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Movie Milestones & History The 1940s Slide 2 1940 - Pinocchio released This was Disneys second feature-length animated film, following after Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. Pinocchio is one of the best examples of the Disney studios animation talent. Slide 3 1940 - Fantasia introduced Disneys groundbreaking Fantasia introduced Fantasound, a stereo-like, multi-channel soundtrack. Slide 4 First Hollywood Agents 1940 The first agents began to assemble creative talent and stories in exchange for a percentage of a films profits. Slide 5 Grapes of Wrath 1940 The classic adaptation of John Steinbecks 1939 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, was the most popular left- leaning, socialist-themed movie of pre-World War II Hollywood. Slide 6 Tom and Jerry introduced 1940 Tom and Jerry, created by Hanna & Barbera, made their debut in Puss Gets the Boot. Tom was called Jasper and Jerry didnt have a name yet. Slide 7 Japan bombs Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941 The world changes forever in a day of infamy as Japan bombs the U.S. Navy installations at Pearl Harbor. America enters World War II. Slide 8 1941 - Citizen Kane released One of the most highly regarded movies in cinema history, with many ground- breaking film techniques such as overlapping dialogue, layered sound and non-linear storytelling (flashbacks). Slide 9 Mount Rushmore completed. 1941 Took 14 years to complete. Slide 10 The Maltese Falcon released. 1941 The first generally acknowledged film noir was released. It was the first detective film to the shadowy noir style in a definitive way. Slide 11 Hollywood goes to war. The Office of War Information (OWI) stated that film makers should consider seven questions before producing a movie, including this one: "Will this picture help to win the war?" The War Production Board imposed a $5,000 limit on set construction. Slide 12 U.S. government eases restraints on Hollywood. The U.S. government eases initial restraints on the depiction of brutality by the Japanese. Slide 13 D-Day June 6, 1944 Allied soldiers from the United States, England and Canada storm the beaches off the coast of Normandy, France. The operation eventually freed Western Europe and led to the defeat of Germany. Slide 14 1945 World War II ends. Nazi Germany surrenders on May 8. Japan surrenders on Aug. 15. World War II ends. Slide 15 1945 Government eases Hollywood restrictions. At the conclusion of the war, the federal government ended restrictions on the allocation of raw film stock, midnight curfews, and bans on outdoor lighting displays as well as censorship of the export and import of films. Slide 16 1945 HUAC begins witch hunt. The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), an organization created in 1938 with the goal of domestically stopping subversive activities, un-Americanism and communism, was made into a permanent standing committee. By 1947, the Hollywood motion picture industry became one of its main targets when the committee initiated an investigation of Communist influence there. Slide 17 Slinky is born! 1945 One of the most popular toys ever is born this year. Slide 18 Post-war Hollywood censorship The Motion Pictures Code allowed films to show drug trafficking so long as the scenes did not "stimulate curiosity." Slide 19 HUAC strikes. In Washington, D.C., the HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) subpoenaed 41 witnesses in an investigation of alleged communist influence in the Hollywood movie industry. In 1948, the "Hollywood 10" was charged with contempt of Congress and jailed for refusing to cooperate with its inquiries and answer the question, "Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?" Slide 20 HUAC strikes. (cont.) Eighty-four of 204 supporters of the Hollywood 10 were blacklisted. Many promising and established careers were destroyed by anti-Communist blacklisting reflected during the 1950s in the growth of sci-fi films showing paranoia of aliens and anything foreign. Slide 21 More Hollywood censorship The Motion Pictures Code forbade derogatory references to a character's race. Slide 22 Actors are freed from the studios grip. Now that the big studios were forced to divest themselves from owning lucrative theater chains, many Hollywood stars were making their last films (or were about to make their final film) under long-term contracts with the studios. Slide 23 Famous Movies of the 1940s Citizen KaneRed River CasablancaThe Third Man Double IndemnityThe Ox-bow Incident Grapes of