Change in Popular Culture, 1973-80 Flashcards
(24 cards)
Similarities to Earlier Periods
Themes
Escapist films popular
Focus on idyllic family life and nostalgia maintained
Similarities to Earlier Periods
Film
Rocky (1976) - Rags to fame, American Dream
Star Wars (1977), and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1978) - Optimistic sci-fi escapism
American Graffiti (1973) and Grease (1978) - nostalgic depiction of teen life in 1950s
Similarities to Earlier Periods
TV
Fantasy Island (1977-84) - escapist, viewers tired of social consciousness
The Waltons (1971-81) - white family in Appalachia in Depression + war years, portrayed as ‘ideal’
Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983) - rose tinted past on western plains
Similarities to Earlier Periods
Analysis
Many Middle Americans watched same programmes + films as 50s/60s
Nostalgic element, provided escapism from life and economic + social problems
Changes: Social Consciousness
General Social Issues
All in the Family (1971-79) - Second World War vet + blue collar worker as central character
Ranted about liberal and progressive ideas, presented as a bigot but many in Middle America agreed
Issues like abortion, sexuality, Vietnam War, racism, women’s lib
Changes: Social Consciousness
Feminism
Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-77) - Female heroine was 30-something, single, intelligent working woman
Faced less intelligent, sexist men in workplace
Changes: Social Consciousness
Sexuality
A Question of Love (1978) - Made for TV movie about lesbian mother’s child custody case
Changes: Social Consciousness
Analysis
Increased coverage of topics not previously discussed or documented in popular media
Changes: Politically Controversial Events
Vietnam War
M.A.S.H. (1972-83) - most watched TV comedy of 1970s, set in military hospital in Korean War. Strong message about Vietnam
The Deer Hunter (1978) - Best Picture Award, 3 Pennsylvania steelworkers during + after war
Apocalyspse Now (1979) - Brutal, realistic depiction of Vietnam War
Changes: Politically Controversial Events
Environmental Issues
Soylent Green (1973) - Future world of environmental disaster, poverty etc
Small male elite reduced women to status of slaves
Changes: Politically Controversial Events
Corruption
All the President’s Men (1976) - Washington Post reporters who exposed scandal of Watergate
China Syndrome (1979) - Cover-up of near meltdown of nuclear plants, debate over public good vs private greed and political corruption
Changes: Politically Controversial Events
Analysis
Films exposing social + political issues of the era
Desire to watch coverage of politically controversial topics/events growing - focus on contemporary concerns
Change: Black Americans
Historical Reflection
Roots (1977) - American slavery
Followed black American family from enslavement to end of Civil War
History curriculum in some states
**100 million viewers **of last episode - nearly half population
Changes: Black Americans
Growth in Media
Rise of Blaxploitation films - black casts, set in ghettos
Black heroes overcame corrupt whites
More than 200 movies (1969-74)
Horror (Blacula, 1972), westerns, comedy (Watermelon Man, 1970), drama etc
Crticism of studio willingness to ‘cash in’ and actors’ willingness to contribute to offensive stereotypes
Changes: Black Americans
Analysis
Increased representation of black people, range of genres - drew audiences
But limitations: not necessarily good representation
Changes - Sexual Revolution
Hayes Code
From 1934 Production Code Administration monitored content of movies
1968 - code abandoned in favour of film rating
Changes - Sexual Revolution
Titilation in TV
Charlie’s Angels (1976-81) - Three private investigator heroines
Farrah Fawcett-Majors said it was number one because ‘none of us wears a bra’
Development of non-explicit but provocative TV, known as ‘jigglevision’ by critics
Changes - Sexual Revolution
Sexually Graphic Movies
Last Tango in Paris (1973) - explicit even by today’s standards
Porn movie, Deep Throat (1972) - massive hit among ordinary filmgoers
Changes - Sexual Revolution
Analysis
Audiences able to watch explicit films that had been censored previously - more freedom for filmakers
More female characters on TV, but highly sexualised
Changes - Development of News Media
Investigative Journalism
Inspired by Vietnam War, credibilty gap, and Watergate
1968 - CBS News Programme 60 Minutes, led the way in investigative journalism eg hidden cameras and ‘gotcha’ journalism
Changes - Development of News Media
Newspapers
No national papers 1973-1980
Circulation buoyant 1973-1980
Daily circulation of papers was 26 million in 1973, rose to 32 million in 1980, national population of over 200 million
Changes - Development of News Media
Informal Comments
ABC’s New York news programme in 1968, copied across stations in America
‘Happy talk’ - additional and informal comments in news delivery
Changes - Development of News Media
Marginalised Groups
1973 - Battle of the Sexes tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs
The NOW campaigned for more women on TV
Development of special reports on current issues in 1970s increased opportunities for women eg Barbara Walters on ABC Evening News in 1976
Changes - Development of News Media
Analysis
Nature of news collection transformed - lack of trust in politicians, news saw it as role to discover truth
‘Happy talk’ - informal, less rigid presentation, foundation for news media + journalism in present day
More ‘on demand’
