Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971)

One of the first instances of violence in the film is when Sweetback repeatedly stabs two policemen with a set of handcuffs. In a symbolic sense, handcuffs serve as a modern equivalent of the shackles enslaved people were forced to wear. Sweetback is retaliating against the institution by weaponizing one of its instruments of oppression. This imagery of shackles is brought back later in the track, "Wont Bleed Me."

 

 

 

Sweetback and Mu Mu hide out and play billiards in an old shack after a run in with a biker gang. In classic 1970s fashion, the cue is held in such a way that it resembles a phallus.

 

 

 The commissioner gives a half-baked apology to two black officers after using anti-black slurs during a meeting. In reality, the commissioner doesn't care about whether of not he offended them, he just wants to keep them compliant. "You guys could be a real credit to your people," he says, referring to their assistance in the capture of Sweetback. The American flag pictured behind him hammers home the message of this scene: No black person, no matter how upstanding according to white sensibilities, is safe from The Man's reign of oppression.

 

 

 

Easy Rider

 
Easy Rider screen grab by Joshua Huggins

Date 2/25/2025

I like this clip because it sets the film up, its a into clip of the two main charter captain America and Billy riding free to the wind. Cap is riding what looks like copper bike with extended handles. these bikes are not fun for long rides. witch is interesting because it looks like they are going cross country.

this is when Cap and Billy get arrested for being in a parade without a permit. both charters want to be free and go to Mardi Gras but are now in a literal cage because they broke a silly law showing that society doesn't like the free riding hippies of the 60s.

this clip is really powerful in my opinion because Billy think the people don't like him because he needs a hair cut and a shower. George said its because of what you represent to them is freedom. this is strong because the 60s was a time of radical change and  for a group to represent freedom and also be hated by most is interesting. shortly after this the three of them get beat in their sleep and George is killed.

The Graduate (1967) - Zenaida Perez

 

At the beginning of the film, Benjamin seems to be worried about his future. The weight of expectation sits heavily on his shoulders as he struggles to come up with any real plan for his future. His empty response highlights the existential dread of a young man who knows he should have a plan - but doesn't. 

Benjamin's parents make Benjamin try out his new scuba gear in the swimming pool, where he submerges underwater. Trapped beneath the surface, Benjamin is isolated from the noisy world above him, a silent reflection of his loneliness and uncertainty about the future that towers over him. 

When Mrs. Robinson and Benjamin meet at the hotel, Mrs. Robinson asks Benjamin to get her a drink. He signals the waiter but due to his quietness and awkwardness, the waiter ignores him. Mrs. Robinson gets the attention of the waiter, and is able to get a drink. This visual example shows the power imbalance between them - he moves with uncertainty, while she moves with effortless control. 

Benjamin makes the decision to tell Elaine after Mrs. Robinson threatened Benjamin that she would tell Elaine about their affair if he didn't stay away from her. This visual example shows both the emotional disconnect and inevitable fallout between them in this moment. 

"The Nutty Professor" Starring Jerry Lewis

This promotional page is from the New York Boxoffice magazine published May 20, 1963. This page talks specifically about how the advertisement team plans to promote the "The Nutty Professor" by creating ads and doing a press tour and contest. The contest was done to encourage the audience to watch the film by having them answer, "The nuttiest thing I ever saw a teacher do was..." as per Jerry Lewis request.

Elizabeth Taylor and Cleopatra (20th Century Fox) (1963)

 

As soon as he has contracted for the services of two outstanding male stars to play Julius Caesar and Marc Antony opposite Elizabeth Taylor (above), producer Walter Wanger will be ready to start film- ing of “Cleopatra” in CinemaScope with De Luxe Color. This is not only the most important production that veteran producer has undertaken to film, but also one of the major ventures of this company. Actually, Wanger has been making preparations for “Cleopatra” for more than a year. Elizabeth Taylor, whose latest personal triumph is in “Suddenly Last Summer”, will play the title role in “Cleopatra”, an assignment perfectly tailored to her talents and beauty. Wanger’s “Cleopatra” will not be the story of a strumpet as presented in Shakespeare’s “Anthony And Cleopatra”, nor as the naive and silly teen- ager she is characterized in George Bernard Shaw’s play. This version dramatizes the true Cleopatra, based on a bibliography of the writings of Plutarch, Suetonius, Cicero and other new sources.

G.I. Blues Elvis Presley at his Best

This film poster for G.I. Blues got my attention for how it talks up what seemed to be a normal release for Elvis Presley. He produced a lot of films in the 1960s and most were semi unremarkable, but would gross about 2 million to 3 million each. But the hype of the poster makes this seem to be his best one yet, or how remarkable and amazing it is or the beautiful young people involved. Presley consistently produced well received, cheap to produce films, but he never attained the massive hits of other stars in the early 1960s, producing a quantity over quality approach.  

Steve McQueen - Honeymoon Machine

 

 

This is a page from the Motion Picture Exhibitor from Sep.-Dec. 1961. Most of the articles I found were about what directors were filming what but on this one it briefly focuses on what the actor Steve McQueen was staring in. In the article, it describes McQueen to be staring in "War Lover" with Columbia to promote the film "Honeymoon Machine", which he worked with MGM. Based on this it seems the characteristics that could describe McQueen are hardworking and business savvy. While nothing too personal is mentioned about McQueen, it does bring up the question about loyalty towards film studios at the same time as an actor. Not much is said since he is starting becoming more established in the public eye. This source does bring up the question of "how many films would an actor work on at a time and with what studios?"

