STUDYING HOLLYWOOD - CONCEPTS & CONCETEXTS
READING NOTES
1.Thompson, Kristin and David Bordwell (2003): “Introduction: Film History and How It Is Done”, Film History: An Introduction (Second Edition), New York: McGraw-Hill, 1-10
WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT OLD FILMS?
- Films have been the most influential media in the past 100 years and have an impact on our daily lives in various forms
- "Some offer intense artistic experiences or penetrating visions of human life in other times and places. Some are documents of everyday existence or of extraordinary historical events that continue to reverberate in our times."
- We must adjust our own field of view to accommodate what was, astonishingly, taken for granted by others.
WHAT DO FILM HISTORIANS DO?
- Film historians mount research programs
- The historian tries to describe a process or state of affairs. They asks what and who and where and when. What is this film, and who made it, and where and when? In what ways does this director's work differ from other?
- They try to explain a process or state of affairs. They ask how does this work and why does this happen?
- They propose and explanatory argument by having asked and answer how or why based on evidence and knowledge
- Regarding evidence, there are primary and secondary resources see page 5 for details
TYPES OF EXPLANATION IN FILM HISTORY
- Biographical History: Focusing on an individual's life history
- Industrial or Economic History: Focusing on business practices
- Aesthetic History: Focusing on film art (form, style, genre)
- Technological History: Focusing on the materials and machines of film
- Social/Cultural/Political History: Focusing on the role of cinema in the larger society
