popular culture and entertainment Flashcards
what was them most popular medium in 1918?
cinema
what act was passed that increased more British films shown in the cinema?
1927 cinematogropgy act - 7.5% of films had to be from the UK This was due to the mass popularity of USA film due to the american industry in Hollywood.
what were “talkies” ?
in 1927 films with spoken words were produced.
cinema in 30’s?
cinema grew during the post-war slump and again during the great depression, by the 1930’s 18-19 million cinema tickets were sold every week. - this was thought to be due to it offering unemployed men and women a chance to escape their problems.
how many times a week would a working class person watch films on average in 1931?
2.6
what were impoverished cinema’s?
during the 1930’s they were set up in the miner’s institutes - some only charged what people could afford to pay.
how did films reflect social/life issues in cinema?
romances, thrillers and crime drama’s to provide a sense of escapism from social problems.
films reflected divorce/marriage for example 1928 “the firstborn” is about an unhappy wife with an unfaithful husband and longs for a child she adopts her unmarried hairdressers baby to prevent her from the shame - this adressess social and life issues.
cinema during WW2?
there was a short lived attempt to shut them down due to bombing however due to popular demand this didnt last long and it seemed to boost morale.
films encourged patriotism.
what were the “ealing comedies”
a series of popualr comedies from the ealing film studios in 1947 -57
for example “hue and Cry” a film about a criminal gang.
what was social realism?
during the 50’s 60’s there was a new wave of films called social realism and they were based on every day experiences of Britains working classes. for example “saturday night Sunday morning” 1960 - starring a working class man Arthur Seaton who is resntful of his class status and wants social mobility.
what were darker visions?
during the start of 70’s Britains economic problems only got worse which increase dark visions of society portrayed in films
- clockwork orange 1971
dystopian vision of Britain in the 70’s where gangs of young violent men kill and rape for fun - this mirrored anxieties of hooliganism.
when and why did cinema begin to decline?
during the 1970’s TV .
who was the most successful recording artist in Britain during the 1920’s?
Ivor Novello who was a Cardiff born singer song-writer who wrote the song “keep the fire burning” - which appealed to families with fathers and husbands oversea’s.
when did Jazz and Swing become popular?
during the 1930’s - first time American music came to the UK and was popular, British dance bands were influenced by American jazz artists.
when was rock n roll popular?
50’s/60’s
elvis presley, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry were popular amongst youth audiences.
what was Mod music?
pop genre in the 60’s that linked with consumerism and fashion. bands like the who and the kinks, attracted working class fans who spent their wages trying to aquire the mod look.
what was Glam rock?
by the 1970’s music had become a means of expressing and challenging idea’s of gender identity. - Glam Rock stars like David Bowie wore womens clothing and made statements about sexuality.
- encouraged kids to distinguish themselves from their parents
when was punk ?
during the 1980’s and later 70’s bands like the sex pistols and the clash who were anti-establishment.
- wore ripped jeans and piercings and spiked their hair going against societies norms and values.
- wanted to appear shocking and offensive.
what was the role/impact of the radio during the 1918-1920’s?
people could access new about the war, new and advice programmes.
when was the British broadcasting company formed ? (BBC)
1922 - it had a close relationship with the state due to fear about the power of broadcasting. this therefore led to the radio reflecting the views and values of the governemnt.
- radio inventor Guglielmo Marconi found the gov to be obstructive when setting up a new radio station but they eventually allowed BBC to form
- 1927 it became publicaly owned and was allowed independence over its content.
