Who, at least once in their life, hasn't dreamed of becoming a movie star? In 1947 a Hollywood everyone would have wanted a role within the largest film industries. The new miniseries Netflix, entitled precisely Hollywood, talk about this. Talk about dreams and injustices, about how your tastes, your gender or your skin color could have compromised your future. Seven episodes of about 50 minutes they are able to catapult you totally inside the Years' 50. Perfectly used colors, music and settings make viewing even more engaging. Considerable one docu-series, within the episodes fantasy mixes with reality, with real situations and real stars of American cinema interpreted divinely.
The reality that intersects with the imagination ...
All true fans of cult cinema will not be able to give up this series, even if only to have fun recognizing the characters who really existed, diverging them from those invented. There are many famous faces of cinema to be mentioned, one of the main ones being the famous Rock Hudson, played by Jake Picking. The actor, known for his dramatic skills, in the mini-series is described as shy and awkward, at the beginning of his career - which as we can see does not start splendidly - and grappling with an unconventional love for the time. It is no secret that Hudson, aka Roy Harold Fitzgerald, was homosexual and had an affair with a colleague of his.
Among other names we highlight the appearance of Vivien Leigh (played by Katie McGuinness) shortly after the release of Gone With the Wind (film mentioned within an episode), the First lady Eleanor Roosevelt (Harriet Sansom Harris), the black actress and singer Hattie McDaniel (Queen Latifah), the Sino-American actress Anna May Wong (played by Michelle Krusiec) and, less well known but with a fundamental role in the series, the agent Henry Willson, played by a splendid Jim Parson.
An Oscar-worthy production
One of the Hollywood producers is Ryan Murphy, responsible for such hits as Glee, American Horror Story and American Crime Story. On 22 February 2020 it announced the realization of this new project in collaboration with the long-standing partner Ian Brennen. Regarding the series he stated:
A love letter to Tinseltown's Golden Age, this production will be my third show for Netflix and I couldn't be more excited or proud of the work we're doing together.
Two of the main actors also participated in the production of the series: David Corenswet (who plays the aspiring actor Jack Castle) and the well-known Darren Criss (in the role of the new director Raymond Ainsley), best known for his roles in Glee and American Horror Story. It is no coincidence that Criss is inside the film. Murphy usually calls for his titles actors with whom he has already collaborated; in fact we also find Patti LuPone (already known for the Pose series) in the role of Avis Amberg, one of the female protagonists.
The plot is clear from the first episodes. The lives of three young aspiring artists are intertwined: the actor Jack, director Ray and the screenwriter Archie. Everything develops in a linear and precise way, highlighting episodes of racism, sexism and homophobia, completely normal for those times. The turning point will be the very beginning of the production of Peg (a biopic on Peg Entwistle) written and performed by two black guys. 
The work thus manages to keep the viewer's attention high with a crescendo of events able to showcase a high level pathos, an epic that will close with a final episode unique of its kind, set during the Night Of The Oscars. The sound, the shots and the director's choices will transport you to that night of 1947. Without realizing it, you too will be there in the front row, waiting to find out if justice can finally be done.
Not just for fans
As said previously, Hollywood is the perfect series for cinema fans and curious. He is able to illustrate in an impeccable way the functioning of the film industry in its moment of maximum splendor. More engaging than a documentary, you will be amazed by the meticulous characterization of the characters in all their parts, seeing their weaknesses and shortcomings enhanced. But it's not just this: the plot is compelling and contains several twists, thus managing to keep you glued to the screen and make you fond of the protagonists in much less than 400 minutes. Perfect for spending a few evenings on the sofa with friends, it will be available on Netflix starting from 1st May 2020. Dedicated to the last romantics in search of a series that allows them to continue dreaming and to live, at least for a few nights, the dream of a lifetime.
