After an initial phase of experimentation, Hollywood expanded into a major money-making business centred around entertainment for the masses. The Studio System that formed around it dictated it to be thus. When talkies replaced silent pictures after 1929, the Golden Age of Hollywood was in full swing and arguably, Hollywood became the primary thing that … Continue reading American Nostalgia, Part 3 – Hollywood
I have been wondering a lot about what makes the quintessential ‘American movie.’ God knows, they have been trying to hammer something home to us for as long as I have been on this earth watching movies...and I think it has something to do with the so-called ‘American Dream.’ I am aware that movies do … Continue reading American Nostalgia, Part 1 – Sports Movies
The Shootist (1976) begins like so many other westerns: the main character, a mysterious lone figure emerging from the wilderness, reluctantly on his way into civilisation. In this case the wilderness is the snow-covered mountains and foothills outside of Carson City and the lone figure, wrapped and hunched against the cold, is John Bernard Books. … Continue reading “The most celebrated shootist extant” – John Wayne and The Shootist
The Woodstock Festival in the summer of 1969, as many will attest to, marked a landmark in the American post-war social consciousness. Michael Wadleigh’s award winning documentary Woodstock (1970) brilliantly captured the infamous concert in its entirety, not only showcasing the creative musical talent that marked the decade prior but also informing us of a … Continue reading The American Road Movie: Driving Away From the 1960s Counterculture
Momentary Cinema 