ESSAY PLAN - HOLLYWOOD

COMPARE THE EXTENT TO WHICH YOUR TWO CHOSEN FILMS ARE PRODUCTS OF THEIR WIDER CONTEXTS.

ARTHUR PENN 1967, SET IN 1930 - BONNIE AND CLYDE

BILLY WILDER  1959, SET IN 1929 - SOME LIKE IT HOT

INTRO:

- Identify both films and explain when they were set.

- Express the similarities and differences of the setting. 

- Classical Hollywood vs New Hollywood. 

- The films produced between the later 1960s and later 1980s can all be seen in terms of 'New Hollywood', where a new generation of directors began to show new influences.

- Penn attempting to destroy the hays code, whilst Wilder follows the hays code. 

This essay will analyse the extent to which Some Like it Hot and Bonnie and Clyde can be compared when their production context is examined. Wilder's film comes at the end of what is notionally the 'Golden Era' of Hollywood whilst Penn's film strongly reflects the production context of what has been termed 'New Hollywood'. Old Hollywood was characterised by the strong influence of the studio system, which arguably remained powerful since the early days of the 1920's. The rise of the new generation of filmmakers amongst wider contextual influences within American society led to the new departure in Hollywood in 1960. The extent to which the films I will explore are part of their Hollywood production context will be scrutinised with reference to specific sequences. The issues I examine across the films and directors are gender, identity and sexuality. 

1st PARA:

- Bonnie and Clyde in the car scene, where she screams at Blanche for destroying the plans. 

- We see the viewpoint of a strong female woman.

- The power distinction of the two characters. 

- Set in 1930, made in 1967. 

- Penn places Bonnie as a stronger character, as he destroys the conventions of Gender and power. 

MIRCO FEATURES: BONNIE'S TONE COMPARED TO BLANCHE, HE PRESENTS BLANCHE TO CONTRADICT BLANCHE DUE TO HER 

2nd PARA:

- Some Like It Hot, representation of women. 

- The two men look down upon her.

- Her drinking problem - women are meant to be pure. 

- The male gaze is representative of women's roles in films. 

3rd PARA: 

- Bonnie and Clyde dream sequence.

- Costume represents her changed persona. 

- Destroying the hays code, disrespecting the constrictive restraints. 

- He expressing the antagonist story. 

4th PARA: 

- Some like it hot end sequence.

- He deals with gender issues and attempts to destroy traditional notions of sexuality. 

- The Old Hollywood starts to move towards the New Hollywood. 

- The values are shifting from conventional attitudes. 

- The scene is comedic for a passive spectator, however an active spectator would see the deeper meaning behind the social attitudes within the scene. 

- He makes the LGBT movement public. 

MICRO FEATURES: FRAMING, COSTUME, 

CONLUSION:

- They both attempt to destroy societal conventions.

- They are more similar as they both try to deal with Gender issues whilst moving forward to New Hollywood. 

SIMILIARITIES:

- Both directors explore different themes. 

- They both express the new movements; LGBT

DIFFERENCES:

- Tone of voice for both female characters. 

- The colour of clothing.