|
|
|
|
|
|
Resources |
|
|
|
The American Way Marks the World
| Article
# : |
15486 |
|
|
Section : |
SPECIAL SECTION
|
| Issue
Date : |
12 / 1989 |
4,282 Words |
| Author
: |
Richard Grenier
Richard Grenier's latest book is Capturing the Culture. |
Over the decades one hears the voice of actress Anouk Aimee in the celebrated French film classic A Man and a Woman ask plaintively, "Are there any new American films to see?" And the sentiment is as true today, in France and much of the world, as it was a quarter century ago. In an age when the United States has a huge trade deficit, when nations once its virtual wards are besting it in exports (often in products once U.S. specialties), American world hegemony in entertainment "software"--in films, television series and popular music--is greater than it has even been.
A glance at recent issues of Variety, the U.S. entertainment industry's trade journal, gives the general picture. A scattered sampling shows American films dominating the market in London, Paris, Rome, West Berlin, Amsterdam, Zurich, and all Scandinavian capitals. In Paris last summer nine out of the top ten moves were American. Other parts of the world? In Tokyo the same summer, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade led the pack, and seven out of the top nine films were American. In Sydney, Lethal Weapon 2 (an American film with an Australian star, Mel Gibson) went straight to the front, followed closely by six other U.S. movies. In Hong Kong recently, the latest edition of Sylvester Stallone's Rambo series battled it out with a Cantonese comedy. And in the Philippines, Ghostbusters II broke all records, Filipinos giving the film a triumphant opening in Manila even during a typhoon.
American Invasion
A report to the European Parliament a few years back disclosed that the United States holds 70 percent of the domestic movie market in Greece, 80 percent in the Netherlands, and
... (2000 of 26546 Characters)
Read Full Article
|
|
