History Pop Culture UK

• 1914: 1/4 of all films shown in Britain were made by British film companies. In 1925, this had fallen to 5%.
• Cinemas went from 3000 in 1914 to 5000 in 1930s. Theatres to seat up to 2000.
• By 1930s, 18-19 million cinema tickets sold every week - escapism for the unemployed: a study in 1931 showed that unemployed people tended to watch films on average 2.6 times a week.
• Between 1937 and 1939, cinema provided more than 50% of all box revenues on entertainment
• Pleasure Garden (1925)

  Followed 2 chorus girls as they become more independent.
• The Great Game (1930)

  Reflected importance of football on working class. Should the team go professional or amateur?
• Love on Wheels (1932)

  Features a dream about advertising (reflecting consumerism)
• WW2 was a period of films thats primary aim was to boost morale. British industry produced over 500 films during the war.
• Mass Observation found that George Formby punching Hitler in the face (Let George Do It, 1940), was one of the greatest morale boosters of the time.
• Post war - Ealing Studios embraced the public desire for escapist comedies, such as 1947's 'Hue and Cry', where a group of boys defeat a criminal gang of black marketeers.

  Further, Meet Mr Lucifer (1953) was about a TV set that was cursed, reflecting the fears over what TV would mean for society
• As well as Ealing comedies, Britain still maintained the pride of winning the war, however, many of these films were less morale boosting, and more realistic to the near defeat. 'Bride over the River Kwai' (1957) stars Alec Guinness and follows the construction of a bridge. The protagonist dies for working with the Japanese, and the Japanese are stopped.
• Post war also brought a series of escapist thrillers. James Bond was a popular character, and in films like 'Dr No' (1962), he used outlandish gadgets and drove expensive cars: a response to consumerism. On the other hand, 'The Icpress File' is a response to egalitarianism, with a working class spy talking down to upper class criminals.
• The 50s brought a wave of social realism. In 1950, the average person went to the cinema approximately 28 times a year.
• Social realist pieces such as 'Look Back in Anger' (1956) and 'Taste of Honey' (1961) told stories of passion, and ambition of ordinary people. Other films represented the push for greater affluence and living standards, with 'Saturday Night, Sunday Morning' following a working class man with more money than ever before.
• The 1970s saw growing economic pressure. Discontent, permissiveness and anger at society reflected in the films, with more violence, sex, nudity and language being used frequently.
• Get Carter (1971)

  An ex hitman takes revenge on the people that killed his brother. The film is notable for many reasons: it opens with a group of men watching pornography, features slums and foggy bars, is senseless in its depiction of violence and has themes of blackmail and sexual exploitation. The film ends with Carter being shot in the head on a beach, a depressing ending that reflects social mood.
• A Clockwork Orange (1971)

  
  

  Follows a band of hooligans who embark on a spree of murder, rape, torture and other antisocial behaviours. Stanley Kubrick pulled the film, and it was only released after his death in the 90s. This was because it was connected to many violent crimes. The rejection of social institution, adoption of subcultural values and morals, and brutality of acts shown symbolised societal fear over hooliganism and permissiveness in general.
• British cinema declined in the 70s with more competition from other mediums, such as television and holiday booms. However, this was also because of cinema's attempt to get people back into the seats with shallow films that serve simple purposes. Soft porn comedies such as 'Confessions of a Window Cleaner' and softcore films such as 'Emmanuelle' had soul intentions of bringing more audiences. This also demonstrates the permissive nature of the 70s - whereas pornographic or sexual material was kept behind closed doors, now it was promoted in cinemas!
• In 1918-39, there were fears that a revolution or general strike could be initiated over the radio.
• BBC formed in 1922
• BBC had close relationship with state, so reflected views of government, and less so that of viewers
• 1927 - the BBC was given a royal charter and became publicly owned.
• John Reith became first director general - 'inform, educate, entertain'
• Post war, there were 3 channels:

  Home

  Light

  Third
• By 50s and 60s, lost ground to unlicensed and illegal broadcasters. These were normally from ships moored just outside British territorial waters.

  Radio Coraline had an audience of 10 million people in Britain by 1964
• Pirate radio played latest music, and was therefore popular. BBC couldn't afford to lose teenage demographic, so decided to play pop music also. 1967 - reorganisation of previous channels into Radio 2, 3 and 4 respectively.
• Many pirate radio DJs were hired by Radio 1 and became national celebrities
• 1975 - commercial radio stations were granted
• Most successful recording artist in 1920s Britain was Ivor Novello who wrote the song 'Keep the Home Fires Burning' during WW1. Novello was paid £15,000 by his record company
• 1930s saw introduction of American music into Britain. Some 20,000 dance bands in Britain by 1930. This jazz and swing era was mirrored by the BBC, that created Light Programme in 1945. This played light entertainment and music. This was replaced with Radio 2 in 1967.
• Rock n roll was popularised in the UK. Skiffle (home grown rock and roll) was very popular - Lonnie Donegan was biggest best selling British performer through the 50s with 31 top 30 singles.
• Mod music also became popular: bands like The Who were popular among working class fans who spent wages on adopting their look. Consumerism = fashion as integral as the music itself.
• Androgynous glam rock stars such as David Bowie, who had an alter ego; Ziggy Stardust. This shocked the older audiences, but fascinated the younger audiences.
• Consumerism might be the cause, with the younger generation trying to separate themselves from parents.
• Reggae found popularity among white audience, with the first of this genre's songs to reach number 1 was Desmond Dekker, 'The Islraelites' in 1969.
• Punk became popular in the 70s with declining living standards. The Clash and the Sex Pistols were staples of this. However, audiences were still comparatively small. The most popular album of the 60s was Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles. In the 1970s, it was Elton John who had 16 to 50 albums between 70 and 79.
• Music led to more diversity. Rockers had leather jackets and rode motorbikes. These became mods, who largely listened to black inspired rhythm and blues American imported from the USA.
• Hippies listened to psychedelic rock, rejected materialism, promoted communal living etc.
• Only 20,000 people were affected by the switching off of the BBC's broadcast signal to prevent it being used by German bombers as a homing beacon.
• The coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953 attracted huge audiences. It was filmed live and broadcast to almost 8 million viewers