Influences of Foreign Cinemas on Hollywood

Most people think that Hollywood influences other world cinema. For the most part this is true. But trends are changing. There are several different movements of cinema that are influencing Hollywood. The trend is moving toward Hollywood being influenced more and more by outside cinema, and the one sided movement of ideas is slowly becoming more and more of a two way street. For one, more foreign films are being shown, more foreign actors are being used, and more foreign styles of filming being filmed.
The largest movie industry in the world is Bollywood. Bollywood produces more than twice the amount of films than Hollywood per year, around 1100, and it has many, many more viewers than Hollywood films. This quote is from Baz Luhrman, and it explains how Bollywood cinema directly influenced his film Moulin Rouge:
How did the idea for a lavish musical come about?
Catherine Martin (production designer and Luhrmann's wife) and I went to India to work on "Midsummer Night's Dream." We went out one night and there was a big poster up for a Bollywood movie. I said, "Let's go see that." We did - 2,000 audience members, high comedy, high tragedy, brother kills brother, [they] break out in some musical numbers, all jumbled up together in 4 hours of Hindi. We thought that was amazing. So our question was, "Could we create a cinematic form like that? Could a musical work?" A musical must be able to work in western culture again, and could it be comic-tragic? So then began this commitment of moving toward "Moulin Rouge." I decided I'd do "Romeo + Juliet" and then a musical film.
Moulin Rouge has many elements of a Bollywood film. It has the theme of a love story. It also has a tragic part to it. The narrative is told through music, rather than just being a song that is typical of western-style musicals. One other important element of playing a Bollywood film is that this is considered a true drama. There is no cynical or self-referential element to the exposition. Baz Luhrman explains:
It's much easier to find an actor today who plays like a pale photocopy of Marlon Brando - like "Gee, I'm suffering." But it is (difficult) to get a young actor to stand, look at the camera, and sing, "I love you" without a jot of cynicism - that is hard to find, and for me, that's Ewan McGregor's great achievement.
Priya Joshi, associate professor of English at Temple University, says, “We're a little more cynical. West Side Story' is kind of laughable by today's standards. ... But, for some reason, in India, that innocence is still acceptable.” Most of the films today have become more cynical and more removed from high tragedy and comedy. Think about it. When Hamlet dies in Shakespeare's play, he is playing a fully tragic part. The audience also must fully believe in the story for this type of film to work. That is why Lord of the Rings worked. Because the audience was fully drawn into the story, and they did not question it. That is also why Moulin Rouge worked.
Another huge influence on American horror cinema is Japanese Horror, or J-horror. Eli Roth, director of Hostel explains in an interview:
If classic 1970s American horror was the inspiration for CABIN FEVER, then Roth credits Asian and South Korean horror film making as the inspiration for HOSTEL. Yet Roth was relatively ignorant of young Asian masters like Hideo Nakata, Park Chan-Wook, and Takashi Miike until he attended world film festivals during the promotion of CABIN FEVER. "I was exposed to a whole new world of Asian cinema I never knew existed. I was stunned," says the director. "Their horror films are so much more creative, disturbing, and effective than anything I have seen coming out of America. I started watching as many Asian and South Korean films I could get my hands on."
One of the reasons that Japanese horror works so well is because it is fully scary and is not self-referential and does not make jokes about itself. It takes itself fully seriously so that the Audience can take it seriously too. Eli Roth, the director of Hostel explains:
Throughout the production process, Roth knew that HOSTEL would be a marked departure from CABIN FEVER. "I didn’t want to make another horror-comedy," reports the director. "I wanted HOSTEL to be a pure horror film – one that starts out fun, but gets darker and darker and never looks back or winks at the audience.”
Hostel is a truly scary movie. When was the last time you have seen a movie in theaters that is truly scary and not at all comedic. The idea of starting like a romantic comedy for Audition by Takashi Miike or starting like Eurotrip for Hostel is common to both movies. That is why they are so good, it is because they trick the audience. Also, another philosophy of J-horror is making the movie as gory and disgusting as possible. This definitely happens in Hostel and Audition.
J-horror is not always about gore and mutilation. Sometimes, the traditional Japanese ghost story is told to American audiences. The movie the Ring is actually heavily influenced by Japanese ghost storys, in fact is it a remake of the movie Ringu (1998). Hideo Nakata, the director of Ringu explains the difference between Western and Japanese horror:
The difference between Japanese horror and Western horror can be traced back to the difference in religious beliefs. When making horror films, the methods of describing the spiritual world and the expression of horror are totally different between Japan and the West. In a culture where the influence of monotheism such as Christianity is strong, the antinomy, or confrontation between the devil and God, becomes the fundamental conflict... On the other hand, a typical example of the Japanese horror thriller is the classic Ghost Story of Tokaido Yotsuya, a tale that has been performed as a kabuki play since the Edo period. In the story, a beautiful wife is violently poisoned to death by her husband. Harboring a deep-seated grudge against the man who caused her grisly demise, she becomes a ghost, reappearing before her husband with a terribly disfigured face to curse him.
Perhaps this kind of horror might not appear to be able to work in America, but The Ring was a very successful film.
Most people, when asked about Hong Kong cinema, will think of movies involving Bruce Lee karate chopping people, and the setting will be in the Qing dynasty. That is one particular style of film called Kung Fu, but there is another style of film called the Hong Kong crime drama. It usually involves the Triad importing drugs or kidnapping someone. Examples of these films are A Better Tomorrow (1986), City on Fire, and Prison on Fire (both 1987). These films were serious crime dramas. Quentin Tarentino, a director that has said many times that some of his greatest influences were from Hong Kong action cinema.
We can see that many cinemas have influence on our cinema. Hollywood is always looking for new trends in cinema, and that can sometimes be accomplished by looking beyond our borders. If Hollywood ignores other cinemas, then they risk losing viewers to overseas movie makers. Not all styles can be used, but some aspects of the overseas cinemas can be taken to use in American cinema.
HOSTEL

