60's to 90's Movies

While the basis of movies has changed from the 60's to 90's in obvious ways, such as in genres, I view the shift in age demographics with far more interest. For much of time period, Movies were always focused on adults with the 80's introducing teenagers. The nineties completely changed the landscape with the introduction of an array of child focused movies, such as Toy Story, Babe, Home Alone, Lion. King and Tarzan. For the first time, producers realized that children movies are the most lucrative age group, as seen by the fact that Shrek, Ice Age and Toy Story are some of the most successful movie franchises in history. Beyond the basic shift in age focus, movies advanced along with technology. They changed from several still cameras to the rotating cameras made famous with Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, which would be replaced by CGI and animations in the 90's. Movies have improved over the decades because of the clear cut images compared to the grainy westerns seen in Butch Cassidy. 

The 90's is the best decade of movies because it is probably the one I have seen the most movies from. Most of my childhood revolved around watching Pixar and Disney movies on repeat, such as Toy Story and the Lion King. Beyond the movies of my childhood, I would say the best movie of the decade would be The Big 

Lebowski. I like the movie just because of the extreme and weird nature of the characters and plot. From the characters stuck in their past, such as the Dudes hippie life and Walters Vietnam, to the bizarre scenes of bowling. The Big Lebowski provided an interesting perspective of an array of generations, which is not seen in most movies. Overall, the 90's was the best decade for movies in my mind. 

60's to 90's: Music in America

Music in America has radically changed from the 1960's to now. The changes reflected in music directly correlate the changes seen within America, whether it be politically or socially. The changes in music began in the 60's with the introduction of psychedelic and hard rock with bands such as the Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. These bands reflected the growing Special Relationship as well as the prevalence of drugs and hippies with society. The seventies witnessed the continual prevalence of Rock with mixing in of Punk and Disco. These new genres reflected the changing racial dynamic of America. Punk was the response for whites "losing" power, while Disco was the music for newly empowered minorities, such as Blacks and Homosexuals. The music of the 80's transitioned from a rock-centric culture to a more pop-centric one. Young and controversial artists arose with messages of care free living, which reflected the downfall of the Soviets. The 90's broke away completely with an array of music dominating the landscape. Pop and Rock developed into the two popular genres with sub genres such as Grunge and Rap. The 90's reflected controversial events such as racial inequality in the only superpower. The music of America has changed because America itself jas changed. 

90's Music

The music of the 90's ranges in the middle for personal appeal. For myself, The sixties and seventies are best with the 90's closely behind. Though the music styles that emerged do not personally appeal to me, the radical changes brought by the music does. The emergence of Rap and Grunge rock broke away from the 80's in a way similar to the 60's with the 50's. These new styles confronted new issues never discussed before in pop culture, such as racial warfare and inequality. The message of the music was radical for pop culture in a way similar to the 60's with drugs/sex in mainstream culture. The music reflected controversial events of the decade such as racial inequality (King), Clinton and changes brought by new technology. Both Rap and Grunge were the key aspects of the decade, striking out against institutions. Grunge interests me due to the role of Kurt Cobain, especially since he is often referred to as a modern John Lennon. Though I don't like the music of Grunge, the long term influence of it does, including with the Foo Fighters and Red Chili Peppers. The music of the 90's is undeniably heavily influential who brought about artists and songs that will always be remembered, such as Tupac, BIG and Cobain. Though I do not enjoy the music of the 90's, the radical changes and messages brought with it will continue to have long lasting influence on music. 

