The 1960s: The Counterculture Strikes Back

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The 1960s The Counterculture Strikes Back
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Introduction Youth and Challenge

• During the 1960s, there was an ideological battle
  between youth (those under 30) and age (the
  older generation).
• They disagreed with each other over the Vietnam
  War, sexual issues, race relations, and
  lifestyle.
• The two generations formed two different cultures.

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Events During this Era

• The Civil Rights Movement
• Focus of Kennedys domestic policy
• Became the cornerstone of 1960s activism
• Student Protests
• The Womens Movement
• NOW, more women in college/workplace

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Projections Women on Screen

• 1960s films turned the womens movement into
  revolution
• Also in many films the female characters were
  stereotyped
• madonnas vs. whores
• governesses vs. prostitutes
• For the most part, white- and blue-collar working
  women didnt make it back to the screen until the
  late 70s/early 80s.

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Youth Films Activism as Lifestyle

• Many films portrayed the youths war resistance
  as angst
• The student movement was often reduced to just
  confused college kids who are only attracted to
  the idea of political activism and protests for
  sex and cheap thrills.

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Changing Morality The Rating System

• In April 1968, the Supreme Court ruled that local
  communities could establish their own censorship
  guidelines concerning movies.
• The Motion Picture Producers Association (MPPA)
  created a ratings system in order to prevent any
  attempts from local governments to make their own
  forms of censorship.
• The new ratings system took effect on November 1,
  1968.
• G, M (PG), R, X (PG-13 was not introduced until
  the 1980s)
• It paved the way for more films dealing with
  mature subject matter.

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The Graduate As a Youth Cult Film

• Became an influential film for the under-30
  market because they felt they could relate to
  Dustin Hoffmans character (Benjamin) and his
  situation.
• Benjamin feels confused and alienated, which the
  adults in the film cannot understand or identify
  with.
• The adults try to manipulate him and shape his
  future.

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The Graduate

• 1967
• Mike Nichols
• Recent college graduate Benjamin Braddock is
  trapped into an affair with Mrs. Robinson, who
  happens to be the wife of his father's business
  partner and then finds himself falling in love
  with her daughter, Elaine.