film 2254F final vocab uwo 2024

Red Channels

The Report of Communist Influence in Radio and Television, anti-Communist document published in the early 1950s.

Todd-AO

A major widescreen competitor developed by Michael Todd that utilized a single projector system, debuting with the film 'Oklahoma' in 1955.

Brown v. Board of Education

1954 U.S. Supreme Court case that outlawed racially segregated education.

Desilu

TV production company that bought RKO in 1958 and produced 'I Love Lucy'.

Ben-Hur

William Wylers 1959 religious epic that utilized 70mm cameras.

Geoffrey Shurlock

Replaced Joseph Breen as head of PCA in 1954, revised the code in 1956.

Cinerama

A major widescreen format introduced in 1952 using three cameras, producing three images on a curved screen.

Poverty Row

Small Hollywood studios known for producing B movies from the 1920s to the 1950s.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

1966 Warner Bros film that received a mature label for adults due to PCA reluctance.

Olivia de Havilland

Actress who sued Warner Bros, helping to end the star contract system.

Disneyland

TV series that premiered in 1954, promoting the theme park and films.

Vincente Minnelli

Director known for 'Meet Me In St. Louis' (1944) and 'Tea and Sympathy' (1956).

Chronotope

A concept describing specific cultural spaces that organize people’s experiences of time.

Mission to Moscow

1943 War Drama directed by Michael Curtiz, meant to familiarize Americans with the Soviet Union.

The Robe

1954 biblical epic that debuted Cinemascope widescreen standard in Hollywood.

hard-boiled fiction

A style of American detective writing characterized by a gritty approach and complex characters.

Doris Day

Iconic actress and singer who starred in 'Doris Day Show' in 1968.

How the West Was Won

1962 epic western film directed by John Ford, notable for its Cinerama format.

Billy Wilder

Director known for films such as 'Double Indemnity' (1944) and 'Sunset Blvd' (1950).

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

1956 film that showcases Cold War-era paranoia through the horror genre.

HUAC

House Un-American Activities Committee that targeted the Hollywood 10 during the Red Scare.

package unit system

A film production model treating each film as a separate project for financing.

Lew Wasserman

MCA agent known for acquiring Paramount's pre-1950 films and was a powerful Hollywood mogul.

Telefilm

TV series shot on film that kept Hollywood studio production alive after the Paramount decision.

Burstyn v. Wilson

1952 Supreme Court case that recognized film as an art form, helping to dismantle state censor boards. AKA the Miracle case/decision

Jack Valenti

Head of MPAA who modernized film ratings and targeted specific demographics.

VistaVision

Paramount process emphasizing height over width, debuting with 'White Christmas' (1954).

Cinemascope

Widescreen format that became the standard for Hollywood after its introduction in 1954.

The Manchurian Candidate

1962 neo-noir political thriller that addressed Cold War anxiety.

Quo Vadis

1951 MGM biblical epic known as the first legit box-office blockbuster.

The Miracle

1948 film unbanned by the Supreme Court, recognizing film as an art form.

Excelsior Pictures case

1957 court case that overturned local nudity bans, allowing films with nudity to be released.

teen films

Films targeted at a younger audience, notably including 'Rebel Without A Cause' and 'The Wild One'.

Generation of Vipers

1942 novel critiquing maternalism and the identity crisis among men in postwar America and Momism

Kinsey

Studies on sexual behavior that challenged norms and contributed to the sexual revolution.

Them

1954 science fiction film addressing Cold War fears through allegory.

white flight

Migration of white people to racially homogeneous suburbs during the 1950s and 60s.

The Lonely Crowd

1950 film discussing the deficiencies of society dominated by conformity.

Otto Preminger

Director known for releasing 'The Man With The Golden Arm' without PCA seal.

Leigh Brackett

Screenwriter known for her adaptation of 'The Big Sleep' and contributions to film noir.

The Lost Weekend

Cautionary film about alcoholism directed by Billy Wilder in 1945.

The Children's Hour

1961 film centered on a lesbian relationship in a boarding school.

Screen Gems

American film production company, part of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Pillow Talk

1959 romantic comedy starring Doris Day, shot in CinemaScope.

negative-pickups

Industry term for films purchased by studios after independent production.

On the Waterfront

1954 film celebrated for its portrayal of moral courage amidst the blacklist.

The Ten Commandments

1956 epic film directed by DeMille, notable for its use of VistaVision.

Divestiture

The process of selling off subsidiary businesses, significantly impacting studios post-1948.

male paranoia

A concept describing the dual fears of repression of femininity and homosexuality in men.

Lana Turner

Major Hollywood actress discovered young, known for her role in 'The Imitation of Life' (1959).

Dalton Trumbo

Award-winning screenwriter who was blacklisted as part of the Hollywood 10.

Waldorf Statement

1947 declaration by the MPAA regarding the Hollywood 10, signaling major studio layoffs.

femme fatale

A film noir character type defined by scheming seduction, contrasting with the domesticated woman.

Force of Evil

1948 film criticizing capitalism and complicity in crime, directed by Abraham Polonsky.

Elia Kazan

Director who cooperated with HUAC and directed 'On The Waterfront,' exploring naming names.

Howard Hawks

Versatile film director known for transcending genre within his works, including 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'.

Ida Lupino

Rare female figure in early Hollywood, known for complex female characters.

Tea and Sympathy

1956 MGM film dealing with mature themes of a boy's coming of age. by Vincente Minnelli

nudie cuties

Films featuring nudity, exemplified by 'The Immoral Mr Teas,' creating a new genre.

John Ford

Renowned director of western films, including 'How The West Was Won'.

AIP

American International Pictures, known for exploitation films and B movies.

Orson Welles

Director known for his innovative techniques in 'Citizen Kane.'

Alfred Hitchcock

Director known for films like 'Psycho,' exemplifying the convergence of film and television.

Frank Tashlin

Director known for both animated cartoons and satirical social commentaries.

The Searchers

John Ford’s 1956 western film, emphasizing height format with VistaVision.

auteur theory

Film theory positing that a director's personal creative vision reflects their artistic identity.

Playboy

Magazine that emerged in the 1950s, representing lifestyle and masculinity.

Beat culture

A 1950s movement rejecting traditional values, critiquing consumerism.