Counterculture in American Film History
Before the 1960’s the entertainment business was going through a rough financial period where Hollywood was having trouble getting their movies out to satisfy their audience--they needed a change. Hollywood had become very desperate until the 1960s when the teen rebellious revolution and the postwar effect of Vietnam started to change the Hollywood film system. The times of the 1960s and 1970s revolved mostly around the theme of counterculture.
“Counterculture is a term associated with the radical youth movement of the late 1960s- the rebellion against a mainstream America dominated by corporate values, middle-class suburban conventions” (Man 97). This ‘counterculture’ era began to change the Hollywood system with all the new ideas that was coming up during the time. This era was the “breakup of the studio system” (Man 2), which gave the production within Hollywood more independence to do what ever would get their audience’s attention, it also “lessening the predominance of a formula-factory approach; another was the establishment of the new rating code of 1968, which allowed the screen to explore former taboos in more honest and explicit ways. And a third factor was the postwar European film renaissance which influenced American filmmakers of the period to formulate eclectic styles that fused classical, neo-realistic, and expressionistic element with their narratives” (Man 2)
“Counterculture is a term associated with the radical youth movement of the late 1960s- the rebellion against a mainstream America dominated by corporate values, middle-class suburban conventions” (Man 97). This ‘counterculture’ era began to change the Hollywood system with all the new ideas that was coming up during the time. This era was the “breakup of the studio system” (Man 2), which gave the production within Hollywood more independence to do what ever would get their audience’s attention, it also “lessening the predominance of a formula-factory approach; another was the establishment of the new rating code of 1968, which allowed the screen to explore former taboos in more honest and explicit ways. And a third factor was the postwar European film renaissance which influenced American filmmakers of the period to formulate eclectic styles that fused classical, neo-realistic, and expressionistic element with their narratives” (Man 2)
Some of the most controversial topics during the time period were the “teen sex romp or coming of age genre” (Man; 3), sex, violence, and drug. During this time, a lot of new younger generations of film directors were coming out of college with a “degree in film” with newer knowledge of ideas and new experimental techniques that will soon help transform the Old Hollywood into New Hollywood. The demand of the baby-boomer generation coming to age also helped pushed Hollywood to experiment more and satisfy the cravings of their new and more open-minded audience.
With this new generation of sex and violence and experimental drugs, most of the films were reflecting the life of the general people. This makes the films very popular and at the same time stretch and push the CARA (Code And Rating Administration) rating system to accept new changes and lower its standards for the new audience that is financially helping the entertainment industry. A few of the most controversial of sex and violence came from some of the most extreme films such as the film, A Clockworks Orange (1971) directed by Stanley Kubrick. A Clockworks Orange is about a man who is in gang that goes around and rape women.
This film is controversial because it deals with sex and violence in a film, something that is shocking and has not been fully accepted by society. Midnight Cowboy (1969), directed by John Schlesinger challenged his audience with the subject of a love relationship between two men. The film was one of the first and only X-rated film. The contents of the film were graphic in that it shows nude scenes and the content were shocking beyond anything that the entertainment industry has put out before. The film was later downgraded to R rating and went on to receive the Best Picture Oscar from the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences.
(http://www.filmsite.org/).
It was Bonnie and Clyde (1967) directed by Arthur Penn that sets off this new “renaissance” era of film with its first time realistic sex and violence scene. The story of Bonnie and Clyde deals with two robbers and their gang that robs banks. This film starts the renaissance era of film because it depicts the realistic sex and violence that people see such as during the Vietnam War. (Cook 161). Although controversial films were well received by the newer generations, there were many people who were opposed to this new kind of film making.Early controversial films were attacked by many civic and religious leaders because the topics does again their religious moral and the violence is a way from the audience to indulge in and probably will copy it. However, the film was also defended by many people who saw these realistic films as a way to better society by pointing out the problems (Ross 57).
Throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s, counterculture and the anti-war cults were at the height of their rebellions. Like the youth of this time, “a major characteristic of the Hollywood film industry that acted as a prerequisite for the period’s renaissance quality was the greater freedom filmmakers enjoyed to express their personality, vies and experiment with narrative style and technique” (Man 1). This radical behavior started a “film golden age” where all the ideas (sex, violence, counterculture and techniques) that were being produced were being well received by the youth and many became box-office hits.
During the 1920’s and 1930’s “the movies played an important role in reshaping the ways in 
which Americans looked at and thought about concepts of class and class identity” (Ross 64), but by the late 60s movies played a much different role in reshaping the way American looked a society. Films in the 60s and 70s focused more on the corruption of society and the roles of gender. In a very controversial film in 1971, A Clockwork Orange drew attention to the public of government involvement with morals and justice.
A story of a boy named Alex and his gang going around isolated neighborhoods robbing and rapping women. After Alex got locked up for murder, he became a victim of the government and became defenseless when he went through a governmental program to get him out of jail faster. Kubrick showed how a criminal became a victim through the government, a victim of the same act that Alex had committed at the start of the film. “A Clockwork Orange was one of several films of the era… to take the very nature of violence as a serious theme” (Cook 77).
which Americans looked at and thought about concepts of class and class identity” (Ross 64), but by the late 60s movies played a much different role in reshaping the way American looked a society. Films in the 60s and 70s focused more on the corruption of society and the roles of gender. In a very controversial film in 1971, A Clockwork Orange drew attention to the public of government involvement with morals and justice.A story of a boy named Alex and his gang going around isolated neighborhoods robbing and rapping women. After Alex got locked up for murder, he became a victim of the government and became defenseless when he went through a governmental program to get him out of jail faster. Kubrick showed how a criminal became a victim through the government, a victim of the same act that Alex had committed at the start of the film. “A Clockwork Orange was one of several films of the era… to take the very nature of violence as a serious theme” (Cook 77).
It was not just the wakening of corruption in society that became very controversial topic but the Vietnam War that was a very hot topic during the time. The violence of the Vietnam War was more gruesome for the audience than the violent films before the 60s, so many of the audience were seeking for more thrilled to satisfy their hunger for excitement. The production of Bonnie and Clyde was a start to satisfy the audience’s hunger for more violence. Bonnie and Clyde by Arthur Penn started the chain of sex and violence that no one had ever seen before in movies. The realistic violence of this film gave it a thrilling fresh look of violence in film that was like the real images of the Vietnam War. Beside the violence of the film that made it very controversial,
Bonnie and Clyde had a new style of story telling; a narrative like no other before it, where the film focused directly on the characters and nothing else. The style of the film itself was a counterculture to the typical Hollywood classical films because didn’t follow the structure of a plotted story line but instead it was in a narrative structure where the main focus was Bonnie and Clyde and their gang that rampaged the banks across the America. When the film first came out, many critics said that the film was too violent and it can lead the country’s young to become more violent. Even though many critique that the film’s violence was very realistic.
Besides sex and violence, another group was also rising up from underneath the carpet. The controversies of gays and lesbians that are also being portrayed in films during the time created 
a huge fuss through out America. Many youths were coming out of the closets and supporting the gays and lesbians films. Midnight Cowboy (1969) by Schlesinger challenged America’s audience with the story of a relationship between two men played by Dustin Hoffman and John Voight.
Not only that the audience were not used to seeing a man and a woman making love on screen, but Joe Buck prostitute himself for money from male customers was a challenged for most to see. This film “challenge[d] the myth of male sexuality by undermining the heterosexuality of its protagonist” (Weber 107). Where Joe Buck (John Voight) became a male prostitute after leaving his job in Texas and became homeless. He then encountered a “crippled” Enrico “Ratso” Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman) but ended up in a tragic ending for one of the main protagonist.
a huge fuss through out America. Many youths were coming out of the closets and supporting the gays and lesbians films. Midnight Cowboy (1969) by Schlesinger challenged America’s audience with the story of a relationship between two men played by Dustin Hoffman and John Voight.Not only that the audience were not used to seeing a man and a woman making love on screen, but Joe Buck prostitute himself for money from male customers was a challenged for most to see. This film “challenge[d] the myth of male sexuality by undermining the heterosexuality of its protagonist” (Weber 107). Where Joe Buck (John Voight) became a male prostitute after leaving his job in Texas and became homeless. He then encountered a “crippled” Enrico “Ratso” Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman) but ended up in a tragic ending for one of the main protagonist.