Culminating Culture

Cinema greatly influences the public’s view of character, society, and culture, while interestingly reflecting the world. Directors and filmmakers essentially hold the power to influence the ideas and thus the representation of foreign cultures to the people. By merely integrating international scenarios, cultures, and locations with local celebrities, and stars helps viewers to embrace diversity as a positive, rather than cultural invasion. Hollywood, the world’s largest film production center, has always been eager to broaden the cultural scope of the American public by releasing award winning movies on foreign cultures, such as “The Last Samurai” and “The Darjeeling Limited”.
The most distinguishing and unique characteristic of America has always been its unparalleled cultural diversity. Hollywood has seized this aspect as an opportunity for movie concepts, accommodating both the growing number of foreigners who would get interested in American production, and Americans who would like know more about international cultures in an interesting and exciting way. “The Last Samurai” starring the popular actor ‘Tom Cruise,’ tells the story of an American soldier that finds himself in the middle of Japanese cultural feud, a touching story expanding of the hardships of modernization to the ancient sacred samurai society and how he learned to accommodate himself and learned mutual respect from the perspective of a very different and interesting culture. The American viewers were swayed by the ‘Tom Cruise’s’ relations, actions, and emotions, concepts that created a bridge into a unique civilization of perfection, purity, and self-control beyond all American known measures. Such complex emotions and ideals taught the public not only about Japanese traditions and customs, but also brought the best in that culture forward for the Americans to learn from it and by thus elevate the greatness of their unique culture.
“The film never really explains how or why this resolute, isolated samurai learned to speak English better than the emperor. His fluency doesn't quite make sense, though it gives the movie some needed mystique. It plays better than the inexorable pull of romance, drawing Taka and Algren together.” (Mitchell)
The integration and focus of culture in world cinema has helped viewers embrace diversity. The new concepts and ideals suggested in both these films cast away false preconceptions and provide audiences with an interesting foreign twist to the films they are accustomed to. Movies are highly effective in allowing the viewer to relate to their characters, so directors and filmmakers essentially hold the power to harmonize the people of the world, merely through introducing plots within different cultural contexts.
Although the sense of history in the U.S. is relatively limited compared to the rich heritage of other countries, Hollywood has seized this aspect as an opportunity for its movie concepts rather than as a drawback. With these roots from nearly every nation in the world, it seems only natural for the American film industry to rely on this rich fabric to broaden the country’s cultural scope.
Cinema is one of the most popular forms of entertainment, therefore Hollywood holds a greater influence on public opinion than one might realize. The globalization efforts of the Hollywood film industry have proven to have a powerful impact on the social standards of Americans. As international and political issues arise, filmmakers can, and often do, adjust the plotlines to shape the interpretation of the audience. Movies are the perfect media for expressing and conveying the everyday interactions of other societies, so films focused specifically about other cultures can subconsciously set the first impression or even mold preconceived ideas for many Americans. This power to sway American society must be handled cautiously and courteously, since the portrayal of other countries is typically heavily criticized as the films begin to be viewed overseas. Since plots commonly rely on controversial issues, the movie productions should not necessarily focus on shedding a positive light on every cultural aspect. However, filmmakers should constantly be aware of every nuance in their work and the impact it might have on a culture’s identity.
