🎞️American Cinema – Before 1960 Unit 1 – Early American Cinema: An Introduction

Key Concepts and Terminology

• Nickelodeon small, simple theaters that showed short films and charged a nickel for admission
• Silent era period in cinema history when films had no synchronized recorded sound or dialogue
• Intertitles printed text shown on the screen between scenes to provide context, dialogue, or commentary
• Kinetoscope an early motion picture device for viewing films through a peephole, invented by Thomas Edison
• Vitascope an early film projector that allowed films to be shown to larger audiences, developed by Thomas Armat and Charles Francis Jenkins
• Mise-en-scène the overall look and feel of a film, including set design, lighting, costumes, and actor placement
• Continuity editing a style of editing that maintains a continuous and clear narrative flow across shots and scenes
• Star system the Hollywood practice of promoting and capitalizing on the popularity of leading actors to attract audiences

Historical Context and Origins

• Late 19th century technological advancements in photography and projection laid the foundation for the birth of cinema
• Eadweard Muybridge's pioneering work in capturing motion through a series of photographs (The Horse in Motion) influenced the development of motion pictures
• Thomas Edison's invention of the Kinetoscope in 1891 marked a significant milestone in early cinema
  • The Kinetoscope allowed individuals to view moving images through a peephole viewer
  • Inspired the creation of Kinetoscope parlors, where people could pay to view short films
• Lumière brothers, Auguste and Louis, held the first public film screening in Paris in 1895 using their Cinématographe device
  • Cinématographe served as both a camera and a projector, enabling larger audiences to view films simultaneously
• Georges Méliès, a French illusionist and filmmaker, pioneered the use of special effects and fantastical storytelling in early cinema (A Trip to the Moon)
• Early films were typically short, single-shot actualities depicting everyday scenes or staged performances

Technological Developments

• Development of celluloid film by George Eastman in 1889 provided a flexible and durable medium for recording and projecting moving images
• Invention of the Latham loop by Woodville Latham in 1895 improved film transport and reduced film breakage in projectors
• Introduction of the Vitascope projector by Thomas Armat and Charles Francis Jenkins in 1896 popularized film screenings for larger audiences
• Advancements in camera technology, such as the Biograph camera, allowed for greater mobility and creative freedom in filmmaking
  • Biograph camera used a new 70mm film format and had a more compact design compared to earlier cameras
• Improvements in lighting techniques, such as the use of artificial lighting and reflectors, enhanced the visual quality of films
• Emergence of color film processes, such as Kinemacolor and Technicolor, added a new dimension to the cinematic experience
  • Kinemacolor, introduced in 1908, was an early additive color process that used red and green filters to create color images
  • Technicolor, developed in 1916, became the most widely used color process in Hollywood, producing vibrant and realistic colors

Influential Filmmakers and Studios

• D.W. Griffith, an American filmmaker, pioneered advanced editing techniques and narrative storytelling in films like The Birth of a Nation and Intolerance
  • Griffith's use of close-ups, cross-cutting, and parallel editing revolutionized the language of cinema
• Charlie Chaplin, a British actor, director, and producer, became one of the most iconic figures of the silent era with his comedic performances and social commentary (The Kid, City Lights)
• Buster Keaton, known for his deadpan expression and physical comedy, starred in and directed numerous influential silent comedies (The General, Sherlock Jr.)
• Mary Pickford, a Canadian-American actress and producer, was one of the most popular stars of the silent era and co-founded United Artists studio
• Thomas H. Ince, an American filmmaker and studio executive, pioneered the studio system and assembly-line production methods at Inceville studio
• Cecil B. DeMille, an American filmmaker, known for his grand-scale productions and biblical epics (The Ten Commandments, The King of Kings)
• Mack Sennett, a Canadian-American filmmaker, founded Keystone Studios and popularized slapstick comedy with his Keystone Cops series

Notable Films and Genres

• The Great Train Robbery (1903), directed by Edwin S. Porter, a landmark western film that introduced cross-cutting and a narrative structure
• A Trip to the Moon (1902), directed by Georges Méliès, a groundbreaking science fiction film known for its innovative special effects and fantastical storytelling
• The Birth of a Nation (1915), directed by D.W. Griffith, a controversial epic that advanced cinematic techniques but also promoted racist stereotypes
• The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), directed by Robert Wiene, a German Expressionist film that influenced the horror and thriller genres with its distorted sets and psychological themes
• Nosferatu (1922), directed by F.W. Murnau, an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula that introduced iconic vampire imagery and atmospheric cinematography
• The Gold Rush (1925), starring and directed by Charlie Chaplin, a comedy classic that showcased Chaplin's physical humor and emotional depth
• Battleship Potemkin (1925), directed by Sergei Eisenstein, a Soviet silent film that pioneered the use of montage editing to convey political messages and evoke emotional responses
• Metropolis (1927), directed by Fritz Lang, a visionary science fiction film that depicted a dystopian future and featured groundbreaking special effects

