The Promotion of American Culture Through Hollywood Movies To The World IJERTV1IS4194 PDF
The Promotion of American Culture Through Hollywood Movies To The World IJERTV1IS4194 PDF
The Promotion of American Culture Through Hollywood Movies To The World IJERTV1IS4194 PDF
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 1 Issue 4, June - 2012
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International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 1 Issue 4, June - 2012
www.ijert.org 2
International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 1 Issue 4, June - 2012
style, dressing, or even imitate the name of Hollywood became more popular from time to
Hollywood, as such. time.
Bollywood is a name of Indian movie Since Hollywood influences the movie
industry, the name is primarily based on the industries around the world, on the other side,
Western city of Bombay. Bollywood movie mainly Hollywood as well gains the benefits from its
focuses on the Indian traditional songs and dance, Hollywoodization. Hollywood tries to take
and love storylines. It produces more than 800 advantage of its popularity over local audiences
feature films3 each year in many languages. As a and distribute films in many other languages.
result of Hollywoodization, the Bollywood began Today’s Hollywood is beyond entertainment, but
to touch more on the love scenes and sex scenes. it’s entering the business. The cause of producing
But to some conservatives, the new trend in and distributing movies in foreign languages is not
Bollywood is threatening the values and culture of only to entertain people internationally, otherwise,
the Indian people. In the past, Bollywood was it is to diversify the foreign markets and gain more
bound strongly to the storylines of good and evil, market share. Hollywood is becoming an export
boys meet girls, and family oriented. Hence, the industry, making movies primarily serve people
influence of Hollywood is transplanting the outside the US.6 China and India are assumed to be
Western ideas, which are extremely rude, to Indian the larger movie markets over Europe whereas
society. It seems that Bollywood depends too much Hollywood is expected to still influence the Asian
on the Western idea and Hollywood, where it could film industries. The success of Asian films based
diminish the real and traditional cultural identity of on the structure of Hollywood’s success.
India. Hong Kong film industry also gains the As time goes by, the movies were
Hollywood influence, but the film producers of produced differently. Hollywood is now responding
Hong Kong take some inspiration from the to a wider social trend and circumstances.
Hollywood without losing the national identity and Nowadays Hollywood films express much about
eliminating their products. There are many Hong the women abusive, the human rights, the child
Kong movies follow and imitate the Hollywood protection, sexual harassment, and etc. This
style of production. John Woo, Hong Kong film responding is seen as an echo of the society. After
director, he adopts the style of American director 1929, the Hollywood film industry has been
Sam Peckinpah.4 In the late 1990s, Korean film influencing the reconstruction of American values,
industry also integrates the Hollywood action- the Americans were driven to accept the new social
thriller approach to the Korean cinematic style. values. Hollywood is recently in a New Deal Era
Action film is the symbol of Hollywood, Korean where there are changes in attitudes, ideals, and
film industry has been trying to develop its social values.
production capability in producing action film, to Hollywood movie is a mass
be more similar to the Hollywood, by employing communication, because movie and its plot is
more complicated digital imagery and special simple and easy to understand. Some people see
effects. Hollywood’s influence also appears in Thai movie as harmless and no serious thought is
film industry. Similar to Korea, the success of required during watching movies. Movie is a mass
action film of Hollywood makes Thai film industry culture product, they are designed to please
release Beautiful Boxer in 2003 which the director undifferentiated audience.7 Movie contains
adopted the action-drama style for making this different kinds of culture while it needs to please
film.5 There are differences between Asian media flavor of people who are from various cultures.
and American media, and between Asian film Furthermore, movie is a part of modern society
values and American film values, but the success of development, it more or less shapes the way people
sex appealing and nudity of Bollywood films live and interact within the society. It is a powerful
assures that the Hollywoodization is overwhelming and influential source of ideas. People can be
the Indian audiences. In Hong Kong, Korea, and inspired after watching movie while their way of
Thailand, the action movies influenced by living may change or shift from the traditional
ones. Movie is a worldwide cultural influence, it is
important in shaping visual perspectives. The
people see movies visually, they are exposed to the
3
Por Kuldip Rampal, Cultural Imperialism or Economic movie by motion picture, thus people will always
Neccessity?: The Hollywood Factor in the Reshaping of the see their life visually through their imagination
Asian Film Industry,
http://www.razonypalabra.org.mx/anteriores/n43/krampal.html based on what they have seen in the movies.