As the outlook of globalization in Hollywood films has sparked a new stimulating field for the film industry, there have recently been many successful Hollywood films released revolving around other nationalities. The limited historical diversity that America lacks seems to fuel the public’s interest in this new crop of foreign-based movies. Although the setting of the movies is primarily overseas, the protagonists are often American actors or characters and in turn retain the American culture to a certain degree. This creates a bridge between the viewer and the foreign culture that they might not be directly subject to. When watching these movies, the cultural gap seems to be often bonded by famous, familiar actors. The Last Samurai portrays the Japanese culture through the eyes of an American soldier, played by the popular actor Tom Cruise. American viewers are easily able to relate to the character, and can understand the Samurai lifestyle throughout the course of the film.
“…can't truly conceal his stardom. Cruise isn't a strong enough actor to vanish into the role -- his contemporary appeal burns through the historical veneer like a laser, yanking it into the present. Still, he has the kind of mega-starpower to drive audiences to the film in droves.” (Schulman)
The Darjeeling Limited, another film that applies to this archetype, also allows the American viewer to absorb the culture of another nation through the perspective of an outsider. The main characters are well-known American actors that become embedded in the everyday life of India, wearing traditional Indian dress and conforming to the lifestyles.
“Full of the kind of visual and musical detail for which Anderson is known, ‘The Darjeeling Limited’ isn't deep; its fey humor and obvious metaphors will surely provide ample fodder for Anderson's … has its charms, chief of which is watching three terrific actors evince with unforced ease the rewards and resentments of brotherhood.” (Hornaday)
“Mr. Anderson is clumsiest when he tries to confront intense emotion directly. The death of an Indian child, for instance, is less a dramatic crisis than an aesthetic opportunity, a chance for the brothers (and the filmmakers) to explore another aspect of the beauty and mystery of India.” (Scott)
These attempts by the director to provide the audience with an accurate portrayal of daily life can become slightly dramatic at times. The perfect balance between the plotline and the realistic qualities of the setting can be difficult to achieve. This tactic of over-emphasizing the country’s differences in lifestyles is often effective for the unknowing viewer.
“The Darjeeling Limited’ amounts finally to a high-end, high-toned tourist adventure. I don’t mean this dismissively; it would be hypocritical of me to deny the delights of luxury travel to faraway lands. And Mr. Anderson’s eye for local color — the red-orange-yellow end of the spectrum in particular — is meticulous and admiring.” (Scott)
In reference to those “bright colors,” there is a common example of how directors film certain traits of another culture in order to accent the distinct elements of other societies. Although Mr. Anderson may have remained consistent with the authentic costume throughout the film, his efforts may suit or contribute to the stereotypes of Indian culture. In a sense, the reality of many cultures is sacrificed and exaggerated in order to convince the audience and gain credibility.
With the production of Hollywood films about other countries and cultures, it seems obvious that the movies will still cling onto many of the typical features of American cinema. In both the The Last Samurai and The Darjeeling Limited, the main characters are all American. Although some of Hollywood’s movies are exclusively foreign, these two movies impose the blend of American culture. Filmmakers likely see this as more than just a “bridge,” but as an intriguing variation to the typical American movie. The plot may seem more interesting to an audience if the culture is neither exclusively foreign nor American. In The Darjeeling Limited, the three characters just face a conflict in an Indian setting, while the main character of The Last Samurai has a direct conflict and interaction with the Japanese.
Hollywood, the world’s largest film production center, has always been eager to broaden the cultural scope of the American public by releasing award winning movies on foreign cultures, such as these movies Last Samurai and The Darjeeling Limited. Such great approaches to different, yet interesting and enticing cultures, bring out the best of both American and international people in order to learn more about each other, the world, and better ways of communication. As long as directors and producers stand for globalization, the public will continue to see and even experience the world and its mysteries through action, drama, and all sorts of favored cinema.

Works Cited

Hornaday, Ann. “A Roadtrip to India on ‘The Darjeeling Limited.’” 5 Oct, 2007. Washington Post. <>

Mitchell, Elvis. “The Last Samurai Film Review; From the Wild West to the Honorable East.” 5 Dec, 2003. The New York Times.

Scott, A. O. “The Darjeeling Limited: Brothers, and Their Baggage, in India.” 28 Sept, 2007. The New York Times.

