El Cine

Blockbuster." "World Wide Fame." "Billion Dollar Studio Production." All of these words have at one point or another been associated with the great classic films since the dawn of the cinematic industry. The most memorable upbeat, romantic, or inspiring films are persistently produced at a time when the surrounding morale is slowly deteriorating, almost as a testament to the constanttransformation of the media. This evolution has been semiotically studied by great minds such as Henry Stubbes and John Locke, used largely for interpretation purposes. It is noted that the media has the power to influence social and political behavior, resulting in culture and popular trends, instead of natural forces, that guide us. For the conservatives residing in our great nation, the mere presence ofthis semiotic theory is virtually unbearable. However, when examined at a closer range these thoughts become vivid and clear- even our precious notion of personal choice is clearly a subjective distortion of the media's influential opinion.
Popular culture has been transforming itself furiously for the better part of this century- always inventing new "fads" and slang terminology. However withinthe past few years, the rapid change has been digressing- the newest trends are to revert back to earlier decades. Some wonder why this retro movement is gaining such a fierce following...maybe it's because everyone recalls the simplicity of their youth. Such pictures as "The Wizard of Oz" and "Casablanca" refer to a time when there was truly something to fight for, a time when the worlds ofentertainment and politics collided in a prosperous manner. This viewpoint cannot be argued, as The Second World War was in full swing during the production of both films. Also, both are infused with strong relationship-centric plotlines, a common worry among Americans in wartime.
By examining two still shots taken from these classics, we are allowed a better insight a to what makes our social behaviortick. First of all, the mere presence of the photographs in their black and white imagery enables a broader range of emotion to surface- the gleam in Bergman's eye and the toothy grins of Garland and company. The intensity of the absence of color immediately draws the viewer's eye to the subject's facial expressions. These photographs are clearly relative to the people and their everyday emotion-torment, love, peace, and happiness. The viewer cannot help but to be enamored with facial features of each character- the absence of text allows viewer's minds to wander to the context in which these frames were taken.
Another consideration is the time period in which these films were made. "The Wizard Of Oz" came at a time where the United States was reemerging after The Great Depression, henceits' upbeat can-do attitude. On the other hand is the war-torn star-crossed tale of "Casablanca," clearly reflecting the nation's involvement in the Second World War. The aspect of culture exemplified here is the emotion reflected by the political happenings surrounding the times, and how similar tales regain popularity in the midst of current national woes. Even today, more movies that form anytype of cohesive plot are based on the premise of "good kicking evil's butt," such as "World Trade Center" and "Hanover Street." While today's Hollywood is not determined to make many films with depth, these trends undeniably reflect our nation's struggles with the War on Terror. Americans have a history of using the movies as an outlet to persuade the public with feelings of warmth and security,often attempting to squelch any negativity or panic. While we innocently watch as pop culture consistently churns and molds itself, certain aspects will always remain the same. There will always be great icons of classic movies, and there will always be movies made that will capture the spirit of the public.

YOU TUBE, GOOGLE IN THE FILM INDUSTRY
YouTube, and its parent company Google, are...