But 1939 is a legendary year, particularly when it comes to the American film industry, as it saw the release of numerous films that have gone on to become classics that hold up over 80 years later.
Not only because of the incredible movies that came out of it, but because of what they stand for in their sum – the myth of Hollywood and a unique moment in American mass culture. "It represents Old Hollywood at its best – the studio system, the star system, the way they made movies," says Thomas S.
Why is 1939 such a pivotal year in the history of cinema?
On 7 April 1939, Samuel Goldwyn's production of Emily Bronte's famous novel Wuthering Heights was released, just one of 365 films produced in Hollywood alone in the year that many film scholars consider the greatest ever for cinema.
In 1939 Hollywood created an unprecedented number of great films, a year that has yet to be surpassed in cinematic achievement. In 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year, Thomas S. Hischak looks at the most remarkable 365 days in film history.
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.
1939 was Hollywood's most important year. The studios were at their zenith with the likes of MGM, Warner Bros and 20th Century Fox making a staggering $659 million from masterpieces like `The Wizard of Oz' and `Gone With the Wind'.
Why did Americans enjoy Hollywood films so much in the 1930s?
As Andrew Bergman has shown, the fantasy world of the movies played a critical social and psychological function for Depression era Americans: In the face of economic disaster, it kept alive a belief in the possibility of individual success, portrayed a government capable of protecting its citizens from external ...
Historically speaking, more films were made in the 1920s and 1930s than pretty much any other decade — EVER. 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 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.
The invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or the Poland Campaign, was the starting point of the Second World War. Shortly after the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a treaty of non-aggression between the Soviet Union and Germany, the Germans invaded Poland on the 1st September.
The most popular forms of entertainment were radio, film, and music. Together these aimed to keep citizens entertained, informed about the war effort, and motivated. Broadcast radio was an especially powerful communication tool.
The Greatest is a 2009 American drama film written and directed by Shana Feste in her directorial debut, and starring Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon, Carey Mulligan, and Michael Shannon.
Why did movies become even more popular during the 1930s?
The American people in the 1930s and 1940s were no exception. They enjoyed many forms of entertainment, particularly if they could do so inexpensively. With the addition of sound, movies became increasingly popular. Comedies, gangster movies, and musicals helped people forget their troubles.
It then became characteristic of American cinema during the Golden Age of Hollywood, between roughly 1927 (with the advent of sound film) to 1969. It eventually became the most powerful and pervasive style of filmmaking worldwide.
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.
noun. the most flourishing period in the history of a nation, literature, etc. Classical Mythology. the first and best of the four ages of humankind; an era of peace and innocence that finally yielded to the silver age.
During the Great Depression, the financially bruised and battered everyman could temporarily escape his woes by paying 25 cents to go to the movies. Ironically, some of the most popular movies depicted the superrich, clothed in satin gowns, and top hats and tails.
Advances in color film included Technicolor and Kodachrome. 1930 marks the start of what is considered to be the 'golden age' of Hollywood, a period which lasted through at least the 1940s.
Why were the 1930s and 40s known as the Golden Age of Hollywood and film?
During this period, new genres were formed, new stars were born, and the studio system rose to mammoth status. The eight major studios, each known for its distinctive style and stars, collectively produced 95% of all American films.
When was the Golden Age of Hollywood and why did it end?
Other sources say the end of the Golden Age came with the start of World War II in 1939. Therefore, in some cases, this iconic Hollywood age is said to have started in the 1910s and finished in the late 1970s.
