PhD student research interests
Henry Thompson
Censorship in Hollywood: 1960 — present day
Research Outline
For anyone interested in issues of censorship and political influence on film making in Hollywood, the early decades of the industry provide a natural starting point for study. Key landmarks which have been extensively researched include the Production Code Administration in the classical era, the establishment of the Office of War Information in 1942, the hearings of the House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1947 and the subsequent witch hunts and blacklists of the McCarthy era.
However, for those interested in questions of censorship, political influence and cultural signification in more recent decades the landscape is much less well marked. The 1960s saw the beginnings of a number of trends that have complicated efforts to untangle issues of censorship and political influence from other business drivers in Hollywood. One key trend has been the increasing intermingling of the worlds (and common interests) of entertainment and national politics- the elections of Ronald Reagan as President in 1980 and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Governor of California in 2003 being two notable milestones. The close relationship between Hollywood and Washington did not begin in the post-1960 era. However the extensive use of celebrity in support of political fundraising has been a significant development, a development driven in part by the growing penetration of television and the associated costs of advertising. Hollywood has benefited as a consequence of this collaboration, not least through having access to the highest levels of Congress and the Executive. A second key trend in the post-1960 era has been the decline of the Production Code and the introduction in 1968 of the now familiar ratings system, a system administered by the Classification and Rating Administration (CARA) on behalf of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). In its pursuit of the joint objectives of encouraging artistic expression while remaining sensitive to the standards of the larger society, and in particular parents, CARA has found itself in the centre of the sometimes heated debates about acceptable mainstream cinematic tastes. A third trend is the increasingly complex and globalised ownership and operating structures within Hollywood. Commercial packaging requirements have become both multi-media and multi-national as video games, theme parks and the movies themselves become co-dependent components of global brands. These developments bring their own sensitivities and constraints on cinematic content.
Not all of Hollywood's influences emerged in the post-1960 era. From the Supreme Court to national Church organisations, elements of Government and civil society have exerted an influence on Hollywood throughout its history. The focus of my research is to ask firstly how all of these influences have ultimately affected the content and ideological sub-texts of Hollywood's post-1960 output, and then secondly what role Hollywood cinema plays in cultural signification and social control.
My immediate interests include:
- The influence exerted by the studios on CARA and the rating system and the effects this has had on the amount of explicit content (aka sex and violence) offered to teenage audiences.
- The role and influence of the national church organisations in the set up and on-going operation of the ratings system.
- The relationship between Hollywood and the United States Information Agency (USIA).
Personal background
After qualifying in organisational psychology I worked in the telecommunications industry firstly in training and change management, and more recently in commercial and operational management.
I returned to Manchester University for part time study in the Department of American Studies in 2004, and commenced doctoral research in the autumn of 2006.