Hollywood Censorship

The Hay's Code was "a code to govern the making of motion and talking pictures." Its aim was to censor the public from content that was deemed unwholesome. For example, criminals were not allowed to be depicted in a positive light, and methods of crime like lock-picking were not to be explicitly shown, so that the audience would be less inclined to imitate the film. Hollywood most likely followed the code because they favored conformity; they already censored their productions and they welcomed anything that would bring them justification. Furthermore, audiences did not necessarily care that the movies were being censored, and the studios made a lot of money off of the regular release of pictures. Today, the audience craves drama, it is a part of our culture to sympathize with the criminal. Entire movies are created on the basis of explaining to the audience how a group of eleven men broke into a casino's safe and walked out with 150 million dollars.

Silent Film Review Part II

1) The Great Train Robbery

Directed by Edwin S. Porter

-used colored frames

-introduced the establishing shot

2) Birth of a Nation

Directed by D.W. Griffith

-effectively used mise en scene to convey a character's mood or their situation

-found innovative uses for close ups

3)Arrival of a Train at Station

Directed by The Lumiere Brothers

-had a documentary style, a real-life feel

-the camera did not move at all, not the slightest panning shot