Studio System Flashcards
What is the timeline for The Golden Age of Hollywood?
Between the late 1930s and the late 1950s / early 1960s
What year was the most profitable in Hollywood’s history?
1946
What percentage of Americans went to the cinema weekly in 1946?
57%
What is the Studio System?
The organisation of the production, distribution and exhibition of Hollywood films during the Golden Age
What are the three main components of the Studio System?
- Production
- Distribution
- Exhibition
What does Vertical Integration refer to in the Studio System?
The control of Production, Distribution and Exhibition by a single corporate entity
Who were The Big Five studios?
- 20th Century Fox
- Warner Bros
- MGM
- Paramount
- RKO
What was the Motion Picture Production Code?
A set of guidelines for self-censorship in Hollywood from 1930-1966
What are the three general principles of The Production Code?
- No picture shall lower moral standards
- Correct standards of life shall be presented
- Law shall not be ridiculed
Who coined the term Classical Hollywood Cinema?
David Bordwell
What are the two key elements of Classical Hollywood Film according to David Bordwell?
- Narrative Logic
- Cinematic Time and Space
What is Narrative Logic in Classical Hollywood Cinema?
The narrative progresses as a character moves through struggle towards a defined goal
How is time treated in Classical Hollywood Cinema?
Time is linear and continuous
What is meant by Cinematic Space in Classical Hollywood Cinema?
The use of space to create believability, often through mise-en-scène
What style of lighting is primarily used in Classical Hollywood Cinema?
Three-point lighting
What is the significance of Hitchcock’s film ‘Vertigo’?
It is seen as an intensely personal movie that subverts traditional studio film attributes
What is Alfred Hitchcock known as?
The Master of Suspense
What are some notable films by Alfred Hitchcock?
- Vertigo
- North by Northwest
- Psycho
Which actress is associated with MGM during the Golden Age?
Gene Kelly
What is a defining characteristic of Jimmy Stewart in the Golden Age?
They were often portrayed as ‘The Everyman’ - morally good and relatable
Name a genre associated with Warner Bros during the Golden Age.
Crime Dramas
What is the role of the Movie Moguls in the Studio System?
They held significant power within the studios
What does it mean to say actors were bound by seven-year contracts?
They were contracted to a single studio for a fixed term, often paid a weekly salary
How did Hitchcock’s work challenge the Studio System?
He managed to create personal films that often opposed studio conventions
