Since the early 20th century, American cinema, which consists primarily of big Film studios (commonly known as Hollywood) and some independent movies, has had a significant impact on the global film industry. Classical Hollywood cinema, which evolved since the 1900s and developed key elements that continue to be a staple of the majority of movies produced today, is the predominant cinematic style in the United States. Since the beginning of cinema, Hollywood films have explored numerous genres, themes, storylines, character arc and more. Directors have adapted, redefined and built upon these ideas, creating new styles that changed over the years and decades. This article highlights the progression of American cinema over time, specifically of 3 Hollywood moves from each decade.
1900s
Bluebeard (1901)
Based on the fairy tale "Bluebeard" by Charles Perrault, Georges Méliès created the silent film Blue Beard in 1901. The most prominent film maker from this era was Méliès, who produced some the most significant Hollywood movies from this period. The morbid fairy tale follows a rich businessman with a blue beard and several "missing" wives. The affluent Bluebeard's eighth bride, a young woman, is followed in the story as she begins to realise the grave danger she has put herself in. The movie, which is longer than typical Hollywood productions of the time, served as another important source of inspiration for subsequent directors.
A Trip to the Moon (1902)
In the early days of cinema, A Trip to the Moon is considered as a seminal work that popularised fantasy narrative and special effects. Along with his brother Gaston, Georges Méliès wrote and directed the film, which was later restored as a short movie. The movie follows a team of astronomers who use cannon-propelled capsules to reach the Moon, examine its surface, flee from a group of underground lunar occupants, and eventually return to Earth with a captured Selenite. The movie exhibits the aggressively theatrical design for which Méliès rose to fame. It is a key hollywood movie that sparked a new style in cinema.
The Great Train Robbery (1903)
One of the oldest crime dramas and a perfect illustration of the western style is The Great Train Robbery. The movie gave itsaudience their first exposure to robberies, action sequences, and gunfights. In the Hollywood movie, two bandits rob valuables from a train and attack the railway telegraph office. With the help of their team, they are successful in their quest. The movie was among the first to use a complete ensemble of actors and site.
1910s
The Birth of a Nation (1915)
In disputed Civil War classic director D.W. Griffith's film, two families' lives are intertwined. The Hollywood film Birth of a Nation, which offers a very subjective narrative of the American Civil War, reconstruction, and the development of the Ku Klux Klan, is a representation of racism at the time. Birth of a Nation is, however, recognised to be one of the most controversial movies ever created.
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916)
The three-and-a-half-hour Hollywood movie, which is recognized to be one of the most significant silent movies (despite receiving mixed reception at the time), intersperses four simultaneous stories, each separated by many centuries. The first is a modern melodrama about crime and salvation. The second is a narrative of Christ's ministry and death from Judea. The third is a French account of the circumstances leading up to the 1572 St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre. The fourth is set in 539 BC, following Persia’s defeat of the Babylonian Empire. While the scenes are brought together by images of a figure representing Eternal Motherhood cradling a cradle, each story had its own unique colour scheme. Following its debut, Intolerance had a significant impact on European film movements, winning multiple awards in its time.
J'accuse! (1919)
Abel Gance directed the 1919 French silent Hollywood movie J'accuse. It is frequently referred to as a humanist or anti-war movie as it contrasts a romantic story with the tragedies of World War I. Some scenes were shot on actual battlefields as part of the film's production. The film's poignant portrayal of suffering during conflict, especially its final climax of the "return of the dead," helped it become an international sensation and solidified Gance's position as one of Europe's most significant directors.
1920s
The Kid (1921)
In the Hollywood movie The Kid, a mother leaves her infant son behind with a letter for the receiver. The baby is found by the tramp, who adopts him despite his initial reluctance and raises him as his own child. The film is regarded as one of the best silent movies made due to its inventive contrast of humorous and serious themes. The work that Chaplin accomplished serves as a model for countless films that explore what it signifies to be a part of someone's life. It takes characters who have purposefully separated themselves from society and re-connects them with civilization as they experience an unorthodox form of parenthood.
The General (1926)
Buster Keaton directed and starred in the 1927 silent comedy picture film, The General, which is regarded by many cinematic experts to be one of the best Hollywood movies. It features the idea of individual redemption and is set during the Civil War. In this classic Hollywood movie, Southern railway engineer Johnny Gray is pitted against Union soldiers. Gray follows the soldiers after Johnny's fiancee, Annabelle Lee, is unintentionally abducted aboard a train that Northern forces have stolen in comedic action scenes that showcase Keaton's limitless wit and ability.
Metropolis (1927)
The son of the city's designer falls in love with a middle class prophet who foretells the arrival of a messiah to arbitrate their disputes in a dystopian metropolis that is strongly split between the working and middle class and the city planners. According to some, the movie's social concerns were both a criticism on the political climate in Germany and a foreshadowing of the country's future path. Metropolis set the benchmarks by which dystopian films were envisioned, assessed, and enjoyed. Alfred Hitchcock even imitated a particular special effect in the movie known as the Schüfftan technique.
