Art, Music, Film, Literature Part 3, Chapters 5 – 7
Art 18 th & early 19 th Centuries Art was one means of recording the history of the new nation. Thus, most early American art consisted of history paintings and portraits.
Art 20 th Century Controversy became a way of life for American artists. In fact, much of American painting and sculpture since 1900 has been a series of revolts against tradition. “Ashcan” school of painting portrayed the squalid 1 aspects of city life. 1 Squalid – (of a place) extremely dirty and unpleasant, especially as a result of poverty or neglect.
Art Abstract 1 Expressionism This movement in American art started in the years after World War II. Although this type of art had many widely different styles within it, there were some common points. Most styles abandoned formal composition and representation of real objects. 1 Abstract – dealing with ideas rather than having a physical or concrete existence.
Pop Art Emerged in the late 1950’s (in the USA). Includes imagery from popular culture such as advertising, news, comic books, and mundane 1 cultural objects. This style of art was a reaction against the elitism of abstract art. Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987) was America’s leading figure in the pop art movement of the 1960’s. 1 Mundane – lacking interest or excitement. Dull.
Music Before the 20 th Century – Church music (psalm book / hymnal / hymns) 1910’s – Ballroom Dancing 1920’s & 1930’s – Jazz Born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. Heavy use of improvisation 1 and syncopation ’s & 1960’s – Rock ‘n Roll 1970’s – Disco, Rock (Hard, Country, Folk, etc.) 1 Improvisation – create & perform music spontaneously, without preparation 2 Syncopate – displace the beats in music so the strong beats become weak and vice versa.
Disco Music
Fun, Fun, Fun Well she got her daddy's car And she cruised through the hamburger stand now. Seems she forgot all about the library Like she told her old man now. And with the radio blasting Goes cruising just as fast as she can now. And she'll have fun, fun, fun, ‘til her daddy takes the T-bird away (Fun, fun, fun, ‘til her daddy takes the T-bird away) 1960’s Rock ‘n Roll
Well the girls can't stand her ‘Cause she walks, looks, and drives like an ace now. (You walk like an ace now, you walk like an ace) She makes the Indy 500 look like a Roman chariot race now (You look like an ace now, you look like an ace) A lotta guys try to catch her But she leads them on a wild goose chase now. (You drive like an ace now, you drive like an ace) And she'll have fun, fun, fun, ‘til her daddy takes the T-bird away. (Fun, fun, fun, ‘til her daddy takes the T-bird away)
Ford Thunderbird
Well you knew all along That your dad was gettin' wise to you now (You shouldn't have lied now, you shouldn't have lied) And since he took your set of keys You’ve been thinking that your fun is all through now. (You shouldn't have lied now, you shouldn't have lied) But you can come along with me ‘Cause we got a lot of things to do now. (You shouldn't have lied now, you shouldn't have lied) And we'll have fun, fun, fun, now that daddy took the T-bird away. (Fun, fun, fun, now that daddy took the T-bird away)
Film Hollywood (California) Although Hollywood is the city where the American film industry began, it is often used to refer to the whole film industry, or to the subculture 1 that it represents. 1 Subculture – a cultural group within a larger culture, often having beliefs or interests that are different from those of the larger group.
Film Academy Awards / Oscars The most prominent film awards in America An “Oscar” is a statuette. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Golden Globe Awards The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) Awards are for both film and television. The organization donates money to entertainment- related charities, scholarships, etc.
Oscar Statuette Golden Globe Award Film Awards
Film B Movie A low budget commercial motion picture. Originally, the second of a “Double Feature” (two movies for the price of one) Double features don’t exist anymore. Because of the low amount of money spent on production, B Movies have lower quality actors.
Film Animation / Animated Films The rapid display of a sequence of images to create the illusion of motion. Cartoons, computer animation, etc.
Film The Average Price of a Movie Ticket in America About $8 (approximately ¥50) Prices in big cities, or for special movies (e.g. 3-D) can cost much more – as much as $15 to $20!!!
Drive-in Movie Theaters
Literature Washington Irving (1783 – 1859) America’s first internationally best-selling author. Famous for short stories “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle”. In addition to writing fiction, he was also a biographer and historian. Advocated for writing as a legitimate profession.
Literature Samuel L. Clemens / Mark Twain (1835 – 1910) Pen name 1 is Mark Twain. Twain was a humorist, and also a public speaker. Famous for “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and its sequel “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. Huck Finn is considered the first “Great American Novel”, and is typically “required reading” for high school students. 1 Pen name – an assumed name used by a writer.
Literature Robert Frost (1874 – 1963) The Road Not Taken Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Literature Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.
Literature I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
For next week: Quiz #2 Part 2 (Ch. 7,8) & Part 3 (all) Also, please read: Part 4 Social Life Chapters 1 – 2, pages 253 to 268 (Family & Food)