Hollywood Movies And Cultural Soft Power Of America

Hollywood films play an important role in the film industry in worldwide.Not only does it dominate in the entertaining field,supported by followers around the world and achieve tremendous profits,but also represent its own culture as soft power of America.This essay aims to demonstrate how Hollywood movies influence audience psychologically,in order to enhance the impression of cultural soft power of the United States.Thesis utilizes questionnaire and depth interview: reviewing of soft power theory,classifying the history and further development of Hollywood movies,analyzing the generating mechanism of America's soft power with three classic Hollywood movies,which are based on the audience's perception,emotion and behavior of American culture.This thesis includes the following conclusions:The rise of American cultural soft power in Hollywood movies is correlated with psychological change of audiences.First of all,Hollywood films have significant influence on the prospection of American culture.In this process,Hollywood films' audiences have a new cognition and understanding of the American culture by according to their own methods on the information classification and Hollywood movies usually include American optimism.Therefore,audiences have an inspiring and positive opinion of American civilization indirectly through Hollywood movies.Then,audiences' impressions will lead to the popularity of American movies and the form of American soft power,which presented in Hollywood opus unconsciously.As a result,it arouses audiences 'curiosity and elevates their yearnings to the country.The success factors of the upsurge of Hollywood movies can be concluded briefly as:(1)stories' selection of Hollywood movies have its unique features with reality.(2)two types of American values are included in Hollywood movies: universal values and aboriginal American values.(3)Hollywood movies have a well-established production system.(4)Hollywood films focus on cultural diversity,which have combined with Chinese cultural elements and then attracted more Chinese audiences.Nevertheless,the sweeping spread and the successful shape of Hollywood movies brings negative effects to Chinese audiences mentally.Specifically,Chinese adolescents and younger children will be discomforted adversely due to the bloody,violent and pornographic images of Hollywood films.The overriding emphasis of American heroic spirit and egoism will be exaggerated by belittling Chinese traditional virtuous collectivism.Thus,in order to adapt to this global tendency,following factors should be considered to strength Chinese cultural soft power when applying successful experience of Hollywood movies:(1)to tell real and qualified stories of Chinese and to resonate nations.(2)to establish correct and positive Chinese core values in the film.(3)to revise and improve the current movie system in China.(4)to establish cultural networks and cohesive connection.(5)to emphasize attraction and enchantment of Chinese cultural elements in films.