Masterpieces of Cinema series: 1920’s-30’s

Open to All Adults – no prior knowledge required.

From musicals to Gothic horror:
A 2.5 hour presentation of the artistic and social dimensions of some film masterpieces of the 1920’s and 1930’s. Clips from the cited movies will be shown. Focusing upon the development of the art form from its commercial arrival post World War I to the almost perfectly-formed Studio system prevailing by 1939.

Featuring references to fashion, the emancipation of women, the rise of the cinema-going classes of the USA and Europe, the economic, social and political contexts of the Age and the emergence of restrictive censorship worldwide, whether in the ‘free’ West or in the totalitarian dictatorships of the 1930’s. Particular attention will also be brought to focus on the transition from silent films to the talkies and how this both enabled artistic freedom but also brought on the Production Code in the USA, which was a reactionary move against the introduction of dialogue to what had previously been seen as essentially harmless entertainment. The impact of changing work patterns and rapidly evolving social norms will also be examined. Chronological and thematic investigation of film masterpieces, featuring film clips and elaborations on stylistic trends of the Age.

Ever wondered how movies got to be the way they are? Do you want to know how cinema got started and then almost ended by political interference?

Cinema has never been innocent but it has often been great. Free speech and cinema have rarely, if ever, gone hand in hand. Cinema didn’t happen by chance but it didn’t happen by design, either. It was an historical evolution that, however, changed the world.

Tutor
Max Newsom is a film director, photographer and script writer who has a passion for film masterpieces which he loves to share.

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