After four hard years of fighting, Canadians celebrated the end of the Great War. Many returned to the country early in 1919, only to be brought down by the lack of employment and other disappointments. However, slowly, good times returned back to Canada, as the country ushered into a new era known as the “Roaring Twenties”. Many Canadians participated in the good life as the wealthy, as well as average families had more money to spend. Economic prosperity and technological advances brought Canadians pleasure to their lives. Canadians tuned in to their radios, used the automobile, cheered for their home sports teams, followed new fashion trends, listened to the same music and did the same dances. In addition, the 1920s marked the growth of movies as Canadians packed theatres to watch their favourite stars. The 1920s were one of the most important and revolutionary times for the film industry. During this decade, the film industry went through massive changes that would completely change what movies were or stood for. After the Great War, more people began considering movies as a form of entertainment. This increased attention caused change in the industry, allowing the experience of the movie goer to massively change for the better. Many new genres, ideas and technologies emerged in the 1920s that would later dominate the industry. The 1920s saw massive changes happening in the movie industry that would help it to get one step closer to what it is today. The decade was largely dominated by silent films, but the creation of movies with sound followed afterwards. These innovations greatly improved the movies and made them more immersive and exciting for the viewer. Soon after the invention of sound in movies, the silent era movies... ... middle of paper ... ...an film pioneers include Jack Warner, born in London, Ontario and co-founder of the Warner Brothers, and Louis B Mayer, a major Hollywood personality from New Brunswick. Even though the industry was taken by Hollywood, there have been a lot of Canadians that have greatly contributed to the industry and has influenced the industry. Hollywood has affected Canadian lifestyles in a lot of ways, most notably in fashion. For example, women began wearing pants after actress Markebe Dietrich began wore them on screen. Undershirts also lost its trend as Clark Gable appeared on screen without one. Not only did the industry changed how people dressed, but it also changed how Canadians live, going to Hollywood to work and pursue their careers. The film industry has greatly influenced the lives back then and even now, from producers, script writers, famous actors, and many more.
Movies in the 1940s, like everything else at the time, were dominated by the war. However, instead of facing shortages like most people, the industry was well supported by the government thanks to its morale boosting qualities. The 1940's brought about new advancements in the film industry. Film makers introduced new ideas such as sound recording, special effects, color use, and lighting, that made movies more popular and enjoyable to watch. Horror films used techniques such as fog and stop motion to capture their audience and pull them into the terror.
During the 1950’s, Canada experienced numerous scenarios which sparked its citizens to be proud. These events included the teenage outbreak, a rise in consumerism and the sudden growth in population. The teenagers were a huge deal in the development of Canada. Teenagers wanted to differentiate themselves from adults and the rest of society (Armstrong et al. 134). Teenagers dressed themselves different along with acting different as well. (Armstrong et al. 135). The new products were being created and sold through the process of consumerism. The new technologies helped shape the look of the new Canadian culture (Bain et al. 219).Lastly, the sudden growth in population was the “baby boom”. The baby boom was a period after WW2 in which babies
The economic progress Canada made after the war lead to the growth of the country. New industries emerged from innovations of products like automobiles, radios, television, digital computers and electric typewriters (Aitken et al., 315). Canadians quickly adapted back to the “buy now, pay later” strategy rather than careful budgeting during the Great Depression (Liverant). Almost everything that Canadians did was influenced from new inventions; television was the most influential. Canadians conversations, humour, and lifestyle were influenced from television (Aitken et al., 315). Trade relations between the United States and Canada had become more efficient due to the St. Lawrence Seaway. The mass development of the St. Lawrence Seaway, in 1954, was to provide a large wate...
Through the works of major motion pictures, film has affected the views and ideas about history. The Princess and the Frog, The Great Gatsby, and Chicago each cover the various aspects that define the 1920’s. The economic prosperity, the rise of the modern women, and the makings ofs the jazz culture erupted into the new era. Although these films may lack in some areas about the twenties’ history, they all reflect on the importance of the era that began the modernization of the country. Even nearly a decade later, it is possible to relive that thriving and thrilling age of rebellious and carefree lifestyles through these highly produced films. The Roaring Twenties ended with a bang, but began the new United States.
The 1920s, often referred to as the Roaring Twenties, was a time of great change and a time of powerful enthusiasm in many areas of society. The world had just finished the biggest war in history, the First World War, and the United States was left almost unharmed by the war. The United States was able to experience a decade of peace and success following the war. During this decade, America became the wealthiest country in the world (Trueman, 2000). The people in the United States went through a colorful period during the twenties. However, at the same time the 1920s was also a very rebellious and difficult time for many. The culture of the 1920s has influenced the culture of America’s society today.
From 1960-1980, Hollywood went through a critical period. There were many events going on political and socially such as the presidencies of JFK and Lyndon B. Johnson, the Civil Rights Act, the role of women and counterculture, the assassinations of MLK, Robert Kennedy, and Malcolm X, the massacre at Kent State University amongst other social tensions and political movements. As a means to engage the younger generation, the Hollywood industry made countercultural films which brought forth in creating an American art cinema.
