A Brief History of Film

Keir Jenkins

The First Film• In 1894, the Lumiere brothers, Auguste and Louis, filmed ‘Sortie de l'usine

Lumière de Lyon,’ which translates to ‘Workers leaving the Lumierefactory.’ It is considered to be the first motion picture in history.

• In 1985, the Lumiere brothers released a film in the first private screening, of a train coming towards the camera. However, due to the viewers neverseeing this before, it is said to have ‘cause a stampede’ because the audience were so alarmed at the train coming towards them.

The first ‘Natural’ Colour Film

• In 2012, the first ever naturally coloured film was found in the National Media Museum. It dates back to 1902, and consists of children playing in a garden. This is referred to as ‘natural’ colour, because although coloured films were released beforehand, this was done by panting over the original film.

The First Sound Film

• “The Jazz Singer” was the first film to be made with sound. It was produced by Darryl F Zanuck in 1927, and Zanuck won the Special Academy Award for the film.

A Brief History of Comedy Films

Keir Jenkins

Silent Films

• As comedy is one of the oldest genres in film, it is not surprising for the first comedy films to be silent ones, and also in black and white. An example of one of these is the film “Watering The Gardener” by the Lumiere brothers, and consists of a gardener being soaked by the hose used to water the gardens.

1930s

• Silent films were replaced with dialogue from film comedians, such as the Marx Brothers.

• Film adaptations of stage performances were popular in the UK

1970s

• Black comedy is a style of comedy that revolves around taboo topics, and making light of them, making the audience laugh but feel unnerved at the same time. This became more popular in the 70s. In the UK, spin offs, or ‘spoofs’ of current television programmes became more popular as well.

1990s

• The 90’s saw a re-appearance of romantic comedy films (rom-coms.) A romantic comedy film is usually very light hearted, and tends to follow the same plot of ‘boy gets girl,’ ‘boy loses girl’ and then ‘boy gets girl back again.’

• In addition to this, ‘gross out humour,’ or humour revolving heavily around vulgarity or sexual humour, became more popular.