Theme 4 b 1 - The impact of mass popular culture (1918-79) Flashcards
What was there a huge growth of between 1918-79?
Mass popular culture- particularly the impact of cinema, radio and music on peoples lives.
Cinema, 1918-39
- In the 1920s, what was the far most popular medium of entertainment?
- What did the British film industry come under pressure from in the 1920s?
- Cinema!
- Larger and more powerful American industry based in Hollywood.
In the nineteenth century, what would British audiences have enjoyed?
How would this have changed in the early twentieth century?
- Books about the adventures of British imperial heroes by H.Rider Haggard and Rudyard Kipling.
- American films about cowboys and gangsters!
In 1927, what act did the British government pass and what did it ensure?
What were also produced in the same year?
- Cinematograph Films Act, ensuring that 7.5% of the films shown had to be British, rising to 20% in 1935.
- The year that ‘talkies’ -films with spoken words- were first produced.
How were cinema tickets affected by the great depression?
- 1930s - 18/19 million sold every week
- Good for escapism
- London study 1931 - unemployed people watched films on average 2.6 times a week
- Glasgow - 80% jobless saw at least one film every week
- Improvised cinemas created in miners institutes of south wales - only charging what out-of-work miners could pay.
- 50% of all tax revenues on entertainment - 1937 yeilding govt. £5.6 million where football-only £470,000
- 1938 978 million admissions.
What are some films that reflect life issues in 1930s?
- The firstborn 1928 - adoption of an illegitimate child.
- The great game 1930 - the centrality of football to working-class
- Love on Wheels 1932 - bus conductor helps commuter find love
- The pleasure garden 1925 - Alfred Hitchcock - empowered female characters looking for love
Uncommon popularity as many opted for escapism.
How many films did the British Film Industry create during WW2?
- 500
Improve morale due to escapism and promote patriotism.
What are some films created during WW2 that encouraged patriotism?
- In which we serve - noel cowards
- Henry V - Shakespeare adaptation by Laurence Olivier
- Let George Do It - comedian Geroge Formby smacked Hitler.
What did Ealing film studio do between 1947-57?
‘Ealing Comedie’
- explore quality of life after economic struggles following the war.
- 1947 - Hue and Cry - School boys beat a criminal gang.
- Passport to pimlico - Area which declared itself independent from rest of London - satirised harsh economic conditions and rationing
- Meet Mr Lucifer - cursed TV set - anxieties who how the TV will affect society.
Give an example of a film made after WW2 to boost morale
- David Leans - Bridge on the River Kwai - Britain thwarted the Japanese.
- The Dam Busters 1955
- Sink the Bismarck 1960
When did James Bond begin?
- Dr No - 1962
- With Sean Connery
- People relate to the economic boom as Bond had luxuries eg. Cars.
What did the new wave of filmmaking during the 1950s and 60s introduce?
Social Realism - Dramas based on everyday experiences of Britains working class.
- John Osborne’s play to film adaptation - Look Back in Anger 1956
- Shelagh Delaney - A taste of Honey 1961
- Saturday Night, Sunday Morning 1960 - Tony Richardson - protagonist was materialistic.
Give some examples of the films based on Dark Visions within Britain.
- A rise in crime and the permissive society
- Get Carter 1971 - Ganster seeking revenge.
- A Clockwork Orange 1971 - dystopian version of Britain - future were violent men kill and rape for enjoyment
When was there a decline in the popularity of the cinema?
- 1970s
- Soft porn comedy film - confessions of a window cleaner
- On the Buses TV series spin-off
- Few successful blockbusters (excluding James Bond)
- Drain in funding
- Talented personnel moving to USA or TV.
What music was popular beween 1918-1945?
- Jazz and Swing - from USA - Duke Ellington and Count Basie
- US Army and Air Force and American Forces Radio - Broadcast jazz and swing across the UK.
- Ivor Novello - most pop - ‘Keep the home fires burning’ - appealing to people with soilers posted away during WW1. - Paid £15,000
- 20,000 dance bands in Britain by 1930.
- BBC created Light Programme in 1945 for entertainment and music. Replaced by Radio 2 in 1967.
What music was popular during 1950s-1960s?
- Americas rock n roll - Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry. - reinvented black blues music and popularised it for youth.
- New style Skiffle - Lonnie Donegan - 31 Top 30 singles and three number ones by 1962.
- The Beatles, The Kinks, Rolling Stones and The Who - Own rock sound - British Pop became world Famous.
- Beatlemania - ‘She Loves You’ sold 750,000 copies in under a month. - Merch eg. Wigs made huge profits for companies like Seltaeb
What is mod music?
- pop music with a close relationship with consumerism and fashion
- the Who, Kinks and Small Faces attracted mainly working-class fans spending their wages on the mod look
How did Glam Rocks identify themselves?
- Expressing and challenging ideas of gender identity
- Marc Bolan and David Bowie ‘Space Oddity’ - alter ego based on moon landings in 1969 - crossdressing
- Appeared androgynous.
- Shock the older generation and fascinate the younger.
How did the Reggae scene emerge in Britain?
- Immigrants from Caribbean bringing sounds of Trinidad and Jamaica.
- Traditional calypso music developed to Reggae.
- Record Labels - Island and Trojan imported reggae records and selling to both black and white audiences
- Desmond Dekker ‘The Israelites in 1969
- Emphasises changing ethnic makeup of Britain
- Two alternative variants - Roots Reggae - associated with Rastafarianism and Ska music
What is roots reggae?
- Reggae that is associated with Rastafarianism
- Linton Kwesi Johnson - Dreas Beat an Blood 1978 - one song ‘All Wi Doin is defendin’ - reflected widespread anger.
- To articulate experiences of black immigrants dealing with racism, police violence and inequalities in work and housing.
What is Ska music?
- Variant of Raggae
- Harder and more aggressive - called two-tone - drew from punk
- Coventry group - The specials - identifying the lack of opportunities for both black and white young people in the 1970s.
When and what was Punk music in Britain?
- 1970s
- Originated in New York - angry music
- sex pistols, the clash and the Buzzcocks
- Punk fans tore their jeans, wore piercings and spiked their hair to appear shocking and offensive
- New Musical Express - link punk and declining living standards - youth unemployment
Who was the most popular recording artist of the 1970s?
- Elton John - 16 top 50 albums - 4 number 1s
- Queen - 19 million records sold
- Also popular was the disco music of the Bee Dees
Why was the BBC Radio created?
- 1922
- Govt. fear public radio services - believe it may lead to a revolution or general strike
- Radio programs could closely reflect the values of govt. - didn’t report on the reality of life.
- Stopping inventor Guglielmo Marconi set up a station.
- 1927 - Given royal charter
- John Reith first director general.
What is pirate radio?
- Three programs during WW2 - Home, Light and Third programme. (Later becoming Radio 2,3 and 4) These declined in 50s and 60s. - 1967 - Radio 1 launched for youth.
- BBC only legalise station in GBR
- others based on ships moored just outside British territorial water broadcast immensely popular programmes.
- Radio Caroline - 10 million audience by 1964
When and why did the BBC lose its monopoly on broadcasting?
- 1975
- Licenses for commercial radio stations were granted
- These stations could appeal to more niche audiences and sell airtime to advertisers.
