American Film and TelevisionAmerican Studies Institute

Florida Institute of TechnologyDr. PerdigaoJuly 18, 2012

Thematic Elements• Representation of home, homecoming

• Ethan, Michael Corleone

• Place for heroes within new American society

• Ambiguity and uncertainty

• Question of traditional values, the roles constructed within this society

• Idea of justice—go to Don Corleone, Ethan Edwards?

• What is just in this new society?

• Don Corleone—introduced by voice first, outline

• Idea of power, presentation of power

• Place of violence, necessity

The New Western • George Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope (1977)• Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves (1990)• Ron Howard’s The Missing (2003)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338188/ • Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266697/ Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)

• Joss Whedon’s Serenity (2005)• Ethan and Joel Coen’s No Country for Old Men (2007)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0477348/

The Crime Film• Arthur Penn’s Bonnie and Clyde (1967)• Brian De Palma’s Scarface (1983)• Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables (1987)• Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas (1990)• John Singleton’s Boyz N the Hood (1991)• Mario Van Peebles’ New Jack City (1992)• Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs (1992)• Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers (1994)• Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York (2002)• Martin Scorsese’s The Departed (2006)

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi686883097/

American Beauty (1999)• Director: Sam Mendes• Screenplay: Alan Ball

• Lester Burnham: Kevin Spacey• Carolyn Burnham: Annette Benning• Jane Burnham: Thora Birch• Ricky Fitts: Wes Bentley• Angela Hayes: Mena Suvari• Col. Frank Fitts, USMC: Chris Cooper• Buddy Kane: Peter Gallagher• Barbara Fitts: Allison Janney

The American Dream Redefined• Six Feet Under (2001-2005)

• Creator: Alan Ball

• American funeral home; American family; drama

• David played by Michael C. Hall, star of television series Dexter (2006-present), set in Miami

The American Family• “I need a father who’s a role model.”

• “My name is Lester Burnham. This is my neighborhood. This is my street. This is my life. I’m forty-two years old. In less than a year, I’ll be dead. . . Of course, I don’t know that yet. And, in a way, I’m dead already.”

• “I’m just an ordinary guy with nothing to lose.”

• Eulogy of American values

• Elegy

• Death of the father—Ricky’s desire, offer to Jane

• The Godfather

American History in Film• Sherlock Jr.

Manipulating reality, projectionist, American dream; self-made man; love story

• Gold Diggers of 1933End of Depression in song, loss of show; remaking the self;

American dream of security, stability, success• The Wizard of Oz

Loss of American farm, home; escapism to fantastic world; power in courage, heart, and intelligence; importance of home

• Gone With the WindReclaiming home after Civil War; becoming self-sufficient;

recreating American history; role of women• Casablanca

Characters in way station, liminal space, no escape; American identity in question

• Singin’ in the RainFilm within the film, making of “American” identity, reality and illusion

American History in Film• The Searchers

Restoring American home, family, interior/exterior• The Godfather

Death of the patriarch, modernization of American family, business• American Beauty

Death of the patriarch; breakdown of American family; idea of success called into question

The American Family in Television• I Love Lucy (1951-1957)• The Honeymooners (1955-1956)• Leave it to Beaver (1957-1963)• My Three Sons (1960-1962)• Bewitched (1964-1972)• All in the Family (1968-1979)• The Brady Bunch (1969-1974)• The Cosby Show (1984-1992)• Who’s the Boss? (1984-1992)• Growing Pains (1985-1992)• The Simpsons (1989-present)• Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005)• Modern Family (2009-present)

Cutting-Edge Television• HBO (Home Box Office) (1972-present)• Oz (1997-2003)• Sex and the City (1998-2004)• The Sopranos (1999-2007)• The Wire (2002-2008)• Six Feet Under (2001-2005)• Entourage (2004-2011)• True Blood (2008-present)• Boardwalk Empire (2010-present) (Golden Globe, 2010)• Game of Thrones (2011-present)

• Showtime• The L Word (2004-2009)• Weeds (2005-present)• Dexter (2006-present)• Californication (2007-present)• United States of Tara (2009-2011)• The Big C (2010-present)• Homeland (2011-present)

Cutting-Edge Television• AMC• Mad Men (2007-present) (Golden Globe, 2007-2009)• Breaking Bad (2008-present)• The Walking Dead (2011-present)

• FX Networks• Nip/Tuck (2003-2010)• Rescue Me (2004-2011)

Modern Hits• Friends (1994-2004)• Desperate Housewives (2004-2012)• The Office (2005-present)• 30 Rock (2006-present)• Glee (2009-present)• Modern Family (2009-present)• Community (2009-present)

• The X-Files (1993-2002)• Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)• Angel (1999-2004)• Lost (2004-2010)• Heroes (2006-2010)• Fringe (2008-present)• The Vampire Diaries (2009-present)• The Secret Circle (2011-present)• Grimm (2011-present)• Once Upon a Time (2011-present)• Awake (2012-present)

East Meets West• Firefly (2002-2003)• Serenity (2005)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4smab8KWX1w&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLE7E5C09E7CEC7866