4
Por Kuldip Rampal, Cultural Imperialism or Economic To be global is to be American. 8
Neccessity?: The Hollywood Factor in the Reshaping of the Hollywood film industry, to me, is a form of media
Asian Film Industry,
http://www.razonypalabra.org.mx/anteriores/n43/krampal.html
5 6
Beautiful Boxer, directed by Ekachai Uekrongtham, 2003. The Klein, 2003
7
movie based on true story of a transgender kick boxer, Nong Jowett, G, & Linton, JM, Movies as Mass Communication
Thoom, Parinya Charoenphol. The critics analyzed this film as 1980
8
touchy and funny. Branston, G, Cinema and Cultural Modernity 2000, p.66
www.ijert.org 3
International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 1 Issue 4, June - 2012
imperialism. Hollywood for a long time, has been people, the places, the nations, or whatever referred
influencing in many aspects of the world. As in the film.
mentioned before that Hollywood is an American Film provides motion picture, large image,
instrument, so the access of Hollywood to the and concrete impressive. It has an ability to capture
world is the access of America. So the world imagination and it’s a powerful medium. The
society which is seen as globalized but it is subtly viewers can sense the expression of all characters
Americanized. By watching movie, the audiences visually. Film is a narrative style that depends of
get the pseudo-involvement with the scenes the personal perception and discourse. It contains
portrayed in the movie. After they are exposed to psychological messages and it’s often a rhetorical
the movie, they sense the reality and the possibility device of social circumstances, political situations,
from the movie where the movies can move the real life aspect, and so forth.
audiences. It means that the intimacy between Propaganda is a powerful persuasive
movies and audiences becomes clearer and message and it has an ability to produce and spread
stronger. The movies shape people’s thoughts and fertile message11, thus film with a propaganda
life as mentioned above, while the audiences are values has an influential and effective
moving to perform like the characters or to be in consequences. Film is used as a propaganda tool, it
the situations within the movies. contains propaganda dialogue in the conversations
Hollywood movie are influential to any of the roles in the movie. The blending together of
part of American society and the world. Perhaps, it film and propaganda reflects the world of fiction
seems that the movie producers mainly focus on where film is fiction and propaganda is a message
producing movies to involve with American that has a purpose with intention of the one who
politics and world politics. In the past, the movie generates it.
producers worked corporately with the US Film propaganda in Nazi Germany12
government, there were propaganda films released remains one of the most notorious examples of the
during Spanish-American War in 1898, and there political spectacle in the 20th century. It represented
were several movies related to the World Wars, for the aestheticization of politics where the masses are
examples. This indicates that Hollywood and brought face-to-face with themselves.13 Meanwhile,
politics are inseparatable. America also has film propaganda, Casablanca 14 is
one of many films fully called propaganda film, the
Role of Films and Its Prominence in film was invented during WWII, and the story
International Relations telling has also taken place during WWII as well.
We all know that broadcasting media is Casablanca is a kind of cinematic discourse where
one-way-communication. Film is a type of the producer tried to contain the romance story
broadcasting media, but to me, film conducts two- among the war situation. The Moraccan city of
way-communication process. Films carry the Casablanca was a place for the people who escaped
message and distribute to the viewers around the from the war in Europe stayed and may fled away
world. It seems that people only perceive the to the third nation. Rick who is an American, the
messages without any response or feedback. It’s main character of the movie has been portrayed as
true. But the audiences respond to those films via a symbol of America, who was very generous
their actions as it’s has been mentioned that films helping people to escape to America, and had a
influence or alter human behavior more or less. bitter memory of love. The messages of this film is
When people are exposed to films, for examples, obvious, America remained neutral and benevolent.
