Hammer’s horror and Bonnie and Clyde

A “new wave” of cinema had washed over Britain in the late 1950’s, as well as many other countries of Europe such as France, Germany, Italy, and Czechoslovakia. When World War II ended, Europe was undergoing a recovery and cinema was a big part of regenerating Europe post war. The new waves produced new kinds of films that focused on social issues, culture, closer look into the lives of real people, on location. In Britain specifically, in a society that finds the separation of class to be very important, portrayal of the working class in film gave them a voice. The films displayed the daily lives and conflicts of people in the working class. During this time, another new trend arose in British cinema, Horror. The genre of horror became very popular in British cinema, and was dominated by Hammer Film productions. Hammer film productions most successful years was during the British new wave, they even received the Queen’s Award for Industry in 1967. When I first watched Terence Fisher’s Horror of Dracula (1958), I noticed stylistically the film represented a breakthrough for British horror cinema. Keeping with the themes of the new wave, I think Hammer film’s version of Dracula can be viewed as the outcome of the emerging youth culture in Britain. This youth culture being impacted by film, music, fashion, and consumerism of this time.

This week we screened Bonnie and Clyde, a film released in 1967 during the “New Hollywood era” and directed by Arthur Penn. It revolves around partners in crime Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow and their travels around the U.S robbing banks (although not very well), killing people along the way, in hopes of becoming rich and famous. Although they never got to be rich, they became pretty famous and were always on the front page of the papers. During the time of the films release, America as well as the film industry were going through changes. America was going through a depression, facing racial conflicts, rise of feminism and militarism. Changes in audience demographics, and Directors looking for inspiration from European films and influenced by the “new waves”. Bonnie and Clyde was the first film of this new era to start incorporating themes of violence, sex, rebellion, going against social norms. There was also a shift in style and added realism, films were shot more documentary style making things seem more “real”. There were many parts of the film that depicted America’s economic struggle, for example, the first bank they were about to rob until they were told there is just no money. Banks didn’t have money due to the stock market crash, millions of people lost their jobs, the entire country was pretty much broke. Not the best time for Bonnie and Clyde’s plans. I have seen just the ending scene of Bonnie and Clyde before, but after watching the entire film becoming invested in their relationship and seeing the human side of the criminals, it is hard not to sympathize with them, all the way to the end. Although we know their path of robbing and killing would never lead them to a happy ending, being so involved in their lives and romanticizing the partners in crime makes us wish it did.