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Britain Transformed 1918-2000 > Pop culture in the 20th century: Cinema, radio, TV > Flashcards

Pop culture in the 20th century: Cinema, radio, TV Flashcards

1
Q

Between 1918-1945, how many cinema tickets were sold per week?

A

A central leisure activity to many, 18M-19M tickets were sold each week. At a time of economic uncertainty, it was a luxury escape for all classes due to its affordability.

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2
Q

What legislation gave the British cinema/film industry a huge boost?

A

Films Act of 1927: ensured at least 7.5% of films shown in Brit cinema were Brit made and not US-made. Rose to 20% in 1935. Sadly this lessened the quality of films- some made in rush (“quota-quickies”)

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3
Q

How did the role of cinema change during WW2?

A

Became vehicle for soft propaganda, made to boost morale. Films reflecting patriotism were v. popular eg Noel Coward’s ‘In Which We Serve’ and Laurence Olivier’s version of ‘Henry V’.

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4
Q

What was the highest morale-boosting film of WW2?

A

‘Let George Do It’ where comedian George Formby smacked Hitler in the face.

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5
Q

What gradually lessened the popularity of cinema after WW2?

A

Popularity of TV. TV broadcasts had been possible since 30s but TV sets were too dear for most; price dropped in 40s and culturally TV became more a part of Brit life.

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6
Q

How much did cinema attendance fall after WW2?

A

1947: 1.4M weekly
1959: 800K

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7
Q

Did the decline of cinema last throughout the post-war years?

A

During 50s and 60s, Brit film remained culturally and artistically relevant eg no. notable comedies produced in Ealing (‘Ealing Comedies’) incl ‘Passport to Pimlico’ which satirised austerity after WW2.

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8
Q

What style of film became popular in the 1960s?

A

Social Realism, which portrayed the hard life and changing roles and aspirations of the working class.

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9
Q

When did British Cinema suffer its real artistic dip?

A

W/exception of James Bond films, 1970s. V few Blockbusters made, talent moved to US. Most successful films at this time were soft porn comedies like ‘Confessions of a Window Cleaner’

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10
Q

‘In Which We Serve’ 1944

A
  • Made by govt in year of D-Day- patriotism=essential

- Govt needed to develop collectivist society

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11
Q

‘Passport to Pimlico’ 1948

A
  • Mocked continuation of wartime measures/austerity after WW2
  • Start of satire bills
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12
Q

‘I’m Alright Jack’ 1959

A
  • Reflects unreasonable behaviour of TUs/TU disputes
  • Satire Boom- reflects less deferential attitudes, cooperation w/TUs (PWC)
  • Class warfare- satirises every class, aggressive TUs, ppl who get certain jobs due to their class
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13
Q

‘Saturday Night and Sunday Morning’ 1960

A
  • Adaptation from popular book of 60s
  • Reflects consumerism, desire for more
  • “Teddy Boy” Culture
  • Albert Finney, emerging Brit heart throb actor of 60s
  • Origins of ‘Social Realism’- films reflect harsh reality
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14
Q

‘Kes’ 1970

A
  • Ken Loach, renowned director of Social Realism films
  • Set in NE England, reflects regional divide
  • Inequalities of education system- implied criticism of grammar schools as Billy crushed by Sec Modern
  • Kestrel symbolises Billy’s desire for freedom + control
  • Brother snapps Kes’ neck at end; reflects bleak society
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15
Q

‘Confessions of a Window Cleaner’ 1974

A
  • 3 day week, oil crisis, massive TV disruption- small budget, poor economy leads to poor production
  • Declining cinema audiences since 30s led to bad choice of films; escapist, ridiculous
  • Permissive society (Obscene Publication Act 1959 + amendments)
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16
Q

How important was film as a means of escapism for the unemployed in the 1930s?

A
  • 1931 Study showed the jobless tended to watch films on avg 2.6 times/week, usually daytime shows due to cheaper tickets.
  • Glasgow: 80% of jobless saw film once a week during Depression
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17
Q

How much did cinema contribute to the economy in the 1930s?

A

Most popular form of entertainment in 30s:

  • 1937-1939: Provided over 50% of all tax revenues on entertainment
  • 1937: cinema ticket tax rev - 5.6M vs football ticket tax rev- £470k
  • 1938: 978M admissions to cinema
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18
Q

What types of films were produced in Britain in the interwar years?

A
  • Entertainment and escapism: romances, thrillers, crime dramas, history pictures
  • Clear social commentary eg ‘The Pleasure Garden’ 1925 by Alfred Hitchcock, ‘The Firstborn’ 1928
  • Exploring working life, ambition, and daily experience of modern urban world.
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19
Q

‘London Love’ (silent film) 1926

A
  • Empowered female protagonist
  • Heroine Sally Hope becomes famous film star to raise money to pay legal fees for her fiance, falsely accused of a crime and dependent on her to help him.
20
Q

‘The Great Game’ 1930

A

One of earliest talking films to use sport as main plot line. Reflected centrality of football in many working class lives as a football club contemplates if they should take in pro players or stick w/local amateur team.

21
Q

‘Love on Wheels’ 1932 (Musical)

A

Bus conductor helps commuter to find love w/anon female passenger. In the course of his romantic courtship hero also finds himself w/dream job in advertising, highly aspirational role in time of growing consumerism.

