The Classical Hollywood Reader

The Classical Hollywood Readercovers the history of Hollywood from the advent of the Motion Picture Patents Company in 1908 to the beginning of the end of the era of the vertically integrated studio system in 1948. Section 1 covers the period between 1908 and 1912, focussing on the structure and practices of the US film industry and developments in acting, stardom and style in the late 1900s and early 1910s. Section 2 covers period between 1912 and 1927, including the distribution, exhibition and aesthetic characteristics of single and multi-reel films and features in the 1910s, the rise of vertical integration and developments in film production, presentation and exhibition, aspects of film style, and aspects of national and international film distribution in the 1920s. Section 3 covers period between 1927 and 1939, which includes the advent and impact of sound, the establishment and implementation of the Production Code, the nature of the studio system, the nature of cinema-going, the star system, stylistic and technological innovations of various kinds, Hollywood "s relationship with radio industry, and modes of distribution and exhibition in the 1930s Section 4 covers the period between 1940 and 1948, covering developments in sound design, the impact of World War Two on the nature, content and context of Hollywood and its practices, and the decline in audiences and the nature and impact of the Supreme Court ruling in the late 1940s. Designed especially for courses, the readings are preceded by a general introduction by the editor, Steve Neale. It concludes with suggestions for further reading and research.