Active learning ideas
The Emergence of New Hollywood marks a seismic shift in American cinema, reflecting the social upheavals of the 1960s and 70s. Students explore how the breakdown of the Production Code and the rise of the 'Movie Brats', directors like Coppola, Scorsese, and Spielberg, led to a new era of stylistic experimentation and thematic grit. This period is crucial for understanding how film responds to its cultural context, including the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement.
Activity 01
Divide the class into 'Old Guard' studio executives and 'New Wave' directors. They must debate who should have final cut privilege over a film, using specific examples of creative control from the 1970s.
What cultural factors led to the rise of New Hollywood?
Activity 02
Place images of 1960s social events (Vietnam protests, Woodstock, Civil Rights) around the room. Students circulate and annotate how these events might have influenced the themes of New Hollywood films they have watched.
How do New Hollywood films subvert classical narrative structures?
Activity 03
In pairs, students take a scene from a Classical Hollywood film and 'remake' it as a New Hollywood sequence by changing the ending to be more ambiguous or adding a stylistic flourish like a jump cut.
In what ways did directors assert themselves as auteurs?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
New Hollywood directors were just trying to be rebellious.
Their rebellion was often born of economic necessity and a desire to capture a younger, more cynical audience. A comparative analysis of box office trends helps students see the commercial logic behind the art.
New Hollywood and the French New Wave are the same thing.
While New Hollywood was heavily influenced by the French New Wave, it remained rooted in American genre traditions. Peer teaching sessions can help clarify these distinct but related influences.
Methods used in this brief
Classical Hollywood Narrative and Style
Students investigate the studio system and the formal conventions of Classical Hollywood cinema. They will analyse how lighting, editing, and mise-en-scène construct meaning.
8 methodologies
Contemporary American Independent Film
A study of modern independent cinema in the US, focusing on alternative production contexts and unconventional storytelling. Students will contrast these films with mainstream Hollywood blockbusters.
8 methodologies