The 1930s was the beginning of the great film industry we have today. The 1930s (and some of the 1940s) was dubbed “The Golden Age of Hollywood”. This was the decade color and sound were introduced to film industry. Because of the Great Depression many families did not have any money and therefore wanted a cheap source of entertainment. Movies not only included a full length movie, but a cartoon, a newsreel and second movie called a “B-film”. This second film was not as good of quality as the main movie (A-film) and had lower quality. These films were allowed to experiment more with their topics than “A-films”. The prestigious films were expected to be about a topics that were popular and would then produce higher profits. The first drive-in
Entertainment in the 1920s began changing after World War I. Because people had more money and were more prosperous, they were able to go to theatres, clubs, and sporting events. Although the greatest form of entertainment had been motorcars, it was a form of freedom that people had never experienced. Sports began to become more popular. “Baseball became popular with the great mass of people for the first time”(Fischer). Because of another form of entertainment gaining popularity, the radio made it easier for fans to keep up
Technology's impact on social change was evident during the war years of 1914-1945 in Canada. Social change caused by motion pictures were the result of films helping to solidify opinions and beliefs that were being presented in the culture and society that they were made for. For example, the numerous propaganda films shown in Canada and across the world during World War 1 and 2 helped
The Canadian film industry was a good example of this. By 1929, there were over 900 movie theatres in Canada. However, only 3% of films shown in these theatres were of Canadian origin, suggesting that the attitudes portrayed in foreign films would hold more power. Indeed, following the First World War, abstract and dark films such as the German Nosferatu ruled the film market, presenting Canadians a particularly grim world view. However, following the collapse of the international economy in 1929, film, and by extension Canadian culture, would increasingly resort to escapism, or an attempt to use film as a cheap distraction from the harsh reality that many faced. Grand, fantastical worlds and comedy films became extremely popular, including actors such as Charlie Chaplin. Canadian stars such as Mary Pickford would also rise to prominence. Escapism also manifested in local Canadian events. The Dionne Quintuplets, born in May of 1934, represented a new, different form of entertainment that manifested itself in Canadian culture. Revenue for the Quintuplets’ show resulted in a staggering $51 million for the Ontarian tourist economy, with a total of 3 million people walking through the gallery between 1936 and 1943. These huge numbers indicate that Canadians wished to forget their harsh circumstances, circumstances often brought on by economic problems. Therefore, the shift to cultural
Canadians were frustrating, wonderful, and hard. Soldiers returning from the war expected jobs, but were faced with unemployment, inflation and strikes. Inflation had doubled the cost of living where wages had not and those fortunate to be employed still faced immense financial difficulty. Many people joined unions for better pay and working conditions, 1919 saw the most strikes at a staggering three hundred and six, people were angry and discontented. The 1920s were a time of crime corruption and extreme poverty, yet by mid era difficult conditions began to improve. Foreign investors gained confidence in Canada and as a result new industries were developed, The twenties really did 'roar' and with this boom of change Canada underwent the transformation that was the gateway to the future.
Longer films became more popular and sound became more common. Larger companies began taking over smaller studios and creating studio systems, Paramount being the highest paid. Movies became America’s most favorite pastime activities, and theaters could now hold up to 2,000 people at once. Dances, clothing, and many other things where taken from movies by the youth to try and make their lives seem more like their favorite movies. Movies also brought rich and poor Americans together because they all watched the same movies and had the same dreams of becoming a movie star. The increasing of ticket sales and the cost of the production of movies helped the economy expand. Also, the cost of people wanting to try to be like movie stars help too. Along with literature and movies, dance began an up rise in popularity in the
Movies were a very popular source of entertainment. Like today, teenagers would use the movie theater as a meeting place to gather with their friends. During the 1920’s America’s economy was not doing well. People went to the theater as a way to escape from economic difficulties or even their own day-to-day problems. Attendance at the movie theaters skyrocketed all throughout the mid 1930’s. On average, about 50 million people
In the 1950s, new technology and effects were introduced into the film industry. In the 1950s, many Americans had owned a television and had no reason to go to movie theaters. Therefore, the movie industry had to come with new ideas on how to bring back the audience. This causes the introduction of new effects and film technology. Some of these include;
While viewers had an introduction to sound in movies in the early 1900’s with “talkies” sound conversion wasn't finished until 1930. Music encompassed so much joy and excitement to the viewer that they wanted more films with sound. Between 1927 and 1941 Hollywood produced over 10,000 movies with a wide range of genres. However, during the early 1920’s the majority of films were based on the taboo subjects of sex and violence which earned Hollywood a personal warning from the government to contain the matter it had been vastly producing. This led to the development of the Motion Picture Production Code, a detailed set of guidelines on appropriate and inappropriate material(Barsam, Monahan 425). The films produced during this era, World War II, were written with the viewer in mind. Meaning the objective was to get the viewer to forget for the duration of the film the sad happenings currently at play in the world. While providing entertainment the movies highlighted happy themes such as family life and community(Barsam, Monahan