Industry Structure and Business Practices

• Rise of the studio system in the 1910s, with major studios like Paramount, MGM, and Warner Bros. controlling production, distribution, and exhibition
  • Studios owned their own theater chains, ensuring a guaranteed outlet for their films
  • Vertical integration allowed studios to control every aspect of the filmmaking process, from script development to final release
• Star system emerged as a marketing strategy, with studios promoting and capitalizing on the popularity of leading actors to attract audiences
  • Studios signed actors to long-term contracts, controlling their public image and career choices
• Block booking practice required theaters to rent a studio's entire output, often sight unseen, to access popular films
• Blind booking practice required theaters to rent films before they were produced, based solely on a studio's reputation or a star's popularity
• Formation of the Motion Picture Patents Company (MPPC) in 1908, a trust that attempted to monopolize the film industry by controlling key patents and licensing rights
  • MPPC's restrictive practices led to the rise of independent filmmakers and studios, who challenged the trust's dominance
• Establishment of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) in 1922, a trade association that promoted the interests of the major Hollywood studios
  • MPPDA, later known as the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), introduced the Production Code in 1930 to self-regulate film content and avoid government censorship

Artistic and Narrative Techniques

• Use of intertitles to convey dialogue, narration, and other information in silent films
  • Intertitles were printed text cards inserted between scenes to provide context and guide the audience's understanding of the story
• Development of continuity editing techniques to create a seamless and coherent narrative flow across shots and scenes
  • Techniques such as match cuts, eyeline matches, and the 180-degree rule helped maintain spatial and temporal continuity
• Emergence of the "classical Hollywood style," characterized by clear narrative structure, character-driven stories, and invisible editing
  • This style prioritized storytelling clarity and emotional engagement over artistic experimentation or realism
• Use of deep focus cinematography, where both foreground and background elements are in sharp focus, to create a sense of depth and realism
• Expressionistic lighting and set design in German Expressionist films, using high-contrast lighting and distorted sets to convey psychological states and create a sense of unease
• Montage editing, pioneered by Soviet filmmakers like Sergei Eisenstein, juxtaposing shots to create new meanings and evoke emotional responses
  • Eisenstein's theories of montage, such as the "Kuleshov effect," demonstrated the power of editing to manipulate the audience's perception and interpretation of images
• Use of special effects, such as double exposure, stop-motion animation, and matte paintings, to create fantastical or impossible scenes
  • Georges Méliès was a master of special effects, using techniques like substitution splices and multiple exposures to create magical illusions in his films

Social and Cultural Impact

• Early cinema provided a new form of mass entertainment, accessible to a wide range of audiences across social and economic classes
  • Nickelodeons, with their low admission prices and varied programming, democratized access to film and created a shared cultural experience
• Films reflected and shaped social attitudes, values, and behaviors, both positively and negatively
  • The Birth of a Nation (1915) glorified the Ku Klux Klan and perpetuated racist stereotypes, contributing to the resurgence of the KKK in the early 20th century
  • Charlie Chaplin's films often critiqued social inequalities and championed the underdog, resonating with audiences during the Great Depression
• Cinema became a powerful tool for propaganda and social commentary, as seen in the works of Soviet filmmakers like Sergei Eisenstein and Dziga Vertov
  • Battleship Potemkin (1925) and Man with a Movie Camera (1929) used innovative editing techniques to convey political messages and celebrate the Soviet revolution
• The rise of Hollywood as a global cultural force, exporting American values, lifestyles, and ideals through its films
  • Hollywood's dominance in the international film market helped establish American cultural hegemony and soft power in the 20th century
• The star system and celebrity culture, fostered by the Hollywood studios, created a new form of public fascination and idolization
  • Stars like Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and Rudolph Valentino became international icons, influencing fashion, behavior, and aspirations
• Early cinema laid the foundation for the development of film as an art form, with filmmakers exploring the medium's potential for creative expression and storytelling innovation
  • The works of D.W. Griffith, F.W. Murnau, and other pioneers demonstrated the artistic possibilities of cinema, paving the way for future generations of filmmakers