Hollywood Masala - I

Most movie buffs know that masala is not unique to Bollywood. The idea for an article on the masala elements in Hollywood has been in my mind for a few years now. Since, I've been lazy to rack my brains and come up with a full-length piece, I thought I could use this blog to write chunks, collect feedback and finally come out with the article. So, here goes...

Hollywood is said to be "vertically integrated", which means that people who make the movies (studios, producers, etc.) are fully tied up to the level of people who show the movies (distributors, cinema hall owners, etc.). I guess this kind of integration helps them to better understand what clicks and what doesn't. When you know that, you know how to spice up your movie and provide what the viewer wants to see. Of course, that doesn't mean that the formula is fool-proof though. Let's look at some common elements which pop up in ever so many movies churned out from Hollywood.

• French (lip-to-lip) kiss between hero and heroine is a great way to end the movie. Modern variations include crane-shot with camera zooming out to the top and soft focus, allowing privacy to our dear couple.
• In a love story (and nowadays romantic comedy), when everything is going well, suddenly, a rift occurs between the couple due to some misunderstanding. The last half an hour or less of the movie will focus on how the couple spend that time in sadness, effectively portrayed when combined with a 4-minute song played in the background, and finally, as if by magic, everything ending well.

Part I | Part II (Updated: 9 Feb 2006)