EARLY ATTEMPTS AT SOUND: EDISON– 1895, combined phonograph & kinetoscope to create
KINETOPHONE– It was unsuccessful, mostly due to problems with
synchronization OTHER ATTEMPTS AT SOUND IN THE
SILENT ERA– Other experiments provided sound with movies– Primary source of sound provided at theater; music,
sound effects, etc.
THE INTRODUCTION OF SOUND
SYNCHRONIZED SOUND(1927-28)
ECONOMICS OF THE TRANSITION– STUDIO CONSERVATISM
» “Big 3”: Paramount, Loew's/MGM, & 1st National
» All profitable, & resisted the transition to sound
» All 3 had extensive chains of picture palaces
» Radio & telephone companies researched sound, rejected by Big 3
SYNCHRONIZED SOUND(1927-28)
WARNER BROS. & AT&T (Western Electric)– WARNER BROS.
» 1 of the “2nd tier”, had mostly 2nd & 3rd run theaters
» 1925, cooperated with AMERICAN TELEGRAPH & TELEPHONE (AT&T) on sound development
– WESTERN ELECTRIC» Subsidiary established by AT&T to research &
manufacture technology
» Developed 33 rpm turntables & records, amplifiers & loudspeakers
SYNCHRONIZED SOUND(1927-28)
VITAPHONE» Both process & holding company created to exploit process
» They began with musical shorts
» 1st big feature film success The Jazz Singer (1927)
» Had 4 Vitaphone segments, all primarily musical numbers
» Rest was silent (with inter-titles)
PROBLEMS WITH SOUND ON DISC» Difficult to maintain consistent synchronization
» Supposedly, because each disc was 10 min. long, each shot in the film also had to be 10 min. long
SYNCHRONIZED SOUND(1927-28)
FOX MOVIE-TONE SYSTEM– Fox interested in sound after Warner's success
– 1927, adopted OPTICAL sound system (sound recorded on film)
– Developed by General Electric, still used today
– Superior to Vitaphone system» Always in synchronization
» Greater flexibility in editing
– But required Western Electric amplifiers & speakers
SYNCHRONIZED SOUND(1927-28)
THE PATENTS POOL– Big 3 waited to see which system would succeed
– Formed a committee of Academy to choose a system
– 1928, patents pool resulted in standard system: Fox's optical sound & Western Electric equipment
– At this point, all important film companies committed to sound films using new system
SYNCHRONIZED SOUND(1927-28)
RCA & RKO– RCA developed optical sound system in
1928 called RCA PHOTOPHONE– Created its own studio, RKO (RADIO-
KEITH-ORPHEUM), to exploit its new sound system
PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS
TECHNICAL– MICROPHONES
» Had to be hidden from view
» Eventually, mounted on mobile booms
– CAMERAS» Had to be electrically powered
» Motors were noisy
» 1st placed in sound-proof booths, later surrounded by sound-proof, mobile blimps
» Finally, noiseless cameras were developed
PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS
PERSONNEL– Many veterans of the silent era did not make
the transition to sound– Had unpleasant voices, or voices that did not
match screen images– Assumption that writers, directors, etc. did
not "know how" to work with sound– New talent largely from Broadway stage
SOUND-ON-FILM An alternative to an existing option: dialog inter-titles It had other functions as well
– It helped define characters– It increased verisimilitude– Decreased costs of exhibition
3 major changes in industry:– Fox became 1 of the Big 5 due to its success with sound– Warner joined Big 5 (bought 1st National & Stanley theater
chain)– RKO completed Big 5
Big 5 (Paramount, Loew's/MGM, Fox, Warner Bros., RKO) controlled industry until at least 1950s
Movies seen as 1st real threat to cultural dominance of upper classes over lower classes
– Created by lower class– Patronized by lower classes– Accepted by middle & upper classes
Groups sought to reestablish control primarily through censorship
THE CREATION OF THE MPPDA
CENSORSHIP– Numerous state & local censorship boards– Each imposed different set of standards
THE HOLLYWOOD SCANDALS– FATTY ARBUCKLE CASE– DESMOND TAYLOR CASE– WALLACE REID CASE
THE CREATION OF THE MPPDA
MPPDA set up by industry in 1922– In theory, a self-regulatory body; in practice, a
public relations body– Created to accomplish 2 goals
» End spread of state & local censorship boards» Improve image of film industry
Will Hays served as head of MPPDA– Former Postmaster-General, ultra-conservative
Republican from Indiana, a devout Presbyterian– Much later, it became clear that Hays was a crook
THE PRODUCTION CODE& THE BREEN OFFICE
In early 1930s, 2 factors renewed the criticism
– Box-office decline resulted in more violent & racier content
– Sound added a new way for movies to be offensive
1933, LEGION OF DECENCY, Catholic organization, led boycotts of Hollywood films
THE PRODUCTION CODE& THE BREEN OFFICE
THE PRODUCTION CODE– 1929, production code drafted to codify suggestions
made by MPPDA regarding content, & to deal with problems of sound
– PRODUCTION CODE ADMINISTRATION (PCA) created in 1934 to enforce code
THE BREEN OFFICE– Joseph Breen appointed director of PCA– No film not approved by PCA would be shown in a
theater owned by a member of MPPDA
THE PRODUCTION CODE& THE BREEN OFFICE
STAGES IN APPROVAL– Preliminary story conference– Approval of the script; negotiations– Production conferences– Approval of scenes as produced during
production– Approval of the completed film; negotiations– Appeal if not approved
THE PRODUCTION CODE& THE BREEN OFFICE
RESTRICTIONS– CRIME– SEX– VULGARITY, OBSCENITY, & PROFANITY– RELIGION– GOVERNMENT– REPELLENT SUBJECTS IN GENERAL
END OF THE CODE– 1950s & 1960s, Church began to lose control over younger
generation & TV threatened film industry– Code was abandoned– Replaced by RATINGS SYSTEM in 1968
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