- •American Studies exam
- •Билет 1
- •1. American Civil Rights Movement discrimination against minorities
- •2. David Griffith and the Stars of the Silent Films Era
- •Билет 2
- •1. The American Corporation The Essential Elements of the Corporate Structure
- •The Evolution Of the American Corporation
- •Standard Oil and the arrival of big business
- •2. The Presidency
- •Билет 3
- •1. American Federalism
- •4 Levels
- •2. The American Film Making of the 30ies (Hollywood major studios, the studio years, the Production Code).
- •Билет 4
- •1. The Structure, the Rules and Procedures of the Congress.
- •2. Cultural Regionalism
- •The Northeast
- •The South
- •The West
- •The Midwest
- •Билет 5
- •1. The American Constitution: the Story of Making of the Constitution.
- •2. American Character.
- •Билет 6
- •1. American Newspapers (historical and modern aspects)
- •2. The Frontier Heritage.
- •Western culture is based on the frontier heritage. Билет 7
- •1. American Magazines
- •2. Crime and Law
- •Билет 8
- •1. The American Radio.
- •2. "My Cousin Vinnie": the American Court Procedure.
- •Билет 9
- •1. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights.
- •2. New York: Landmarks and Celebrations.
- •Билет 10
- •1. American Educational System: Primary and Higher.
- •2. Puritan Heritage.
- •Билет 11
- •1. Business Tycoons of the 19-th Century: Methods of Doing Business.
- •2. The Bill of Rights.
- •Билет 12.
- •1. Geographical Regionalism.
- •2. The American System of Government.
- •Билет 13
- •1. The Articles of the American Constitution.
- •2. Western Heritage.
- •Билет 14
- •1. Policymaking: Global Policy.
- •2. The System of American Courts.
- •Билет 15
- •1. Us Domestic Policy.
- •2. The Famous Film Directors and Actors of the 30ies
- •Билет 16.
- •1. Nominations, Campaigns and Elections.
- •2. The Federal Reserve System, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Stock Exchange.
2. The American Film Making of the 30ies (Hollywood major studios, the studio years, the Production Code).
Hollywood producers did not hurry to shoot films with sound tracks. They perfectly understood that Hollywood actors used to show fillings with the help of facial expression and gestures and they would have problems with dialogues. Many actors had strong foreign accent. But in 1920 "Warner Brothers" company had financial problems and to improve its financial position shooted the film "Don Huan" with a sound track. The film became popular. Silent cinema era finally ended in 1927 when the film "Jass Singer" with Al Jolson appeared. The appearance of sound in cinema was connected with some difficulties. When the actors began to speak, they stopped to move, because they were attached to microphones. Absence of movement was compensated by dialogues. As a result some films of that times, for example "New-York Lights" were called "illustrated radio". Besides the films were full of music and songs out of measure to use the possibilities of sound completely. But the audience quickly became tired of it and such musicals did not make much profit. Change over to talking cinema was very expensive, that is why Hollywood had to look for money and to appeal to banks and other business enterprises. In return for it many of them required to avoid delicate topics in the films. As a result in 1934 the Heits Code was adopted. It introduced censorship limitations. Joseph Brinn controlled the observance of this code. In accordance with this code in Hollywood films they could not criticize any religious convictions, show surgical operations, use of drugs, hard drinking, cruelty to people and animals. It was prohibited to use any swearwords. Strict limitations were imposed on everything connected with sex. When Hollywood developed production of the films with sound track it quickly recovered its image of the best films producer, which made Hollywood the capital of the world cinema production. The years 1930-1945 became the golden age of Hollywood. During this years 7500 full-length films were shot there. Hollywood was named the factory of stars. It attracted attention not only by films, but by the way of life of its actors, which was described in newspapers and magazines. In the 30th Hollywood became a myth. At that time it consisted of 8 large firms: "Metro Goldwyn Myer", "Paramount Pictures", "RKO Radio", "Warner Brothers", "Universal", "United Artists". It was the time of flowering of Hollywood. After the appearance of talking cinema only one new studio was founded - "RKO Radio". The largest studio was "MGM" which offered, that they had more stars, than in the sky. This studio specialized in bright and cheerful family films. "Paramount" studio shot the films on the topics of wealth, power and human passions. "United Artists" studio did not shoot its own films, but provided the here of independent producers films. "Warner Brothers" studio was not very reach, but shot popular gangster films and musicals. "XX Century Fox" shot musicals and historic films. "Universal" studio did not have equals during the era of silent cinema, but when talking cinema appeared they had to begin shooting of cheap films, mainly horror films. "Columbia" studio was in disastrous state and existed due to the lending of stars and producers from the other studios.
The Studio years 1930 - 1955.
7500 a drastic need for large number of opulent technically films. Part of the total industrial output. A need to plan. More like a factory,, assembly line technique. The division of labour. Special department of technicians, the director's role increased, producer's decreased. There were very few directors to shape the script, control its editing. Most of the directors were just technicians.
The Productoion Code
1944 - was adopted in response to public protests, the Legion of Decency who were opposed to sex and violence. It included American bishop. It threatened to boycott the industry
A great number of restrictions. The Code forbade to show secenes of passion, adultery, rape, seduction only when to the plot. Absolutely forbidden sexual relation ship. Prostitution, vulgarity, excessive drinking, cruelty, representation of a weapon, surgical operation, policemen never die, no crime could be shown as justified. Films became predictable.