Hollywood Movies Are the Representation of the US Imperialism - Essay Example

HOLLYWOOD MOVIES Modernization school or theory refers to the social change, development and improvement in culture, traditions and technology. There is improvement of people intellectualism in their basic lifestyles. The technology has increased significantly and this has facilitated the spread of information at a faster speed. This has been made possible by the presence of media channels such as print, broadcast and even the websites. Modernization theory is largely based on the view that to develop means to become ‘modern’ by adopting Western cultural values and social institutions. It is suggested that undeveloped societies subscribe to value systems and institutions that hinder the development process. (Van) The modernization first appeared in the 1950s, even raised in the 1990s.It has grown significantly making the world a global village. With the presence of the members of the fourth estate. The 1960’s saw a great push for social change. Movies during this time focused on fun, fashion, rock n’ roll, societal shifts like the civil rights movements, and transitions in cultural values. It was also a time of change in the world’s perception of America and its culture, largely influenced by the Vietnam War and continuous shifts in governmental power. The modernization theory explain how society progresses through the adaption of new technologies, economic growth, improvement in living standards and infrastructural development, literacy and cultural development, national identity development. (Anonymous) Historically, the legend of Hollywood began in the early 20th century and it has become an earmark of modern American society rich in history, innovation and technological advancement. The origin of movies and motion pictures began in the late 1800’s, with the invention of “motion toys” designed to trick the eye into seeing an illusion of motion from a display of still frames. This revealed a significant use of technology. According to the modernization theory, there was greater shift in the social change that was brought by the advancement in technology. By the end of the 1980’s, it was generally recognized that films of that time were intended for audiences who sought simple entertainment, as most pictures were unoriginal and formulaic. (Anonymous) Therefore, many studios sought to capitalize on advancements in special effects technology, instead of taking risks on experimental or thought-provoking concepts VCR’s were still popular at this time, and profits from video rentals were higher than the sales of movie tickets. Lackly, in 1992, CD-ROM’s were created. These paved the way for movies on DVD, which hit stores by 1997. DVD’s featured a much better image quality as well as the capacity for interactive content, and videotapes became obsolete a few years later. (Anonymous) The turn of the millennium brought a new age in film history in America with rapid and remarkable advances in technology. Due to modernization, the movie industry has already seen achievements and inventions in the 2000’s, such as the Blu-ray disc and IMAX theaters. Additionally, movies and TV shows can now be watched on Smartphone’s, tablets, computers, and other personal devices with the advent of streaming services such as Netflix. (Anonymous) The Hollywood movies have gained popularity with the advancement in technology. This is because Hollywood’s top movies have one quality in common: they avoid real life. Due to modernization, the “modern man” has become open to new experience and has increased in the belief in science. Most people are looking for the same things of science, a fantasy, a space opera, a work of science fiction that was a vacation from real life all this attached to modernization. According to Mark, all of the Harry Potter movies, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the comic book megahits Spiderman and Batman, the last three instalments of Shrek, all of these rank with the top 50 Hollywood movies because they have that x-factor that helps us get away from the everyday. (Mark) It is vital to note that not all the movies avoid reality.However; movies such as Ice Age and Titanic which are believed to have some reality are loosely based on a time and events that actually occurred. A movie such as Forrest Gump, which is Hollywood’s 44th top-grossing movie, is a remarkable story that does not rely on magic or make-believe worlds to get people into fictions world. In other words, even the most realistic of Hollywoods top movies are about life as we do not know it. Viewers would rather dream and have a make-believe exit from the real-world built into the story. It is evident that modernization has brought about advancement of technology that has made Hollywood movies. (Mark) Lower labor costs and fewer regulations also inspire moves abroad. Major Hollywood studios set up production houses in China, to better tap growing interest in films. Hollywoods production costs decreased in 2005 by 4 percent while marketing costs jumped 5.2 percent. (Gatsiounis) The Hollywood movies are also popular in France and elsewhere because they are governed by the sovereignty of the free market, the unvarnished appeal to what people want, seek and are looking for even if it is hopefully not American Nightmare. (Metzler) According to modernization theory, the modernized societies emphasize on rationality, universalism and functional specificity. This means that there products are to meet the international markets. They also have high degree of money circulation and market and mutual flow of goods and services between towns and villages. The US has endorsed this policy and this make the Hollywood films so popular. Ordinarily, imperialism which is the practice of extending power and dominion by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic powers has been seen in the Hollywood movies. Hollywood has remained a symbol of US "domination" if ever there was one, is appreciating greater success abroad than at home. The international ticket sales now account for 60 percent of overall box office receipts, up from 40 percent three years ago. Home-video sales are said to be the fastest-growing revenue sector in Tinsel town, and that does not include the millions watching pirated copies. Meanwhile American television shows attract a record number of foreign program buyers, even though licensing fees have increased sharply in most markets. (Gatsiounis) Hollywood movies have brought trade liberalization and more global-minded marketing. Major studios are beefing up their overseas divisions and signing foreign partnerships as part of modernization. Warner Bros., for instance, recently penned a $2 billion deal with Abu Dhabis largest real-estate firm, Aldar, to build a studio and produce films and videogames - thus targeting the Arab world, 60 percent of which is under 25 and regarded as entertainment hungry. This shows that Hollywood movies represent US imperialism across the Arab world. (Gatsiounis) Major Hollywood studios set up production houses in China, to better tap growing interest in films. Hollywoods production costs decreased in 2005 by 4 percent while marketing costs jumped 5.2 percent. Therefore, lower labor costs and fewer regulations also inspire moves abroad and this enhanced imperialism across to china. The industry also welcomed international talent, from Marlene Dietrich to Sean Connery, but as Hollywood pushes its product aggressively abroad, executives view international talent as ever more critical in promoting films abroad. (Gatsiounis) According to Metzler, France does not have a vibrant and creative film industry.However, most people are attracted by the high budget, high tech and high action American thrillers which simply do not get produced by many of the creative and artsy production houses. And even with the high state financial subsidies the French and Spain governments’ doles out to domestic movie producers, when it comes to crowd appeal, the U.S. wins nearly hands down. (Metzler) Over the past year, Hollywood has held the high ground among the French cinema audiences. Of the top ten box office hits through France, eight were from the United States. Indeed the popularity of American movies is hardly unique to France but reflects a global phenomenon and therefore this justifies that Hollywood movies are a pure representation of US imperialism. Ironically, a country which pouts at globalization, the very same people then eagerly consumed its popular cultural fruits. (Metzler) . Works Cited Anonymous. The History of the Hollywood Movie Industry. 2014. 2015 . Gatsiounis, Ioannis. Hollywood Still Seduces the World. 2008. 2015 . Mark, P. What makes Hollywoods top movies so successful? 2010. 2015 . Metzler, John. Bullish on Hollywood: Why American films do so well in socialist France. August 2013. 2015 . Van, M. "Communication Networks and Modernization." Communication Research journal (1993): 384-407. Read More