How has Hollywood Succeeded Abroad?

hollywoodsign.org

Before reading this article, ask yourself what are the first three films which come to mind?

In my case, « Back to the Future », « Nightmare before Christmas » and « Inception » first came. Most of the time the films you are thinking about come from the Hollywood film industry. The United States leads the film industry, but how has Hollywood managed to succeed abroad and what are the consequences of that success?

 

The Dark Hollywood Rises 1

In the beginning, Hollywood was a huge cheap piece of land in the Los Angeles suburbs, bought by two immigrant farmers. In 1903, it was incorporated as a municipality. Thanks to its amazingly varied landscapes, ideal weather and access to various settings, Hollywood attracted the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - an American film Company – which produced several short films. The progressive establishment of major film companies such as the Nestor Company, Paramount, Warner Bros, RKO and Colombia made Hollywood and Los Angeles become the capital of the film industry.

Hollywood, constantly mastering technological improvements: to monopoly… and beyond 2!

The first successful films to be distributed abroad were “Westerns” such as The Covered Wagon and The Iron Horse. American studios invited foreign actors and European film-directors to perfect the aesthetic quality of the Hollywood cinema, which also eliminated potential competitors

Hollywood's strategy was innovation - the American film industry managed to create and to master technological improvements such as sound in films with The Jazz Singer 1927, or colour in films with The Wizard of Oz 1939 and Gone with the wind 1939.

Back in the 1950's, when the Cold war dominated the world, the American film industry massively exported its “American way of life” ideology through its films to fight against the communist ideology. This category called “film noir”, expressed anxiety towards the Cold War by producing films concerning extra-terrestrial attacks like The War of the Worlds 1953, or nuclear holocaust with The Day the Earth Stood Still 1951. Western countries - mainly European countries - were very attentive and receptive to those films because of political and economic reasons, as well as other agreements.

The American film industry is also famous for its big-budget films and its impressive special effects that no other countries managed at that time with for example The Exorcist 1973, Jaws 1975 and Star Wars 1977. At the beginning of the eighties, big-budget films ran heavy marketing campaigns, exploiting tie-in products and advertisements. Hollywood managed to master computer image processing, which became the standard of the blockbuster production leading to films like Predator 1987, Jurassic Park 1993 and Matrix 1999. Then came the time of computer-generated images from which emerged Ice Age 2002, WALL-E 2009 and Frozen 2013.

“I’m the king of the world”3: 'Hollywood' today

Today, Hollywood's presence is felt all round the world. In the context of the global economy, film exports are an important factor of global competitiveness.

The film industry in one of the rare sectors in the United States which export more than it imports, consequently leading to a positive trade balance.

In the United States, American films are more regarded as economic assets than cultural goods. Nevertheless, most governments disagree with this idea and fear a national loss of culture.

Nowadays, Hollywood holds 63% of the global box-office compared with 80% held in 2001. A few countries tend to resist against the American supremacy, such as France – which imposes quotas and gives subsidies in order to promote French and European films (cultural exception) – or India – with the famous Bollywood industry. The other countries are clearly dominated by the Hollywood film industry. Hollywood has managed to make its films look like dreams, offering a show to the world.

“Mr Hollywood, you’re trying to seduce me, aren’t you?”4

Hollywood has entered the culture of most countries in the world, but if we think differently, we realise that this industry is extremely dependent on its exports. This means that Hollywood must adapt its films to seduce a maximum number of potential consumers, implying a deep change in the concept of cinema. From its beginning, the American film industry hasn't been ashamed to turn the art of cinema into a profitable industry, giving specific attention to public tastes and expectations.  Cinema has above all been entertainment.

Charline C.

1 The Dark knight rises - C Nolan 2012 

2 "To infinity and beyond" Toy Story - Pixar Anuimation Studio J Lasseter 1995

3 "I'm the king of the world" Titanic - J Cameron 1997

4 "Mrs Robinson, you're trying to seduce me, aren't you?" The Graduate - M Nichols 1967