Introduction
Films under the “teen romance” genre have continued to attract a large young audience especially in the modern society. Most films under this category have attained the best seller category over the past few years. There have been divided views concerning these films particular on their impact on the younger generation. Most of these films explore romantic aspects that affect teenagers on a daily basis. Teen movies have not been granted much consideration yet they showcase significant issues such as politics, gender, psychology and many others that affect the modern society.
Politics
The book, “The Hollywood Sign: The Culture of American Film by Braudy Leo”, emphasizes on the significance of icons in the development of American way of life. Leo argues that, “this self-conscious sense of place included as well a virtually unique self-consciousness about the filmmaking process along with a desire to put that process on film unparalleled in other national film industries,” (Leo 46). This particular chapter sends readers back in the old times when the art of film making was quite new in Hollywood, the days of film icons such as Charlie Chaplin who was a youth at that time. Chaplin’s films were full of humor and contained romantic aspects which made them even more intriguing. These films attracted a large audience both teens and adults. The author of this book explains that the manner, in which American life was portrayed in movie theaters with young characters throughout the world, was simply a Hollywood technique of trying to share part of itself with the entire globe. This was totally political. Hollywood was trying to sell itself through such films and with its power it indeed managed to influence the rest of the world. Hollywood was recognized as the center of splendor in terms of film making and through such politics; the American culture was sold to other regions across the world. The American experiences, which had all been developed in Hollywood, influenced other countries. This also contributed to the rise of the teen romance movie genre from its earliest times of Charlie Chaplin.
Every generation is remembered by major personalities or celebrities whose image is mainly reinforced by the youth culture. The article “Going nowhere?: the Politics of Remembering (and Forgetting) Molly Ringwald” by Lee Christina illustrates this point using personalities such as Elvis Presley who are known by the entire world and it is hard for people to forget them. Christina states that, “History positions the temporal and spatial into orderly compartments where it 'clarifies, tidies, and elucidates” (Christina 89). Personalities such as Elvis Presley are among those who were not overtaken by the concept of time. These celebrities are surrounded by saga and idealistic mystery and contribute to what is now known as popular culture since they have the never ceasing power to influence generation after generation (Christina 89). These icons have been recorded in olden times as distinguished figures. This article also focuses on Molly Ringwald who is currently a youth representation and artist but also still remains well-established in history. Christina explains that in the mid nineteen eighties, films portrayed Ringworld as an icon throughout the world. Through the political influence of such film icons, the experiences of America were known across the entire globe.
Gender
Several Hollywood movies have been analyzed with the aim of determining the future of romantic or passionate comedy in relation to gender. Hollywood romantic comedy continues to gain more critical interest. A considerable number of these critics are interested in the ability of the genre to provide some kind of freedom to its audience especially women. Eleanor states that, “Hollywood's traditional stories of courtship and marriage have typically focused on the woman's resistance to romantic attachments; therefore, the kiss often represents a significant moment of change for her and documents her surrender to the erotic will of the man” (Eleanor 18).
Romantic comedy still leaves on even in the twenty first century. Critics such as Brian Henderson predicted in the twentieth century that romantic comedy was coming to an end this has not come to pass. Other critics continue to wonder whether romantic comedies are a source of empowerment especially for women or they just maintain the state of patriarchy. Different authors have provided diverse perspectives that individuals have towards romantic comedy. Individuals such as Bruce Babington have been used as illustrations since they believe that Hollywood movies are conservative or domineering as some might think. These genres according to the supporters of romantic comedy, address vital issues revolving around sexual dissimilarities. Romantic comedy is said to provide satisfying careers and at the same time establishing firm relationships according to its supporters. Regardless of the fact that there exists different opinions and perspectives towards romantic comedy, the main reason as to why females enjoy these movies is yet to be unraveled (Eleanor 157).
