Беликова Е.К., Саратовская Л.Б. - The United Kingdom and United States of America in Past and Present (1268141), страница 47
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“Oscar” – the best-known award forfilm actors was given to Charlie Chaplin in 1952, but when Chaplinimmigrated to Europe, the US State Department banned his reentry. In1972 in recognition of his lifetime contribution to film art Chaplin was atlast given by the American film establishment a special Second Oscar. Hewas also commemorated with a statue at the historic corner of Hollywood183and Vine.
He also received special golden prize at the International FilmFestival 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 to microphones they stopped to move and act. Besides inHollywood there were many foreign actors with strong native accents.When Hollywood developed production of the films with sound track itquickly recovered its image. During the World War II American cinemacreated a number of films devoted to the war problems. One of the bestfilms of that time “Lifeboat” (1944) by Alfred Hitchcock analyzed Nazithreat.
“Bataan” (1943) by Tray Harriet showed the cruelties of the war.Many cinema celebrities went to the front. Some famous producers riskedtheir lives, shooting war chronicles.The years before the Second World War and after it became “thegolden age” of Hollywood. During that period 7500 full-length filmswere shot there. Eight large firms specialized in different themes: familymovies, 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 coloredanimated films with synchronized soundtrack. In his numerousworldwide cartoons he created the wonderful animal world of optimismand success. All his animal characters in human-like situations arealways kind, friendly and smart. His Mickey Mouse’s and Donald Duck’sphenomenal popularity put the animated characters into the ranks of themost popular screen personalities in the world. Among Disney’s mostfamous masterpieces there are also “The Silly Symphonies”, “Cinderella”and full-length animation “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”.
The mostspectacular interpretation of musical classics was his movie“Fantasia”(1940). Besides cartoons Disney studio produced a number ofwonderful documentary films about animals, nature and different popularTV programs. His last film “The Book of Jungle” was finished after hisdeathFor his wonderful art Walt Disney received 29 Oscars. By 1996 morethan 450 Disney clubs and stores had been created. Walt Disney’sfantasies and dreams came true in two amusement parks ”Disneyland” inCalifornia (1954) and “Disney World” (1971) in Florida.
Millions of184visitors enjoy a lot of sophisticated attractions in these “MagicKingdoms”. Some years later, in 1992 the similar Disney parks wereopened 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”,“The Lion King” became quite successful. They were followed by“Pocahontas” (1995) and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1996). “ToyStory” pioneered computer-animated techniques.
Disney also continuedits strong presence in children’s animated programs for television, withAladdin and Gargoyles receiving high ratings.After World War II many new Hollywood stars appeared, such asIngrid Bergman, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Kirk Douglas,Gregory Peck, and Bert Lancaster. Such actors as Marlon Brando, JamesDin and Paul Newman began to use Stanislavski system, reaching greatintensity and realism.
Some actors appeared in a great number of films.E.g., only one actor and director Paul Newman produced and starred inforty-five films, among them “ The Hustler”, “Butch Cassidy”, “TheSundance Kid”, “The Sting” and ”Towering Inferno” and “Cat on a HotTin Roof” with the participation of Elizabeth Taylor. She also starred in“Cleopatra” in 1962. Film stars and Oscar Winners Audrey Heyburn andGregory Peck also became especially popular in the 60-70s ”RomanHoliday”, “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 Joneswere the most famous super hits. People could like or dislike them, but itis sure that the American films and Hollywood films in particular wereproduced at very high professional and technical standard.At our time gradually Hollywood has transformed beyond recognition.Step by step all its studios lost their independence and joinedtransnational companies.
Commercial success became more importantthen creative work. Filmed television programs turned into an importantAmerican export. As many countries found it cheaper to buy Americanprograms than to make their own, cinemagoers all over the world weremostly watching exported American blockbusters. Generations havegrown up watching American films. A lot of copies are made for VCRand sold all over the world. Film companies spent hundreds million185dollars on the film production and almost the same money on theiradvertisements. The films by famous directors and producers StevenSpielberg, Kevin Costner, Quentin Tarantino, Paul Verkhoven, Lucasreceive the most attention. The most highly paid actors SylvesterStallone, Jack Nicolson, Demy Moor, Julia Roberts, Sharon Stone andothers receive a lot of prestigious prizes and awards at the leadinginternational film festivals.MusicMusic in the USA is extremely varied.
The ensuing generations ofEuropean immigrants brought with them the classical music and theirGerman, Scottish and Irish folk ballads. Later America produced her ownmusic. Railroad workers, cowboys and miners composed their songsabout work, life and love. Black slaves’ songs, preserving the rhythmsand intonations of African tribes, acquired new features under theinfluence of Puritan hymns, resulting in Black hymns “spirituals” whichare considered by many musicians as the highest achievement ofAmerican folk art. Black spirituals such as “Nobody Knows the Trouble”,“When the Saints set off Machining” or “Go Down, Mosses” areremembered, sung and played even now. The list of folksong types in theUSA includes Afro-American narrative songs or ballads, the Spanishnarrative carried dance, Negro blues, spirituals, work songs, hymns,primitive Indian chants and prayers and the various European marchesand ballads.
In addition, there are superstitions, sayings, proverbs, andjokes that go with every national and racial group.Jazz is a mixture of West African folklore with the work songs theslaves sang and religious gospel music originated in church. Jazz, initiallya musical talk from downcast people to other downcast people, by the1920-40s had become popular among all people irrespective of their classor job distinctions or political views. The first jazz bands were formed inthe late 1800s.They played in bars and clubs in the South, especially inNew Orleans.The first American composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829-1869)enlivened his “serious” music with plantation melodies and Caribbeanrhythms from his New Orleans jazz bands. He was the first Americanpianist to achieve international recognition, but his early deathcontributed to his relative obscurity.George Gershwin (1898-1937) was also one of the first to use AfroAmerican melodies in his music.
Together with his brother he created186world famous opera “Porgy and Bess” and two musical comedies“Rhapsody in Blue” and “An American in Paris” which included jazzrhythms and blues.Aaron Copland (1900-90) indulged his interest in jazz as well. Besideswriting symphonies, concertos, and an opera, he composed the scores forseveral films. He is best known, however, for his ballet scores, whichdraw on American folk songs; among them are “Billy the Kid”, “Rodeo”.Copland chose a traditional Quaker religious song as one of the mainthemes for “Appalachian Spring”, which celebrated life in theAppalachian Mountains in the eastern region of the United States.The orchestras of Duke Ellington, Count William Bessie, FrankSinatra and Glam Miller became the universal musical culture, whichall Americans are proud of.
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