Filmverdict’s creator and resident film geek, Mr Ricardo ‘The Webmaster’ McGlashan, has stated on many occasions how the 1970s seemingly churned out depressing and miserable yarns in an almost conveyor-like manner. Fortunately, he admits the classics of the era still define particular genres even today (Star Wars, anyone?) and as most of you will agree, hours of fun can still be had from watching the vintage works of the era’s movie brats. Indeed, if you fail to acknowledge the everlasting impact on film that Scorsese, Lucas, Spielberg, Coppola etc. have had, you cannot appreciate the art of cinema. Furthermore, one can almost guarantee that in almost any filmgoer’s “Top 100” list the 1970s will be well represented. No matter how much you try and avoid the eternal influence of the decade, one film will always stick out and plop itself into your personally adored films, whether it be The Godfather or Jaws, The Last Picture Show or Apocalypse Now, the New Hollywood has played the part of a permanent marker on A4 – the bold presence of the counterculture-bred, film school-educated, youth-orientated squiggles will never be erased.
Now, it’s still debatable as to what exactly contributes to this magical period of moviemaking. Even though Spielberg and Lucas cancelled out the earlier efforts of their buddies with bigger pictures towards the end of the decade, and consequently marked the beginning of the downhill spiral and frequency of personally energized projects on the smaller scale, they were still made within the actual decade. Inside the confines of our numerous daily filmic discussions, Rich has hinted at how he thinks a shift in tone and structure occurred between the bookends of the era, but for the sake of this blog post and to obey one the greatest authors on the history of the epoch, Peter Biskind, the “1970s” will encompass the films sandwiched between Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider and Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull. Granted, Bonnie and Clyde and The Graduate planted the seeds of the artistic renaissance and One from the Heart and Heaven’s Gate brought the whole movement to a conclusion, but they venture too far from the boundaries of the decade to be included. Easy Rider and Raging Bull simply perfectly encapsulate the post-classical feel the directors and studios came to desire.
The term “The Golden Age” is the regular tag given to that exquisite period of cinema from the late 1920s to late 1950s. I use the term “exquisite” very dexterously. Sure, that particular thirty year period gave us classic films such as Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, Citizen Kane and so forth, but the studio system had three times as much opportunity to manufacture hits compared to the New Hollywood age – they even shot themselves in the foot slightly by not welcoming diversity and mostly adhering to the formulaic structures of Westerns, slapstick comedies, musicals, biopics, and occasionally animated features. In fact, the 70s probably served up just as many “classics” in a third of the time. The movie brats even had the cheek to pay respect to their childhood heroes (the directors and stars firmly entrenched in the studio politics of the Golden Age) during their pictures and still mostly surpassed them in terms of quality. Some of you may think I’m not giving the classical period of American film much credit. I realise the technical constraints filmmakers were under back in those days and the factoryesque attitude the moneymen expected these commodities to be contrived with and consequently some sympathies must be expressed. However, unlike certain university lecturers of mine and kiss-ass film critics I’m not willing to bestow kudos upon the usual “classic” films for the integrity of my passion of film criticism or because they are simply old and so therefore “must be good”. Funnily enough though and for the record, I actually like a whole host of films from the aforementioned time, such as Mr Smith Goes to Washington and The Philadelphia Story to name just a few so I by no means detest that era whatsoever, I’m just cautious of hastily using superlatives.
Now, it’s still debatable as to what exactly contributes to this magical period of moviemaking. Even though Spielberg and Lucas cancelled out the earlier efforts of their buddies with bigger pictures towards the end of the decade, and consequently marked the beginning of the downhill spiral and frequency of personally energized projects on the smaller scale, they were still made within the actual decade. Inside the confines of our numerous daily filmic discussions, Rich has hinted at how he thinks a shift in tone and structure occurred between the bookends of the era, but for the sake of this blog post and to obey one the greatest authors on the history of the epoch, Peter Biskind, the “1970s” will encompass the films sandwiched between Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider and Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull. Granted, Bonnie and Clyde and The Graduate planted the seeds of the artistic renaissance and One from the Heart and Heaven’s Gate brought the whole movement to a conclusion, but they venture too far from the boundaries of the decade to be included. Easy Rider and Raging Bull simply perfectly encapsulate the post-classical feel the directors and studios came to desire.
The term “The Golden Age” is the regular tag given to that exquisite period of cinema from the late 1920s to late 1950s. I use the term “exquisite” very dexterously. Sure, that particular thirty year period gave us classic films such as Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, Citizen Kane and so forth, but the studio system had three times as much opportunity to manufacture hits compared to the New Hollywood age – they even shot themselves in the foot slightly by not welcoming diversity and mostly adhering to the formulaic structures of Westerns, slapstick comedies, musicals, biopics, and occasionally animated features. In fact, the 70s probably served up just as many “classics” in a third of the time. The movie brats even had the cheek to pay respect to their childhood heroes (the directors and stars firmly entrenched in the studio politics of the Golden Age) during their pictures and still mostly surpassed them in terms of quality. Some of you may think I’m not giving the classical period of American film much credit. I realise the technical constraints filmmakers were under back in those days and the factoryesque attitude the moneymen expected these commodities to be contrived with and consequently some sympathies must be expressed. However, unlike certain university lecturers of mine and kiss-ass film critics I’m not willing to bestow kudos upon the usual “classic” films for the integrity of my passion of film criticism or because they are simply old and so therefore “must be good”. Funnily enough though and for the record, I actually like a whole host of films from the aforementioned time, such as Mr Smith Goes to Washington and The Philadelphia Story to name just a few so I by no means detest that era whatsoever, I’m just cautious of hastily using superlatives.
Anyway, enough of that rambling tangent and back on to the matter in hand. The New Hollywood is simply the best period of motion pictures because it encompassed a vast array of genres (gritty realism to psychedelic sci-fi), showcased superb talents (Nicholson and Streep to Spielberg and Scorsese), and compiled a hybrid of irresistible influences to forever effect what constitutes a "motion picture" even today – the talented directors paid homage to international film history (European and Oriental in particular) and developed upon existing techniques and genres in an unprecedented manner. The period contained indies and big blockbuster budgeted hits, the casual flick and the event film, and surpassed the restrictions on sexuality and violence (which is never a bad thing). Films would simply be monotonous, with only the odd blockbuster popping up occasionally, if it had not been for the invaluable movement occurring. A fusion of diverse flair and type make up today's films, a debt owed to the New Hollywood. The Platinum Age has a nice ring to it.
Thanks for reading, take care and be well.
Joel
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