Cultural Traditions and Storytelling in American Film

“I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me, but it's hard to stay mad when there's so much beauty in the world.”
— American Beauty, 1999

In the American cinema, there's a rich tapestry of storytelling woven from innumerable threads of cultural traditions, folklore, and mythology.

From coast to coast, CONUS to OCONUS, our narratives make their way onto the screen as glimpses into the diversity to be found right here in the USA. What are the elements of cultural tradition that I most enjoy about American cinema?

The cultural melting pot

While I’ve never been keen on this term, America is often referred to as a melting pot, a place where people from diverse backgrounds come together, bringing their cultural traditions , rituals, and stories with them. This melting pot of cultures serves as rich sustenance for filmmakers to draw inspiration from a myriad of sources. Whether it's the nuanced oral traditions of indigenous tribes, the folklore of early settlers, or the myths and legends passed down through generations, these stories find their way into the fabric of American cinema.

I think of the iconic first season of True Detective, a brilliantly tactile story arc rooted so deeply in the bayous of Louisiana that you can almost taste the foggy air when you watch it. I think of 2014’s Moonlight, 2009’s Precious, 1999’s The Green Mile — films that transport us so firmly into their mise en scènes that we feel we can reach out and touch the faces of the actors.

Regional flavors make our identity

Just as America is geographically diverse, so too are our cultural traditions and storytelling styles and formats. From the folk music of Appalachia to the tall tales of the Wild West, each region boasts its own unique flavor and identity. Filmmakers often draw upon these regional influences to imbue their stories with authenticity and depth. Whether it's capturing the rugged landscapes of the Southwest or exploring the complexities of urban life in the Northeast, these regional nuances add richness and texture to the cinematic experience.

Reimaginging myths and legends

In American cinema, myths and legends are frequently reimagined and retold, breathing new life into age-old tales. From the adventures of Paul Bunyan and Johnny Appleseed to the haunting folklore of the Jersey Devil, these iconic figures and stories are woven into the fabric of American culture.

Butch Cassidy and his Sundance Kid come to mind.

Filmmakers leverage these myths and legends to explore universal themes of heroism, redemption, and the human condition, offering audiences a fresh perspective on familiar tales. This, in my mind, stretches our creativity by providing some limitations — a storyline and main characters at least.

Historical accuracy

The importance of capturing nuance and bringing them to life on screen is close to my heart. That does not mean that to celebrate the rich heritage of our varied regions, we cannot revive classic legends for a modern audience.

For example, the 1992 Of Mice and Men movie off the 1937 novella written by American author John Steinbeck rounded out Curley's wife’s personality, representing her as a real person, more sympathetic some might say. This resulted in her death feeling tragic in the movie, and less deserving — I appreciated the modernization that humanized a key female character.

Another example is that filmmakers will give the “good guy” a modern haircut, to make them more appealing to the current audience — think 2019 Little Women’s loose hair instead of historically accurate buns and updos. In my opinion, nobody is harmed by this. I support creative license to evoke emotion, and consider historical accuracy in the cinematic realm a case of personal preference.

I hope you enjoyed this peeling back of the layers of American cinema. From the plains of the Midwest to the bustling streets of NYC, our individual stories shape those we tell and the way we tell them.

When we embrace all of these influences, filmmakers can create cinematic experiences that resonate with our audience on a profound level — not only within our immediate social circle.

And who doesn’t want to reach further across the land and the people? Each film’s story might be niche, but we don’t want our reach to be!