The Linguistic Culture-12 (American Science) (1157938), страница 5
Текст из файла (страница 5)
Therewere several reasons why Hollywood, the former provincial small town was tobecome the main center of American cinema industry. Besides the favorablenatural conditions, bright sun all the year round and splendid landscape, theland was very cheap there. Besides there was enough manpower around forbuilding and servicing of film studious.
By 1915 60% of all American filmproduction was accumulated in Hollywood. After the beginning of World WarI film industry in many European countries was in crises. Hollywood filled thegap to create the supremacy at the world cinema market. American moviespoured over the cinema screens of the world. By the middle of the 20sHollywood had modern financial and technical basis of film production and theprofessional stuff. There were 5 large studios at that time: “Metro GoldenMyer”, “Paramount”, “Fox”, “Universal” and “Warner”, headed by theproducers Luise, Mayor, Sam Goldwine, Adolf Zuker, William Fox, Karl Lemaleand Warner Brothers. One of the most popular and prolific producers of silentmovies of that time was David York Griffit.
He made 61 melodramas,comedies, historical films, thrillers, westerns, screen versions of the Bible andliterature.In the 20th the system of film stars appeared. Film stars were the mosthighly paid actors and actresses, whose names attracted crowds of filmgoers tomovie-houses. The stars were necessary for the cash success of the film All overthe world, from Berlin and London to Tokyo and Buenos Aires millions ofpeople lined up every day to see their favorite Hollywood stars Charlie Chaplin,Mary Pikford, Douglas Ferbenks, Greta Garbo, Roman Navarro and others.. Formost people the world of the movies remained a dream world, separate fromreal life.
It helped to create the “American Dream” and to convincecinemagoers that the American way of life was the ideal one. At the same timethe movies made people think of their own lives, which could be changed andimproved.One of the greatest American actors, directors and scriptwriters wasCharlie Chaplin (1889-1977). All Charlie Chaplin’s biographers agree that hismiserable childhood in London slums made the decisive influence on hisdevelopment as an artist. In his early “silent” comedies and satires Chaplin wasnever afraid to fight against tyranny and injustice.
He released a parody on war“Shoulder Arms” (1918) only some time before the American troops camehome from the trenches of the World War I. In the “Pilgrim” (1923) Chaplinattacked nonconformist religion. In “City Lights” he was mocking capitalism. In“Modern Times” (1936) Chaplin parodied the inhuman destruction of themachine age. His comedies “Gold Rush”(1925), “City Lights”(1931), “ModernTimes»(1935), Limelight”(1952), “A King in New York”(1957) are filled withdeep human feelings and dramatic undertones.
the In 1940 he created his first“talking” film “The Great Dictator “- a satire on Hitler and his policy- and duringWorld War II called for the opening of the second front and support of. theRussian people.The theme of human dignity is very strong in Chaplin’s art. His constantimage - the figure of a small, lonely man in a creased black suit, a derby hat, bigclumsy shoes, black moustaches and a walking stick attracted millions offilmgoers not only due to his funny appearance but also to his openheartedcharacter. “Oscar” – the best-known award for film actors was given to CharlieChaplin in 1952, but when Chaplin emigrated to Europe, the US StateDepartment banned his reentry. In 1972 in recognition of his lifetimecontribution to film art Chaplin was at last given by the American filmestablishment a special Second Oscar.
He was also commemorated with astatue at the historic corner of Hollywood and Vine. He also received specialgolden prize at the International Film Festival in Venice.The first “talking” movies appeared in the 30s. Change over to soundcinema was not very simple.
Many actors were not ready to speak. Attached tomicrophones they stopped to move and act. Besides in Hollywood there weremany foreign actors with strong native accents. When Hollywood developedproduction of the films with sound track it quickly recovered its image. Duringthe World War II American cinema created a number of films devoted to thewar problems. One of the best films of that time “Lifeboat” (1944) by AlfredHitchcock analyzed Nazi threat. “Bataan” (1943) by Tray Harriet showed thecruelties of the war.
Many cinema celebrities went to the front. Some famousproducers risked their lives, shooting war chronicles.The years before the Second World War and after it became “the goldenage” of Hollywood. During that period 7500 full-length films were shot there.Eight large firms specialized in different themes: family movies, musicals,topics of wealth, power and human passions, history, gangster or horror.One of the most popular studious working in the USA became DisneyStudio opened by its creator and the greatest cartoon maker Walt Disney(1901-1966). Walt Disney was the first producer to shoot colored animatedfilms with synchronized soundtrack. In his numerous worldwide cartoons hecreated the wonderful animal world of optimism and success.