Psychology
The modern teen films continue to emphasize on psychological aspects of the characters mainly portraying their traumatic conditions and the road to recuperation. According to
Norburry,“ The wound of the mind-the breach in the mind's experience of time, self and the world-is not, like the wound of the body, a simple and healable event, but rather an event thatis experienced too soon, too unexpectedly, to be fully known”(Norburry 4). This author implies that injuries on the mind are more serious that those of the body. The authors of teen traumatic films face the challenge of presenting the devastating effects and impacts of this particular condition. These authors have the sole responsibility of making sure that the main subject be conveyed in a manner that is clear and rational to the audience. The conventional behaviors and associations of characters have become common aspects in modern fiction. According to Seger, these stories act as mirror to real life situations (Norburry 135). Every individual goes through experiences that affect the psychological part of self. This leads to either growth or change in an individual.
Conclusion
It is not easy to develop teen films that tough on political, gender and psychological aspects. Analysts report that most people who watch these movies have undergone or are currently experiencing issues in their lives that revolve around these three aspects. These aspects are the ones that make people human. The message in most of these films centers on those experiences that young people go through as they try to live life to its fullest. The efforts of producers and directors of films under the teenage romance genre cannot also be ignored.
Annotated Bibliography
Braudy Leo. The Hollywood Sign: The Culture of American Film. New Heaven: Yale
University Press, 2011,P.46
In this book, the author focuses on the implication of the iconic Hollywood sign in the enhancement of American way of life. This author utilizes metaphors to reveal how vital a sign can be in the description of a place.
Christina, Lee. Going nowhere?: the Politics of Remembering (and Forgetting) Molly Ringwald.
Cultural Studies Review13. 1 (Mar 2007): 89-104.
This article illustrates the fact that marginalized events have no room in history and are ignored and hardly remembered especially in the setting of youth films. The lack of ability to provide a true identity to a valid past, wipes out powerless events or groups from their own past thus they have no room in the social arena. The author illustrates how some icons have remained unforgotten and focuses on celebrities such as Molly Ringwald and Elvis Presley.
Eleanor, Hersey. Love and Microphones: Romantic Comedy Heroines as Public Speakers.
Journal of Popular Film & Television34. 4 (Winter 2007): 149-158.
This article focuses on gender aspects portrayed in youth films. The author argues that feminist activists only endorse those films in which women are independent and able to integrate romance with their professions. In addition, these feminist argue that male dominance in romantic comedies frustrates the female liberating process.
Norbury, Kate. Representations of Trauma and Recovery in Contemporary North
American and
Australian Teen Fiction. Bookbird50. 1 (Jan 2012): 31-41
This article addresses the psychological aspects that teenagers go through presented in modern and post modern fiction. The author argues that the characters in most of the films present similar psychological experiences.
Seger Linda. Making a good script great: Creating the Myth. Michigan. Samuel French
Trade.1994,P.135
This article conveys the message that all films portray the experiences that human beings go through and these encounters enable them to grow and transform. This author tries to inform readers that the films and events are universal.
Work Cited
Braudy Leo. The Hollywood Sign: The Culture of American Film. New Heaven: Yale
University Press, 2011, Print
Christina, Lee. Going nowhere?: the Politics of Remembering (and Forgetting) Molly
Ringwald. Cultural Studies Review13. 1 (Mar 2007): 89-104. ProQuest Research
Library. Web 23 Mar. 2012
Eleanor, Hersey. Love and Microphones: Romantic Comedy Heroines as Public Speakers.
Journal of Popular Film & Television34. 4 (Winter 2007): 149-158. ProQuest Research
Library. Web 23 Mar. 2012
Norbury, Kate. Representations of Trauma and Recovery in Contemporary North
American and
Australian Teen Fiction. Bookbird50. 1 (Jan 2012): 31-41. ProQuest Research Library.
Web 23 Mar. 2012
Seger Linda. Making a good script great: Creating the Myth. Michigan. Samuel French
Trade.1994, Print
