The time of transition and adaption after the Paramount decree and the decline of the studio system in the 1950s is what many film scholars refer to as the New Hollywood era. Geoff King describes with this term two versions of how the industry approached the difficult economic circumstances at this time (New Hollywood 3). This includes the emergence of the American art cinema, which King calls the “Hollywood Renaissance” (3). With this term, he primarily characterizes the 1968 to 1980s approach of the studios to target films “at a variety of smaller, more specific” audiences (34; 48). According to King, there had been a demographic shift and a greater cultural awareness of a new generation since the 1960s (30). As a result, this led to new forms of narrative and style, as well as more critical topics that were addressed in films within the studio system. Many of today’s well-known filmmakers began their careers in this period of a greater artistic freedom and shifts in social awareness.
The comedies "The Graduate" (Mike Nichols, 1967) and "Harold and Maude" (Hal Ashby, 1971) both reflect the alienated youth generation of their era through their respective male protagonists. In particular, both characters’ identity crises derive from a not-yet-accomplished masculinity and are coped with through a taboo-breaking love affair. In the following comparison, the use of the cinematic techniques of mise-en-scene, cinematography, and music in both films will be shown to represent this crisis of manhood and its final accomplishment by the principal male protagonist. This theme will be examined, drawing mainly on readings by scholars such as William Indick and Wayne Schuth.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Crises of Masculinity in The Graduate and Harold and Maude
- Genre and Comic Structures
- Identity Crises and Masculinity
- Sexual Initiation and Masculinity
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper compares the films The Graduate and Harold and Maude, focusing on how they portray crises of masculinity in their male protagonists. It examines how cinematic techniques represent these crises and their eventual resolution. The analysis draws on scholarly work by Indick and Schuth, among others.
- Crises of masculinity in young men during the New Hollywood era
- The use of cinematic techniques to depict identity crises
- The role of sexual initiation in the formation of masculine identity
- Genre bending and subversion of comedic tropes
- Comparison of comedic styles in The Graduate and Harold and Maude
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Crises of Masculinity in The Graduate and Harold and Maude: This introductory chapter sets the stage by contextualizing the films within the "New Hollywood" era, characterized by shifts in audience demographics, narrative styles, and thematic concerns. It introduces the central argument: both films depict alienated male protagonists grappling with identity crises rooted in an underdeveloped masculinity, explored through taboo-breaking romantic relationships. The chapter foreshadows the analysis of mise-en-scène, cinematography, and music in representing these crises and their resolution.
Genre and Comic Structures: This chapter delves into the genre classification of the two films, arguing that while both can be considered romantic comedies, they deviate from typical genre conventions. It examines the comedic structures in each film. The Graduate relies on incongruous dialogue and situational comedy, aligning with established comic structures like "lovers finally unite despite obstacles." Harold and Maude, in contrast, employs darker, absurdist humor, utilizing incongruities to subvert expectations and drawing upon theories of bisociation. This chapter highlights the genre-bending nature of these films, reflecting the characteristics of the Hollywood Renaissance.
Identity Crises and Masculinity: This chapter analyzes the identity crises of Benjamin (The Graduate) and Harold (Harold and Maude) through the lens of Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development. It utilizes Indick's work to frame their struggles as "adolescent identity crises," characterized by "identity versus identity diffusion." The chapter examines cinematic techniques such as lighting and visual motifs (water) to illustrate the characters' internal turmoil and the fluidity of their transitions into adulthood. The use of "hatchet lighting" to depict ambivalence in both films is noted. The chapter also analyzes the thematic use of darkness and the melancholic tone of "The Sound of Silence" in relation to Benjamin's identity confusion.
Sexual Initiation and Masculinity: This chapter explores the significance of sexual initiation in the formation of masculine identity for both protagonists. In The Graduate, Ben's affair with Mrs. Robinson is analyzed as a crucial moment of sexual initiation, where his masculinity is implicitly questioned and then asserted. The chapter interprets cinematic choices like backlighting and Ben's actions in response to Mrs. Robinson's assessment as demonstrations of his attempt to prove his manhood. In Harold and Maude, the sexual initiation is more metaphorical and implicit, reflecting Harold's subversive masculinity and the film's critique of conventional gender roles. A scene involving a phallic-shaped wooden object is analyzed as a symbolic representation of Harold's sexual awakening, contrasting with Ben's more direct experience.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
New Hollywood, masculinity, identity crisis, romantic comedy, cinematic techniques, mise-en-scène, cinematography, music, The Graduate, Harold and Maude, Erik Erikson, sexual initiation, genre subversion, absurdist humor, identity diffusion.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comparative Analysis of Masculinity Crises in *The Graduate* and *Harold and Maude*
What is the main focus of this paper?
This paper analyzes how the films The Graduate and Harold and Maude portray crises of masculinity in their male protagonists. It examines how cinematic techniques are used to represent these crises and their eventual resolutions, drawing on scholarly work to support its analysis.
What are the key themes explored in this analysis?
Key themes include crises of masculinity in young men during the New Hollywood era, the depiction of identity crises through cinematic techniques, the role of sexual initiation in forming masculine identity, genre bending and subversion of comedic tropes, and a comparison of comedic styles between the two films.
What films are compared in this paper?
The paper compares Mike Nichols' The Graduate and Hal Ashby's Harold and Maude.
What is the historical context of the films discussed?
The films are contextualized within the "New Hollywood" era, a period marked by shifts in audience demographics, narrative styles, and thematic concerns.
How does the paper analyze the genre of the films?
The paper argues that while both films can be classified as romantic comedies, they deviate from typical genre conventions. It examines the comedic structures, noting The Graduate's reliance on situational comedy and Harold and Maude's use of darker, absurdist humor and bisociation.
What theoretical frameworks are used in the analysis?
The analysis draws upon Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development and Indick's work on adolescent identity crises ("identity versus identity diffusion").
How are the identity crises of the male protagonists analyzed?
The identity crises of Benjamin (The Graduate) and Harold (Harold and Maude) are analyzed through cinematic techniques like lighting, visual motifs (e.g., water), and the use of "hatchet lighting" to depict ambivalence. The paper also explores the thematic use of darkness and melancholic music in relation to identity confusion.
What is the role of sexual initiation in the analysis?
The paper explores the significance of sexual initiation in the formation of masculine identity. In The Graduate, Ben's affair with Mrs. Robinson is analyzed as a crucial moment. In Harold and Maude, the sexual initiation is more metaphorical, reflecting Harold's subversive masculinity and the film's critique of conventional gender roles.
What cinematic techniques are analyzed in the paper?
The paper analyzes a range of cinematic techniques including mise-en-scène, cinematography, music, lighting, visual motifs, and use of backlighting to illustrate the characters' internal struggles and their development.
What are the key chapters and their contents?
The paper includes chapters on crises of masculinity in both films, genre and comic structures, identity crises and masculinity, and sexual initiation and masculinity. Each chapter delves deeper into specific aspects of the films’ portrayal of masculinity.
What are the keywords associated with this analysis?
Keywords include New Hollywood, masculinity, identity crisis, romantic comedy, cinematic techniques, mise-en-scène, cinematography, music, The Graduate, Harold and Maude, Erik Erikson, sexual initiation, genre subversion, absurdist humor, and identity diffusion.
- Quote paper
- B.A. Oliver Krause (Author), 2013, The Older the Better? Crises of Masculinity in "The Graduate" and "Harold and Maude", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/337978
