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FMS394: Teens, Film, and U.S. Culture

Explore the impact of rock music, rebellion, and the rise of teen films during the 1950s, reflecting generational tensions and societal shifts in the U.S. Uncover how Hollywood resisted catering to teenage audiences and how pop music influenced youth culture. Delve into iconic teen films such as "Rebel Without A Cause" and the role of entertainment media in shaping class and sexuality perceptions. Embark on a journey through moral panics and societal shifts through the lens of rebellious teens on-screen.

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FMS394: Teens, Film, and U.S. Culture

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  1. Lesson 2: Rock, Rebellion, and the Rise of the Teenpic FMS394: Teens, Film, and U.S. Culture

  2. Guiding Questions • What role did popular music play in the rise of the teenpic? • How do teen tastes and activities become sites of generational tension and youthful rebellion? • What do the forms and popularity of film representations of delinquency tell us about U.S. culture in the 1950s?

  3. Hollywood's Resistance to Teens • Why were movies so late to court the teen marketplace? • Industry conservatism and skepticism • Demographic data about teens only just emerging • “Adult” artistic sensibilities • Film as a “family” medium • Exhibitors vs. Producers and Distributors

  4. Pop Music and Teen Culture • Music is where teens begin to shape the cultural landscape • 1953: A Tale of Two Charts: Pop and R&B • Patti Page's “How Much is that Doggie in the Window? • Ruth Brown's “(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean” Patti Page Ruth Brown

  5. Pop Music and Teen Culture 1954: The Chords and Crossover Appeal • Sh-boom 1955: The Rise of Rock and a Tale of Two Versions • Tutti Frutti • Little Richard • Pat Boone Little Richard Pat Boone

  6. Rock and the Rise of the Teenpic • Above: Blackboard Jungle (dir. Richard Brooks, 1955) Right: Rock Around the Clock (dir. Fred F. Sears, 1956)

  7. Rock and the Rise of the Teenpic • Elvis Presley and Jailhouse Rock (dir. Richard Thorpe, 1957) • “Indigenous” perspective -Significance of entertainment media -Legitimates rock as a musical form -Class and sexuality via delinquency and violence

  8. Moral Panics and the Rise of the Teenpic • James Dean and Rebel Without A Cause (dir. Nick Ray, 1955) • Trouble in Suburbia • Drag Racing • Teen Hero/Teen Anti-Hero • Exploiting Delinquency? • Skirting the Code

  9. Next Time on FMS 394… Cleanpics and the Endless Summer

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