The golden age of Hollywood is now a chapter in history. Classic Hollywood, the period which gave birth to some of the most iconic movies, along with the brightest starlets, was a collective of alluring glamour and opulence. During this era, movies were not just about storytelling but also style and narrative.
The 1920s-1960s was the era of the studio system wherein the big production houses controlled every aspect of filmmaking from production to distribution. MGM, Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox were the studios that dominated the film industry during this period. Classic Hollywood was all about extravagant costumes, larger-than-life sets, epic scenes, and unforgettable soundtracks.
However, the studio system wasn’t meant to last forever. The American anti-trust laws came into play, which meant that studios would no longer own theatres. The advent of television, the rise of independent productions, and new directors, brought the end of the classical Hollywood era.
The changing sociocultural tides of America influenced the stories of the movies and the personalities of stars. Film scripts started to focus on modern and timely topics such as the Vietnam War, Civil Rights movement, Women’s liberation, and drug addiction.
Classic Hollywood also collided with a new Hollywood that was not afraid to challenge societal norms and conventions. The New Hollywood era with its fresh ideas and diverse subject matters invigorated the film industry, it proved that Hollywood still had a lot of life in it. This era gave birth to films such as The Godfather, The French Connection, and Chinatown.
The rise of auteur directors such as Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and Steven Spielberg shifted the film business in a new direction.
We now live in the digital age, filmmaking has gone beyond on-set shooting, as films get produced on mobile phones, and YouTube is producing and marketing stars.
Some may argue that we now live in a renaissance of what classic Hollywood stood for, while others may argue it is not the same.
The classic Hollywood is forever etched in our memories, it was the birthplace of legendary stories, famous actors, producing magic on celluloid, and a time that will live on in the hearts of film lovers all around the world.
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