The Linguistic Culture-2 (british media) (1157941), страница 29
Текст из файла (страница 29)
One of the greatest American actors, directors and scriptwriters was Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977). All Charlie Chaplin’s biographers agree that his miserable childhood in London slums made the decisive influence on his development as an artist. In his early “silent” comedies and satires Chaplin was never afraid to fight against tyranny and injustice. He released a parody on war “Shoulder Arms” (1918) only some time before the American troops came home from the trenches of the World War I. In the “Pilgrim” (1923) Chaplin attacked nonconformist religion. In “City Lights” he was mocking capitalism. In “Modern Times” (1936) Chaplin parodied the inhuman destruction of the machine age. His comedies “Gold Rush”(1925), “City Lights”(1931), “Modern Times»(1935), Limelight”(1952), “A King in New York”(1957) are filled with deep 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 during World War II called for the opening of the second front and support of. the Russian people.
The theme of human dignity is very strong in Chaplin’s art. His constant image - the figure of a small, lonely man in a creased black suit, a derby hat, big clumsy shoes, black moustaches and a walking stick attracted millions of filmgoers not only due to his funny appearance but also to his openhearted character. “Oscar” – the best-known award for film actors was given to Charlie Chaplin in 1952, but when Chaplin emigrated to Europe, the US State Department banned his reentry. In 1972 in recognition of his lifetime contribution to film art Chaplin was at last given by the American film establishment a special Second Oscar. He was also commemorated with a statue at the historic corner of Hollywood and Vine. He also received special golden prize at the International Film Festival in Venice.
The first “talking” movies appeared in the 30s. Change over to sound cinema was not very simple. Many actors were not ready to speak. Attached to microphones they stopped to move and act. Besides in Hollywood there were many foreign actors with strong native accents. When Hollywood developed production of the films with sound track it quickly recovered its image. During the World War II American cinema created a number of films devoted to the war problems. One of the best films of that time “Lifeboat” (1944) by Alfred Hitchcock analyzed Nazi threat. “Bataan” (1943) by Tray Harriet showed the cruelties of the war. Many cinema celebrities went to the front. Some famous producers risked their lives, shooting war chronicles.
The years before the Second World War and after it became “the golden age” 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 Disney Studio opened by its creator and the greatest cartoon maker Walt Disney (1901-1966). Walt Disney was the first producer to shoot colored animated films with synchronized soundtrack. In his numerous worldwide cartoons he created the wonderful animal world of optimism and success. All his animal characters in human-like situations are always kind, friendly and smart. His Mickey Mouse’s and Donald Duck’s phenomenal popularity put the animated characters into the ranks of the most popular screen personalities in the world. Among Disney’s most famous masterpieces there are also “ The Silly Symphonies”, “Cinderella” and full-length animation “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. The most spectacular interpretation of musical classics was his movie “Fantasia”(1940). Besides cartoons Disney studio produced a number of wonderful documentary films about animals, nature and different popular TV programs. His last film “The Book of Jungle” was finished after his death.
For his wonderful art Walt Disney received 29 Oscars. By 1996 more than 450 Disney clubs and stores had been created. Walt Disney’s fantasies and dreams came true in two amusement parks ”Disneyland” in California (1954) and “Disney World” (1971) in Florida. Millions of visitors enjoy a lot of sophisticated attractions in these “Magic Kingdoms”. Some years later, in 1992 the similar Disney parks were opened in Tokyo (1983), and Paris (1992).
The Disney Studio continued producing movies after the death of his founder. “ The Little Mermaid”, “ The Beauty and the Beast”, “Aladdin”, “ The Lion King” became quite successful. They were followed by “Pocahontas” (1995) and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1996). “Toy Story” pioneered computer-animated techniques. Disney also continued its strong presence in children’s animated programs for television, with Aladdin and Gargoyles receiving high ratings.
After the World War II many new Hollywood stars appeared, such as Ingrid Bergman, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Kirk Douglas, Gregory Peck, Bert Lancaster. Such actors as Marlon Brando, James Din and Paul Newman began to use Stanislavskii system, reaching great intensity and realism. Some actors appeared in a great number of films. E.g., only one actor and director Paul Newman produced and starred in forty-five films, among them “ The Hustler”, “Butch Cassidy”, “The Sundance Kid”, “The Sting” and ”Towering Inferno” 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 Audrey Heyburn 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) and Spielberg’s “Jams”(1975) began the new era of blockbusters. Lucas’s “Star Wars” and three Spielberg’s films about Indiana Jones were the most famous super hits. People could like or dislike them, but it is sure that the American films and Hollywood films in particular were produced at very high professional and technical standard.