90's TV

Seinfeld, Friends and Simpsons were the three main shows we watched in class. Personally, Seinfeld is the best, which was heavily influenced by the fact that I watched it with my dad all the time growing up. However, I enjoy Seinfeld because it mixes slapstick and situational humor along with a varying cast. Seinfeld has an array of characters with Kramers hippie style and Costanza's competitive personality combined with dozens of side characters that are involved. Seinfeld also featured several plot lines that each character followed. By comparison, Friends has always seemed like a cheap rip off of Seinfeld with less diversity of plot and characters. Friends has a linear plot that is similar for most characters and revolves completely on the main characters. Also the portrayal of the characters was interesting, with Elaine working for a prestigious publishing company while the women of Friends are unemployed or are waitresses. The final show was the Simpsons which is difficult to compare to the other shows. The Simpsons provided a similar plot to Seinfeld with a mix of slapstick and situational comedy, but added an aspect of satire. I enjoy the Simpsons because of the array of comedy, but the low level of quality of the show does take away from the value of the show. Overall I would say Seinfeld was the best with the Simpsons and then Friends. 

Impeachment

The Whitewater investigation does not seem like a serious proposition for impeachment, but the role of perjury and obstruction of justice do. Though Bill Clinton repeatedly lied to the media, I do not think that he could be impeached on perjury. First, he was not under oath when he made the statements and the technicality of the wording did mean that his statements were correct . His actions were extremely negative, his relationship with Lewinsky and the perjury charges of the case do not seem worth of impeachment. The second charge of obstruction of justice does make more sense however. The continual manipulation of documents by the Clintons both had a negative impact of public opinion but made it seem like they were conducting shady dealings. However, I believe that the "not guilty" vote was right because there was never concrete evidence to prove that Bill Clinton obstructed justice personally. I believe that the event had a major effect on Americans because it exhibited the partisanship of Congress and the trustworthiness of public figures ranging back to Nixon. Though the case most likely did not change peoples political views, as seen in the 2000 elections, it probably brought more skepticism similar to what was seen with Nixon. 

90's Topics

- Interventions: Balkans, Iraq, Panama 

- Rise of Terrorism

- Gardner Museum Heist 

- OJ Simpson case

80's Movie

The movies we watched in class were Platoon, Ferris Buellers Day Off and Breakfast Club. 

The Break fast Club represented five stereotypical teenagers in detention, who argue/bond with one and other along with their advisor. The movie interestingly portrayed the the 1980's, especially the Cold War and consumerism. In the movie, one of the girls exhibits the booming consumerism of the decade, with a fancy car and clothing. The ending of the movie provides commentary on the decade as well. Due to the rising rhetoric of Reagan, many feared the Soviets even more, which the movie commented on when they portrayed the Jock dating the weird nerdy girl. Just like the how the jock perceived the Girl as an odd and extreme person, many viewed the Soviets in a similar light. By having the two opposites attract, the movie provides Americans the belief that friendship with the Soviets is possible. 

Ferris Bueller fell in to a similar genre with a focus on three teenagers and their fight against authority. The movie, like the Breakfast club, continued to reflect the role of consumerism in the decade. Within the movie, a friend of Bueller has a garage which has an array of classic cars. Also the movie includes a scene of depicting high class life in America. 

The final movie, Platoon, portrays men in the Vietnam war, and the real toll it took on people. The movie demonstrated the willingness to admit the wrongs made during the Vietnam War. By portraying the grueling scenes of destruction, Platoon placed blame on everyone and no one. It made people hate the soldiers for their atrocities yet sympathize with them for the hell they lived with everyday. The movie represented a transition to a period of healing and acceptance for many americans. 

    I enjoyed the movies of the 1980's, especially Platoon since it gave an interesting and more realistic portrayal of Vietnam war. 

80's Music - Reflection of Decade

Though the 1980's did not interest me in a music sense, the messages behind the music did. A major message of the music was that violence, such as the Cold War, was pointless. The anti-war message could be clearly seen through the songs, "Russians" and "99 Balloons". These songs demonstrated the staunch positions held by most individuals, which was that nuclear war and rhetoric served no positive purpose. While the Cold War was a major theme, domestic issues, such as the changes of desegregation, were prominent in various groups including the hip-hop group, NWA. They brought up issues like racism and gang violence occurring in California. They frequently used racial slurs in their songs, as they were not afraid to be controversial or confrontational. NWA’s willingness not to shy away from controversial topics and express their opinions was a new and interesting approach. I believe that they captured the mood of some people during the decade since inequality was still a major problem in the country at the time, which they helped bring attention to.

