Success of Hollywood Films despite Restrictive Conditions - Essay Example

? Success of Hollywood Films despite Restrictive Conditions Success of Hollywood Films despite Restrictive Conditions Introduction In the early twentieth century, many Hollywood films had themes driven by romanticization of youth. As a result, many young moviegoers integrated many of these cinematic adaptations into their youth culture, and this provided a new platform for adult fantasies. During the late 1920’s, many critics began demanding government regulation and restriction of the cinema industry as a reaction to the sensationalistic death of many Hollywood leading ladies. In response, Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association drafted a production movie code that censors material viewed as morally unfit. Despite this censorship, restrictions of the Production code (1930-1968) and HUAC political pressures, highly artistic and regarded films such as On the Waterfront, Citizen, and Scarface were produced. Films formulated in accordance with specific genres were produced at the height of Hollywood studio system’s commercial and artistic success. The success of these films is not an anomaly. The restrictive production code created a platform for creativity and art that prospered films of this era to success (Rosenbaum, 1998). The gangster genre established itself in the beginning of the 1930’s. Howard Hawks’s Scarface (1932) was far more powerful than many others. The popularity of gangster and horror pictures was a reason for concern for the Motion-Picture Producers and Distributors Association and the Catholic Legion of Decency. Therefore, a Production Code was formulated forbidding excessive cinematic violence and sex scenes. The most crucial film of the decade was Citizen Kane. It success was due to its stylized lighting, deep-focus photography, and overlapping dialogue among other valuable techniques. It is one of America’s most significant contributions to the development of the movie industry. Despite several restrictions by the Production Code, the movie was one of the best in the period (Rosenbaum, 1998). Films such as Scarface presented antagonists in a favorable light; making heroes out of everyday villains. The Production Code reinforced and redefined the American cinema in the 1930’s. The basis was that every form of art should have it laws, and if the laws are surpassed, the art is recognized as something different. The Code introduced strict rules for film producers to abide by. This highly affected the manner in which Hollywood narratives were structured, and it is evidenced by films which were re-released in order to abide by the Production Code. Scarface provided the first significant test of the new Production Code. It attracted the attention of Will Hays, the chief censor of the time. It was a typical gangster film that focused on the gangster life of Tony, and his rise and fall. The original film portrayed Tony in a favorable light throughout the film; thus there were concerns that the film glorified the gangster culture. The code demanded the unsympathetic portrayal of Tony and minimal detail be shown of the brutal crimes. In accordance with the general principles of plot laid down, Scarface violated the principle that no plot theme should openly side with evil and be against good. It also went against the principle that suggests that, in a plot, evil should not be presented alluringly (Code, 1934). In order to show how concerning and serious the gangster culture was, the Code demanded that certain scenes be eliminated. The title was altered, and a prologue added that suggests to the audience that Scarface is against the gangster culture. An entirely new scene was also incorporated into Scarface to address the Code’s concerns over people confronting the newspaper publisher, angered by the publicity gangsters received from the press. A technique that ensured the success of films at this time is the idea of the audience being active readers. In Scarface, scenes that hinted at Tony’s incestuous relationship with his sister were allowed. The audience view a strange relationship depicted by Tony and his sister, who appear to be in love with each other. The scenes were permitted since the situation is never referred to in a direct manner; rather it just strongly suggested. This method of suggesting and implication more than you can show was a crucial idea in Production Code Hollywood. The audience, being active readers, was critical in helping filmmakers craft films that appeased the censors, while enabling the audience to read into the implied meanings. This was a critical factor for success (Code, 1934). Hollywood producers used the Production code to keep politically oriented writers in place. The 1930’s saw a neoteric moral majority politicizing their views in a homogenous manner concerning political issues. As citizens, they approved the moral system advocated by the Production Code and kept diversity of opinions and political dissent down. Political alliances and beliefs among other political figures are a critical feature in Citizen Kane, since presumptions are made by the media on the moral views of conducting business (Rosenbaum, 1998). Sexual contexts on Citizen Kane were also limited by the Production Code. A brothel scene was eliminated. In the original screenplay, Kane takes newly hired Chronicle staff to a brothel. The Production Code suggested the scene to be altered. This is because the code dictates that presentation of scenes that deliberately excite manifestations of passion and sex is wrongful (Code, 1934). A technique employed in Citizen Kane, order to make it a success, is deep focusing. The strategy of lens choice and lighting composition allows all details in a frame, from the back to the front, to be in focus at the same time. This technique captures the viewer’s attention because of the simultaneous movement within the same frame thus creating optical illusions (Rosenbaum, 1998). On the Waterfront is one of the most critically acclaimed movies ever. It was directed by Elia Kazan. It tells of a struggle in fighting murder and corruption. It is based on the troubles at the New York waterfront in 1949. It depicts the union bosses as communists. The House Committee of Un-American Activities (HUAC) investigated matters on communist agenda. It was intent on isolating people associated with left wing tendencies. The film is politically influenced but it creativity captures the audience, while capturing social issues and themes such as greed and power. Conclusion In order to overwhelm the limitations set by the Production Code, filmmakers had to become more creative. Films associated with the Production Code era frequently employed double innuendos and meanings suggesting more than what they could show. The audience, through active reading, created a story. Many films were constructed with the use of intelligent innuendos that encompassed the the unacceptable readings in mind and the preferred readings. The magnificence of these films of the Production Code era illustrates the inventiveness of artists in order to bring out their stories whilst appeasing the censors. This method created an intense viewing experience. This is the reason why despite restrictive measures, Hollywood made highly regarded and artistic films. References Orson Welles and Peter Bogdanovich; Jonathan Rosenbaum (1998). This is Orson Welles. New York, NY: Da Capo Press. A Code to Govern the Making of Motion and Talking Pictures(1934). The Reasons Supporting it and the Resolutions for Uniform Interpretation. Motion Picture Production and Distributors of America, Inc. Read More