AP/CMDS 3713 3.00

The Decline of the Classical Hollywood Cinema: Post-WWII, the Cold War and the Rise of Corporate America

This course concentrates on the Hollywood cinema from 1946 to 1964. The aftermath of WWII produced political, social and cultural changes that effected the mainstream cinema. Politically, the Cold War led the government to publicly investigate the film industry and its connections to leftist ideals; socially, WWII brought to the forefront concerns about inequality home and abroad; culturally, WWII led to the public interest in 'realist' filmmaking, a challenge to the studio system and its meaning of production. In addition, corporate America saw the film industry as a means to encourage a consumerist lifestyle.