European Cinema vs Hollywood: Which Is Better?

Even though there’s no point in comparing any art, it’s undeniable that there are always basic differences. Moreover, today’s film industry is far from artistic, but that’s another topic about worldwide cinema.

In this article, we’ll compare Hollywood vs European cinema by addressing crucial aspects, including awards, directors, movies, etc. Cinematographers are crucial, but they will be excluded since they often work on both sides.

Let’s begin without further ado.

European Cinema Awards vs Hollywood Award Shows

A key difference between European cinema vs Hollywood is the award ceremonies. Both try to represent quality, but in an almost entirely different way.

Hollywood ceremonies are more about glamour, PR, and who wore what on the red carpet. Don’t get me wrong, they pay close attention to quality work, especially at the Oscars and Golden Globes. However, ‘’the best’’ don’t always win, unless they’re also popular. Additionally, the US market is more focused on awards ceremonies, not film festivals. Still, there are various excellent festivals, like Sundance.

Europe is almost entirely focused on film festivals. From Cannes, Venice, and Berlin, as the three best worldwide, to Locarno and BFI, there are many fantastic events. There’s the usual red carpet drama and glamour, but the difference is that this isn’t the main focus. Art is crucial, and even though everything changes, this aspect remains important. Festivals in Europe can be a chance to gain recognition, while Hollywood praises already established performers.

The recent Oscars drama regarding To Leslie and Andrea Riseborough wouldn’t have happened in Europe; quite the contrary.

European vs Hollywood Screenwriters

A European cinema vs Hollywood comparison can’t be made without mentioning screenwriters. Even though underrated, they’re extremely significant. Often, many directors are also screenwriters on their films, especially A-listers. However, some excellent directors aren’t screenwriters, like David Fincher.

Here are some Hollywood screenwriters who are significant:

Billy Wilder
Paul Schrader
Herman J. Mankiewicz
Dalton Trumbo
Charlie Kaufman
William Goldman
Nora Ephron
Quentin Tarantino
Francis Ford Coppola
Aaron Sorkin
Tony Kushner
Boris Vian

And here are some of the most significant European screenwriters:

Jean-Claude Carrière
Martin MacDonagh
Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Steven Knight
Jean-Pierre Bacri
Agnès Jaoui
Tobias Lindholm
István Szabó
Ugo Chiti
Robert Harris
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Louis Malle
Pedro Almodóvar

European vs Hollywood Actors

Acting in Europe and Hollywood isn’t much different in style. Mainly since arguably the greatest screen actor, Marlon Brando, has brought Stanislavski’s method acting on screen.

However, there’s a difference in assignments and paychecks. Hollywood performers act only in films, especially A-list actors. Some of them may occasionally work in TV shows, but rarely. From the time of old Hollywood actors to today, movies have been the main focus. Furthermore, there’s no need to address the paychecks since actors in Hollywood make a lot more money.

Conversely, even A-list actors from Europe often don’t act only in films. Both because of financial and artistic reasons, they’re often active in the theater. TV shows are also an important assignment.

So, who’s better? No one, since it’s all about taste.

However, many great actors from Europe aren’t nearly as famous as some in Hollywood. Nevertheless, they’re still much better actors, but they aren’t stars, and remain unknown worldwide. For instance, Toni Servillo is an acting master, much better than Richard Gere – but everyone knows who Gere is, right?

European vs Hollywood Actresses

The same arguments apply regarding actresses. Maybe the only difference from actors is that actresses from Europe were, and many still are, more popular worldwide. Sophia Loren and Audrey Hepburn were just as popular as Marilyn Monroe or Katharine Hepburn. There are such examples regarding male performers, but it’s more common with actresses.

Another similarity with old Hollywood actresses, alongside fame, was being a sex symbol. It didn’t matter whether you’re from Europe or the US. Today, things are different, and this isn’t as important as it used to be, which is good.

Hollywood Directors vs European Directors

Hollywood and European directors are different. Generally, Europe has a larger number of better film directors, especially regarding art cinema.

Another difference is that most European filmmakers have the final cut and are in charge. In the US, only A-listers have this privilege since film studios, producers, and movie stars play massive decision-making roles. If Brad Pitt is on set, only a few directors can outshine him.

Movie making is collaborating, but it should be known that the director is the leader, which is the case in most European productions. It’s difficult to make art in Hollywood since the studios’ main goal is to make money. Dr. Strangelove is a masterpiece, while Marvel movies are a consumerist product. But that’s what happens to art in a hardcore capitalist society like the US.

There are fantastic directors on both sides. Hollywood can brag with names like:

Stanley Kubrick
Martin Scorsese
Sidney Lumet
Elia Kazan
Francis Ford Coppola
Steven Spielberg
Quentin Tarantino
Paul Thomas Anderson

Europe can also brag with names like:

Krzysztof Kieślowski
Federico Fellini
Ingmar Bergman
Dusan Makavejev
Jean-Luc Godard
Andrei Tarkovsky
Emir Kusturica
Milos Forman
Roman Polanski
Michelangelo Antonioni

Hollywood vs European Film Waves

Europe prevails in this battle too, since the most significant film waves have come from the Old Continent. To be fair, it’s logical because it’s a much larger territory.

Be as it may, here are some of the most influential European movements that have reshaped cinema worldwide:

Here are some of the most important waves on the other side:

Best European and Hollywood Movies

We’ve come to the crucial aspect – the movies. Let’s dive into the best European cinema and the best Hollywood cinema to see which offers what.

When it comes to Hollywood movies, here’s a representative list of some of the best:

When it comes to European films, here’s also a representative list of some of the best:

Final Words on European Cinema vs Hollywood

We’ve come to the end of our European cinema vs Hollywood comparison. As you can see above, it’s both impossible and pointless to make a definitive statement of who’s better. Essentially, it’s all about taste, and there are excellent movies on both sides.

On the other hand, it’s undeniable that Europe pays a lot more attention to creating cinematic art. Another crucial distinction is that you can simultaneously be an average actor and a famous movie star in Hollywood, but Europe demands quality.

So, who do you pick from the European cinema vs Hollywood comparison?