At our time gradually Hollywood transformed beyond recognition. Step by step all its studios lost their independence and joined transnational companies. Commercial success became more important then creative work. Filmed television programs turned into an important American export. As many countries found it cheaper to buy American programs than to make their own, cinemagoers all over the world were mostly watching exported American blockbusters. Generations have grown up watching American films. A lot of copies are made for VCR and sold all over the world. Film companies spent hundreds million dollars on the film production and almost the same money on their advertisements. The films by famous directors and producers Steven Spielberg, Kevin Kostner, Quentin Tarantino, Paul Verkhoven, Lucas receive the most attention. The most highly paid actors Sylvestor Stallone, Jack Nicolson, Demy Moor, Julia Roberts, Sharon Stone and others receive a lot of prestigious prizes and awards at the leading international film festivals.
Music
Music in the USA is extremely varied. The ensuing generations of European immigrants brought with them the classical music and their German, Scottish and Irish folk ballads. Later America produced her own music. Railroad workers, cowboys and miners composed their songs about work, life and love. Black slaves’ songs, preserving the rhythms and intonations of African tribes, acquired new features under the influence of Puritan hymns, resulting in Black hymns “spirituals” which are considered by many musicians as the highest achievement of American folk art. Black spirituals such as “Nobody Knows the Trouble”, “When the Saints set off Machining” or “Go Down, Mosses” are remembered, sung and played even now. The list of folksong types in the USA includes Afro-American narrative songs or ballads, the Spanish narrative corride dance, Negro blues, spirituals, work songs, hymns, primitive Indian chants and prayers and the various European marches and ballads. In addition, there are superstitions, sayings, proverbs, and jokes that go with every national and racial group.
Jazz is a mixture of West African folklore with the work songs the slaves sang and religious gospel music originated in church. Jazz, initially a musical talk from downcast people to other downcast people, by the 1920-40s had become popular among all people irrespective of their class or job distinctions or political views. The first jazz bands were formed in the late 1800s.They played in bars and clubs 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 rhythms from his New Orleans jazz bands.. He was the first American pianist to achieve international recognition, but his early death contributed to his relative obscurity.
George Gershwin (1898-1937) was also one of the first to use Afro-American melodies in his music. Together with his brother he created world famous opera “Porgy and Bess” and two musical comedies “Rhapsody in Blue” and “An American in Paris” which included jazz rhythms and blues.
Aaron Copland(1900-90) indulged his interest in jazz as well. Besides writing symphonies, concertos, and an opera, he composed the scores for several films. He is best known, however, for his ballet scores, which draw on American folk songs; among them are “Billy the Kid”, “Rodeo”. Copland chose a traditional Quaker religious song as one of the main themes for “Appalachian Spring”, which celebrated life in the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern region of the United States.
The orchestras of Duke Ellington, Count William Basie, Frank Sinatra and Glemm Miller became the universal musical culture, which all Americans are proud of. Among the outstanding jazz musicians there are the names of Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman and Ella Fitzgerald.
Composers Arthur Schwartz and Richard Rodgers should also be mentioned. The songs “Yellow River”, “Night and Day”, “Tea for Two” crossed national boundaries and became popular in Europe. Scott Joplin (1868-1917) was born in freed slave musical family and managed to mix African beat with classical European music. His wonderful style became known to both black and white musicians as Ragtime in the early 1900s.
Thirty years after jazz another kind of popular music appeared – big beat (big rhythm). In 1954 the disc jockey Alan Freed started to broadcast the Black rhythm-and-blues records. He called this music Rock-and-roll after an old blues “My Baby Rocks Me in a Steady Roll”. The 50s were also marked in the USA by the enormous success of the most famous rock “n” roll superstar singer and guitar player Elvis Presley (1935-77). What was new in his performance was aggression, sexuality together with Black blues and white romantic crooning and sentiment. Having broken all the standards, he became particularly admired by the young people. His songs “Heartbreak Hotel”, “Hound Dog”, “Blue Suede Shoes” and many others were recorded in multimillion copies. To rock and roll enthusiasts Presley got to symbolize not only a rock and roll singer but also a new youth culture. Among other things, this culture developed its own vocabulary, ways of dressing, even hairstyle. It even began to reject socially approved ideas and ways of behaving.
Later rock-and-roll blended with the protest songs of the 1960s to become rock, the music that was harder and less escapist. Rock became both an American and international phenomenon. Millions of young people worldwide saw it as their natural cultural language, a symbol of opposition to officially approved ideas and standards. Rock composers have always tried to represent the authentic sound of spoken English, and have therefore written what they have heard, rather then used standard spellings. Hard rock became bigger and louder than any beat before it, simply because it was amplified and very noisy.
There are lots of superstars these days; among fifteen number one hits there are the ones of Madonna, Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, Cindy Birdsong. In the 1970-80s Michael Jackson made his fantastic career. In addition to live performances he produced a lot of records, CDs and video clips. His particular ability to combine extraordinary gracious movements with singing brought him fame all the world round.
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