American and Global Cinema (1970s - 1990s) Lecture Notes

Flashcards covering the transformation of American cinema, the rise of blockbusters and independent mavericks, global film movements like New German Cinema, and the transition to digital technology.

Kent State and Jackson State shootings

1970 events where student protests became violent, resulting in 6 deaths and others wounded.

Public Broadcast System (PBS)

Began operations in 1970, succeeding National Education Television (NET).

26th Amendment

Ratified in 1971, allowing 18-year-olds to vote.

Watergate scandal

A political scandal from 1972-1974 involving illegal activities by President Nixon's administration, starting with the arrest of 5 men for burglarizing DNC headquarters.

Apollo 17

Flown in 1972, this mission became the last crewed mission to the Moon (as of March 2022).

Roe v. Wade

1973 Supreme Court ruling that overturned state laws against abortion.

New Hollywood

A period in the 1970s characterized by younger audiences, higher filmmaking costs, a new ratings system, and a shift back to formula films and spectacle.

The Film School Brats

A group of young directors including Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Brian De Palma who transformed the producer-driven Hollywood system.

American Zoetrope

A film company co-founded by Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas in 1969.

Mean Streets (1973)

Film that launched Martin Scorsese in Hollywood; it featured Keitel and De Niro and embraced gritty realism.

Amblin’ (1968)

A short film directed by Steven Spielberg that led to a seven-year directing contract with Universal Studios.

Jaws (1975)

Directed by Steven Spielberg with a budget of $9$ million, it earned $476.5$ million at the box office and established the summer 'event' blockbuster.

Blaxploitation films

1970s films featuring African American actors and themes of crime and violence; though often criticized for stereotypes, they provided lead roles for Black actors.

L.A. Rebellion

A collective of mainly Black filmmakers, including Julie Dash and Charles Burnett, who rose in the 70s, 80s, and 90s to create authentic representations of Black culture.

Watts Riots of 1965

Six days of violent confrontations between Los Angeles police and residents of predominantly African American neighborhoods beginning August 11, 1965.

Compact disc

A new device introduced jointly by Philips and Sony in 1983.

Velvet Revolution

The 1989 event in Czechoslovakia where the Communist party relinquished power without bloodshed.

Independent Mavericks

A group of 80s and 90s directors including the Coen brothers, Jim Jarmusch, and John Sayles who made films designed primarily to please themselves.

Blood Simple (1984)

A hard-boiled neo-noir film that marked the beginning of the Coen brothers' career.

Stranger Than Paradise (1984)

An extremely low-budget screwball comedy directed by Jim Jarmusch.

Return of the Secaucus 7 (1980)

A low-budget film by John Sayles about college friends reminiscing, which influenced Lawrence Kasdan's 'The Big Chill'.

Kathryn Bigelow

Director known for action films like 'Point Break' (1991) and the dark futuristic film 'Strange Days' (1995).

Amy Heckerling

Director of 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' (1982) and 'Clueless' (1995), known for using comedy to expose sexism and consumerism.

Daughters of the Dust (1992)

A saga of African American slavery by Julie Dash focusing on the Gullah people preserving their West African heritage.

Avid editing system

Introduced in the late 1980s, it allowed movie editing on a computer and eliminated the need for physical film and Moviola machines.

Digital cinematography

The process of capturing images on digital video rather than physical film.

The English Patient (1996)

The first Oscar-winning film to be cut entirely on digital equipment, edited by Walter Murch.

Oberhausen Manifesto

Published in 1962 by 26 filmmakers to declare 'Papa's movie' dead and advocate for a new filmic language in West Germany.

Das Neue Kino

The New German Cinema movement featuring directors like Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Werner Herzog, and Wim Wenders.

The Hamburg Declaration

A 1979 announcement celebrating the success of the New German Cinema movement 17 years after the Oberhausen Manifesto.

Ken Russell

British director known for stylized excess and liberal adaptations like 'The Music Lovers' (1970) and 'Tommy' (1975).

Derek Jarman

Queer Rights Activist and filmmaker known for avant-garde films like 'Sebastiane' (1976) and a punk-influenced style.

Djibril Diop Mambéty

Senegalese director with no formal training, acclaimed for his unconventional narrative style in films like 'Touki Bouki' (1973).

Safi Faye

The first Sub-Saharan African woman to direct a commercially distributed feature film, 'Kaddu Beykat' (1975).