Session Six Part 3: Americanization II: Promoting American Superiority (?): The Case of Recent Tourist Films Department of Film and Audiovisual Culture Dr. Richard Nowell ¨12:40-14:15 ¨Screening: Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) ¨ ¨14:15–14:30 ¨Break ¨ ¨14:30–15:45 ¨The Recent Tourist Film ¨ under_the_tuscan_sun.jpg vicky_cristina_barcelona.jpg ¨Images of Europe and Europeans and addressing American audiences as Americans ¨ ¨Variants of the US-European “intercultural” approach ¨ ¨The tourist film of the 1990s (and beyond) … reconsidered under_the_tuscan_sun.jpg vicky_cristina_barcelona.jpg ¨ ¨1. In what ways does Vicky Cristina Barcelona’s mobilize the conventions of the tourist film? ¨ ¨2. Does the film use, what Negra identifies as, the central topics of the tourist films to articulate a different message to earlier entries (including Under the Tuscan Sun)? ¨ ¨3. What does this film have to say about “American” assumptions of Europe? vicky_cristina_barcelona.jpg ¨Images of Europe and Europeans and addressing American audiences as Americans ¨ ¨Variants of the US-European “intercultural” approach ¨ ¨The tourist film of the 1990s (and beyond) … reconsidered under_the_tuscan_sun.jpg vicky_cristina_barcelona.jpg ¨Discussions of Hollywood and Europe are often couched in terms of Americanization, cultural imperialism, or globalization ¨ ¨These typically posit the notion of an American Hollywood imposing a distinctly American culture onto a distinct and separate space ¨ ¨This situation is usually lamented because Hollywood is said to replace virtuous “European” art with “American” trash ¨ ¨It is often claimed Hollywood employs onscreen surrogates to promote “American” culture and values over those of European nations ¨ ¨But films about transatlantic relations are often more nuanced than this; images of Europe are often used to provoke American introspection … ¨ ¨ ¨A 1980s production trend focused on US-USSR relations during the Reagan years ¨ ¨Hollywood was focused on domestic market, Eastern Europe was of negligible importance ¨ ¨These films are typically understood as pro-Reagan agit-prop vilifying Eastern Europe ¨ ¨However, some were clearly reconciliatory in tone, and often critical of American life ¨ ¨Rocky IV critiques US xenophobia, bellicosity, consumerism, technology, corporate media Red-Dawn-McDonalds-Russians-Red-Scare-Cold-War.jpg red_dawn.jpg rocky_iv_ver2.jpg drago.jpg ¨Popularization of political discourse incentivizes production of political movies in the mid-2000s ¨ ¨Focus on foreign and domestic policy; questions of democracy; vulnerability and bellicosity ¨ ¨Polarizing nature of Bush-Cheney era makes this material potentially alienating to many viewers ¨ ¨Relocation to Europe tempers this possibility ¨ ¨Some allegorize interventionism; some offered thinly veiled critique of Bush-Cheney US emperor_bush_dictator_quote.jpg hostel.jpg v_for_vendetta.jpg ¨The Tourist Film represents one of Hollywood’s most persistent and developed uses of what Hjort dubbed the intercultural approach ¨ ¨This filmic model is characterized by an invitation to viewers to consider the dynamics of “home” against those of other places ¨ ¨Hollywood has consistently used the tourist film model as both a structuring device and as a generic strand in “hybrid” texts ¨ ¨Such films have explored the home/away relationship differently, addressing different viewers and advancing different positions thereon ¨ ¨Oftentimes, the films picture US citizens reflecting on the relative merits and shortcomings of what life might be like in a European nation ¨ european_vacation.jpg oxford_blues.jpg private_benjamin.jpg three_men_and_a_little_lady.jpg eurotrip.jpg holiday.jpg sisterhood_of_the_traveling_pants.jpg le_divorce.jpg p_s_i_love_you.jpg hostel.jpg ¨What does Negra suggest were the major concerns in the lives of (some) American women being addressed in and by the tourist films of the 1990s? ¨ ¨In what ways does she suggest that ideas about Europe enabled these films to posit solutions to these concerns? ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨Argues films thematized four concerns central to middle-class white American women’s lives ¨ ¨1a. Rootlessness due to economic migration ¨1b. Loss of community (see above + competition) ¨2. Pressure to choose between career and family ¨3. Body issues related to food ¨ ¨Romanticized pastoral Europe offers solutions ¨ ¨1. Presented as rooted and community-centered ¨2. Slower pace makes family and career possible ¨3. “Nature boy” re-harmonizes American woman with food, making her happy in her own skin ¨ ¨ Hugh-Grant-Julia-Roberts-Notting-Hill-movie.jpg dinner.jpg 288916_full.jpg ¨ ¨ ¨What reasons does Negra offer for Hollywood’s employment of this material? ¨Negra posits these films as merely signs of the times, yet the picture is more complex ¨ ¨Negra’s case requires she homogonize the positions the films took up … in reality … ¨ ¨They used combinations of the themes she posits, but took different positions thereon ¨ ¨Many only offered attractive backdrops, and nice background characters, for US-US love ¨ ¨Her account explains the films’ topicality, but not why they were made in the first place … ¨ only_you.jpg french_kiss.jpg sabrina.jpg matchmaker.jpg ¨The 1990s