Differences between movies

johntin100 · Joined: 01 May 2007 Posts: 5

Hey!
I'm working with preparations for an English exam, and one of the things I'm supposed to find out more about is how literary texts and films differ according to where in the world they have been produced. Can someone help me out here?

My teacher adviced me to look at the differences between hollywood and bollywood films, and maybe the differences between american and british films. It would be really nice if someone helped me a bit here.

John Martin

SingleSentence · Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 1:10 pm Post subject:

My first thought is that you should compare some of the modern film adaptations of Jane Austen novels. Pride and Prejudice inspired the Bollywood film, Bride and Prejudice, which I believe is a very loose interpretation of the original story (but has many of the typical elements of a Bollywood film). Bridget Jones's Diary is also a retelling of the Pride and Prejudice story set in today's Britain. I don't know of a truly American version of Pride and Prejudice, but Clueless takes the novel Emma and plops it down in California.

The other tack is to look at some of the trademark genres in each area. Hollywood is known for expensive shoot 'em ups. Britain has some outstanding humor of both the black and absurd varieties. Bollywood has been successful with musicals.

johntin100 · Joined: 01 May 2007 Posts: 5

Thanks for the answer. I think the second tip from you was the best - I'm having the exam tomorrow so I don't have too much time. Do you know any other typical trademarks for the different places?

SingleSentence · Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 2:29 pm Post subject:

There's a quick to digest overview of Bollywood here. Might not be anything you haven't already learned, but you'll be through it in about two minutes: http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/2003/bollywood/newsid_2679000/2679857.stm

I don't know of anywhere that has a lot of commentary on British films, but it may be helpful to look at this Wikipedia page which contains a filmography of some of the major movies to come out of Britain:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinema_of_the_United_Kingdom#British_cinema_since_2000

johntin100 · Joined: 01 May 2007 Posts: 5

Thanks again for a good answer. If you are really nice, you also answer my next question ;-P

I wonder which are the major differences between american and british films.

SingleSentence · Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 7:48 pm Post subject:

I'd say the senses of humor across the atlantic are very different. The stereotypical American film also has a bigger budget and more explosions, although America has a lot of independent films that wouldn't fit that description.

johntin100 · Joined: 01 May 2007 Posts: 5

Thank you very much

SingleSentence · Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 8:24 pm Post subject:

No problem. Good luck!