Several themes that became very popular during the 1960’s and 1970’s were the anti-heroic characters that were very typical of the 20s and 30s, “who are self destruct from the beginning as they buy into the corporate values and chauvinist attitude of the mainstream culture” (Man 
98). Like the youth of the 60s and 70s, the film reflected their value of how America “should be”. With this rising value of “an American Dream” caused a great uproar. In Easy Rider (1969) by Dennis Hopper showed a “backward” American dream of two guys who took a road trip to New Orleans, and that was the entire movie.
Hopper wanted to depict this “hippie” society of sex and drugs, where “freedom” is all they want. But this “freedom” ends up killing the two main characters in the end. Films of the time tend to show society the restless young people who wanted a radical change; they want their freedom to do whatever they want, but become destructive in the end.
98). Like the youth of the 60s and 70s, the film reflected their value of how America “should be”. With this rising value of “an American Dream” caused a great uproar. In Easy Rider (1969) by Dennis Hopper showed a “backward” American dream of two guys who took a road trip to New Orleans, and that was the entire movie.Hopper wanted to depict this “hippie” society of sex and drugs, where “freedom” is all they want. But this “freedom” ends up killing the two main characters in the end. Films of the time tend to show society the restless young people who wanted a radical change; they want their freedom to do whatever they want, but become destructive in the end.
Mostly during the 60s and 70s in American film history, directors like to “illustrates the collapse of the traditional family and community rituals, the search for personal fulfillment, and the disillusionment process in the postwar period” (Man 99). Even though this time period of American film history was one of the most experimental times, it was proven to create some of the most controversial and best film in film history. Whether is was about sex and violence, or drugs, this new wave of ideas was able to push back the control of TV censorship and created a “New Hollywood” that everybody knew today.
Bibliography:
Cook, David. Lost Illusion. New York: C. Scribner, 2000.
Bingham, Adam. Sense of Cinema: “Little Big Man”. October 2003. <http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/03/penn.html> 22, October. 2007.
Dirks, Tim. Greatest Film: “Midnight Cowboy”. 1997-2007. <http://www.filmsite.org/midn.html> 15, October. 2007.
Friedman, Lester D. American Cinema of the 1970s. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 2007.
Man, Glenn. Radical Visions: American Film Renaissance, 1967-1976. Westport, CN: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.1994.
Ross, Steven J. Movies and American Society. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publisher, 2002.
Weber, Ronald. America in Change: reflections on the 60’s and 70’s. University of Notre Dame: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc, 1972.
Wikipedia: “Midnight Cowboy”. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wayne> 22, October. 2007.
Cook, David. Lost Illusion. New York: C. Scribner, 2000.
Bingham, Adam. Sense of Cinema: “Little Big Man”. October 2003. <http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/03/penn.html> 22, October. 2007.
Dirks, Tim. Greatest Film: “Midnight Cowboy”. 1997-2007. <http://www.filmsite.org/midn.html> 15, October. 2007.
Friedman, Lester D. American Cinema of the 1970s. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 2007.
Man, Glenn. Radical Visions: American Film Renaissance, 1967-1976. Westport, CN: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.1994.
Ross, Steven J. Movies and American Society. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publisher, 2002.
Weber, Ronald. America in Change: reflections on the 60’s and 70’s. University of Notre Dame: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc, 1972.
Wikipedia: “Midnight Cowboy”. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wayne> 22, October. 2007.
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