Shulman, Randy. “Battle Fatigue: The Last Samurai.” 11 Dec, 2003. MetroWeekly.< ak="767">

Globalization in America: International Influence in Hollywood

The Inclusion of International Actors

Throughout its history America has been a place where people from any country could come and try to find a better life. The Statue of Liberty is engraved with this saying, "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" This quote is what America was based on when it was founded. It’s a place where people could go to find refuge from their countries or just to search for a better life. While America no longer accepts every single person who wants to make a home here, it is still considered the melting pot country. This kind of national globalization can be seen in the films of Hollywood. It used to be that in all American films the main character of the movie would be the stereotypical white American, but all of that is changing. More recently, American cinema has begun to include a lot of international actors in its movies. Not only do these movies show protagonists that aren’t the stereotypical American but they also portray America for what it really is, a melting pot. A place where cultures from all over the world can exist and mix in one place, and that one place is America. Two recent movies that provide a great example of this are the films Harold and Kumar and Romeo Must Die.

The first film is the 2004 film Harold and Kumar by Danny Leiner. The film Harold and Kumar is about two friends, one of whom is Korean and another who is Indian, that decide to go in search of a White Castle restaurant because they are hungry. This comedy contains a majority of international actors even though it was clearly an American film. Wesley Morris of the Boston globe writes, “Harold and Kumar are the first Asian-Americans to carry a widely marketed US movie”. This shows that more and more, globalization is taking place in American cinema. Harold and Kumar is a stoner comedy about these two friends because of the fact that they are completely high throughout most of the movie. Despite the complete lack of a plot in this movie it was positively received by critics and it garnered a seventy three percent on the Rotten Tomatoes website which compiles different critics from around the country and gives an average score. Kal Penn is the Indian actor in this movie and throughout the movie he talks about how he loves America, mostly because of the weed, women, and fast food. His father is the classic immigrant who only wants the best for his son and is constantly disappointed by the fact that his son doesn’t seem to care about the future. Kumar (Kal Penn) uses this to his advantage by mooching off of his dad every chance that he gets. This is the classic American portrayal of the “black sheep” of the family that just mooches off of everybody else.

Along with the inclusion of international actors in a classic American comedy, Harold and Kumar also portrays America itself as a melting pot of cultures where anyone can find a place. Throughout their journey to white castle groups or individuals from different cultures constantly confront them. Peter Relic from the Rolling Stone wrote that Harold and Kumar is, “A multilayered goof on ethnic stereotypes” and Chris Vognar from the Dallas Morning News writes that, “Harold and Kumar is a rather crafty satire of racial stereotypes”. Both of these writers point out the fact that while the movie is a comedy it is also an exploration of different cultures in America. First they have to deal with an Asian club that wants Harold and Kumar to come party with them. Harold and Kumar on the other hand do not want to go and so they must escape from the techno party that is about to take place. After that incident they must stop by the hospital where they are confronted by Kumar’s Indian father and brother who are angry that Kumar failed to get into medical school. Shortly thereafter they get arrested by a racist white cop who doesn’t like foreign people and so throws them in jail. When they get to jail they meet an African-American professor who was arrested for no reason at all except that he is black. All three of these run-ins are classic Americans stereotypes but they also show how America has become a melting pot for different cultures. No matter where in America there are always plenty of people who are from different cultures. This movie shows that through the series of events that Harold and Kumar go through and while the movie is a comedy, it’s only funny because the audience can identify with the movie because the things it shows are true, if exaggerated and slightly ridiculous.

Romeo Must Die is another movie that has a lot of international actors. The premise of Romeo Must Die is that there are two competing gangs that are fighting for control of a section of waterfront property in Oakland, California. One of the gangs is a family run Chinese Triad and the other is an African-American gang. The main character of this movie is Jet Li who is also a Chinese citizen. Dave Larsen of the AJC writes, “[Li’s] command of the English language is superior to that of fellow Hong Kong expatriates Chow Yun-Fat and Jackie Chan”. This makes it so that even though he is from another country it is easy for American viewer to watch him. Romeo Must Die is a movie that centers on international actors and the whole premise of the movie is also based upon the fact that Jet Li is from China, so he has to assimilate to American culture while trying to figure out who killed his brother. This movie is a great example of how America has been moving towards globalizing its films and attempting to include more international actors in its films. Jet Li is portrayed as someone who doesn’t really know how America works; because of this he sometimes makes cultural mistakes that get him into trouble. Fortunately for him he is a master of martial arts and so he is able to get out of almost any situation. Several of the other actors who portray members of the triad are also international actors. This helps to show that the use of international actors is growing in American cinema and that there is no longer a stigma against using actors from other countries. It used to be that Hollywood would only allow certain people to be in its movies and those people had to be American, but that day is come and gone. All that matters to audiences now is whether or not the movie is good, not if the actors are American or from some other country.