80's TV

Bill Cosby is a well known and hilarious comedian so I enjoyed watching his show.  For the time, the show served as a new precedent because it featured a well to do African American family that ran directly against racial stereotypes. The show developed its humor from the familial interactions it portrayed and the typical banter that developed in a growing family. The show developed an array of struggles that appealed to all ages, such as peer pressure and parenting. The clean and familiar humor provided for all age groups to watch.

Miami Vice was more enjoyable than the other shows as it provided an interesting plot line that was relatively realistic. From the 70's and 80's there was a significant change in violence. Explosions were used for the first time and were more frequent though not developed with as much drama as modern media. Violence ,such as the shooting of various people, was more prevalent though, like explosives, less dramatic as those found in modern media. 

 

Cheers was interesting especially since we live in the Boston area, which added to the entertainment of the show. The single setting seemed odd at first but eventually revealed the interesting premise of following some at work, rather than following them on odd journeys, which most people would not relate to as more white-collar jobs required people to stay in one place for hours. 

70's Movies

The 70's movies continued a theme of conflict and struggle similar to those seen in the 60's culture. Jaws, Star Wars and Apocalypse Now all featured violent struggles, which often originated from the Cold War. 

Star Wars featured a storyline that was highly influenced by a Cold War mentality. The premise outlined an evil empire conquering the galaxy and destroying planets. On the other side was a underdog force fighting for freedom. The plot resonated with Americans due to the similarities between the two sides, with the US being the rebels/freedom fighters while the USSR is an evil empire that aims to destroy planets. By having the rebels(USA) win, the movie serves as a morale booster for Americans when doubt was everywhere (Watergate, Saigon). 

Apocalypse continued the theme of Cold War conflict. The movie featured a rugged portrayal of the Vietnam war. The movie served as an outlet for the anger felt by many american towards their inept government. The movie exhibited the crazy and impractical nature of the war.  By blaming the failure of the war and loss on the crazy leader, movie could be viewed as closure for those who lost their children and family to the war. However, the movies rugged take on the war could easily be viewed as insulting due to the recent nature of the war and personal toll taken. 

The final movie was Jaws, which continued the theme of conflict. The shark of the movie symbolically represented the USSR, as well as communism in general. The shark was a mysterious and deadly force that the citizens feared and wanted to destroy. Similar to the shark, the USSR and communism represented a foreign presence that served to destroy the American way of life. The storyline also served as a commentary on the Vietnam War. Through the movie, various people foolishly go out searching for the shark before ultimately dying. The shark is not finally killed until the citizens wait for it to strike. The movie could serve to remind Americans that the US should fight Communism at home rather than search it out in foreign lands. 

The movie Star Wars represented the 70's the most accurately. The movie connect an unrealistic and interesting story line with a more relatable topic, never ending conflict, such as the Cold War.

80's Topics

Reagan Foreign Policy (Thatcher, Iran, Grenada, Berlin) 

Celtics-Laker Rivalry 

Shuttle Program

70's TV

The shows of the seventies demonstrated the changing aspects of American social hierarchies. Each show attempts to relate to the changing dynamic of American society and the new found influence of minorities. With The Brady Bunch, the average white suburban family is depicted.  While the show centers around a white family, the show reaches out to other viewers through its underlying messages. In the episode we watched, the show exhibited the growing influence of women's equality within society by having the spouses admit that the both work equal amounts. All in the Family portrays a more accurate image of American society during the 1970's. Through a white family, the show demonstrates the generational divide between Traditional conservatives (Archie) and the liberal youth (daughter and boyfriend). By having an array of political background represented, the show can reach a broader array of viewers in the changing landscape of America. The Mary Tyler Moore Show represented the extreme end of change within American society. Rather than having a tv show revolving around men with women as minor characters, the show reverses the role. The role reversal demonstrates the changing gender roles within society. The show depicts how more women were leaving the domestic workplace for an office workspace. 

