Way Out West & A Night at the Opera Films in the 1930's Way Out West & A Night at the Opera

Pre 1930’s Film: Single reel Silent Use of the crank camera

1930’s What’s happening historically? Why would people need a diversion? What types of people can see movies?

Golden Age of Hollywood 1920’s-1950’s The Jazz Singer-1927 ends silent era Specific genres: Western Slapstick Musical Animated cartoon Biography MGM—Metro Goldwyn Meyer—premier studio

Golden Age of Hollywood Actors: Clark Gable Norma Shearer Greta Garbo Jeanette MacDonald and husband Gene Raymond Spencer Tracy Judy Garland Gene Kelly Marx Brothers Laurel & Hardy Films: Gone With the Wind Wizard of Oz Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Casablanca It’s a Wonderful Life King Kong Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

Technological Advances “Talkies”—use of sound At first, cumbersome Use of portable microphones Beginning of major studios: Fox, Paramount, Warner Brothers Technicolor—red, blue and yellow film strips Exaggerated color: Gone With the Wind The Wizard of Oz Double reel filming= Full length feature films

Hay’s Code 1st rating system “general principles”—morality “particular applications”—what could not be shown: Mixing of races Specific curse words No homosexuality Religious figures depicted with respect Crime can’t appear pretty Later morphs into MPAA film rating system

Stan Laurel Oliver Hardy

Laurel & Hardy’s Comedy Visual with slapstick used for emphasis Use of exaggerated violence and actions that go over boundaries of common sense Physical arguments—highly involved with cartoon violence Very little progress on task at hand Jokes last several scenes, minutes—milking Extended sequences revolving around a single problem (not a much plot focus) “Tit-for-tat” fight “White Magic” Hardy trying to copy Laurel’s invisible lighter Use of sound effects—don’t show actual event

Laurel and Hardy Characteristics Hardy breaks the fourth wall Loveable and devoted=big kids Use of hair Laurel removes heels for flat-footed walk Fitting of “costume” (suit) Faces filmed flat—no shadows or dramatic lighting= use of light foundation=clown effect

Way Out West 1937 Director-James Horne One of Laurel & Hardy’s greatest works Woman is about to loose her claim (deed) to father’s land because of land grabbers. L & H arrive to help, but end up aiding wrong woman in distress. Set in the Wild West

The Plan: Watch Way Out West Watch A Night at the Opera (Marx Brothers) Compare the two films: Contrast the comedy in the two films. Contrast the use of “new” technology in the two films.