Movies and the Impact of Images

Chapter 7

“. . . [W]e need to ask big-picture questions such as what purposes movies serve for us today, compared with their earlier intent; how strong an impact the U.S. film industry has on society and culture in our own country and in others; and where the film industry may be headed in

the future.”

Early History of Movies: The Precursors of Film

1600s The Magic Lantern projects images painted on

glass plates. 1800s

Thaumatrope “combines” images when twirled, 1824

Zoetrope makes images appear to move, 1834

Early History of Movies: Development Stage

Muybridge projects photographic images on wall for public viewing, 1880

Eastman develops roll film, 1884 Le Prince invents first motion-picture camera,

1888 Creates first motion picture, Roundhay Garden Scene

Goodwin creates celluloid, 1889

Early History of Movies: Entrepreneurial Stage

Edison and Dickson Create kinetograph (camera) and kinetoscope

(single-person viewing system) Create vitascope, which projected longer

filmstrips without interruption Lumière brothers

Develop cinematograph, combined camera, film development, and projection system

Early History of Movies: Mass-Medium Stage

Méliès (France) Introduces first narrative films Uses new filming and editing tricks

Porter (U.S.) Adapts Méliès’s innovations to make America’s

first narrative film Introduces first close-up, western, chase scene

Nickelodeons Attract workers and immigrants to the movies

Evolution of Hollywood Studio System

Edison’s “Trust” Cartel of major U.S. and French producers Exclusive deal with Eastman

Zukor and Fox Leave East Coast for Hollywood Bypass the Trust; file suit that breaks its hold Create Paramount, Fox

Studio system Vertically integrated, creates film oligopoly

The Three Pillars of the Movie Business

Production Studios control all “talent” via exclusive contracts

Distribution Early film exchange system Block booking distribution (Zukor) European markets

Exhibition Studios purchase first-run theaters Develop movie palaces, mid-city theaters

Hollywood’s Golden Age

Narrative techniques developed Varied camera distances, multiple story lines, fast-

paced editing, symbolic imagery New types of film develop including:

Crime, horror, westerns, war, science fiction

Introduction of sound Further establishes narrative style Sets new commercial standards in industry The Jazz Singer first talkie Fox introduces newsreels

Setting the Standard for Narrative Style

Hollywood narrative Recognizable characters Clear plot Special effects

Hollywood Genres Action/Adventure, comedy, romance, drama, mystery,

gangster, western, horror, fantasy, musicals, film noir

Hollywood authors Movie directors develop specific style, interest

George Lucas, Steven Spielberg

Breaking the Gender and Racial Barrier

Female directors struggle for recognition. Lina Wertmuller, Jane Campion, Sofia Coppola

Minority groups, including African Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans also struggle for recognition

Some have succeeded as directors: Spike Lee, Ang Lee, Chris Eyre, Wayne Wang

Alternatives to Hollywood

Foreign Films Small percent of films seen in U.S.

Documentaries Noncommercial films usually require grants Cinema verité Tackle controversial subject matter

Independent films Created on shoestring budgets Shown to smaller audiences

The Transformation of the Hollywood Studio System

Paramount decision Major studios forced to end vertical integration Opens up opportunities for new forms of

exhibition, like drive-in theaters. Flight to suburbs

Americans buy more consumer goods. Marriage age drops, fewer “movie dates”

Television Keeps Americans home

Television Changes Hollywood

Movies feature more serious content Alcoholism: The Lost Weekend Sexuality: Peyton Place, Lolita MPPA launches ratings system

Movies develop new technologies Technicolor, stereophonic sound

Home Entertainment More than 50% of domestic revenue for

Hollywood studios comes from video/DVD rentals

DVD sales declining Blu-ray has not helped improve video store sales.

Internet video streaming is the future. Allows viewers to download videos through Netflix,

Xbox, Apple TV devices, Hulu, Fancast Movie industry needs to adapt

Economics: Money In

Box-office sales Studios get about 40% of the theater box-office

take in first “window” for movie exhibition DVD/video sales and rentals

50% of all domestic-film income for major studios Cable and television outlets

Pay-per-view, video-on-demand, premium cable, network and basic cable

Economics: Money In (cont.)

Foreign distribution International box-office gross revenues almost

double U.S. and Canada box-office receipts. Independent-film distribution

Indies pay studios 30–50% of box-office and video-rental money they make from their movies.

Licensing and product placement Action figures, snacks, products “seen” in a movie Synergy, or promotion throughout subsidiaries of

media conglomerate

Economics: Money Out

Production Fees paid to actors, directors, personnel, costs for

special effects, set design, and so on Marketing, advertising, print costs

Can add almost $36 million in costs per film Post-production

Film editing, sound recording

Economics: Money Out (cont.)

Distribution Screening a movie for prospective buyers

Exhibition Constructing theaters, purchasing projection

equipment Acquisitions

Buying up other media-related companies

Uncertainties in the Digital Age

Broadband Internet service More movie fans are likely to download

movies from Web iTunes Store rentals, Netflix instant viewing,

Hulu Challenge of digitizing movies

More 3D films require new projection systems

Movies in a Democratic Society

Consensus narratives Provide shared experiences Bridge cultural differences, create “global village”

Stifle voices of other, underrepresented cultures Impose mainstream, Western ideas about values,

actions on others Watch movies with a critical eye

Seek other cinematic voices