What comes to mind when we think of the golden age of Hollywood? I can’t speak for everyone, but at least for me (before I studied any film history), all I can think of are the classical films from the list of 100 films you need to watch – The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Citizen Kane, It’s a Wonderful Life, and many more. And following this extensive list are some of the big names- Clark Gable, Audrey Hepburn, Vivien Leigh, and Orson Welles (apparently there’s another list for this on IMDb if anyone’s interested). The golden age of Hollywood is characterized not only by the advancement of sound and camera technology, but also the rise of the star system. Because of the enforcement of the Production Code in 1934, studios could not use explicit imagery or language to lure audience into the theatre and audience was also reluctant to spend their hard-earned money on a movie ticket during the Great Depression. Studios were trying to find another stimulus to lead people to movie theaters downtown. The studio heads knew audiences would pay to see Clarke Gable’s charming face on big screens over and over again no matter what the content. So they started to exploit star power and eventually built a massive star system.
Almost 60 years have passed and though many things have collapsed in Hollywood history, star power is still thriving and stronger than ever. Because of the efficiency of internet and media- facebook, twitter, and instagram- stars receive unprecedented attention from all over the world everyday. And every day, hundreds of people come to Hollywood to become the next star.
Dylan and Clay’s film The Hollywood Complex follows a group of young kids in the Oakwood apartment complex (also where we’re staying now) who hope to break into the acting business during pilot season and become the next young star. It is extremely competitive in Hollywood, even in the kids’ world — for example, there could be hundreds of 12-year-old girl competing for one role. So some of them make it, and some don’t. While watching this film, I keep questioning whether it’s worth it to sacrifice literally everything in life (family, friends, school, and money) just to pursue a slim chance of a dream-come-true Hollywood-style fairytale.
I don’t want to be arbitrary and say that our life has become very media-oriented and the star power has become too influential in our life that sometimes we pay too much attention to their shinny glittering world. But I do remember a time when smartphones were not a thing and I had to use landline to talk to my friends, when I went to the park over the weekend instead of binge-watching TV shows on Netflix, and when our lunch conversation was not about celebrity drama.
