American Cinema of the 1960s: Themes and Variations (Screen Decades: American Culture/American Cinema)

The profound cultural and political changes of the 1960s brought the United States closer to social revolution than at any other time in the twentieth century. The country fragmented as various challenges to state power were met with increasing and violent resistance. The Cold War heated up and the Vietnam War divided Americans. Civil rights, women's liberation, and gay rights further emerged as significant social issues. Free love was celebrated even as the decade was marked by assassinations, mass murders, and social unrest. At the same time, American cinema underwent radical change as well. The studio system crumbled, and the Production Code was replaced by a new ratings system. Among the challenges faced by the film industry was the dawning shift in theatrical exhibition from urban centers to surburban multiplexes, an increase in runaway productions, the rise of independent producers, and competition from both television and foreign art films. Hollywood movies became more cynical, violent, and sexually explicit, reflecting the changing values of the time. In ten original essays, American Cinema of the 1960s examines a range of films that characterized the decade, including Hollywood movies, documentaries, and independent and experimental films. Among the films discussed are Elmer Gantry , The Apartment , West Side Story , The Manchurian Candidate , To Kill a Mockingbird , Cape Fear , Bonnie and Clyde , 2001: A Space Odyssey , M idnight Cowboy , and Easy Rider . The profound cultural and political changes of the 1960s brought the United States closer to social revolution than at any other time in the twentieth century. The country fragmented as various challenges to state power were met with increasing and violent resistance. The Cold War heated up and the Vietnam War divided Americans. Civil rights, women's liberation, and gay rights further emerged as significant social issues. Free love was celebrated even as the decade was marked by assassinations, mass murders, and social unrest. At the same time, American cinema underwent radical change as well. The studio system crumbled, and the Production Code was replaced by a new ratings system. Among the challenges faced by the film industry was the dawning shift in theatrical exhibition from urban centers to surburban multiplexes, an increase in runaway productions, the rise of independent producers, and competition from both television and foreign art films. Hollywood movies became more cynical, violent, and sexually explicit, reflecting the changing values of the time. In ten original essays, American Cinema of the 1960s examines a range of films that characterized the decade, including Hollywood movies, documentaries, and independent and experimental films. Among the films discussed are Elmer Gantry, The Apartment, West Side Story, The Manchurian Candidate, To Kill a Mockingbird, Cape Fear, Bonnie and Clyde, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Midnight Cowbody, and Easy Rider Frontmatter Acknowledgments (page ix) Timeline: The 1960s (page xi) Introduction: Movies and the 1960s (BARRY KEITH GRANT, page 1) 1960 Movies and Intimations of Disaster and Hope (CHRISTOPHER SHARRETT, page 22) 1961 Movies and Civil Rights (ANNA EVERETT, page 44) 1962 Movies and Deterioration (ERIC SCHAEFER, page 67) 1963 Movies and the Little Soldiers of the New Frontier (JOE McELHANEY, page 89) 1964 Movies, the Great Society, and the New Sensibility (JAMES MORRISON, page 110) 1965 Movies and the Color Line (DAVID DESSER, page 130) 1966 Movies and Camp (HARRY M. BENSHOFF, page 150) 1967 Movies and the Specter of Rebellion (MURRAY POMERANCE, page 172) 1968 Movies and the Failure of Nostalgia (LESLIE H. ABRAMSON, page 193) 1969 Movies and the Counterculture (CHRISTIE MILLIKEN, page 217) Select Academy Awards, 1960-1969 (page 239) Works Cited and Consulted (page 247) Contributors (page 253) Index (page 257) Introduction: Movies And The 1960s / Barry Keith Grant -- 1960: Movies And Intimations Of Disaster And Hope / Christopher Sharrett -- 1961: Movies And Civil Rights / Anna Everett -- 1962: Movies And Deterioration / Eric Schaefer -- 1963: Movies And The Little Soldiers Of The New Frontier / Joe Mcelhaney -- 1964: Movies, The Great Society, And The New Sensibility / James Morrison -- 1965: Movies And The Color Line / David Desser -- 1966: Movies And Camp / Harry M. Benshoff -- 1967: Movies And The Specter Of Rebellion / Murray Pomerance -- 1968: Movies And The Failure Of Nostalgia / Leslie H. Abramson -- 1969: Movies And The Counterculture / Christie Milliken. Edited By Barry Keith Grant. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 247-252) And Index. This book examines a range of films that characterized the decade, including Hollywood movies, documentaries, and the independent and experimental films