films all sought to overcome potential US negativity towards Europe(ans) ¨ ¨Theywere therefore partly preparing Americans for the imminent Europeanization of much Hollywood output ¨ ¨After all, they were made when Hollywood knew that its future hinged on its optimizing European sales ¨ ¨Hollywood was evidently concerned that a sudden shit in content risked alienate its core US audience ¨ ¨Consequently, it only gradually re-internationalized the content and address of its films across the 1990s ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ RomanHoliday-mouth.jpg onlyyou-1.png ¨Negra’s homogenization of the tourist films represents something of a “hyper-text”, and as such a reputation which later films worked with ¨ ¨More so than many of the older tourist films, newer entries have sought to balance address to Americans with an appeal to Europeans ¨ ¨They were made when America’s reputation plummeted, due largely to the unpopular conduct, rhetoric, and policies of the Bush White House ¨ ¨Cries of imperialism leveled at Bush dovetailed with a resurgence of similar charges aimed at international culture industries like Hollywood ¨ ¨Under these industrial and discursive conditions, newer films were often strategically critical of “Americans” views of life overseas … ¨1. How does writer-director Audrey Wells use ideas related to Under the Tuscan Sun’s (2003) European setting and supporting characters to speak to an American – and, we can probably assume, mainly older, upper middle-class, and female – audience? ¨ ¨ 2. In what ways does she seek to subvert or problematize the themes Diana Negra posits as the defining characteristic of late-90s tourist films such as Notting Hill (1999)? ¨ under_the_tuscan_sun.jpg ¨This film revises tourist film formula, critiquing it for its naivety and its unfulfilled potential ¨ ¨Begins conventionally, by framing Europe as a solution to alienating, lonely, American city life ¨ ¨Protagonist sees Tuscany as offering community, roots, love, harmony with nature and food ¨ ¨But reveals this to be a desperate, oftentimes unattainable dream, fuelled by cinematic fantasy ¨ ¨Pathologizes tourist film heroine; parodies happy ending of love, community, harmony with nature ¨ ¨A fulfilling life overseas must be self-determined ¨ under 3.jpg under the tus.jpg UNDER_THE_TUSCAN_SUN-7.jpg under the tuscan sun 2.jpg ¨Remains one of leading Americans in the international art house cinema market ¨ ¨Earlier films US-centered, often focusing on the New York City cultural bourgeoisie ¨ ¨Recently helmed a spate of US-Euro co-productions, set in major European markets ¨ ¨Films are made for “more discerning” – read left-liberal – US and European audiences ¨ ¨They thematize transatlantic exchange, and are in dialogue with tourist films’ reputation ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ annie_hall.jpg midnight_in_paris.jpg to_rome_with_love_ver2.jpg match_point_ver2.jpg ¨1. How does Vicky Cristina Barcelona’s mobilize the conventions of the tourist film? ¨ ¨2. Does the filmuse, what Negra identifies as, the central topics of the tourist films to articulate a quite different message to that of earlier entries (including Under the Tuscan Sun)? ¨ ¨3. What does this film have to say about “American” assumptions of Europe? ¨ vicky_cristina_barcelona.jpg ¨Allen subverts the tourist film’s conventions, mocking central conceit as bourgeois delusion ¨ ¨Romanticization is exposed as a vehicle for American self-indulgence and image-making ¨ ¨Romanticized stereotypes of Europe(ans)are pictured as mental illness and sociopathology ¨ ¨Self-betterment is exposed as self-delusion for bored, pampered, self-absorbed neurotics ¨ ¨Lays bare a tourist film thematic underpinning: as an alibi for ethnically fetishized casual sex!!! vicky_christina_barcelona03.jpg vickycristinabarcelona.jpg vicky-2.jpg vicky 4.jpg ¨The preeminence of discourses of Americanization has led to claims that Hollywood films spotlight the superiority of US culture over others ¨ ¨However, Hollywood has oftentimes used images of Europe and Europeans as a means of addressing American audiences ¨ ¨What is more, many of these films are actually critical of what are framed as aspects of American life and American ways of thinking ¨ ¨This feature characterizes tourist films, which often picture Europe as offering fantastical solutions to some Americans’ problems ¨ ¨Some of these films are even critical of this “romantic” filmic approach, mocking it as a patronizing, romanticizing “American” tendency ¨ ¨ ¨This course set out to offer alternative perspectives on the three preeminent discourses pertaining to Hollywood and Europe … ¨ ¨1. That Hollywood is a US institution and thus separate from Europe ¨By positing multinational ownership, the use of the international labor market, transatlantic and perennial content, and transatlantic circulation ¨ ¨2. That Hollywood output and European output are binarily opposed ¨By positing Hollywood’s uses of the art cinema model associated with Europe, and European companies’ presence in Hollywood’s structures ¨ ¨3. That Hollywood imposes inherently American culture on Europeans ¨By positing the concessions Hollywood makes to secure European viewers, and its use of images of Europe(ans) to address US audiences ¨