22
Q

Bond Franchise (est 1962)

A

Reflect improving living standards of 60s. Connery’s 007 enjoys dear cars, clothes, drinks, and international travel. Audiences enjoying economic boom could relate to films as exciting spy dramas + aspirational fantasies.

23
Q

‘The Ipcress File’ (1965)

A

Hero is Harry Palmer, working class Londoner rather than public school Bond played by Michael Caine. Doesn’t lead exciting jetset life, resents upper class bosses who run MI6.

24
Q

What did ‘The Ipcress File’ represent?

A

Popular egalitarian ideas that were widespread in 60s, w/working class character responsible for the nation’s security, oft denigrating his upper class superiors.

25
Q

What types of films, other than social realism, were produced at the start of the 1970s?

A

As Britain’s economic issues grew, several films reflected fears of a decline in quality of life, presenting dark visions of Brit society, eg ‘Get Carter’ and ‘A Clockwork Orange’. Reality was standards of living continued to rise thru 70s.

26
Q

‘Get Carter’ (1971)

A
  • Michael Caine portrays gangster seeking revenge for his bro’s death
  • Much darker/more pessimistic in tone than other crime dramas of 60s
  • Relaxing of film censorship meant it could include scenes of prostitution.
27
Q

How did ‘Get Carter’ present British society?

A

Bleak portrayal of Britain as a seedy and corrupted place reflected popular concerns over quality of life in early 70s. Film’s screenwriter Michael Hodges wrote it to be a ‘crime story as an autopsy of society’s ills’.

28
Q

‘A Clockwork Orange’ (1971)

A
  • Directed by Stanley Kubrick

- Vision of future Britain where gangs of violent young men kill and rape for fun.

29
Q

How was ‘A Clockwork Orange’ (1971) received?

A

Many viewers found the graphic scenes of violence shocking. Violent crime gradually grew thru 60s, film mirrored many popular anxieties about ‘hooliganism’, lawlessness.

30
Q

How long was ‘A Clockwork Orange’ (1971) in cinemas?

A

Quickly withdrawn by Kubrick after several violent crimes, incl murder, were blamed on it.

31
Q

During the interwar period, how was radio as a medium viewed?

A

Immediately post-WW1, govt suspicious of possibility of public radio service that could transmit info to the public. Fears of chance of revolution or gen strike made ministers/civil servants apprehensive.

32
Q
  1. Who invented modern radio technology?

2. When did the government warm up to the idea of public radio broadcasting?

A
  1. Guglielmo Marconi
  2. Allowed British Broadcasting Company to form in ‘22. Licensed by the govt so from start the company that’d become the BBC had close relationship w/state.
33
Q

What impact did the close relationship between the British Broadcasting Company and the State have in the types of radio programmes broadcasted?

A

Meant radio programmes oft reflected values of govt + BBC, not necessarily interests of listener. Thus, BBC broadcasts oft didn’t reflect quality of life experienced by many Brits thru 20s and 30s.

34
Q

When did the BBC effectively become a publicly owned state broadcaster?

A

1927, when it was given a royal charter, although it retained its independence over its editorial content.

35
Q

Who was John Reith?

A
  • 1st director general of the BBC.

- Set out BBC’s mission as ‘inform, educate and entertain’.

36
Q

Under John Reith’s leadership, what types of broadcasts did the BBC make in the 1920s and 1930s?

A
  • 20s/30s broadcast lectures, concerts, programmes thought to be beneficial to ordinary people, improve their understanding of their world- ‘give the public slightly better than it thinks it likes.’
37
Q

When did entertainment become more of a priority for radio?

A

W/advent of US forces radio. Post-war 3 channels, Home Programme, Light Programme, Third Programme, broadcast programmes but by 50s and 60s they began losing ground to pirate radio.

38
Q

Why did Pirate Radio stations crop up?

A

BBC had only radio license to broadcast in UK; pirate radio stations based on ships moored just outside British territorial waters broadcasting popular programmes.

39
Q

How popular were Pirate Radio stations?

A

Eg Radio Caroline had audience of 10M Brits by 1964.

40
Q

How did the BBC deal with the Pirate Radio stations?

A

They didn’t: no way of stopping the broadcasts.

41
Q

Why were teenagers a key demographic for radio stations after WW2?

A

Due to PWC baby boom + growth in affluence, this audience had more disposable wealth than ever b4 so were keenly sought-after market that BBC didn’t want to lose. But pirate radio gained huge teen audiences.

42
Q
  1. What was the impact of pirate radio?

2. When did Pirate Radio end?

A

Forced BBC to reorganise in ‘67 w/Light, Third, and Home Programmes becoming Radio 2, 3, and 4 respectively and introduction of Radio 1.

43
Q

What was the appeal of Pirate Radio over the BBC?

A
  • BBC had to adhere to Needle Time; pirate radio didn’t.

- BBC didn’t cater specifically to teens; pirate radio achieved this by playing the latest music.

44
Q

How many hours of music were the BBC allowed to broadcast per day with Needle Time?

A
  • Musician’s Union and Phonographic Performance Limited introduced this- worried that too much radio -> no record sales
  • Until 1967, only 5 hours of music a day.
45
Q
  1. When did Pirate Radio end?

2. What was Radio 1 when it was first introduced?

A
  1. 1967, The Marine Broadcasting Offences Act
  2. Focused exclusively on caterint toward youth market w/pop music. Many popular pirate radio DJs were hired by Radio 1, became national celebs eg Tony Blackburn

Britain Transformed 1918-2000 (20 decks)

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