The film, "Moonstruck" (1987), was set in the 1980s in America and was notably appropriated from "A Midsummer's Night Dream (Shakespeare)". In order to appreciate the aesthetic value of this appropriation, research must be conducted into the historical and societal context of this film.
Being set in America in 1987, society at that time was developing. To give a brief idea of America at that time, it had a population of 226,54600, had a life expectancy of 69.9 for males and 77.6 for females and a BMW would only cost $24,000.
Life at this time, was centered around video games, aerobics and arising talk shows. Technology was becoming more common in houses including televisions, cds and vcrs as well as advances in medicine with the discovery of AIDS. Prisons were also overflowing where crime rates were at their highest and there was the continued use of cocaine and crack.
Moonstruck
United States
United StatesFamily values had begun to disappear where the trends of divorce and single parents had started to increase since the 1960s. More women were starting to work, seek education and have fewer children. In relation to "Moonstruck", this issue is quite prominent where this appropriation contradicts this trend. There is the importance of family values and traditions as well as the need for traditional marriages, but there is the occasional sub-plot which imitates that present society of divorce.
The 1980s were also a time for an increased interest in the arts including museums, artworks and the theatre. Broadway revivals were also common, where classics were revived using modern actors. This interest is notably apparent in Moonstruck through the portrayal of Cher and Cage visiting the opera together.
In addition, anti-family sitcoms were common on US television and usually dominated viewing time. According to this trend, the director of the film...