Abstract

This article reviews the geographical dynamics of New Hollywood, arguing that the industrial crisis of 1969–1971 catalyzed further decentralization of location shooting beyond Los Angeles, bringing new types of urban space into view. It examines the parallel crisis and restructuring of the film industry and the inner city via two films, The King of Marvin Gardens (Bob Rafelson, 1972) and Rocky (John G. Avildsen, 1976), which are emblematic of distinct phases in the development of New Hollywood. Through their aesthetic strategies, narrative structure, and mapping of cinematic space, these films produced allegories of urban decline and renewal that closely engaged with the transformation of the American city, from the urban crisis of the late 1960s to neoliberal programs of renewal in the late 1970s.

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