 This is an excerpt from the motion picture periodical "The Exhibitor." Cary Grant is featured for his role in "Charade" as well as other actors for their roles at the time. I found this interesting as a time capsule of what the cast of movie star regulars were at the time.

Jack Lemmon and Shirley Maclaine bring down the house in box office hit, "The Apartment"

 

 

Pictured here is an advertisement for Jack Lemmon's 1960 film "The Apartment," featuring quotes from various critics. The quotes paint a good picture of the actor's star image at the time: a comedian as well as an attractive love interest. The film's marketing utilizes Lemmon's success in "Some Like It Hot," just a year earlier, as if to both advertise its comedy and its risque subject matter.

Rock Hudson overjoyed with role in "Send Me No Flowers"

The following pressbook discusses Rock Hudson’s role in “Send Me No Flowers” and his excitement for being “weak” in the film. Send Me No Flowers is a screen adaptation of a Broadway play that follows Rock Hudson’s character, a hypochondriac, who believes he has weeks to live, searching for a new husband for his wife. The pressbook goes into detail that Hudson’s role for “Man’s Favorite Sport?”, he is portrayed as a well-built all-powerful man. Hudson finds satisfaction playing “a weakling” and feels that his roles are based on his talent for bringing characters to life rather than simply fitting the physical mold of  a traditional hero. 

The Longest Day: Connery's Epic Premiere

 

    This is an advertisement paratext for the film "The Longest Day," announcing its world premiere and encouraging mail orders for tickets. I selected this paratext because it prominently features Sean Connery in the cast, alongside a large ensemble of well-known actors, which is a key element of the film's marketing and appeal. From this paratext, we learn about the film's title, its connection to historical events (D-Day), the star power involved, and the anticipation surrounding its release, reflecting the film's significance in cinema history and its commercial strategy. Furthermore, the inclusion of quotes from historical figures and Shakespeare highlights the film's ambition to be both historically accurate and revolutionary.

The Successful Impact of Julie Andrews' Role in "Mary Poppins"

The following pressbook is about the highly successful achievements that Walt Disney's "Mary Poppins", starring Julie Andrews, had achieved at the time of the film's release. The pressbook includes multiple "Mary Poppins" film advertisements that involves displaying the lead actress, Julie Andrews, as well as extremely positive film reviews. A variety of "Mary Poppins" merchandise catalogs, which include posters, props, and more, are shown in the pressbook with images and descriptions. Julie Andrews' image in "Mary Poppins" is associated with great amounts of success, as the pressbook displays many positive film reviews and promotional advertisements, which then summarizes that "Mary Poppins" made an incredible impact in film history and honors Julie Andrews as a wonderful actress. 

'The Hustler' featuring Paul Newman by The Harrison's Reports

This is a good article for reference to 'The Hustler', featuring Paul Newman. In the article by the Harrison's Reports, the author begins by describing the grimy nature of the film, saying women would only enjoy the movie because of Paul Newman's feature in 135 minutes of the runtime.  The film takes in the emotional impact of Paul Newman's character's struggles, highlighting his disregard for human life as he violently pursues success. His character takes on high stakes pool games and delves into the world of addiction and the cost of winning. The author concludes, explaining the film to be a lesson on loss, morality, and the price of pursuing your ambitions. 

Lee Marvin takes the stage with big names in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance"

This Paramount World article discusses the, at the time, upcoming film, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," holding several big star names in its cast. The film's story is described in brief, looking to entice viewers with popular themes common in westerns, the large star names, and the characters they play. The film industry in the early 60s was filled with the hit western genre and using big stars to promote a familiar feel to the viewer, so giving the audience faces and themes they know and love helped "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" gain a mass chance at success. The success helped Lee Marvin begin his rise to stardom with his role as Liberty Valance in the film.

Sidney Poitier's Star Role in Sensational Film Adaptation, "A Raisin in the Sun"  

A Raisin in the Sun was a critically acclaimed play on Broadway during the 1960s, that won several awards for its storytelling and acting. It was shortly turned into a film, debuting Sidney Poitier as the only star in the film that would market the film in a positive and beneficial way during this era of racial divide. This piece goes into the depths of the storyline and the obstacles the conglomerate had with producing this film successfully during the 60's.   

 

The backstage life behind film star Sandra Dee in "If a Man Answers"

 

This is an article of a fan magazine detailing the marriage of the star Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin, co-sars of the film "If a Man Answers". The article goes into detail about the struggles of Sandra Dee going from her previous image as a young girl to a married woman. It also highlights the struggles that Darin and Dee had during the film and during their marriage as a whole. 

 

Early in the film, Martha is drunk and on top of "Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?" It is very clear she is the one who "wears the pants" in this situation, which is an early visual example of a woman being more physically dominant in a relationship.

Martha demands George to stop so everyone can go dancing, to which he replies "Whatever love wants. This is something that is repeated throughout the film, which is an early example of a more submissive husband in a relationship.

Towards the end of the film, George "decides" to kill their son, to which Martha replies "I will not let you decide these things." Their relationship dynamic stems from not having their son and Martha not having control over the situations she's in is what causes her to face reality by George's decision based on Martha having brought up their son.