Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which session includes a screening of 'Sherlock Jr.'?
Which session includes a screening of 'Sherlock Jr.'?
What did Herman Casler patent in 1894?
What did Herman Casler patent in 1894?
What type of movies were most commonly produced in the early days of cinema?
What type of movies were most commonly produced in the early days of cinema?
Who is credited with originating the moving camera?
Who is credited with originating the moving camera?
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What was the primary focus of the Lumière brothers after the initial success of their screenings?
What was the primary focus of the Lumière brothers after the initial success of their screenings?
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Which company was formed by Léon Gaumont?
Which company was formed by Léon Gaumont?
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What type of films did the Lumière brothers NOT produce?
What type of films did the Lumière brothers NOT produce?
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What was a major characteristic of the Pathé camera developed in the early 1900s?
What was a major characteristic of the Pathé camera developed in the early 1900s?
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Which female filmmaker is associated with the early French film industry?
Which female filmmaker is associated with the early French film industry?
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What genre does 'Gold Diggers of 1933' belong to?
What genre does 'Gold Diggers of 1933' belong to?
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Which film is directed by Ernst Lubitsch?
Which film is directed by Ernst Lubitsch?
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What characteristic is typically associated with the Western genre?
What characteristic is typically associated with the Western genre?
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Which of the following intersects with the crime/gangster movie genre?
Which of the following intersects with the crime/gangster movie genre?
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What is a common element of screwball comedies?
What is a common element of screwball comedies?
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What was the primary characteristic of the Structure of Hollywood from the 1920s to the 1960s?
What was the primary characteristic of the Structure of Hollywood from the 1920s to the 1960s?
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What was the period during which the MPPC had a monopoly on Hollywood?
What was the period during which the MPPC had a monopoly on Hollywood?
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Which studio is considered part of the Big Five?
Which studio is considered part of the Big Five?
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What was a significant advantage that The Little Three had over The Big Five during the 1930s?
What was a significant advantage that The Little Three had over The Big Five during the 1930s?
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Which studio is known for having the motto 'More stars than there are in heaven'?
Which studio is known for having the motto 'More stars than there are in heaven'?
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What role did United Artists serve in the film industry?
What role did United Artists serve in the film industry?
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What innovation did Universal and Columbia introduce during the 1920s?
What innovation did Universal and Columbia introduce during the 1920s?
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How did the Studio System maintain control over the film industry?
How did the Studio System maintain control over the film industry?
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What was a primary characteristic of the Poverty Row studios?
What was a primary characteristic of the Poverty Row studios?
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Which director is associated with the screwball comedy 'It Happened One Night'?
Which director is associated with the screwball comedy 'It Happened One Night'?
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What system allowed studios to control when and where films were distributed?
What system allowed studios to control when and where films were distributed?
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What was the primary purpose of the Star System in the film industry?
What was the primary purpose of the Star System in the film industry?
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Which of the following was NOT a practice associated with the studio system?
Which of the following was NOT a practice associated with the studio system?
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What role did 'star images' play in the marketing of films?
What role did 'star images' play in the marketing of films?
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Who were the co-founders of United Artists in 1919?
Who were the co-founders of United Artists in 1919?
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What was a major strategic method employed by studios to maximize profits?
What was a major strategic method employed by studios to maximize profits?
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What was a key feature of the Seven-Year Contracts for actors?
What was a key feature of the Seven-Year Contracts for actors?
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Which of the following films is associated with the B-movie category?
Which of the following films is associated with the B-movie category?
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Study Notes
The Birth of Cinema
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Key People
- Edison (Vitascope)
- Herman Casler (patented the Mutoscope)
- W.K.L. Dickson (worked with Edison, then formed the American Mutoscope Company)
- Lumière Brothers (Sent operators to tour abroad; responsible for many scenics and topicals, as well as staged films)
- Eugène Promio (credited with originating the moving camera)
- Charles Pathé (switched from phonographs to film production)
- Léon Gaumont (Gaumont Film Company founder)
- Alice Guy-Blaché (first female filmmaker)
- Louis Feuillade (Gaumont director known for narrative continuity)
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Early Films
- Actualities, Topicals, Scenics, Fiction
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Actualities are non-fiction films, the most common type of early film
- Topicals focus on news events
- Scenics are short travelogues showcasing views of distant lands
- Fiction films feature brief staged scenes
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Growth of the French Film Industry
- The Lumière Brothers focused on scenics and topicals, they also produced staged films
- The Lumière Brothers believed film would be a short-lived fad.