Pearl Habor9, and the Pianist10, they could happen A propaganda film uses the sense of
to favor America more and more by the message drama and technical resources and it became a
that America remained neutral during World War. learning material for people to learn about big
Moreover, the world wide audiences may perceive events, processes, war crimes, and etc. Because
that Germany and Japan were a threat to others learning through plays and visual is more
only because to serve their national interests and preferable than reading or attending a history class.
become the world superpowers one day. And the In America propaganda films were used in
worse case, the people who watched these two domestic politics. Many candidates who ran for the
movies may have a negative attitude to these two president of America put their campaigns in the
nations, and negatively act and behave to the propaganda film and used the fame of movie stars
Japanese and German people. Conclusively, the
11
feedback of the receivers may be expressed in Combs, ST, & Combs, JE, Film, Propaganda, and American
many forms in which those feedbacks may have an Politics 1994
12
period of Nazi Germany, between the time that Hitler rose to
impact to the characters themselves, or to the power, January 30, 1933, and when Admiral Karl Dönitz
surrendered to the Allies, May 8, 1945
13
Haskins, EV, Time, Space, and Political Identity: Envisioning
Community in Triumph of the Will, eBook collection
9
Michael Bay, 2001 (EBSCOhost)
10 14
Roman Polanski, 2002 Michael Curtiz, 1942
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International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 1 Issue 4, June - 2012
to take roles in the film. To me, propaganda film of and sexual harassment. Those beautiful houses do
America is a communication of democracies, the not higher standard of their living.
candidates deliver a sense of democracy through Another role of film is the promotion of
the movie and raise up their popularity via the film peace. There is some films talk about the success of
at the same time. Accordingly, public opinion is the the peace process, and some of films represent the
most important thing for the American government, angle where there are many places in the world still
so the propaganda films became the political tool suffering from the poverty and food crisis. UN is
for the international affairs of America to other considered as one of the most important and active
countries in the world. America began with the non-governmental organization of the world, the
propaganda film on the Spanish-American war in UN uses the strength of film to create several films
1898. On the other way around, after the world war to call for more concerns on the children, human
era has ended, the films include the propaganda rights, women, freedom of expression,
values in terms of cultural values, fame values, displacement people, immigrants, and etc. The
traditional values, human rights values, freedom of main purposes of UN films are to raise funds and
expression values, and so on. Hence, the era was donations, to reach and acknowledge the public,
changed but the technique of containing and to remind the world.
propaganda messages through films still The UN film festival in Thailand was held
unchanged, the messages are subtly cultivated in last year in order to recognize people and
films and let the viewers learn through plays and acknowledge them about refugees. There were four
dialogues, due to propaganda consequence is long- movies selected to represent to the audiences.
term and indeterminate.15 Those four movies are Sergio17, moving to Mars18,
Film is a language of power. It directs and the visitor19, and the heart of Jenin20. The festival
leads actions of the people, because films always features award-winning films and documentaries
evoke widespread public support. The objectives of giving voice to seldom-heard refugee stories of
the film producers are different, some of them call hope, despair and resilience. The selected films will
for public support, some of them want commercial provide a rare opportunity for Thai public to look at
profits, some of them work corporately with the the stories of refugees who are forced to flee their
government which their objectives are under homes to escape persecution, wars, or conflict. 21
government, and some of them oppose the Last but not least, the film also cultivates
government. The Hollywood film producers during the values to the audiences. Under the cultivation
WWII, worked corporately with the American theory, after the people watched films, they have
government to express the advocacy of telling the sensed the pseudo involvement and feel like they
audience that the war was worth fighting and must are parts of that movie. They then absorbed
be won at all cost, for example.16 The films often whatever values and messages remained in the film
encourage the nationalism and the participation of and adapt to their daily life. It is to say that if you
the people in a country and the ones who residing want the people to perceive the values of your
outside. On the other side, the movie makes who countries, it’s easier to put in the movies and
patriotic to their nations as well, but do not like the distribute those movies to them. Cultivation theory