Romeo Must Die also portrays America as the melting pot that it has become. The movie focuses on a city that is a huge mix of cultures. The section of the city owned by the triads is almost completely Chinese with a mix of other people as well. There is also the African-American section of the city that has a very different population. The movie shows the interaction between these two cultures, and because of the gang warfare it shows an exaggerated version of how cultures can sometimes conflict with others and how not everyone gets along. Ty Burr of Entertainment Weekly writes, “Romeo's a canny mix of hip-hop culture … and Hong Kong attitude”. This clash of cultures is partly what makes the movie so interesting to watch. There is also the arrival of the rich and seedy businessman, Roth, who is an Italian-American that doesn’t care much for morals and is more concerned with getting what he wants. Roth is the classic businessman who doesn’t really care about what he does, he also represents yet another culture that is portrayed in this movie. Over the course of the movie the audience is shown a variety of cultures that exist within America. There are the African Americans, the Chinese Americans, the Italian Americans, the Hispanic Americans, and the European Americans but all of them are Americans. All of these cultures come together in the waterfront area of Oakland, California just trying to survive. It doesn’t matter who a person is, the vast majority of people’s ancestors are from another country, so the number of cultures in America is astounding. Romeo Must Die represents a microcosm of America as a whole in this way.

Both Romeo Must Die and Harold and Kumar are American movies to the core. Harold and Kumar is a stoner comedy that is designed to make people laugh while Romeo Must Die is an action/drama that makes a person think. In both of these films the two main protagonists are from different cultures yet they look past their differences to become friends. These two movies are great example of the inclusion of international actors into American films because of this fact. Not only are there international actors, but they are the main characters of these two movies. These movies also do a great job of representing America how it really is, not necessarily the drugs or gang related stuff but the fact that America is not just one group of people who are all alike. America is a country full of different kinds of people who like different kinds of things but in the end the one thing that holds them all together is that they are American. No longer are all the American movies made with the stereotypical white American as a lead role and every one else as a supporting cast. Now, movies are made in which any actor can star as the lead no matter what culture or country they are from.

Bibliography
1. Relic, Peter. "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle". Rolling Stone. 4/19/09 .
2. Vognar, Chris. "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle". The Dallas Morning News. 4/19/09 .
3. Larsen, Dave. "Romeo, Romeo. Wherefore art thou, Romeo? ". AJC. 4/19/09 .
4. Burr, Ty. "Romeo Must Die". Entertainment Weekly. 4/19/09 .
5. Morris, Wesley. "'Harold & Kumar' aims low, but achieves a high". Boston Globe. 4/19/09 .

Globalization in Hollywood Cinema (Introduction)

The whole world is being globalized by Hollywood cinema; what about Hollywood itself? As ironic as it seem, globalization can also be seen in Hollywood movies through numerous ways. Recently many foreign actors have been introduced into the industry. Many of these foreign actors are presented in their own cultural environment. This allows for more cultures to be shown in a Hollywood movie. Some movies are influenced by different techniques from foreign cinema; many are taken in different countries; some are taken about different cultures in different parts of the world; some are taken about cultures in America. All these represent how globalization is taking effect in Hollywood, allowing all the cultures of the world to be understood and integrated.

