The New Hollywood, established in the late 1960s early 1970s, took these values and introduced them to the major Hollywood studios. These filmmakers expanded on the values of “The New American Cinema Group”, their work was generally more complex and morally ambiguous then the rest of the movies at the time. Their work was largely shaped by the anti-establishment movement that went through America at the time due to the Vietnam war. Inspired by the cinema revolution that went through Europe at the time The New Hollywood used their influence on the market in America to shape and change many classic American genres to fit their vision. For the first time the American public now was able to see films that dealt with actual problems America faced as a country, artistically depicted, on big screens and backed by the Hollywood industry. This era of filmmaking is considered by many to be the golden age of filmmaking in America.
Pictures from some of the most influential films of this time:
Cleopatra, Bonnie and Clyde, The Graduate and 2001: Space Oddysey
This experimental style by the “New Hollywood” reached its pinnacle with its westerns that, instead of depicting American cowboys as the righteous hero of the story, showed them as bloodthirsty, uncivilized killers. This was obvious commentary on the Vietnam War, that got worse in 1970.
Something like this was completely unheard of by American audiences and helped in growing the anti-war mentality at the time., eventually leading to the retreat of America out of Vietnam.
The American Indie Development 