For the three shows, I would have to say the Mary Taylor Moore show was the best. The Brady Bunch was not very relatable because the family landscape is depicted as too perfect, even though the parents were divorced or widowed. The Brady Bunch was less relatable than All in the Family and the Mary Taylor Moore show. All in the Family was the most relatable but was quite boring.  The All in the Family demonstrated the normal generational divide over political change and ideas.The Mary Taylor Moore show reminded me of Seinfeld and was more interesting because of the crazy and stupid plot/characters. 

70's Music

The music discusses in depth the meaning of life and love. These topics reflect the uncertainty associated with the United States Government in post-Vietnam and Watergate. The songs discuss how various ideals are not important for their is a deeper meaning to life which they will soon know. The deeper meaning is a reflection of the fact that many people were looking to other organizations for answers since they have lost faith in their government. 

70's Pictures

The pictures demonstrate the aftermath of the 60's and the protests. In the majority of the pictures, large amounts of trash are seen. Also the people depicted in the pictures are still wearing the self-expression style clothing associated with the 1960's. 

60's Movies

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was a buddy movie combined with a western. The death of the main characters in the end, reflects the real-life deaths of the 1960s, such as the Kennedy brothers. The Pink Panther was a comedy with the clumsy Inspector Clouseau. The comedy focuses on the clumsy actions of Clouseau throughout the film. Clouseau's actions combined with the funny attire/behavior illustrated the humor in the 1960's. The Planet of the Apes was a film on an earth style planet that switches the position of Apes and Humans in the animal hierarchy. The movie is a commentary on the social divisiveness within American society, such as the racial power structures.  

60's TV

The television shows reflected events such as the Vietnam War and JFK assassination. The shows reflected the influences on everyday life such as organized crime and psychedelic drugs. I enjoyed what I saw because it was a different take on the same genres. For example in crime, the modern shows focus primarily on homicide investigations while the shows of the 60's focused on both homicides and organized crime. I believe that the crime shows of the 60's are more interesting because they had a large spectrum of plots. Compared to the modern crime shows, such as CSI, which often become repetitive due to the same general plot line being reused. The variety shows of the 60's were similar to modern comedy shows, such as SNL and the late night shows. Both used satirical views on present day issues and a variety of skits to entertain viewers. 

1960's Music

Most of the music I listen to from the 1960's originates from The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel and Def Leppard. Most of this music was peaceful and calm in tone and message. Due to the heavy influence of Drugs and the Peace movement, the music of the 1960's was peaceful. During the 1960's, the guitar served as the most prominent instrument. Whether it be Bob Dylan, Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton or Jimmy Page, the Guitar ruled supreme during the 60's. While music was dominated by the Guitar, several artists mixed various instruments such as the Beatles with the Sitar.

Beatles

I believe that at the beginning of their career, The Beatles were the first major boy band. Their music consisted of simple sounds and topics while attracting masses of young girls. As the time progressed, I believe the band transformed from a boy band through their use of more advanced techniques, wider array of listeners and their discussion of more explicit topics in their songs. 

Discussion Topics

- Bill Russell and 7 straight Celtic titles 

- Muhammad Ali 

- Space Program

- Kennedy Frontier and LBJ Great Society

- Beatles 

Definition of Pop Culture

Pop Culture is a type of culture (Art,Music,Television/Movies) that is influential on society and people. For example, The Beatles and Elvis Presley had a huge effect on society due to their extremely popular music. 

Pop Culture and Society

I believe that Pop culture reflects the themes and influences within Society during a certain time frame.