Biggest con game ever: The Hollywood Code
You all remember those stories, don't you? Grandma and Grandpa, or Mom and Dad probably tell them all the time. They talk about how movies today are full of graphic violence, sex, nudity, and all that stuff that's "ruining our society as we know it". They remember those good old days when movies were clean and had good character.
Now Mom and Dad can reminisce about that, and in SOME cases(depending on age), Grandma and Grandpa can too. But I can safely say very few know their movie history. Hell, I have to admit I wasn't keen to this till the other day.
I'm in a Barnes and Noble looking through the DVD section when I noticed a set of movies entitled "Hollywood's Forbidden Movies", or something to that effect. Basically, these were movies that, between the end of silent films, and 1934, pretty much had carte blanche on what was included. This included nudity, sex, and violence. Yes, there are people that think that all that started in the 60s and 70s.
Count me as one of those people. Guess you learn something new every day.
Here's a little history lesson.
The 20s and 30s were sort of like the 60s and the 70s when it came to the ever changing times. The roaring twenties brought upon a new generation of people who started to rebel from the old "Victorian" ways, which were considered stodgy, boring, and way behind the times. The code was kind of an unwritten rule before, but films largely ignored them. Sex starlets like Jean Harlow were doing sexually suggestive films far before it was popular, violence was prevalent, and endings weren't always happy.
From here, we introduce the Catholic Legion of Decency.
In 1933, the Catholic Legion of Decency threw their two cents into the issue and promoted their outrage over all the violence and sex in film(Hey, I can see their beef! I mean it had to be overshadowing all that child molesting they were doing to altar boys!). They helped endorse a new film code entitled "The Hays Code" after Will Hays, former chairman of the Republican Party.
Here are the basic principles of the code.
No picture shall be produced that will lower the moral standards of those who see it. Hence the sympathy of the audience should never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil or sin - Complete and utter BS. Moral standards come from a good family life, good religious background(depending on your background, if there is one), and your conscience. It doesn't come from two hours of suspended disbelief on celluloid.
Correct standards of life, subject only to the requirements of drama and entertainment, shall be presented - You mean like that strong moral ground that most Hollywood actors have? Hell, George Burns once said(paraphrased) "The things you see women do in movies today are what they used to do to get into movies back then".
Law, natural or human, shall not be ridiculed, nor shall sympathy be created for its violation - Again, not a decision for the humans of the world.
Nakedness and suggestive dances were prohibited - Good and bad. Most filmmakers have no clue how to use nakedness and suggestive dance in a story. Most just use it to wank off to for about fifty takes.
The ridicule of religion was forbidden, and ministers of religion were not to be represented as comic characters or villains - Oh lordy, even GOD gave us the right to ridicule religion. You know that little story with the Garden of Eden? Now you go over God's head?
The depiction of illegal drug use was forbidden, as well as the use of liquor, when not required by the plot or for proper characterization - Yup, having a beer is a SIN!
Methods of crime (e.g. safe-cracking, arson, smuggling) were not to be explicitly presented.
References to alleged sex perversion (such as homosexuality) and venereal disease were forbidden, as were depictions of childbirth - That probably saved Rock Hudson's career?
The language section banned various words and phrases that were considered to be offensive - Eh, I don't mind this SO much. I can't say I'm perfect in the cussing department(far from it), but too many writers fill pages with cuss words instead of using them correctly. Only writer I truly know that can cuss incessantly, and make it a part of a good story is Mamet.
Murder scenes had to be filmed in a way that would discourage imitations in real life, and brutal killings could not be shown in detail. "Revenge in modern times" was not to be justified. Again, family, conscience, etc....
The sanctity of marriage and the home had to be upheld. "Pictures shall not imply that low forms of sex relationship are the accepted or common thing." Adultery and illicit sex, although recognized as sometimes necessary to the plot, could not be explicit or justified and were not supposed to be presented as an attractive option - This is why 100% of marriages were COMPLETELY perfect in Hollywood! I'm just imagining Ward Cleaver having three ways with two prostitutes while the room is filled with smoke! Life without the code, I guess.
Portrayals of miscegenation were forbidden - Gee, here's a surprise.
"Scenes of Passion" were not to be introduced when not essential to the plot. "Excessive and lustful kissing" was to be avoided, along with any other treatment that might "stimulate the lower and baser element." - Again, sometimes that's not bad. Some writers and directors have no clue what to do these days if sex isn't involved. It's killed creativity.
The flag of the United States was to be treated respectfully, and the people and history of other nations were to be presented "fairly." - You know this brought upon the horrible McCarthy blacklist(another subject for another time)
The treatment of "Vulgarity," defined as "low, disgusting, unpleasant, though not necessarily evil, subjects" must be "subject to the dictates of good taste." Capital punishment, "third-degree methods," cruelty to children and animals, prostitution and surgical operations were to be handled with similar sensitivity - That kills about 98% of movies today being made way back when.
Look, to me it's a con game. Not because of the rules portrayed(I agree with a few personally for myself, but not for the work itself), but for the hypocrisy of it all. People are worried about Obama wanting to control the world, and control what we do.
