This course seeks to unravel Hollywood’s complex workings and explain how American film came to dominate world film screens. We will trace the history of Hollywood from its formation in the 1910s through the 21st century, asking questions such as: How did movie stars and genre films come to dominate the film industry? What is the relationship between Hollywood and independent film? How has the global spread of Hollywood since the 1920s changed the film industry? How has Hollywood responded to crises in American politics? And how have new technologies such as synchronized sound and color cinematography, television and the VCR, and new digital technologies changed film and the film industry? We will look closely at representative studios (Paramount, Disney, and others), and we will examine the impact of industrial changes on the screen through close film analysis and weekly screenings.