Books in the History of the American Cinema series

Chronicles a colourful period in American film history, from the origin of store-front nickleodeons to the establishment of the Motion Picture Patents Company. The study recounts how film companies brought about the emergence of the feature film, and played a role in implementing moral reforms.

Focusing on the transition from the age of early short films to the era of commercially successful silent feature films, this study traces a cultural phenomenon that revolutionized American leisure time. Emphasis is placed on the growth of film publicity and the appeal of individual film stars.

Covering the tumultuous period of the 1950s, this work explores the divorce of movie studios from their theater chains; the panic of the blacklist era; the explosive emergence of science fiction as the dominant genre; and the rise of television and Hollywood's response with widescreen spectacles.

The advent of color, big musicals, the studio system, and the beginning of institutionalized censorship made the thirties the defining decade for Hollywood. In this fifth volume of the series "History of the American Cinema", the author examines various aspects of the filmmaking and film exhibition system as it matured during the Depression era.

Offers readers a look at the time when sound was a vexing challenge for filmmakers and the source of contentious debate for audiences and critics. Donald Crafton presents a panoramic view of the talkies' reception as well as an in-depth look at sound design in selected films, amongst other issues.

Documenting the distinctive history of early American cinema, this study describes how motion pictures were developed and represented. It covers the creation and growth of the first US film companies, and the development of different styles of film production and distribution.

Traces the movie industry through the momentous decade of the 1940s. This title discusses changes in the structure of the studio system - including the shift to independent production - and the dominant stars, genres, and production trends through the period.

Amid the turbulence of political assassinations, the civil rights struggle, and antiwar protests, American society was experiencing growing affluence and profound cultural change during the 1960s. This text looks at the way in which the film industry interpreted the era.