All his animalcharacters in human-like situations are always kind, friendly and smart. HisMickey Mouse’s and Donald Duck’s phenomenal popularity put the animatedcharacters into the ranks of the most popular screen personalities in the world.Among Disney’s most famous masterpieces there are also “The SillySymphonies”, “Cinderella” and full-length animation “Snow White and theSeven Dwarfs”. The most spectacular interpretation of musical classics was hismovie “Fantasia” (1940).
Besides cartoons Disney studio produced a number ofwonderful documentary films about animals, nature and different popular TVprograms. His last film “The Book of Jungle” was finished after his death.For his wonderful art Walt Disney received 29 Oscars. By 1996 morethan 450 Disney clubs and stores had been created. Walt Disney’s fantasies anddreams came true in two amusement parks ”Disneyland” in California (1954)and “Disney World” (1971) in Florida. Millions of visitors enjoy a lot ofsophisticated attractions in these “Magic Kingdoms”.
Some years later, in 1992the similar Disney parks were opened in Tokyo (1983), and Paris (1992).The Disney Studio continued producing movies after the death of hisfounder. “The Little Mermaid”, “The Beauty and the Beast”, “Aladdin”, “TheLion King” became quite successful. They were followed by “Pocahontas”(1995) and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1996). “Toy Story” pioneeredcomputer-animated techniques.
Disney also continued its strong presence inchildren’s animated programs for television, with Aladdin and Gargoylesreceiving high ratings.After the World War IImany new Hollywood stars appeared, such asIngrid Bergman, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Kirk Douglas, Gregory Peck,Bert Lancaster. Such actors as Marlon Brando, James Din and Paul Newmanbegan to use Stanislavskii system, reaching great intensity and realism. Someactors appeared in a great number of films. E.g., only one actor and directorPaul Newman produced and starred in forty-five films, among them “ TheHustler”, “Butch Cassidy”, “The Sundance Kid”, “The Sting” and ”ToweringInferno” and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” with the participation of Elizabeth Taylor.She also starred in “Cleopatra” in 1962.
Film stars and Oscar Winners AudreyHeyburn and Gregory Peck also became especially popular in the 60-70s”Roman Holiday”, “My Fair Lady”, “Wait Until Dark”, “The Omen» and others.In the 70s the most popular producers of new generation were Coppola, Lucas,Scorsese and Steven Spielberg. Coppola’s film “Godfather” (1972) andSpielberg’s “Jams”(1975) began the new era of blockbusters. Lucas’s “StarWars” and three Spielberg’s films about Indiana Jones were the most famoussuper hits.
People could like or dislike them, but it is sure that the Americanfilms and Hollywood films in particular were produced at very high professionaland technical standard.At our time gradually Hollywood transformed beyond recognition. Step bystep all its studios lost their independence and joined transnational companies.Commercial success became more important then creative work. Filmedtelevision programs turned into an important American export. As manycountries found it cheaper to buy American programs than to make their own,cinemagoers all over the world were mostly watching exported Americanblockbusters.
Generations have grown up watching American films. A lot ofcopies are made for VCR and sold all over the world. Film companies spenthundreds million dollars on the film production and almost the same money ontheir advertisements. The films by famous directors and producers StevenSpielberg, Kevin Kostner, Quentin Tarantino, Paul Verkhoven, Lucas receive themost attention. The most highly paid actors Sylvestor Stallone, Jack Nicolson,Demy Moor, Julia Roberts, Sharon Stone and others receive a lot of prestigiousprizes and awards at the leading international film festivals.MusicMusic in the USA is extremely varied.
The ensuing generations of Europeanimmigrants brought with them the classical music and their German, Scottishand Irish folk ballads. Later America produced her own music. Railroad workers,cowboys and miners composed their songs about work, life and love. Blackslaves’ songs, preserving the rhythms and intonations of African tribes,acquired new features under the influence of Puritan hymns, resulting in Blackhymns “spirituals” which are considered by many musicians as the highestachievement of American folk art. Black spirituals such as “Nobody Knows theTrouble”, “When the Saints set off Machining” or “Go Down, Mosses” areremembered, sung and played even now. The list of folksong types in the USAincludes Afro-American narrative songs or ballads, the Spanish narrativecorride dance, Negro blues, spirituals, work songs, hymns, primitive Indianchants and prayers and the various European marches and ballads.
In addition,there are superstitions, sayings, proverbs, and jokes that go with every nationaland racial group.Jazz is a mixture of West African folklore with the work songs the slavessang and religious gospel music originated in church. Jazz, initially a musical talkfrom downcast people to other downcast people, by the 1920-40s had becomepopular among all people irrespective of their class or job distinctions or politicalviews. The first jazz bands were formed in the late 1800s.They played in bars andclubs in the South, especially in New Orleans.The first American composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829-1869)enlivened his “serious” music with plantation melodies and Caribbean rhythmsfrom his New Orleans jazz bands..
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