Hollywood Renaissance: 1970s American Cinema Saturday 21 March 2015 10.30am – 4.30pm Tutors: Nigel Herwin The 1970s are now regarded as a golden period for American cinema. The old studio system had collapsed during the 1960s and what emerged was both innovative and exciting. Taking their influence from European art cinema and classic Hollywood, a new breed of directors made a series of intensely personal and uncompromising films such as The Last Picture Show and Taxi Driver. By examining the classic movies of the period, along with some forgotten gems, this day school will chart the changes in American cinema during the 1970s. It will explore how the films reflect the anxieties of Vietnam and Watergate, and how the blockbusters began to take over by the end of the decade. Special attention will be paid to the key directors of the period – the so-called “Movie Brats” – along with the rise of the “anti-hero” and the attempts to address an increasingly diverse audience. Furthermore, it will look at how “New Hollywood” has influenced the cinema of today. Day School Outline (Please note that the following may be subject to change) Session 1: “Hollywood Renaissance!” • Introductions. • What is “New Hollywood”? • How it came about and its influences. • Popular genres of the 1970s. Session 2: “God’s Lonely Man!” • The Rise of the “anti-hero”. • A new type of film star emerges. • The impact of Vietnam and Watergate. Session 3: “The Movie Brats!" • A new breed of directors. • Coppola, Scorsese, and Spielberg. • Forgotten figures of “New Hollywood” cinema. Session 4: “May the Force be with You!” • The rise of the blockbuster. • What have we missed? • The influence of 1970s American cinema. • Final conclusions.