1930s
King Kong (1933)
The Hollywood film follows a huge prehistoric gorilla living in a mysterious island, who is discovered by a film crew during a shoot. When the gorilla tries to possess a crew member, the whole island erupts in chaos. It was the first horror movie released in the 1930s and the first to screen simultaneously in two of New York City's biggest theatres. The movie gained popularity among American and European filmwatchers, particularly the surrealists, due to its blend of cutting-edge visual effects and primitive themes.
It Happened One Night (1934)
It Happened One Night is a 1934 romantic comedy with screwball humour features that was co-written, co-directed, and co-produced by Frank Capra and Harry Cohn. Despite its uplifting message that "love triumphs all," some of the what makes Capra's movie so enduring can be interpreted via a particular historical lens. The 1934 Columbia Pictures Hollywood movie addresses the destitution, hunger, and exploitation of the Depression-era culture. In the film, a spoiled socialite wants to escape her father's control and develops feelings for a brazen reporter.
Gone With The Wind (1939)
An intriguing tale is beautifully recounted in Gone With the Wind. It is a timeless American novel about a tumultuous love affair in Southern United States during the Reconstruction and Civil War between a cunning woman and a roguish man. The characters are complex and obstinate, and their combined presence generates a strong sense of emotional intensity. Despite decades of filmmaking progress, the images of Atlanta on fire and dying Confederate soldiers still have a strong emotional resonance. A key theme of the film is the idea that strength may often be a person's downfall.
1940s
Citizen Kane (1940)
The ageing Charles Foster Kane lies on his deathbed, where he u "Rosebud". Kane, a very wealthy tabloid publisher and business tycoon, is portrayed in a news obituary after a news report dedicates himself to uncovering Kane's story. The main theme of the Hollywood movie is the difficulties of understanding a person's life after it has ended. Technically speaking, Citizen Kane is significant for its cinematographer's novel lighting and focusing techniques and the editor's dramatic editing. It was Orson Welles's first film and many critics have praised it as one of the best films ever made.
Casablanca (1942)
In addition to being shortlisted for lead and supporting actor, cinematography, editing, and soundtrack, Casablanca won the Oscars for best film, director, and screenplay. It was voted No. 2 on the American Film Institute's 1998 list of the greatest Hollywood movie. Rick, a club owner in Casablanca during World War II, agrees to aid his ex-lover Ilsa. Soon, Ilsa's love for Rick is rekindled and her feelings reemerge. The film goes further than the objectives of war and the conditions of peace. Casablanca shows us that most armed conflicts and other forms of human conflict do not conclude on predictable terms or in accordance with unilateral pronouncements.
It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
One of the greatest films about America is It's a Wonderful Life. The movie, which is now 70 years old, highlights the message of never giving up hope. An angel from above, Clarence, is sent to help George Bailey, a disgruntled businessman, as he considers suicide. She persuades him to rethink his decision by demonstrating what life would be like without him. The underlying lesson of the Hollywood movie is that the crucial layers of what makes us people, even those buried in plain sight, The underlying lesson of the Hollywood movie is that the crucial layers of what makes us people, even those buried in plain sight, aren't necessarily as important as what is present on the outside.
1950s
Rear Window (1954)
Jeff, a working photographer, is resting at his apartment after breaking his leg. He starts spying on his neighbours out of boredom and makes a startling discovery. Rear Window gave the director the chance to create a suspenseful scene in a very small setting. The building where the Hollywood movie is set was the largest interior set constructed on the Paramount site. Rear Window requires an understanding of four historical and cultural themes: masculinity, the Cold War, suburbanization in the US, and the changing position of women in civilization.
12 Angry Men (1957)
12 Angry Men is a legal drama. An opposing juror in a murder case gradually persuades the other jurors that the evidence is not as conclusive as it appears. Its goal is to provide a basic course in the parts of the Constitution that guarantee presumed innocence and a fair trial for those accused. Unsurprisingly, justice and judgement are important topics in a film that is entirely set in a jury room. In fact, one could argue that the question of how individuals assess guilt and conviction in a free democracy permeates the entire plot of the Hollywood movie.
North by Northwest (1959)
The movie is regarded as a classic for its topics of deceit, misidentification, and relativism during the Cold War, despite its widespread appeal. The plot of the film centres on an advertising professional who gets caught up in a perplexing cross-country manhunt involving foreign spies, the authorities, and a stunning woman. In contrast to Hitchcock's early spy thrillers, which lacked the gradual suspense and subdued ambience, North by Northwest helped establish a new kind of action film based on an epic adventure and cataclysmic setpieces.
1960s
Psycho (1960)
For good reason, this Hitchcock Hollywood movie is a classic. One of the best horror movies of all time, as well as one of the best movies of all time, is created by superb direction and photography, wonderful tension, and immaculate acting. After taking money from her employer, Marion vanishes. In their search for her, her lover and sister wind up in the notorious Bates Motel, whereupon they run into Norman Bates.
