Info about Films
A history of Hollywood Movies
In the 1880s, the American stage industry was characterized by Vaudeville shows, which at the time were cherished by residents of North America. These shows were a primitive form of variety entertainment, and gave rise to many genres that still exist in the present day. Employers began to experiment with their film making skills, taking advantage of the new medium of moving pictures. As a result of this experimentation, people began to stop attending Vaudeville shows, and a new industry was born- the movie industry.
In 1910, the director D.W Griffith, began to shoot films in downtown Los Angeles. Looking for the most suitable place, he found a small village that was to the north- Hollywood. The first Hollywood film shot by Griffith was 'In Old California' a melodrama of California.
Gradually, with the growth of industry, Hollywood films were exposed Nickelodeon halls. Ambitious people in the industry on the production size rose to prominence as the controlling heads of the movies studios. These people helped to reduce the American centered provincialism associated with the early movies, and move them to a more international scene. At the height of its popularity, the industry produced about 400 films per year, with a viewing audience of around ninety million Americans every week.
During the golden age of Hollywood (1920-1950), the film industry was at the height of its success. Sticking to the formula of slapstick western comedy, music, and cartoons all contributed to this success. The same creative team worked on films made by the same studio, leading to a consistency that ran through the industry, and making studios have their own unique 'feel' in their productions.
Some of the best known studios are Warner Bros, MGM, RKO, etc. Each studio had its own specialized features, a trait which is not seen today. Each film was unique in its own flavor, because the filmmakers were all artists and creators. The release of classics that enriched the industry were 'Wuthering Heights', 'Gone with the Wind' and 'Casablanca', as well as other timeless masterpieces. In the late 1940s, the separation of the production of films from their exhibition and the development of television resulted in the decline of the studio system.
Postclassical Cinema gave rise to directors of a new school of thought. They introduced new filming techniques and strategies developed and prevail. With the introduction of new techniques and strategies, they introduced innovative films such as 'Jaws' 'The Godfather' and The 'Star Wars' series of movies. With independent movies, a new generation of filmmakers has focused on making films that are often innovative, critical and unconventional, and contradictory. However, by its considerable financial success and crossover into popular culture, independent movies have become a very influential aspect of Hollywood movies.
Over the generations, directors with their own unique style and innovations have resulted in the creation of intellectually stimulating and thought provoking creations, making the rich history of Hollywood films interesting and awe inspiring.
Hollywood movies were originally free from censorship, but the Hollywood codes changed that in the 1930s. These people took all the parts out of movies that offended them, and they succeeded in eliminating almost all the good movies of the time period. They were then struck down in the late 1960s when the rating system was introduced so that people could show any movies they wanted as long as they put ratings on them. No longer could a minority of people inflict a viewpoint on the majority of the American public. It was a great day in American cinema.