When reflecting on the content and topics about American Film History throughout the years, it’s hard to ignore how large of a role films played in representing and reflecting the things America has been through. Each era of filmmaking represented changes, politically, socially, and technologically. Ultimately, these eras and the film movements in them represented a cultural change that allowed audiences to deeply connect with films. While 21st century filmmaking still includ

Home box office market Hollywood transitioned into a new era where cable television began to take off. Studios are creating films that would perform well on cable channels and encourage people to rewatch them from home (Lewis 360). ​ VCR With cable and watching films from home becoming an interest, the VCR helped make this possible. The VCR allowed viewers to watch and replay movies while giving them the ability to pause, rewind, and fast forward. The large success of the VCR

MPAA Rating System After audiences showed interest in more mature films, the MPAA introduced a new film rating system in the late 1960s. The ratings consisted of G, for younger audiences, M for mature audiences with parental discretion, R, for no one under 16 without an adult, and X for no one under 16 regardless. This received support from major studios and essentially put to the old Paramount decision. Popularity of Pornography The X rating in the new rating system led to a

CinemaScope and VistaVision, Cinerama, 3-D CinemaScope and VistaVision enabled screens to accommodate wider formats, which contributed to films feeling more cinematic. Cinerama enhances this experience by utilizing a curved projection that almost completely surrounds the viewers. 3-D films helped attract more audiences by giving people a more immersive experience while watching films (Lewis 241). Stereophonic Sound Stereophonic sound made sound more immersive as it allowed th

Adjusting to Postwar America The Paramount Case In 1948 came the Paramount decision, which would be one of the biggest turning points in...

Big Eight Studios By the 1940s, Hollywood had become highly successful, with the big eight studios controlling the industry. These...

Technical Innovations: Sound & Color ​ Vitaphone The Vitaphone was known as the device Warner Bros used to sync recorded music with...

Pre-Cinema ​ George Eastman George Eastman, the inventor of roll film in the 1800s, created a significant impact by making photography...