american film study e. niemi + d. summerlee. silent films were never truly silent ◦ musical...
DESCRIPTION
1922, developed a method of recording sound on the upper ridge of the film itself ◦ Tri-Ergon ◦ Developed by German inventors ◦ Fox Films acquired the rights a few year later and called it Moviephone ◦ Simplified the editing of a sound filmTRANSCRIPT
Transition to TalkiesAmerican Film Study
E. Niemi + D. Summerlee
Silent films were never truly silent◦ Musical accompaniment
Piano player in smaller movie theaters Full orchestras or giant organs in more opulent movie
palaces, including sound effects
Silent Films
1922, developed a method of recording sound on the upper ridge of the film itself◦ Tri-Ergon ◦ Developed by German
inventors◦ Fox Films acquired the rights
a few year later and called it Moviephone
◦ Simplified the editing of a sound film
Sound Development
1926-1928 , sound-on-disc system◦ Vitaphone◦ Like a record◦ Developed by Bell
Telephone Technologies + Western Electric
◦ Warner Bros.◦ Don Juan◦ Jazz Singer◦ Steamboat Willie
Sound Development
1929, a need for more natural sounds
1933, altering speed◦ King Kong used lion’s roar, slowed down 1 octave
1935, stereo
1940, surround system + multiple tracks
Sound Development
Warner Brothers in financial difficulties◦ Looking for a “gimmick”
1st talking picture, though still basically silent Contained snatches of dialogue + 4 singing
numbers Actor Al Jolson Saved WB studios and the film industry as a
whole 1st full length, all talking motion picture: The
Lights of New York (1928)
The Jazz Singer
1927The Jazz Singer
With the release of The Jazz Singer, all silent films in production were converted to talkies
Smaller, independent studios buckled◦ Control in industry left to: Paramount, Metro-
Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Twentieth Century-Fox, WB & RKO (The Big 5)
Microphones Talkies meant success for new people, but
ended the careers of others End of title writers, new type of writers needed,
plot + dialogue matter even more now
Problems
Steamboat Willie (1928) ◦ 1st film to have a completely synchronized
soundtrack including sound effects, music, + “dialogue”
Flowers and Trees (1933)◦ Disney’s 1st three-color Technicolor film
The Three Little Pigs (1933)◦ gave hope for the nation during the GD
Other animated features had a similar effect making audiences feel young and happy.
Walt Disney
1928Steamboat Willie
Films used as an escape People could momentarily forget their
troubles Other things to remember
◦ Musicals very popular 1930’s-1950’s◦ Experiments with 2 & 3 color films◦ First full length, full color film Wizard of Oz, then
Gone With the Wind
The Great Depression
1928◦ ENORMOUS popular demand for talkies◦ Tacky talkies earned more $ than good silent films◦ Theaters w/ silent films played to empty houses
1929◦ All studios stop producing silent films◦ Chaplin had one more in 1931
Death of Silent Films
Shared experience changes◦ Talking during movies is frowned upon.
Studio contract stars started to guarantee box office success for any motion picture in which they appeared.
Success of a particular type of movie at any one studio would result in a cycle of similar movies from other studios.
Public started demanding a greater degree of realism.◦ (A manner of treating subject matter that presents
a careful description of everyday life, usually of the lower and middle classes.)
Long Term Effects
Are any of these
relevant today?