Films Crossing Borders

With the population of the U.S becoming more and more diverse, Hollywood cinema seems to be following suit. Movies in Hollywood seem to be taking on more and more characteristics of foreign films. This may be so that the movies can appeal to the wide range of people that reside in the U.S. While Hollywood may be the current champion of all cinemas, there are still undoubtedly some people who would prefer more nationalistic cinemas. To appeal to this group of people, Hollywood cinema is adopting characteristics from national cinemas all over the globe. These characteristics, however small and minute, are most likely present in most if not all Hollywood movies. The days of the one-hundred percent Hollywood movie, (whatever that may be) are gone. There are many methods that Hollywood uses to “globalize” its cinema. One of these methods is to take characteristics from one type of cinema and use it in Hollywood movies. This style may be difficult to identify however because the characteristics of certain cinemas may be very broad and have a lot in common with another type of cinema. An example of this is with French cinema. When one thinks of French cinema, the love story comes to mind. Many other types of cinema also share a variation of this characteristic. Therefore it may not be the best or most visible characteristic of globalization in Hollywood cinema. Another method of using globalization in Hollywood cinema would be to remake foreign films. Movies such as The Grudge and Ringu (The Ring) which were both originally foreign movies have been remade into Hollywood versions. Occasionally, even the original producers of these movies are brought in so that the movie will still have the national characteristics after it have been transformed into a Hollywood movie. Yet another way to globalize Hollywood cinema is through the use of foreign actors and actresses. This is probably the most popular method of globalizing Hollywood cinema. We are all familiar with the foreign names such as Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Keira Knightley to name a few. The accents in foreign actors and actresses carry an automatic form of globalization. Just by adding actors and actresses from foreign countries, globalization is instantly achieved. Hearing a familiar voice or seeing a familiar face in a Hollywood production may be the inspiration that an American who came from another country needs to go and see a Hollywood movie. Yet another way that Hollywood cinema is globalized is through filming in other countries. This is also a popular method of globalization and has been used in successful movies such as the Rush Hour series. Movies taken in foreign countries capture the scenery and daily life of that country and that cinema and then bring it into Hollywood cinema. Globalization can occur using any one of the methods stated above or it can occur by using a combination of the methods mentioned above. The remainder of this paper will address the method concerning movies filmed in foreign countries and how they help to globalize Hollywood Cinema. The two movies, The Lord of the Rings, and Rush Hour, one of which was filmed in New Zealand while the other was filmed in various places, will be used to further demonstrate how filming movies in another country adds to the globalization of Hollywood cinema.

The The Lord of the Rings was a co-production between the U.S. and New Zealand and it was filmed in New Zealand. Because it was filmed in the country of New Zealand, The Lord of the Rings already shows some characteristics of foreign films and therefore adds to the globalization of Hollywood Cinema. While The Lord of the Rings was filmed in and co-produced by New Zealand, it is still considered a part of Hollywood Cinema. Still, characteristics of New Zealand cinema are present throughout the film. A staple of New Zealand cinema that is present in The Lord of the Rings is the constant presentation of the landscape and environment of the country. Most of the action in New Zealand films occurs outdoors as to capture the beauty of the land. By taking shots of the land, Hollywood cinema is incorporating the culture of another country and thereby globalizing its cinema. Another staple of New Zealand film is the use of science fiction or the imagination in its movies. The Chronicles of Narnia is another movie that shows this trait as does The Lord of the Rings. By adding this aspect of New Zealand cinema into The Lord of the Rings, Hollywood cinema is further globalized. The Lord of the Rings is essentially the best of both worlds because it appeals to New Zealand cinema as well as Hollywood Cinema. The Lord of the Rings is able to mix the New Zealand trait of fantasy and fiction with the Hollywood staple of violence. Although violence may not have been created by Hollywood cinema it is present in a lot of Hollywood films. A scene that shows the combination of these two cinemas is when the centaurs pull out their swords in support and say they will help fight. It is a well-known fact that centaurs are mythical creatures but mixing them with violence helps give the movie appeal to watchers of Hollywood film as well as watchers of other types of film. Another aspect that leads to globalization of Hollywood cinema through The Lord of the Rings is the use of foreign actors. Although there are not many, the presence of these actors does play to the senses of many people around the world from the country of the actors.

The Rush Hour series may be the perfect movie set to use to describe globalization in Hollywood cinema. The movies include many different cultures, characters, and scenery. Rush Hour 1 and 2 are set in Hong Kong and Los Angeles while Rush Hour 3 is set in Los Angeles, Paris, and in Hong Kong. Again, the traits from the location of the country and its characteristics have an effect on the movie. For example Rush Hour 3 which is partially set in France, has more of a love story than the other two movies in the set. The Rush Hour movies also contain many foreign actors such as the well known Jackie Chan which contribute to the globalization of Hollywood cinema. The movies also contribute to the globalization of Hollywood cinema through their use of familiar foreign cities such as Paris and Hong Kong as well as landmarks in these cities. The Eiffel Tower is seen in Rush Hour 3. The most obvious method of globalization in the Rush Hour series however, is the substance that is taken from Chinese culture and Chinese cinema. It is obvious that all of the Rush Hour movies are based on some sort of Chinese culture. They have the well-known Chinese actor, Jackie Chan; they show the scenery and environment of China, and most of all, the fighting styles can be considered Chinese. As is with Hollywood movies, Chinese movies usually involve a lot of fighting. The difference between the fighting between the two types of cinemas is usually the style. The Rush Hour movies show combined styles from both cinemas. The martial arts fighting style with hand to hand combat is visible in parts of the movie as well as the fighting with weapons such as guns. A scene that could also represent Chinese culture was one in Rush Hour 3 when Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker slid down on the wire near the end of the movie. This scene could somehow represent a staple of Chinese cinema because a scene just like it was also present in another film set in China, Mulan. By adding touches of Chinese culture and Chinese cinema, along with French culture and cinema to the Hollywood series, Rush Hour, Hollywood cinema becomes more and more globalized.

