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History Through a Filmmaker's Lens
Fathom
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| Seminar Introduction |
The indelible image of King Kong atop the Empire State Buildin g clutching a captive Fay Wray and swatting planes can be easily recalled by many filmgoers. However, few viewers remember how Wray's character had gotten into such a mess in the first place. When examined closely, even the most outlandish plots can contain subtle historical or cultural imagery that reflect a particular point in the nation's history. For example, King Kong began when a desperate Wray followed a movie director to an exotic island (and home of King Kong) in order to escape her misery during the Great Depression.
In this seminar, Patricia King Hanson, executive editor and project director of the AFI Catalog of Feature Films, examines how films released during World War I, the Great Depression and World War II addressed, however subtly, these major world events. This seminar will focus on these three historical periods, using examples of American feature films developed throughout the 1910s to the 1940s to explain why particular stars, themes and genres became popular during these years.
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| Learning Objectives |
- List three of the technological advances made in the film industry during the first half of the twentieth century.
- Name three major stars from the 1910s through the 1940s and describe why audiences responded so positively to their performances.
- List some of the ways film genres and subject matter changed over three distinct historical periods.
- Examine the plots of several key films during each era and explore how their plots relate to current events happening at the time these films were released.
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| Sessions |
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| Credits |
This seminar was written by Patricia King Hanson in November 2001. Copyright American Film Institute.
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| Technical Requirements |
To appreciate this seminar experience, it is critical that you have the appropriate software, plug-ins, and network connections. Please take the time to download the latest versions of the plug-ins mentioned below if you do not already have them.
Browser: Netscape versions 4.x up to 4.76, or Internet Explorer versions 4.x or later. Your browser must be JavaScript-enabled and must be set to accept cookies.
Network Connection: The recommended minimum connection is 56Kbps with a throughput of 34Kbps or more. A faster connection is encouraged to take better advantage of the media elements in the seminar.
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