Classical Hollywood Cinema

Most films made today follow the same conventions. These are called Classical Hollywood films. The word 'classical' makes me think of the old and 'classic' black and white films in the 1940's, but that appears not to be the case. All the classical hollywood movies follow the IMR conventions I have previously blogged about that involves camera work, sound and editing.

According to Bordwell and Thompson, the 6 main principal characteristics of Classical Hollywood cinema are:

• Individual characters as causal agents - The character doesn't have to necessarily need to be human. Now with advancing technology, CGI (computer generated images) can re-create characters for a movie. The last alternative for a character is an animal and this can be found in movies such as Babe.

• Desire - This represents a goal someone has or needs to achieve by the end of the movie. Harry Potter has goals and sub-goals within the movies and therefore makes for an interesting storyline. Some movies end in a disequilibrium where the character doesn't reach there final goal

• Change in characters - Within the film the characters personality can change due to the events that take place within the film. A good example of a film that shows a change in characteristics is Handcock, where the hero starts off not caring for the cities people but finds purpose.

• Appointment or deadline - E.g. Within the Hangover they need to find their friends before the wedding. This is the type of movie where the equilibrium can or cannot be met. Within the first film the ending is left on a 'cliff hanger' and the equilibrium isn't met.

• Opposition that creates conflict - This is one of the biggest themes for Classical Hollywood films. Usually there is an enemy that needs to be defeated for life to become balanced once more. In Pacific Rim, aliens destroy cities at any given moment (the conflict) and so they must stop them from appearing on earth.

• Closure - Within this theme the character has to find closure to something unknown. Within the film Sherlock, he needs to find who commits murder. This isn't solved until the end of the film.