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Studio System

Singin' in the Rain was a 1952 MGM musical film directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly. It starred Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds and took place in Hollywood in the late 1920s during the transition from silent films to talking pictures. The film is considered one of the greatest movie musicals ever made and provides a comedic look at the challenges of moving from silent films to sound films in Hollywood.

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Alejandro Fedez
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78 views

Studio System

Singin' in the Rain was a 1952 MGM musical film directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly. It starred Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds and took place in Hollywood in the late 1920s during the transition from silent films to talking pictures. The film is considered one of the greatest movie musicals ever made and provides a comedic look at the challenges of moving from silent films to sound films in Hollywood.

Uploaded by

Alejandro Fedez
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Singing In The Rain Studio & Star System Hollywood :1930s to 1950s

First steps in bursting of sound cinema United States, mid to late 20s

Historical Context

First feature film presented as a talking movie was The Jazz Singer (1927)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIaj7FNHnjQ&feature=related

Evolution of musical genre linked to each decades tendencies and fashion Common factor combination of dramatic performances + songs Theatre vs movies?

Singin in the Rain MGM studios creative pinnacle, the 50s (magic of colours on screen, sound and successful performers) Blooming of bigger studios taking over the Hollywood film industry

Film production and exhibition not affected by post-war


Television competition and alternative

The Studio System

The Big Five


PARAMOUNT Founded in 1912 by Adolph Zukor PICTURES
First to introduce Block Booking

Directors: J. Von Stenberg: The Dock of NY 1928 E. Lubitsch: Trouble in Paradise 1932 C. B Demille: This Day and Age 1933
Stars: Marlene Dietrich Cary Grant The Marx Brothers Bob Hope

METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER
Directors: The studio with King Vidor: La Bohem 1926 most importance Erich Von Stroheim: The Merry Widow 1925 during the 30s Tod Browning: Freaks 1932 Victor Seastrom: The Wind 1928 Founded in 1924 when Marcus Stars: Robert Montgomery Greta Garbo John Gilbert Clark Gable Loew merged Loews Inc., with Metro Pictures Corp, Goldwyn Pictures Corp. and Louis B. Mayer Pictures

RKO PICTURES
Founded in 1929 after a merge between Keith-Albee-Orpheum theaters (KAO) and the Joseph P. Kennedys Film Booking Offices of America (FBO)under the management of Radio Corporation of America (RCO). Only produced talkies taking advantage of the inherited audio technology. (R.C.A photophone) Directors: Orson Welles: The Magnificent Ambersons 1942 Jacques Tourneur: I walked with a zombie 1943 Merian C. Cooper: She 1935 Irving Pichel: The Most Dangerous Game 1932 Although producing numerous musicals starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the 30s and two of the most famous films in moving image history: King Kong (1933) and Citizen Kane (1941), RKO Pictures was dissolved in 1957 after being bought by the General Tire and Rubber company.

WARNER BROTHERS Founded in 1923 by the, ironically


uncreative, Warner brothers (Harry, Albert, Sam & Jack) First studio to release a feature length talkie: The Jazz Singer 1927 Directors: Michael Curtiz: Casablanca 1942 William Wellman: The Public Enemy 1931 Raoul Walsh: The Roaring Twenties 1939 Mervyn LeRoy: Little Caesar 1930 Stars: Humphrey Bogart James Cagney Barbara Stanwyck

20TH CENTURY FOX Founded in 1935 due to the merger


of a distribution and a production company. Famous for the production of musicals and biographical movies. Directors: John Ford: Young Mr. Lincoln 1939 David Butler: The littlest Rebel 1935 Anatole Litvak: The snake Pit 1948 Stars: Shirley Temple Janet Gaynor Henry Fonda Betty Grable

The Studio Systems Decline


When WWII commenced the rich were made to finances the troops efforts having to pay up to 90%of theyre salary on tax. What actors and directors did was to break up the contracts and create businesses for the only purpose of being paid and having to pay half the tax rates

2 major reasons provoked the disappearance of the business model: In the mid-30s the oligopoly the moving image business had become was proclaimed unconstitutional. It wasnt until 1948 that the court obliged studios to divide into separate and unfavoured productin and distribution companies.

The first studio to divide was Paramount Pictures in 1948.

Star System
The performers were issued new clean identities on which to build their careers were moral values were of great importance. Stars were there for the audience to relate to. (reaction shots) Movies were specifically designed for each star in which certain genres predominated. During the studio era talent worked under long exclusive contracts. DECLINE -> Olivia de Havilland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AdBVCqMXTE

2:12

Singin in the Rain (1952)


Director:

Stanley Donen with Gene Kelly.


Cast: Gene Kelly

Awards:
Best Secondary Actress, Jean Hagen (Nomination)

Donald OConnor
Debbie Reynolds Jean Hagen

Best Original Soundtrack (Nomination)

Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly Studio of Dancing (1932)

Broadway Pal Joey (1940)

Hollywood: Working for MGM From For me and my gal to Les Girls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN38JLzk ug8

The bad and the beautiful (1952)

The last Tycoon (1976) The day of the Locust (1975)

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

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