Fordism and Hollywood: Mass Production and Cultural Commodity

This lecture delves into the concept of Fordism, characterized by mechanized production, assembly lines, high wages, and low prices, and its impact on the global consumer trade. It also explores the parallel development of the Hollywood studio system post-World War I, which mirrored Fordism in the standardized, mass-produced cultural products. The discussion extends to the phenomenon of 'human zoos' in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, where indigenous people were exhibited as exotic attractions. The lecture further examines the intersection of cinema and capitalism, the critique of colonial propaganda, and the eventual decline of 'human zoos' due to increasing scholarly criticism and the rise of cinema.