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
With its candid images of sexuality and violence, Bonnie and Clyde, which was first released in 1967, marked the precise point at which the old and the modern merged. A small-town girl and a mobster fall in love, starting a crime wave that spans Texas and Oklahoma. They masterfully rob modest banks with style, becoming well-known across the nation as heroes. One of Bonnie and Clyde's most potent subjects is violence. The main argument is that violence and crime are entwined and exist together.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Stanley Kubrick produced and directed the 1968 sweeping science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Discovery One and its cutting-edge computer went out to investigate a stone that was found on the surface of the moon. Pure cinema is best exemplified through cinematography. The displayed composure is outstanding. The awe-inspiring views are made possible by the fluid camera movements. Space is magnificent as is, and 2001 was the first movie to depict what it's actually like to go and live in space, exemplifying its fear and beauty of it.
1970s
The Godfather (1972)
A classic of the gangster genre, The Godfather is considered as one of the most significant and influential movies ever filmed. A mafia family's leader Don Vito Corleone decides to give his son Michael control of his organization. The lives of his family members are, however, gravely endangered as a result of his unintended actions. Others' allegiance reinforces Don Corleone's authority, and those who pledge allegiance to him enjoy financial and physical security. This arrangement maintains firm as long as Don is able to continue providing that security and as long as none of his followers become overly ambitious.
Taxi Driver (1976)
The best film Scorsese has ever directed is Taxi Driver. In New York City, Travis, a former war veteran, begins to drive taxis due to his insomnia. He makes the decision to rescue a young prostitute in an effort to purge the corrupt from the city. Taxi Driver emphasises how self-persuasion eventually serves as one's life-sustaining system and the spread of loneliness. While accurately representing Bickle as objectively strange and weird, Scorcese does justice to his perspective. The character studies are what elevate the straightforward plot to a masterpiece. Few movies concentrate on a character's thoughts and actions, particularly when those thoughts are dark.
Star Wars (1977)
Darth Vader, a cunning villain, kidnaps Princess Leia. Then, in order to free her and protect the galaxy from the brutal Galactic Empire, Luke Skywalker pairs up with a Jedi Knight, a pilot, two droids, and more. First, Star Wars helped the market for galactic sci-fi as a genre by reviving it in the late 1970s. Characters like Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon, who debuted in short tales or comic strips and evolved into film serials and radio programmes, helped space adventures gain a large audience in the 1930s.
1980s
ET: The Extra Terrestrial (1982)
Young Elliot saves an extraterrestrial who has been abandoned on Earth and vows to keep him secret. Elliot and his siblings develop an emotional attachment with their new companion while the task force searches for it. The major takeaway from this film is to accept those who are different from you. Friendship, devotion, bravery, and sacrifice are among the ideals emphasised in this Hollywood movie.
The Terminator (1984)
In an effort to prevent Sarah's son from waging a protracted war against his enemies in the future, a cybernetic killer is sent into the past to assassinate Sarah, a waitress. The Terminator has an intriguing science fiction narrative that was brand-new when the movie was first released. The marriage of the two concepts of dominant artificial intelligence and time travel is what gives it its genius. These concepts have existed separately since the early 20th century and the late 19th century.
Back to the Future (1985)
Robert Zemeckis directed the 1985 American science-fiction film Back to the Future. Using the time machine invented by a quirky scientist, Marty returns in time. To get back to the present, he must, however, make his parents, who are in their late teens, fall in love. Back to the Future is a timeless example of 1980s blockbuster cinema, fusing sci-fi, humour, love, and sincere, foolish fun into a delightful and enjoyable Hollywood movie.
1990s
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Wealthy banker Andy Dufresne is detained for the killing of his wife and her boyfriend and is given a life sentence at the Shawshank prison. The Shawshank Redemption's main concept, the power of hope, was represented in the movie. Other themes include injustice, time, perseverance, loyalty, liberty, and friendship.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Tarantino's film Pulp Fiction is hailed as his finest and received particular acclaim for its screenplay. Its wide use of tribute and parody, unorthodox form, and self-reflexivity has caused reviewers to call it a benchmark of postmodernism in cinema. A string of episodes in the underground connects the lives of two Los Angeles mafia couples, a mobster's wife, a fighter, and two small-time felons. Pulp fiction is a term used to describe a type of raunchy, action-oriented stories that were published in the United States.
Fight Club (1999)
David Fincher's 1999 American film Fight Club offers social commentary on consumerism, particularly on the feminization of American culture and its repercussions on masculinity. Unhappy with his materialistic way of life, a white-collar insomniac teams up with Tyler, a reckless soap salesman, to start an underground combat club. Their business soon turns into something horrible. As the narrative develops, "Fight Club" spreads like wildfire across the US. The movie Fight Club is harsh, sexual, violent, and stylish, and, at least on the surface, it conveys the strong message that the things we own eventually come to own us.
Throughout history, America has produced a number of powerful, influential, beautiful and strong Hollywood movies that are continuously rewatched today. Modern cinema is heavily influenced by movies from the 20th century, whether they are the short films made at the start or the powerful commentaries on society and politics made toward the end of the 1900s. Overall, Hollywood movies in the 20th century are key for any avid film watcher, and these films are some of the best to check out!