- Pathé rose to become the largest film company in the world.
- Gaumont grew through the work of Alice Guy-Blaché and Louis Feuillade
The Rise of the Studio System
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MPPC (Motion Pictures Patent Company)
- Dominated Hollywood from 1908-1914 and attempted to create a monopoly
- Employed vertical integration: controlling patents, production, distribution, and exhibition
- Broken up in 1915 due to violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act
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The Rise of the Studio System
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The Big Five (Paramount, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, MGM, RKO): dominated Hollywood from the 1915-1920s.
- Although appearing to compete, they worked together to maintain control of the industry.
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The Little Three (Columbia, Universal, United Artists): produced high-level films but did not own theater chains.
- Often outperformed the Big Five, especially during the Great Depression.
- Universal and Columbia invented the "B-movie" genre.
- United Artists was a releasing company for A-class productions by its founders.
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The Big Five (Paramount, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, MGM, RKO): dominated Hollywood from the 1915-1920s.
The Studio System: Key Players and Characteristics
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MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer):
- More sustainable during the 1930s and 1940s, known for its star-power and high-budget productions.
- Known for musicals, fantasies (e.g., Frankenstein, Dracula), and melodramas.
- House Style: White, brightly lit sets.
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Columbia (minor studio):
- Profitable due to its low-budget, popular films and using borrowed stars and directors.
- Known for screwball comedies, "B-movies", and hits like "It Happened One Night" and"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington".
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United Artists (minor studio):
- Founded by Pickford, Fairbanks, Chaplin, and Griffith. More of a distributor than a studio.
- Greater success in the silent era, but faced challenges with stars like Chaplin.
- Known for small but diverse output with artistic oddities like Hitchcock's first American films.
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Poverty Row
- Small studios that produced B-movies from the 1920s-1950s.
- Known for their low budgets and low production value.
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Characteristics of the Studio System
- Vertical Integration: Control of all aspects of production, distribution, and exhibition.
- Block Booking: Studios rented out multiple films in packages to maximize profits.
- Blind Bidding: Exhibitors had to bid on films without seeing them, often due to block booking.
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Runs, Zones, & Clearances: These practices controlled when and where films were distributed.
- First-run cinemas (owned by studios) showed new films before cheaper neighborhood cinemas (independent cinemas forced into block booking).
- Zones ensured that only one cinema in a specified area could exhibit a new movie.
The Star System
-
Importance of Stars:
- Actors were the most valuable resource for each studio, held under oppressive 7-year contracts.
- "Star Image" was manufactured and controlled through publicity.
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Importance of Star Image:
- Studios used stars to market films to audiences and exhibitors.
- Star Image was constructed and exploited by the studios.
- Star Image influenced publicity, promotion, criticism, and even films.
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Seven-Year Contracts:
- Studios tightly controlled their actors with 7-year contracts, which were often renewed every 6 months with predetermined raises.
- This gave studios cost control and maximum flexibility.
Pre-Code Genres
- Gold Diggers of 1933 (Berkeley & LeRoy, Warner Bros.): Backstage Musical/Comedy
- The Public Enemy (William A. Wellman, Warner Bros.): Crime/Gangster Movie
- Design For Living (Ernst Lubitsch, Paramount): Screwball Comedy
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Description
Explore the pioneers and innovations that shaped the early days of cinema. This quiz covers influential figures like Edison, the Lumière Brothers, and Alice Guy-Blaché, as well as the types of films produced in the nascent stages of the film industry. Test your knowledge of the birth of this transformative art form!