Movies taken in different places of the world are a good way to increase the globalization of Hollywood cinema. As was seen with The Lord of the Rings as well as the Rush hour series, just shooting a movie in another country can add multiple aspects of globalization. Not only is the overall landscape of the host country shown, but so are the lives of its people and the environment they live in. Through shooting movies in other countries, foreign cinema styles are also incorporated into the Hollywood movies. This is seen with the fantasy involved in The Lord of the Rings as well as the martial arts style of fighting involved in the Rush Hour films. Because some movies are shot in foreign countries, a pathway is created that is leading to the further globalization of Hollywood cinema.

References

Lee , Diana. "Hollywood’s Interest in Asian Films Leads to Globalization." 21 Apr 2009 .

DiGiovanna, James. "Tender is the Knife." Tuscon Weekly 10/05/2000 Web.21 Apr 2009. .

Smith, Kurt. "History." Thefightgame.tv. 21 Apr 2009 .

Globalization of Hollywood: cultures of the world

Globalization of cinema is usually defined movies that can be related by everyone in the world. Hollywood movies are typically named global due to the fact that Hollywood movies are accepted as the golden standard for how movies should be taken. However globalization in the Hollywood industry can be defined in another manner. Globalization in Hollywood movies is apparent through the numerous movies integrating different cultures around the world. These movies tend to educate the American audience allowing them to accept the unique cultures present in the society. Along with different cultures, actors of diverse ethnic backgrounds are now being welcomed into the Hollywood industry. By educating the American audiences about the international community, the Hollywood industry is globalizing. The movies analyzed in this essay talk about the different types of globalization that occur through the message of the movie.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the title itself foreshadows the movies main theme. In this movie, Tula has been raised with all the Greek culture and customs, but she doesn’t appreciate it enough because it stops her from mingling with others. She’s almost 30 and working in her family’s restaurant, depressed about her uneventful life. Though she does not hate her culture, she does feel as if it constraints her. When she tries to ask her father to let her complete a course in computers, her father says “marry a Greek boy, make Greek babies, feed everyone”. After her mother convinces her father, Tula finally is released into the diverse world, where she finds her true self. She attracts the attention of Ian, who isn’t Greek. She starts dating him and finally comes to a marriage proposal. Ian is baptized and finally becomes Greek; he’s accepted into the family, where he begins to learn the customs. Throughout the movie, Tula almost seems to be criticizing her family for being too Greek, and sometimes hating the customs. The audience gets introduced to the negatives of the culture in the perspective of Tula. This allows the audience to understand the culture as much as Tula does. During the process of arranging her wedding, Tula learns more about the importance of her culture and how it makes her unique. In a way, the audience is portrayed by Ian’s parents who barely know about the culture. One of the scene portrays how bizarre the parent’s view the customs. Ian’s parents are invited to a dinner organized by Tula’s parents. Tula believes that her immediate family along with a couple of friends will be invited. Once she arrives, she see a large group of people dancing, feeling a little embarrassed in front of Ian’s parents, who seem to view the culture as barbarian. However, at the end of the movie, the parents appreciate the culture for its uniqueness and try to assimilate into the Greek culture. The audience is almost taken on a similar journey, where their opinions about the bizarre culture involve into opinions of appreciation. This evolving of opinions is caused by the negative tone Tula displays toward the Greek culture. Toward the end, Tula and other important characters start appreciating the culture creating a tone of admiration. Through this movie, the American society learns about other cultures in the world and the hardships they face while assimilating, helping the American society to globalize. Many would think the American society is already globalized since it is a melting pot. Though many cultures are present in the community, many of the culture’s customs and rituals are not known to the community. In a sense, globalizing the American society refers to educating them about the different cultures around the world. My Big Fat Greek Wedding helps to attain this goal by showing the audience a glimpse of the customs of this unique culture.
