CIN105Y1 Study Guide - Final Guide: Cultural Imperialism
NATION “The Concept of National Cinema”
the nation a film belongs to depends on where the funding comes from (especially where
the studio funding is)
NATIONAL CINEMA is not just used to describe simply the films produced within a
particular nation state
An exploration of some of the implications of using the term ‘national’ in discourse about
cinema (the film industry, film culture); the parameters of national cinema should be
drawn at the site of consumption as much as the site of production of films—that focuses
on the activity of national audiences and the conditions under which they make sense of
and use the films they watch
Ex. Can be seen through examining Hollywood, British cinema
National cinema can be defined
1) In terms of economy, establishing a correspondence between NATIONAL
CINEMA and the DOMESTIC FILM INDUSTRY = Where are the films
made/By who are the films made/Who owns and controls the industrial
infrastructures, production companies, distributors, and exhibition circuits?
2) Text based approach = What are the films about, do they share a common style or
worldview/What sort of projections of the national character do they offer/To
what extent are they engaged in ‘exploring’, questions, and constructing a notion
of nationhood in the films themselves and in the consciousness of the viewer?
3) Possibility of an exhibition-led, or consumption-based approach = Which films
audiences are watching, including the number of foreign films, and usually
American films which have high-profile distribution within a particular nation-
state (concern of cultural imperialism)
4) Criticism-led = Sees national cinema in terms of a quality art cinema, a culturally
worthy cinema steeped in the heritage of a particular nation-state, rather than one
which appeals to the desires and fantasies of popular audiences
Concept of national cinema is used prescriptively rather than descriptively, citing what
‘should’ be national cinema, rather than describing the actual cinematic experience of
popular audiences
What is even involved in positing the idea and definition of nationhood or national
identity? A unique identity must be claimed, with a stable set of meanings
It is important to pay attention to historical shifts in nationhood and national identity
“nationhood is not a given, it is always something to be gained”—cinema needs to be
thought of in the same way
cinema in the ‘national’ sense evolves as its nation does
the best way to examine nation and cinema is through a sociological approach
national cinema is nothing without a national audience
“Speculations on Canadian Cinema”
there has always been a hide-and-seek quality to Canadian cinema, and a hit-and-run
quality
in the 1950’s, the height of television encouraged the development of more flexible film
technologies, many new national cinemas began to emerge as if to challenge the
hegemonic hold of Hollywood
through the NFB, Canadian fictional features began to emerge
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Nation the concept of national cinema the nation a film belongs to depends on where the funding comes from (especially where the studio funding is) National cinema is not just used to describe simply the films produced within a particular nation state. Can be seen through examining hollywood, british cinema. National cinema can be defined : in terms of economy, establishing a correspondence between national. Concept of national cinema is used prescriptively rather than descriptively, citing what. Should" be national cinema, rather than describing the actual cinematic experience of popular audiences. A unique identity must be claimed, with a stable set of meanings. It is important to pay attention to historical shifts in nationhood and national identity. Nationhood is not a given, it is always something to be gained cinema needs to be thought of in the same way. Cinema in the national" sense evolves as its nation does.
