Session Six Global Hollywood Dr. Richard Nowell Department of Film Studies and Audiovisual Culture Masaryk University ¨16:20–17:45 ¨Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012) ¨ ¨17:45: 18:00 ¨Break ¨ ¨18:00–19:15 ¨The Re-internationalization of the Hollywood Blockbuster ¨ madagascar_three.jpg ¨Historical conditions driving the recent re-internationalization of high-end Hollywood Output ¨ ¨The governing Principles of the re-internationalized Blockbuster ¨ ¨Textual and thematic tendencies, and specific articulations ¨ ¨(Using Hollywood films to promote Hollywood) ¨ ¨ war_of_the_worlds.jpg ¨ ¨“In many ways the work of the critic is easy. We risk very little; yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that in the grand scheme of things the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something: that is in the discovery and the defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talent, and new creations. The new needs friends … Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere”. anton ego.jpg ratatouille02.jpg The-Soup-ratatouille-10105265-540-252.jpg ¨Digitization, Conglomeration, and Globalization ¨ ¨Stress on digitization and conglomeration posits evolution – linear development – within the Contemporary Period ¨ ¨Fantasy of high concept is reality: Hollywood is a machine licensing and supplying superficial audiovisual content ¨ ¨However, “globalization” (Hollywood’s increased attention to non-US markets) signals a return to the classical period ¨ ¨In terms of movie content, this is the biggest paradigm shift ¨ ¨1. What content and themes were used to make Madagascar 3 attractive to a non-US audience? 1. ¨2. What specific non-US moviegoers are being courted? ¨ ¨3. Why would this material be seen to help attract those audiences? ¨ ¨4. How does Madagascar 3 use allegory to promote Hollywood and its products? 1. madagascar_three.jpg ¨Historical conditions driving the recent re-internationalization of high-end Hollywood Output ¨ ¨The governing Principles of the re-internationalized Blockbuster ¨ ¨Textual and thematic tendencies, and specific articulations ¨ ¨(Using Hollywood films to promote Hollywood) ¨ ¨ war_of_the_worlds.jpg ¨Pre-1970s: big-budget films were tailored specifically for international as well as North American audiences ¨ ¨70s -90s: American cinema is mainly inward looking: think Top Gun! ¨ ¨Maximize domestic market (new US audiences and home delivery) ¨ ¨High end fare is mainly set in the US, and feature US characters and actors ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ sound_of_music_ver2.jpg batman.jpg e_t_the_extra_terrestrial_ver2.jpg roman_holiday_ver3.jpg x_men_two_ver2.jpg dark_knight_ver5.jpg finding_nemo.jpg star wars greek.jpg pirates_of_the_caribbean_on_stranger_tides_ver9.jpg madagascar_three.jpg lord_of_the_rings_the_two_towers_ver3.jpg skyfall_ver9.jpg titanic_ver2.jpg harry_potter_and_the_half_blood_prince_ver19.jpg ¨ ¨What are some of the factors that led Hollywood to place great emphasis on certain international markets? ¨Why might Hollywood have started once again to place emphasis on certain overseas markets? ¨ ¨What are those markets likely to be? ¨ ¨What distinguishes those markets from the rest of the world? ¨1990s: Major overseas markets grow ¨1. Gentrified exhibition sector ¨2. Deregulation of television ¨3. Growth of home video ¨ ¨Initial efforts tentative ¨1. Medium-Budget films ¨2. Old Style Historical Epics ¨ ¨Internationalization of high concept blockbuster is gradual despite Jurassic Park … until Titanic that is jurassic_park_ver1.jpg robin_hood_prince_of_thieves.jpg schindlers_list.jpg ronin.jpg ¨North America has always been biggest market: 40% of income (5% of world’s population) ¨ ¨But market cannot support high cost of most Hollywood films ¨ ¨80% of remaining 60% from … ¨ ¨Japan, Australia, UK , Germany, France, Spain, and Italy ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ratatouille.jpg titanic_ver2.jpg da_vinci_code.jpg bourne_supremacy_ver4.jpg ¨Solvency hinges on Big Seven ¨ ¨These nations have a large middle-class and a solid exchange rate ¨ ¨Hollywood courts movie-watchers in its major overseas markets ¨ ¨It seeks to avoid the alienation of smaller markets like Czech republic ¨ ¨Most 21st century blockbusters made with US and some of big 7 in mind ¨ adventures_of_tintin_the_secret_of_the_unicorn_ver2.jpg casino_royale_ver5.jpg harry_potter_and_the_half_blood_prince_ver19.jpg Pirates.jpg ¨ ¨Economic necessity shapes content ¨ ¨Goals ¨1. Increase marketability; attract audiences ¨2. Maximize pleasure; fuel positive sentiments; retain those audiences ¨ ¨Rationale ¨Viewers often gravitate to assumed domestic fare (based on “national” content/personnel) ¨ ¨Hollywood’s assocation with the US means that popular Anti-Americanism can damage business smurfs_ver3.jpg casino_royale_ver5.jpg ¨Exceeds accessibility of 70s/80s fare ¨ ¨Familiarization: ¨Offers reference points to viewers in the major non-US markets ¨ ¨Dilution: ¨Reduces perceived American-ness of films – formally and thematically ¨ ¨Cultural Diplomacy: ¨Showcases normalcy and benefits of “America” overseas ¨ pirates_of_the_caribbean_on_stranger_tides_ver9.jpg captain_america_the_first_avenger.jpg mamma_mia_ver3.jpg xmen_first_class_ver6.jpg ¨ ¨ ¨In what ways was Cars 2 tailored to be marketable and appealing to non-American Audiences? ¨Response to the poor performance of the US-centered Cars ¨ ¨Employs travelogue format – pictures major markets as settings ¨ ¨International Groups: avoids associating “evil” with any nation ¨ ¨Shows Americans maturing from overseas experiences and interaction ¨ cars_two_ver9.jpg cars_two_ver11.jpg cars_two_ver10.jpg ¨Uses Euro-friendly theme of ecology to reach out to assumed left-liberal positions ¨ ¨Demonizes big oil – i.e. international corporations ¨ ¨But, invokes car-centered media – sports TV – to suggest global media is anodyne ¨ ¨Thus, in contrast to oil, Hollywood is the good face of global commerce! ¨1. What content and themes were used to make Madagascar 3 attractive to a non-US audience? 1. ¨2. What specific International moviegoers are being courted? ¨ ¨3. Why would this material be seen to help attract those audiences? ¨ ¨4. How does Madagascar 3 use allegory to promote Hollywood and its products? 1. madagascar_three.jpg ¨Animation enables content to be recalibrated through dubbing ¨ ¨Post-cards European locations/ downplays US as a superior location ¨ ¨Humble, unthreatening “Americans” (are actually nomads from Africa!) ¨ ¨Strong national “foreign” stereotypes ¨ ¨Power: negotiated, multidirectional ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨Villain parodies US Stereotypes ¨ ¨Also, anti-hero for parents weary of having to watch these films ¨ ¨Circus is metaphor for Hollywood ¨ ¨Promotes superiority of US-European family entertainment ¨ ¨Film promotes itself and twenty-first Century Hollywood ¨ ¨These ideas are transferable! ¨ ¨We can deconstruct movies into their constituent elements ¨ ¨Stories take place in time and space, and feature protagonists, antagonists, and supporting characters ¨ ¨We also need to consider personnel, inter-textuality, (reference to other cultural products) and themes* ¨ ¨*perhaps avoiding academic exercises in free association! ¨ oceans_twelve_ver3.jpg star_wars_episode_one_the_phantom_menace_ver2.jpg harry_potter_and_the_half_blood_prince_ver19.jpg sherlock_holmes_ver8.jpg smurfs_ver3.jpg da_vinci_code.jpg lord_of_the_rings_the_fellowship_of_the_ring_ver3.jpg finding_nemo.jpg ice_age_two_the_meltdown_ver3.jpg avatar_ver5.jpg hulk.jpg wall_e.jpg batman_begins_ver4.jpg bourne_ultimatum.jpg inception_ver14.jpg ¨Hollywood Majors needs “Big 7” International markets to remain solvent ¨ ¨Dilutes perceived American-ness of most high-end films (and also many medium budget films as well) ¨ ¨Spotlights familiar references for major markets ¨ ¨Tempers potentially US-patriotic material ¨ ¨Normalizes cross-border flows of cultural products and of Americans ¨ ¨Often creates overtly accented forms of transnational cinema ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨Hollywood’s global operations tend to be framed in terms of ¨1. Recentness ¨2. Imposition of outside culture ¨ ¨It is also important to bear in mind: ¨1. Their historical dimensions ¨2. The concessions made to content ¨ ¨“Americanization” stresses public acquiescence to foreign agents, yet we might note that movie-going is a voluntary activity which is encouraged by compromising content to the assumed preferences of local audiences. Hollywood only has a certain amount of confidence in the exportability of “American” movies.