates many of these elements. The extent that these narrative elements are intrinsic to the film’s narrative or an aspect of the critical or socio-political environment is a debate-able notion. In terms of structural components the film can be argued as exhibiting a traditional narrative arch. Namely, there is a love story that develops into a crime spree, which is ultimately highlighted by the destruction of characters towards the end. Still, in many ways this narrative arch problematizes the traditional Hollywood narrative. One considers that as the film develops it quickly becomes evident that both characters have what can be termed a ‘death wish’. In this way the emphasis shifts from the film’s ultimate conclusion, to concerns with the humanism and violence of the characters. While violence has long been a focus in Hollywood cinema, within the context of this narrative it takes on a greater degree of proportions. The traditional Hollywood narrative approach to violence is recognized as placing it within the spectrum of moral propriety. One considers classical film productions such as Gone With the Wind or even John Wayne vehicles such as the Searchers. In these instances the narrative incorporates violence, with the ultimate intention of demonstrating the victory of good over bad, or other moral proscriptions. The narrative form of Bonnie and Clyde abandons these moral elements for a general reveling in humanism and free will. In this way the classical Hollywood narrative approach to violence is problematized, as the film offers no direct or ‘good’ moral path. Rather the view is led to almost appreciate and enjoy the violence that ensues. In addition to the film’s violence there are a number of other elements that place it at odds with other traditional Hollywood films. One of the most prominent problematizing elements is the simple recognition that the film reflects many of the counter-cultural elements that took place in the 1960s. Indeed, David Newman – one of the film’s writers – stated that the film, “is about people whose style set them apart from their time and place so that they seemed odd and aberrant to the general run of society. Most importantly, they did this by choice…What we were talking about was what is now known as ‘the Sixties’ (Friedman, 2008, p. 2). This is a highly significant quote. In this regards, the above statement indicates that the film does not merely challenge the traditional Hollywood narrative paradigm, but functions within the general social trends that challenged the very nature of traditional American society. These counter-cultural narrative elements are exhibited many instances throughout the film. In addition to the glorification of the aforementioned violence, there is additionally the hint of homosexuality, as Clyde subtly insinuates that he has an ambiguous sexuality (‘Criticizing Criticism’, 2000). In other ways it’s clear that the Bonnie and Clyde narrative structure implements traditional paradigms. Indeed, Friedman (2008, p. 7) notes that the narrative structure is, “as ancient as the Greek tragedies of Sophocles, Aeschylus, and Euripides.” In this way there is a strong emphasis on the tragic nature of the characters. However, while the narrative may conform to the classical Greek forms, its destructive nature seems to place it firmly within the context of the new Hollywood cinema that challenged traditional narrative forms. Another prominent element that firmly works within the traditional Hollywood structure is the love story between the two protagonists. In this way the narrative follows the characters from the early stages of their relationship, to the fateful destruction they occur at the film’s conclusion. There is the recognition that such a narrative love-story arch has been implemented in many classical Hollywood films. For instance, the relationship between Rhett and Scarlett in Gone With the Wind is similarly on a destructive tract. This also occurs in the relationship between Rick and Ilsa in Casablanca. In this example the two individuals tragically part, as Ilsa leaves for America; in Bonnie and Clyde the two individuals depart as they encounter their ultimate fates in death. While in many ways the film resists traditional Hollywood conventions, in other ways there are traditional articulations of relationships. One considers an interaction between Bonnie and Clyde towards the film’s mid-way point. In this scene Bonnie suddenly abandons the gang after she has a vision of her own death. This scene then causes Clyde to search for her. After he finally finds her in a cornfield he grasps her and is affectionate with her. Clyde then states, “Please, honey, don’t ever leave me without saying nothing.” Symbolically this scene seems to indicate that the two characters are deeply in love such that they can no longer be separated. Within the context of the narrative, it’s clear that such a scene is reminiscent of much classic Hollywood love stories. Ultimately then, despite the counter-cultural elements and violence surrounding these characters, arguably at the core of the narrative is a traditional Hollywood love story. Conclusion In conclusion, this essay has examined the ways that Easy Rider and Bonnie and Clyde exemplify and problematize the accepted formal paradigm of classical narrative. In this context of understanding it’s demonstrated that both films highly problematize the classic Hollywood narrative. In these ways both films embody the New Hollywood aesthetic. This narrative aesthetic specifically implements moral ambiguity, a counter-cultural criticism of mainstream American culture, and unconventional narrative structures. In addition to these elements, one witnesses the non-critical use of drugs in Easy Rider, as well as the glorification of violence in Bonnie and Clyde. While these films problematize the classic Hollywood narrative, it’s clear in other ways they embrace this paradigm. In this way, one witnessed the classic conventions of the road movie in Easy Rider. In Bonnie and Clyde there is the traditional implementation of the love story. Ultimately, while these films resist the classic Hollywood narrative, it’s clear that in many ways that exemplify it. References ‘Criticizing Criticism: The Impact of Auteurism on Bonnie and Clyde’, (2000). Available from: :  http://www.leftfromhollywood.com/Reviews/Bonnie%20And%20Clyde.htm [Accessed: Aug 5, 2012]. Friedman, L. (2000). Arthur Penn’s Bonnie and Clyde. Syracuse: Cambridge University Press. Klostermn, C, (2008), On the Road, . Available from: , :  http://www.believermag.com/issues/200803/?read=article_klosterman [Accessed: Aug 6, 2012]. Schneider, D, (2010), "Ending the Exceptional: Defiance of Conventions in Dennis Hopper\s \"Easy Rider\"Film and Cinema ", Film and Cinema , vol. 2. 7, Read More