Many consider 1939 to be Hollywood's greatest year ever. The best movies included The Wizard of Oz, Stagecoach and Gone With the Wind. Few years in movie history are quite as beloved as 1939.
1939 is considered by many to be the best year in movie history, and when you look at all the classics that were released, it's hard to argue against it. Many classics came out in 1939.
Why is the 1930's considered the golden age of film?
During the 1930s, the entire film industry transformed and “Hollywood” became synonymous with big studio pictures and became the standard for movies around the world. Films became cheaper to produce as studios vertically integrated the production process, which allowed the price of film attendance to go down.
From the rise of auteur directors to the emergence of the New Hollywood movement, the 1970s saw groundbreaking films that continue to captivate audiences and influence modern cinema. The era was characterized by social and political relevance, genre innovation, and the talent of visionary filmmakers and actors.
1927–1969: Sound era and the Golden Age of Hollywood
The primary changes in American filmmaking came from the film industry itself, with the height of the studio system. This mode of production, with its reigning star system promoted by several key studios, had preceded sound by several years.
The Golden Age thus began during the Great Depression in the late 1920s and continued throughout the early 1960s. Can you imagine that? About forty years of movies, great soundtracks, and iconic actors. This Golden Age is when the cinema experienced great advancement in picture quality and sound.
Hollywood's Golden Age finally came to an end due to two main factors: antitrust actions, and the invention of television. The iconic Hollywood sign. Reprinted from Hollywood 1940 – 2008 by Marc Wanamaker (pg. 19, Arcadia Publishing, 2009).
This is a unique period in the history of film scoring. Exploding with creativity, music written for the movies consistently matches the artistry of the films themselves.
These were five major film studios that were responsible for the classical Hollywood system. They included Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Warner Bros., Paramount, Fox, and RKO. All of which were "vertically integrated" meaning that production, distribution, and exhibition were handled "in-house."
Movie palaces shuttered, once mighty studios closed down and some of Hollywood's greatest actors, directors and screenwriters stopped making films. It was the end of an era and television was to blame: the new technology effectively killed Hollywood's Golden Age.
Gone with the Wind—first released in 1939—is generally considered to be the most successful film, with Guinness World Records in 2014 estimating its adjusted global gross at $3.4 billion.
Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film directed by, produced by, and starring Orson Welles. Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz wrote the screenplay. The picture was Welles' first feature film. Citizen Kane is frequently cited as the greatest film ever made.
The Longest Day is a 1962 American epic war film based on Cornelius Ryan's 1959 non-fiction book of the same name about the D-Day landings at Normandy on June 6, 1944. The film was produced by Darryl F.
Some actors who have been in the industry for longer may prefer not to watch their movies. They might enjoy performing, but are not interested in watching the film itself; or they might avoid watching their movies to prevent being self-critical and negatively affecting their future performances.
Meanwhile, a 1948 Supreme Court antitrust decision divesting studios of their ownerships in theaters steadily took its toll. By the 1950s, studios could no longer afford exclusive stables of contract actors.
Even in comparison to major releases seen today, hundreds of more films were made and released in the 1930s. Genre films were big hits, especially westerns, gangster and crime movies, and musicals. The Golden Age of Hollywood began to falter by 1948 and fully came to an end by the 1960s.
Making movies and TV has become a very expensive game. We've seen blockbuster budgets balloon, and many times they do not feel justified. These high budgets mean movies have to earn billions to be profitable. There's so much pressure on studios to make these tentpoles, they're leaving smaller titles behind.
The rise of streaming services has contributed to the decline of turnout in theaters. Going to the movies is a beloved experience for many, but has become less popular as of late. In 2021, a notably high 61% of Americans skipped out on the moviegoing experience.
Why was the 1970s known as the golden age of film?
While the 30s, 40s, and 50s were a golden age for classic films, the 70s was a golden decade for modern films. Due to the collapse of the studio system and the Hays Code, films were able to be made with fewer restrictions on topics and reduced oversight from producers.
The Origin of the phrase "Golden Years" can be traced back to classical antiquity. In ancient Greece, the concept of the "Golden Age" was used to depict a period of peace, prosperity, and harmony.
