Lights, Camera, America!

Every single art form is involved in film, in a way. - Sydney Pollack

Film takes hold of every piece of life and gives it back in a new and exciting way. It urges people to look at their experiences and realize what they missed, what they refuse to see, and what they should see. The earlier quote by Pollack taps on something vital about the nature of film. It is filled with theater, storytelling, painting, photography, singing, dancing, talking, humor, and more. There are no limits. Film takes life and refits it into art. The overarching nature of film and its ability to impact society will continue centuries to come.

Silent black and white films of horse races, people waving at boats, busy streets; this is what comes to mind when thinking about the first-ever films. We have come a long way since then. During that time there was no storyline or conflict in films and it did not matter because it was simply incredible that technology could accomplish such a task. Inevitably this did not last long, as people began to use film to tell stories. The Kelley Gang, the first feature film, had no sound and was originally sixty minutes in length. Only remnants from the 1906 film remain now.

For a good thirty years, society was content with silent films. There were always attempts to try to get the film to ‘talk’ but at the time, the equipment was so expensive, no one wanted the financial risk. So instead, live orchestras played in the pits beneath the screens, and any necessary words were written on the screen. It was a unique art form. The acting had to be exaggerated and was very physical. As a result of the vast majority of the silent films heavily featured slapstick humor and sight gags. According to Shane Bliss in The Beginners Guide: Silent Film, “By the mid to late 1920s, silent films were arguably at their artistic peak. These were not creaky, melodramatic stationary films. These were films that featured ingenious direction and fine acting. Those who aren’t fans of silent films probably haven’t seen these later, brilliant silent films.” Despite this, the continual development of technology proved to be too much for the silent film industry, and it died out without a whimper.

"During that time there was no storyline or conflict in films and it did not matter because it was simply incredible that technology could accomplish such a task."

In 1927, the first ‘talkie’ film took America by storm. There was only two minutes worth of ‘synchronized talking’ in the full-length film The Jazz Singer, but it enthralled the nation. Jolson’s improvised words, “Wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain't heard nothin' yet!” were the first-ever spoken words. Unfortunately, a black-faced performer is a core element of the story. Many of the famous ‘firsts’ in the film ended up racist and sexist. One of the first films Birth of a Nation has the Ku Klux Klan as the heroes. While this is regrettable, it also is a sign of the times. Film displays the life surrounding it. It encompasses the most important elements about that society, and America in the early 1900s was racist and sexist. As America grew, film grew with it.

Film and theater reached a peak in 1946 when around 90 million Americans went to the movies every week. It was affordable and a wonderful distraction from the parts of life people wished to avoid for a while. One could buy a ticket for a quarter (which is the equivalent of $4.60 today) and watch two feature films along with cartoons and news, and then repeat those films as many times as they wished in a day.

Theaters eventually were faced with a tremendous problem; television. Once home television grew in popularity, fewer people relied on theaters to see movies. Thousands of theaters in small towns around America shut down. The theater looked like it just might meet the same fate as silent films. People were convinced television spelled its end.

The theater refused to die out but instead adapted. While silent films failed, the theater capitalized on what made them unique. The ‘movie experience’ was advertised and eventually, aspects like 3D effects and IMAX were all utilized to keep the theater afloat. In recent years, with streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, it has become even more difficult for theaters to combat technology's advances. According to 34th Street Magazine, movie-goers have decreased over the last twenty years, but theaters are still doing quite well. Despite the struggle, theaters continue to have a competitive edge. They find it unlikely that theaters will disappear entirely. Just like physical books are unlikely to disappear, the physical experience of the theater is too valuable to be entirely replaced.

Society influences the content in films, (as was seen in the various racist films of the early 20th century) but films can also influence society. Films like Gone With the Wind, Grave of the Fireflies, StarWars, and many others, influenced the way society thought about all sorts of issues. It is the responsibility of filmmakers to make a positive impact on the viewers, and it is the responsibility of the viewers to watch films carefully and analyze both the message and their own biases.

With more than 80 percent of Americans watching TV a day, film is only growing to be a more prevalent part of society. The overarching nature of film gives it the ability to adapt to both society and new art forms. Some sacrifices will be made, but film will continue to reflect life.