05 - Hollywood in the 1920's

Question 1

When was MGM founded? By Who?

Answer 1

1924 - Marcus Leow. - out of several companies

Question 2

What is Vertical Control? What year was it made illegal?

Answer 2

Where individual companies produce, distribute and exhibit their own films… end-to-end control.
1948

Question 3

By 1927 how many films were being produced per year?

Answer 3

400 - 500 films

Question 4

What were theatres called at this time?

What does this reveal about Hollywood at this time?

Answer 4

Movie Palaces

• emphasis of exhibition (decade of motion picture theatre construction)
• Extravagance reigned, salaries soared…

Question 5

“Ascendency of the Director” - list 3 directors who thrived during this time.

Answer 5

Cecil B. Demille
Erich Von Sternheim
Ernst Lubitsch

Question 6

What were some popular genres at this time?

Answer 6

The Western
Comedy
Problem Picture (social/moral concerns - change)
War Dramas
Action & Adventure
Spectacle
Race Movies (alternative tradition)
The Musical (beginning in this period)

Question 7

What were the Benshi (Japan)?

Answer 7

people who narrated the action and spoke the dialogue

Question 8

What was the ‘first’ sound film?

Who produced it?

Answer 8

Don Juan (1926) - WB
SFX & music accompanied

Question 9

What are some reasons why companies did not want to adopt sound? (6)

Answer 9

1. Expense of changing equipment
2. Royalties that would have to be paid to WB
3. sound might change production technique radically
4. backlog of silent films
5. contracts may freeze if individuals couldn’t adapt to the medium.
6. Title cards are easily translated, what about distribution with sound??

Question 10

What film signifies the turning point when companies could no longer ignore sound?

Answer 10

The Jazz Singer (1927)

Question 11

When was the Motion Picture Patents Company founded?

What did this mean for film production?

Answer 11

1908 - MPPA (AKA Edison Trust)

Monopoly on film stock & equipment rental

Question 12

What filmmakers founded United Artists & when?

Answer 12

1919 - Chaplain, Griffith, Fairbanks, Pickford (among others)

Question 13

At this time, where were the majority of “movie palaces”

Answer 13

In New York

Question 14

Which company began to push sound?

What was the camera system called?

Answer 14

Warner Bros (April, 1924) - smaller company
1925 Walstreet invests  & WB purchases Vitagraph Co.

Question 15

What was the purpose of Pantomime?

Answer 15

using exaggerated gestures/ movements to compensate for lack of voice.

Question 16

What are some different types/sources of sound?

Answer 16

Dialogue 
Ambience
Sound effects
Voice-overs
Diegetic (& non-diegetic)
on-screen / off-screen

Question 17

When was the Jazz Singer released?
Who directed?
Main Performer?
Production company?

Answer 17

1927
Alan Crosland - D.
Al Jolson as Jackie Rabinowitz
Warner Brothers