Film culture and the domination of Hollywood

Throughout today’s society, we are living in a technology driven modern era where human culture, regardless of whether we are noticing it or not, is being influenced and dominated by a significant amount of art and media movements. These movements are contributing to the way that we as a global entity think, feel, interact and respond.

Marshall McLuhan refers to the “Global Village” and defines it as ‘members of nations being connected by communication.’ An example of a movement which has contributed to the formation of a global village is the ever-growing TV and film industry, due to the diversity and range of films that are being created and broadcasted all around the world, meaning that different cultures can come together and blend over a common interest. The Hollywood film industry in particular has always had a dominant presence in the worldwide film industry, and this has then resulted in cultures outside of the Western lifestyle perceiving American culture in a particular way. In fact, it is often argued that Hollywood plays an extremely significant role in the development of ‘global uniformity’ by instilling the Western values and ways of life into different cultures around the world. This can include; fashion, food, music, and even the way that people are now communicating. According to Hatchen & Scotton, (2002), “Many critics have described the process of globalisation as both trendy and controversial; they see the world as subjugated by American or Western ideals, demonstrated through pop-culture and the dominance of Hollywood productions” In stating this, Hatchen & Scotton are arguing that the dominance of Hollywood throughout the entertainment industry has resulted in the film industry being 'conquered' by the presence of Hollywood, and that these mediums are allowing America the power to 'push' audiences towards absorbing the prescribed content presented to them devoid of question. 

                                                                   Image source: Viewpoint online

Due to globalization, this process has allowed for Hollywood productions to be viewed in a variety of different countries around the world, however, this in turn also allows for the promotion of American supremacy throughout other cultures, which is widely accepted by a majority of these cultures. De Zoysa & Newman, (2002) have stated that; “Film and television are an integral part of American ‘soft power’, effortlessly extolling values attributable to the American way of life, including its downside.” I know that personally, the way that I think and perceive the world has undoubtedly been influenced by the production of Hollywood films, as they are produced and set around the ideologies and beliefs of American culture. I watch films, and react to them in ways that the framing of that film has encouraged me to, whether it be a romance film, a comedy, or even a thriller. Films set out the ideas and values that people should be considering whilst watching them, and a large majority of the time these ideas are based on American western culture so that we succumb to adapting to and upholding American perspectives.

Sources
De Zoysa & Newman; 2002; “Globalization, soft power and the challenge of Hollywood”. Otto Contemporary Politics, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 185-202

Hatchen, WA & Scotton, JF 2002, “News communication for a new global system” The world news prism: global media in an era of terrorism, 6^th edition, lowa State Press, Ames, pp. 3-14

Rantanen, T 2005, 'Theorizing Media Globalization', The media and globalization, Sage, London, pp 1-18