way the government acts. They make sarcastic is a theory of how the people are nurtured and
films to the government to call for the taught. But in case of film, the cultivation theory
responsibility to the society, to motivate public can be applied as the cultivation on the exposure to
concerns, and to change the potential risk created films of the people and how much they absorb the
by the national government. For example, the City values in films. For example, after Thai people
of God, the Brazilian film, the film talks about the have exposed to the Korean series, the Thais are
city provided by the Brazilian government to the obsessed to the Korean things, such as, Korean
poor and homeless people. The government built cosmetics, Korean dancing culture, Korean food,
the houses for those poor people but the hidden Korean singers. Some Thais are now Korean
agenda of the government was to kick those slum materialism because they favor Korean values and
people out of Brazilia and Rio de Janeiro, in case believe that it is the most fantastic culture of the
the Brazilian government was trading off between world. Film cultivates the images of society, it
development of the country and poor people who produces a long-term exposure, the people are
seemed to contribute nothing to the country. The
intention of the film maker was to disclose the
reality of Brazilian society, in which even the poor 17
Documentary Editing Award, Sundance Film Festival 2009,
people were provided the house, but they were still Director : Greg Barker
18
uneducated, they still involved with drugs, fights, Best Documentary, Grierson Award 2011,Director : Mat
Whitecross
19
Academy Award (2009), Best Actor Nominee: Richard
Jenkins Director : Tom McCarthy
15 20
Combs, ST, & Combs, JE, Film, Propaganda, and American Best Documentary, German Film Award 2010 Germany
21
Politics 1994 http://unhcr.or.th/news/general/638
16
Chapter 1, Background
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International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 1 Issue 4, June - 2012
growing up and living with film, TV series, and 8. The film is used as a propaganda to make
other types of visual media. known to the public, where it sometimes used as a
Film is an ideological product and a commercial communicator to advertise or to
construction of an image, it becomes an important publicize the profit companies or the business
and integral part of the people since there are more organizations.
than thousands films from several different
countries, and production and distribution Possible Motivations of America in
companies come out each year. As mentioned Promoting American Cultures through
above, film not only conquers the domestic
circumstances of each nation, but it also reinforces Hollywood Movies
the performance, behavior, and ideology of the To conclude from 30 Hollywood movies I
overseas community and the international relations have selected and watched, the possible
between states to states, states to non-states, and motivations of America are as listed;
non-states to non-states, as such. Film is seen as a 1. To propagandize the bright side and good
representative of both cultural and political wills of America.
authority to national and international spheres. 2. To publicize the reputation of America
3. To promote the nationalism of American
people and use this nationalism aspect as
The Possible Effects of Globalization to their own defensive tool to the others’ interference
the Role of Films in International or invading.
Relations 4. To liberalize the world, since the
1. Globalization makes film becomes Hollywood movies tried to express the freedom of
cosmopolitan product in which those films carry expression to make the people from all over the
direct effects and sided-effects to societies. world realize their human rights and became more
2. The access of film internationally breaks independent.
down barriers to entry, e.g. anti-American 5. To spread out the lifestyle, value, and
attitude, anti-German attitude, materialism, anti- ideology of America to the world.
Islamic attitude, and etc, and brings the world From five possible motivations above, the
audiences closer and make more understanding of possible core interest of America in promoting its
each others. culture through Hollywood movies is to dominate
3. Globalization encourages film to play an the other cultural communities around the world
active role in the international relations world. and become the only culture of the world. We may
Nowadays, the improvement of technology allows used to hear that we all could make our culture
us to have colored films that are being viewed becomes unique, while we also need to accept other
internationally. Furthermore, nicer motion pictures cultures. But, America is doing differently, as I
represented in films persuade people to watch films have seen through 30 selected Hollywood movies.
more and more. The development of camera, make America is likely to make its own culture as a
up trend, fashion industry, the advance of tape universal culture in which every nation or
recorders and video recorders, and etc, are the community has to accept American culture and
factors that make films become more preferable. adopt those American cultures as their own culture.