Whereas My Big Fat Greek Wedding had globalization in its title, Gran Torino doesn’t really seem to foreshadow a story about the Hmong people. This again is a culture barely known to the American society. The story starts off with Walt’s wife’s funeral. His conservative attitude is shown through his disapprove of his grandchildren’s behavior in church, although not a churchgoer himself. At home he proves that he doesn’t like many people and tends to be anti-social. He sees most people as hypocrites, even the priest who takes on the challenge to take Walt to confession. Walt tends to show the normal stereotypes toward his Asian neighbors and tends to not like them much. After an eventful night where Thou is beaten up by Hmong gangsters, Walt slowly begins his interaction with the Hmong community. Because of a Hmong custom, Thou’s mom asks Walt to give Thou some work to do to repay for the mistake he committed. Walt initially gives Thou jobs such as repairing the community. McCarthy quotes how Walt and Thou build a “quasi-father-son-relationship.” Walt also becomes a protector of Sue, and appreciating the culture of the Hmong people. In the end, Walt quotes on he has things more in common with them than his own family. Through the journey of the movie, Walt learns many things about the Hmong culture allowing him to accept the culture and the people. He learns that the Hmong believe that the soul rests on the head, so it is not advised to touch anyone heads. Though at first he thinks of them as barbarians who eat dogs, he later accepts them as his own. This movie again shows how the American society is more like a salad rather than a melting pot. Though Walt has been living in the same house for many years, he does not know the customs of the Hmong people, prevalent in his neighborhood. Globalization of cinema helps the society become more of a melting pot by increasing their knowledge about other cultures (Dargis). Walt in the beginning treats them as wild barbarians, showing a certain kind of racism (McCarthy). After understanding the culture, he becomes less hesitant to mingle between the Hmong people and less prone to committing injustice against them. Globalization in this movie is shown through the education of a different culture, helping America erase misunderstandings of different cultures.
Though both movies, globalization of the Hollywood industry can be seen but in different manner. My Big Greek Wedding focuses more on explaining a culture through a comic way in a much different setting (Truby). Gran Torino is shot in a more serious location, helping Walt, Clint Eastwood, understand the inner complications of the Hmong culture in America. Both movies initiate with either a group, such as the groom’s parents in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, or a single person, such as Walt in Gran Torino, who find the respective culture bizarre, almost “harboring ill will” (Messier). In My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the culture is slowly accepted by groom’s family but in a somewhat of a cliché manner (Harvey). This in turn does not send a strong serious message to the American audience, but rather one with a comic tint. However the manner, the message that was portrayed was the fact that there are many unknown cultures that people cannot be critical toward. Everyone should learn to accept each other’s uniqueness, portraying the very idea of globalization: increasing connectivity between different parts of the world. The movie also portrays the fact that there is a need for globalization. In the beginning, Tula, the main character, brings Greek lunch to school, which all the popular white girls laugh at showing the tolerance of Americans for different cultures. Gran Torino also starts off in a critical manner, underlying the low tolerance level for accepting other cultures. Slowly he becomes accepting of the culture and is people more than his own family. In one scene he says, “I have more in common with these gooks than with my own spoiled, rotten family," showing his acceptance of the family and culture. This sends a message that though the culture’s manner of regular habits may be different from one’s own, the people’s mentalities are not different enough to differentiate them from others. The difference between both the movies is based on the depth of knowledge given about the culture. In My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the comic approach seems to touch the surface of the culture showing the prominent parts of the culture such as the dancing, the food, and the immense generosity. It does to show the hardships the newer generation seems to face, such as acceptance in American society. Gran Torino tends to find the social tension among the Hmong people in the American society. The boys usually find their ways to gangs while the girls try to make a living for the family. Through these tensions, Walt discovers the Hmong culture compared to the comic sense Ian, Tula’s boyfriend, discovers Greek culture.

Both of the movies focus on cultures situated in America. In a way, globalization has already taken place in the specific culture. In Gran Torino, Sue describes how the Hmong people are mountain people back in their homeland, nothing similar to their actual situation in America. This shows how globalization is already in effect in the immigrant cultures, but there is no globalization in the American culture. This is because many cultures are not accepted yet in the American society. This is clearly portrayed by how Walt and Ian’s parents view the customs of the Hmong people and the Greek people as bizarre representing the American society. While the movie progresses, characters in both movies being to accept the unique cultures. Walt grows fond of the Hmong people while Ian’s parents appreciate the culture, showing how the American society too can integrate different cultures in their society, globalizing.