complete control of the media industry sucks out the creativity of film and propagandizes singular ideologies

One of the most important features of the classic Hollywood studio system was the fact that there were only about 8 different studios existing, 5 of them being vertically integrated and monopolizing the entire industry. These studios did not allow for independent studios to start, so that they could dominate the entire Hollywood films in what they wanted to create (hegemony!). This view of creating movies was also very limiting since the industries only went by the same formulas – thus making a creative process into an uninspired, unimaginative marketing ploy. These companies, in order to stay in business, would cast the essentially the same actors to play the same character (ex. Judy Garland and the naïve, always childlike girl who sings and dances.

This still happens now in some cases – ex. Michael Cera is always the socially awkward, stuttering boy who is lovestruck; Katherine Heigl is always the uptight, working woman who loosens up after she meets a man that changes her ways. However, typecasting was just completely standard back in the day – there would have never been a Johnny Depp-type actor who plays transvestites, pirates, drug dealers, and romantic male leads. Actors were used more to fulfill the audiences expectations.

Also, each message that the movies would send their audiences were completely owned and distributed by these industries too – there were absolutely no outlets for contradicting opinions. This complete ownership of the movie industry is apparent specifically in Casablanca, which we watched Thursday. The movie was essentially propaganda justifying anti-Axis sentiments – revealing that it is the U.S.’s responsibility to get involved in the war to help the underdogs. Humphrey Bogart is the perfect man to cast to spread this message since everything he says is completely neutral. He claims to not believe in anything, and he is a total cynic. However, he is loveable and secretly virtuous, and at the end he makes the sacrifice to help Lazslo and his true love escape in order to help restore peace to the entire world. If it were not for vertical integration, more independent studios could have joined the film industry, perhaps with a different viewpoint. Having Hollywood control the entire media industry allows for hegemony to become more apparent.