Have no fear, it's been going on for years.
Now Mom and Dad can reminisce about that, and in SOME cases(depending on age), Grandma and Grandpa can too. But I can safely say very few know their movie history. Hell, I have to admit I wasn't keen to this till the other day.
I'm in a Barnes and Noble looking through the DVD section when I noticed a set of movies entitled "Hollywood's Forbidden Movies", or something to that effect. Basically, these were movies that, between the end of silent films, and 1934, pretty much had carte blanche on what was included. This included nudity, sex, and violence. Yes, there are people that think that all that started in the 60s and 70s.
Count me as one of those people. Guess you learn something new every day.
Here's a little history lesson.
The 20s and 30s were sort of like the 60s and the 70s when it came to the ever changing times. The roaring twenties brought upon a new generation of people who started to rebel from the old "Victorian" ways, which were considered stodgy, boring, and way behind the times. The code was kind of an unwritten rule before, but films largely ignored them. Sex starlets like Jean Harlow were doing sexually suggestive films far before it was popular, violence was prevalent, and endings weren't always happy.
From here, we introduce the Catholic Legion of Decency.
In 1933, the Catholic Legion of Decency threw their two cents into the issue and promoted their outrage over all the violence and sex in film(Hey, I can see their beef! I mean it had to be overshadowing all that child molesting they were doing to altar boys!). They helped endorse a new film code entitled "The Hays Code" after Will Hays, former chairman of the Republican Party.
Here are the basic principles of the code.
No picture shall be produced that will lower the moral standards of those who see it. Hence the sympathy of the audience should never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil or sin - Complete and utter BS. Moral standards come from a good family life, good religious background(depending on your background, if there is one), and your conscience. It doesn't come from two hours of suspended disbelief on celluloid.
Correct standards of life, subject only to the requirements of drama and entertainment, shall be presented - You mean like that strong moral ground that most Hollywood actors have? Hell, George Burns once said(paraphrased) "The things you see women do in movies today are what they used to do to get into movies back then".
Law, natural or human, shall not be ridiculed, nor shall sympathy be created for its violation - Again, not a decision for the humans of the world.
Nakedness and suggestive dances were prohibited - Good and bad. Most filmmakers have no clue how to use nakedness and suggestive dance in a story. Most just use it to wank off to for about fifty takes.
The ridicule of religion was forbidden, and ministers of religion were not to be represented as comic characters or villains - Oh lordy, even GOD gave us the right to ridicule religion. You know that little story with the Garden of Eden? Now you go over God's head?
The depiction of illegal drug use was forbidden, as well as the use of liquor, when not required by the plot or for proper characterization - Yup, having a beer is a SIN!
Methods of crime (e.g. safe-cracking, arson, smuggling) were not to be explicitly presented.
References to alleged sex perversion (such as homosexuality) and venereal disease were forbidden, as were depictions of childbirth - That probably saved Rock Hudson's career?
The language section banned various words and phrases that were considered to be offensive - Eh, I don't mind this SO much. I can't say I'm perfect in the cussing department(far from it), but too many writers fill pages with cuss words instead of using them correctly. Only writer I truly know that can cuss incessantly, and make it a part of a good story is Mamet.
Murder scenes had to be filmed in a way that would discourage imitations in real life, and brutal killings could not be shown in detail. "Revenge in modern times" was not to be justified. Again, family, conscience, etc....
The sanctity of marriage and the home had to be upheld. "Pictures shall not imply that low forms of sex relationship are the accepted or common thing." Adultery and illicit sex, although recognized as sometimes necessary to the plot, could not be explicit or justified and were not supposed to be presented as an attractive option - This is why 100% of marriages were COMPLETELY perfect in Hollywood! I'm just imagining Ward Cleaver having three ways with two prostitutes while the room is filled with smoke! Life without the code, I guess.
Portrayals of miscegenation were forbidden - Gee, here's a surprise.
"Scenes of Passion" were not to be introduced when not essential to the plot. "Excessive and lustful kissing" was to be avoided, along with any other treatment that might "stimulate the lower and baser element." - Again, sometimes that's not bad. Some writers and directors have no clue what to do these days if sex isn't involved. It's killed creativity.
The flag of the United States was to be treated respectfully, and the people and history of other nations were to be presented "fairly." - You know this brought upon the horrible McCarthy blacklist(another subject for another time)
The treatment of "Vulgarity," defined as "low, disgusting, unpleasant, though not necessarily evil, subjects" must be "subject to the dictates of good taste." Capital punishment, "third-degree methods," cruelty to children and animals, prostitution and surgical operations were to be handled with similar sensitivity - That kills about 98% of movies today being made way back when.
Look, to me it's a con game. Not because of the rules portrayed(I agree with a few personally for myself, but not for the work itself), but for the hypocrisy of it all. People are worried about Obama wanting to control the world, and control what we do.
Have no fear, it's been going on for years.
 Comments (1)
 Add Comments
|
|
Read More
