Film in the 1920s

Film during the 1920s

This blog post will mainly focus on film during the 1920s and partially the 1930s and there is so much to talk about during this time but I'm going to attempt to hit on a lot of the main points about film.

First off, the introduction of sound during the 1920s was a major hit. The first film with sound was The Jazz Singer in 1927 and many people believed it would be a phase. The introduction of sound to films allowed for musicals to be produced and movie studios slowly began to transition their theatres to allow for sound even though about equal amounts of silent and sound films that were being produced well into the 1930s.

Second, the film industry during the 1930s boomed and ticket sales began to double during the Great Depression.  People needed an escape during the depression from all what was going around them. The movies provided a great outlet for this. It provided an escape and a cool place to stay while the depression took hold around them and the heat during the summer.

Third, the 1920s was pre-code Hollywood. Film producers slowly began to push the limits as to what could and couldn't be shown. It was not uncommon for there to be violence and as always, sex always tended to sell.

It's not until in the 1930s were there is a code put into place in Hollywood which determined what could be shown on film and what couldn't be shown on film.

I personally believe that film was an escape as film is an escape in today's society. It's a way for people to be entertained for very little money and during the Great Depression what other forms of entertainment were there. People could sit in a comfortable movie theatre for hours and hours and forget the world around them.

I believe that the film industry is constantly changing and for some reason the 1920s and 1930s were the catalyst for creating what the film industry is today.