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
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
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?