Museum Movies

Stardust monuments: the saving and selling of Hollywood

“…As Wasson suggests, "old fi lms" were viewed as "objects of oddity, charity, or get-rich-quick schemes." 27 Like their Eastern counterparts, therefore, the Hollywood crowd also needed to be convinced that fi lm was art, or at least history on the verge of loss and therefore worth preserving. Unlike their Eastern counterparts, however, they needed to understand the diff erence between "arty" pictures and the library's expansive defi nition of fi lm as art.…”

“…26 Kuchel's salute to the institution and California citizens who devoted time and energy to preservation and fi lmmaking paralleled other congressional attempts to legitimate the medium as well as Hollywood. 27 During the early 1960s, John F. Kennedy furthered the eff orts of Kuchel and others in Congress to uphold fi lm and television as a signifi cant part of America's national identity. The Camelot era marked a major shift in government supervision of and respect for the arts.…”

“…This "you are there" or "in your face" framing also refl ects a cultural desire to experience fi rsthand and up close the spectacle and fantasy associated with the Hollywood fi lmmaking process, to be inserted into the action of these largely science-fi ction, fantasy, horror, action-adventure, and disaster-themed movie rides. 27 Aside from the focus on spectacle, Universal Studios Hollywood also foregrounds the potential for more "intimate exposure," revealing Hollywood secrets and "magic." In off ering visitors inside information, the promise of a potential star sighting ("you never know who you will spot or bump into, so don't forget your camera!…”

“…Using anecdotes laced with historical fact, Osborne presents audiences with a behind-the-scenes perspective on stars, studio intrigue, and politics, bringing "viewers out of their • 137 • living rooms and into the world of classic Hollywood," according to tcm's web page devoted to the host. 27 Like Warner Bros. Presents host Gig Young, therefore, Osborne's approach adheres to the values of presence and access associated with both early television and new media platforms.…”

“…I look forward to sharing whatever the future holds with them all. 130, 132, 134, 136-37, 139, 141-45, 148-49, 154, 157, 178-79; commercials, 217n26 Barr,Alfred,[15][16]Iris,[16][17][18]19,[19][20][21][22][23][24]24,25,[27][28]50,56,199n28;Let's Brooks,146 branding,[92][93][94][95]143,146,159,167,177;Disney and,96;of DVDs,160;online,175;and themed retailing,115 Bravo,132 Bride of Frankenstein,The,British Film Institute (BFI),56,201n63;National Film Archive,[33][34]National Film Theatre,[33][34]…”