Exploitation films

This week, we turned our focus towards exploitation films. These are kinds of films that attempts at financial success by exploiting the current trends, sex, violence, drugs, or anything else deemed polemical by the society of the time. We saw a documentary on the two men whom started the trend of exploitation films. Samuel Arkoff and James Nicholson were two men with dreams of getting into the film industry with American International Pictures. This was a film company that focused on appealing to teens, as they were attracted to horror and beach movies. They also had films for the African American demographic, a subgenre known as blaxploitation films. The companies of the time were only interested in teens and their affairs, such as romance.  

The teenage population was a very crucial target in the fifties, as film companies were interested in the movies that appealed to their teenage sensitivities, such as beach movies and romanticized contexts in movies. These movies gave teenagers an escape, as their parents did not want to watch these kinds of movies and it left these movies as a large teenage movie viewing. Teens could now get away from their parents, who failed to understand them. American International Picture films had an advantageous demographic in the fact that they exploited the generational conflict between parents and their kids and portrayed it in movies to succeed financially.  

Arkoff and Nicholson were pioneers in the production of exploitation films by American International Films. Mostly everyone was attracted by the controversial content because it was unlike this time to post provocative material. Teenage rebellion attracted young viewers who felt misunderstood by their parents. This was an audience whom American Picture International films. Nudity in films was also controversial during this time, as people were more conservative and did not believe the naked body to be something that should be published publicly. Millions of young Americans were attracted to drive-in theatres, seeing their appeal to the exploitation genre that had high demand for actors like Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. Asian films were also in high popularity, as they focused on sexual and romantic relationships. Better visuals and sound also provided visual innovation.  

Wild Strawberries was a Bergman film that I watched in which Victor Sjorstrom stars a cantankerous 78-year-old man who goes on a road trip to go and get administration as a physician. He goes with is pregnant daughter in law and drives off with her in the search of opportunity. Old memories come to the surface, displaying a vulnerability that was unprecedented in visual cinema. Regret and love come into play, making audiences reflect on their values and get in more in touch with their emotions. God comes into play as well, with exploitation films making viewers reflect on their values and mortality. The themes of remorse are also very highlighted during this era of film, as people make decisions they regret and therefore allows the exploitation film genre to show shine in the way it portrayed emotional display.