4. Such the effects of globalization provide On other way around, it is likely that
more facilities and higher technologies in making America is trying to throw out the political
films, so today films are produced much faster than messages where there were other nations
the consumption of film. mentioned or related in some movies. The
5. Films also influence the cooperation of Hollywood World War stories always contained
human organizations. For example, Milk, the film some of those countries who were important actors
reinforces gays and other minority groups of people during the period. Some of the stories made me
to put more concern on their life and rights. believe that the nations mentioned in Hollywood
6. The global films often conduct violence, movies were bad to mankind, like Jews, they were
drug abuse, sex abuse, and other kinds of violence brutal, and they were opposite to American’s
overseas. Programs that contain the violent ideology who always remained neutral during the
materials travel fast with the expression of motion war crimes.
picture and sound. The reasons that America wants to
7. The effect of globalization to film further dominate other cultural community because
makes film becomes a cultural product where it nowadays we are living in the liberal world with
could have cultural effects to any society that the high level of cooperation in which the people-to-
film goes through. It seems that the American people interactions are more encouraged. It’s easier
culture is superior over the rest of the world. to subtly access to people’s minds. To use movie as
English is a global language but American English a tool is preferable to America. Additionally, since
is widely speaking. Speaking American English is a America could possibly dominate other cultural
manifestation of a new class society. community, America may be able to spread the
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International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 1 Issue 4, June - 2012
capitalism to any nation in the world. American cause the behavior and thought changed in some
culture could make the entire world becomes the people. For example, it appeared that America was
only one cultural community, and it could the worst during World Wars, but after watching
encourage this single community to be capitalism the movies about World Wars, some other
led by America. countries were bad, killing others brutally and
cruelly.
Expected Cultural Effects of Hollywood Freedom seemed to be the main ideology
Movies to the Audience of America as it normally appeared in the movies.
Freedom must be granted and to fight was to gain
1.Language Effect
freedom. Moreover, most of the movies represented
After exposing to the movies, the people
that America is the best nation in the world with
may turn to speak American accent, they may also
benevolence, moral, and ethic. During World Wars,
adopt those American slangs and jargons to their
America was the only nation who remained neutral,
daily life. Regarding to my survey, almost a half of
and tried to ignore the war. But at the end, when
survey pool, 77 people, they adopted the language
the wars became more violent and brutal, and
they have heard from the movies to their life.
spread through many nations around the world,
Thirty eight people, whose favorite nationality of
America became a hero who declared war with the
movie is American, accepted that they absorb the
enemy of freedom and helped those nations who
American English spoken in movies to their
have been invaded.
speaking accent.
This turned out that after watching
Generally, I believe that most of people
Hollywood movies, some people believe that
around the world speak American English accent
freedom could bring peace, and they require more
more than any other language.
freedom to their life.
2.Lifestyle Effect
According to my survey, once again,
around two third of the total survey pool adopted
the lifestyles represented in the movie to their usual
lifestyle. They behave, they dressed, and they
express their feeling or rights according to the
movies they have exposed to.
As it appears that there is a rating system
for the movies nowadays, one reason is to protect
the audience from exploring to the violence, and
crimes, and to protect the teen audiences from sex
and drug abusive. The teens and some people
always imitate things occur in the movies. Some of
them had sex before an appropriate time, and it
sometimes causes abortion, and other social
problem. Some of them committed suicide
imitating the scene happened in the movies.
The main lifestyles appeared in the movies
are partying, smoking, and drinking alcoholic
beverages. These kinds of lifestyle were mutually
and commonly include in every of those 30 movies.
In the other societies nowadays seemed to
absorb and adopt these lifestyles to their routine
life. For example, since I have watched these
movies, I think that to celebrate something, I
should then organize the party, and make the
alcoholic beverages as the main drinks. And from
my survey, some of my samples believed that
smoking is a personal behavior, and it’s acceptable
in Thai society.
3.Value and Ideology Effect
Regarding to my survey, only one third of
the survey pool adopted the ideology and values
taken place in the movie to their real life. It means
that the ideology and value culture affect the life of
the audience the least. Otherwise, the ideology and
values contained in Hollywood movies always
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