thing
U64003 FILM HISTORY
SHORTLIST OF TOPICS FOR IN-CLASS TEST 2 (scheduled in week 12)
1. Choose one Hollywood major studio and write a brief account of its history (e.g. typical products, strategies, organization, people, films, crises, etc.) from the “classical era” of the studio system to the advent of conglomeration.
MGM:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer - part of Loew’s enterprise. Loew’s owned a movie studio, a network of international distribution and a theatre chain (centred in NY). By 1924 he merged the 3 smaller firms and thus became fully integrated (production, distribution, exhibition). MGM (200 theatres) was the second largest company after Paramount (500 theatres). During the mid-20’s Wall Street invested in Hollywood studios and allowed them to produce big-budget films; MGM’s epic Ben Hur (Wallace’s adaptation) was one of the most ambitious projects; famously known for its chariots race (filmed in a huge sets, some in Italy, and a battery of cameras which covered the scene from many angles). But unlike Paramount, MGM did relatively well during 30-45 because it had a smaller theatre chain, thus less debts. MGM was managed by Nicholas Schenck 1927 until 1956 and was proud that it had more stars under contract “more than there are in heaven” (e.g. Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Gene Kelly, Katharine Haphburn etc.). Another of the MGM’s pioneering features was in musicals Wizard of Oz (Fleming, 1939); most notable for its use in Technicolor, which then continued to the 40’s musicals (Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra etc.). The end of MGM as a vertically integrated company goes hand in hand with the decline of the studio system; 1948, the Supreme Court’s decision to end the oligopoly (aka ‘Paramount decision’) - divesting theatre chains, terminating the star power (contracts) practices, and the end of block booking and finally the emerge of television in the 50’s.
2. Explain why, when and how the HUAC investigations affected Hollywood.
Though
SHORTLIST OF TOPICS FOR IN-CLASS TEST 2 (scheduled in week 12)
1. Choose one Hollywood major studio and write a brief account of its history (e.g. typical products, strategies, organization, people, films, crises, etc.) from the “classical era” of the studio system to the advent of conglomeration.
MGM:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer - part of Loew’s enterprise. Loew’s owned a movie studio, a network of international distribution and a theatre chain (centred in NY). By 1924 he merged the 3 smaller firms and thus became fully integrated (production, distribution, exhibition). MGM (200 theatres) was the second largest company after Paramount (500 theatres). During the mid-20’s Wall Street invested in Hollywood studios and allowed them to produce big-budget films; MGM’s epic Ben Hur (Wallace’s adaptation) was one of the most ambitious projects; famously known for its chariots race (filmed in a huge sets, some in Italy, and a battery of cameras which covered the scene from many angles). But unlike Paramount, MGM did relatively well during 30-45 because it had a smaller theatre chain, thus less debts. MGM was managed by Nicholas Schenck 1927 until 1956 and was proud that it had more stars under contract “more than there are in heaven” (e.g. Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Gene Kelly, Katharine Haphburn etc.). Another of the MGM’s pioneering features was in musicals Wizard of Oz (Fleming, 1939); most notable for its use in Technicolor, which then continued to the 40’s musicals (Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra etc.). The end of MGM as a vertically integrated company goes hand in hand with the decline of the studio system; 1948, the Supreme Court’s decision to end the oligopoly (aka ‘Paramount decision’) - divesting theatre chains, terminating the star power (contracts) practices, and the end of block booking and finally the emerge of television in the 50’s.
2. Explain why, when and how the HUAC investigations affected Hollywood.
Though