The Progression of Hollywood
At the beginning of the 19th century, filmmakers flocked to the Hollywood hills to escape Edison Picture's patents on New York and the surrounding areas. With them they brought star actors and actresses, and a plethora of new ideas and innovations that they were eager to share with the world. Cinema was an art, the art of light and the art of entertainment. Filmmakers like D.W. Griffith were not concerned primarily with making a profit off of their productions, but showcasing their ability to practice their art. Movies captured the hearts and minds of the masses with true original comedy, emotion, and natural talent. The concept of "going to the movies" was predominantly familiar with the working class. No filmmaker in the time had gone to an elite school, and in fact many of them were considered uneducated or dropouts. They worked from the ground up to earn their fame, respect, and notoriety.
In today's Hollywood, I find very little emphasis placed on art. Movies are advertised on "star-power", or who can get the biggest names in their movies so people will come see them, and generate a profit. This was also true of film in the 20's. People would hear names like Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, or Al Jolson and flock to the theaters. Aspiring young actors and actresses who once joined acts in vaudeville now travel to Southern California, patiently awaiting their big break in a television show of movie.
Today, you see a lot of films that are sequels or remakes, and comparatively few "new" ideas. The special-effects classic King Kong has been made and remade thrice in the past 100 years. Harry Warner, president of Warner Brothers Inc., was quoted as saying "If the producers of pictures see only the dollar, then I believe those production efforts will fail." It is because of this logic that so many "3-D" films fail. They're meant to entertain solely with their effects, with very little attention paid to their story-line. The art of film has become an industry just like anything else, fueled by the masses constant hunger for new entertainment. |