WrathMiracle on 34 th Street Its A Wonderful LifeSergeant York BambiThe Big Sleep Treasure of the Sierra MadreLaura Slide 24 Film History The 1950s Slide 25 Television Affects Hollywood Early 1950s Movie attendance drastically declined due to the rise of television. By 1951, 50% of U.S. homes had a television set. Slide 26 Television Affects Hollywood (cont.) Early 1950s Because television had become more affordable and permanent, movies fought back. Hollywood began to develop ways to counteract free televisions gains by the increasing use of color and by introducing wide-screen films and gimmicks. Slide 27 Korean War 1950-1953 Began when the North Korean Communist army crossed the 38th Parallel and invaded non-Communist South Korea. Russia supported North Korea and the U.S. supported South Korea. The Korean War was one of the first episodes of the Cold War. Slide 28 Decline of Studio System 1950s Studios were ordered to sell off theaters. They had to separate different companies for production, distribution and exhibition. Average ticket price for a movie: $0.51 Slide 29 Censorship Challenges 1951 The Motion Pictures Production Code specifically prohibited films dealing with abortion or narcotics. Slide 30 Groundbreaking Film 1951 The Day the Earth Stood StillThe Day the Earth Stood Still Hailed by many as one of the finest science fiction films ever. Slide 31 Congressional Witch Hunts Continue 1951 Two of the Hollywood 10 were imprisoned and the eight remaining members of the 10 were convicted of contempt of Congress. HUAC opened a second round of hearings in Hollywood to investigate communism in the film industry, leading to the blacklisting of 212 individuals actively working in Hollywood at this time. Slide 32 Groundbreaking Film 1952 Singin in the RainSingin in the Rain Has been voted one of the greatest films of all time in international critics' polls, and is routinely called the greatest of all the Hollywood musicals. Slide 33 Television and Film 1953 The Academy Awards (Oscars) were televised for the first time, on black-and-white NBC- TV. Slide 34 More Actors Become Free Agents 1953 Following the lead of James Stewart a few years earlier, seven-year contracts with actors were replaced by single- picture or multi-picture contracts. Slide 35 Godzilla Is Born 1954 Godzilla makes his screen debut. Slide 36 Movies Reflect Cold War Tensions Mid-1950s Reflecting Cold War tensions, the Red Scare and paranoid anxiety, fear of Communists began to appear on screen. Slide 37 Movies Reflect Cold War Tensions (cont.) mid-1950s Lots of science fiction, horror, and fantasy films reflected this Cold War paranoia. This is the Monster movie decade, and Sci-Fi films about outer space and traveling to other worlds. Other sensationalist sub-genres like beach party films, kung fu films, biker films, juvenile delinquency pictures, etc., would proliferate. Slide 38 Censorship Challenges Mid-1950s Two film adaptations of author George Orwell's cautionary novels, the animated feature filmAnimal Farm and the film noirish 1984 were altered. The U.S. government modified and softened the message in both films to make the tone of each film more overtly anti- Communist. Both works were changed to include more upbeat endings. Slide 39 Civil Rights 1955 Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a public bus in Montgomery, Ala. Slide 40 Groundbreaking Film 1955 Rebel Without A CauseRebel Without A Cause Was enormously influential, a milestone in the creation of new idea about young people, it altered the way young men could be seen in popular culture. They could be more feminine, sexier, more confused, more ambiguous. Slide 41 Censorship Challenges 1956 The Motion Pictures Production Code forbade racial epithets in films, but began to permit references to abortion, drugs, kidnapping, and prostitution under certain circumstances. Slide 42 Television and Film 1956 Movie studios opened their vaults for television rentals and sales. Studios began selling their film libraries to TV. Wizard of Oz was the first feature-length film broadcast on TV in prime time.Wizard of Oz was the first feature-length film broadcast on TV in prime time. Slide 43 Groundbreaking Film 1956 Rock Around the ClockRock Around the Clock The first film dedicated entirely to rock n roll. Slide 44 Technological Advances 1956 The first practical videotape recorder (VTR) was developed by the AMPEX Corporation in 1951. The first commercially-feasible ones (with 2-inch tape reels) were sold for $50,000 in 1956. Videotape became a staple of TV productions. Slide 45 Groundbreaking Film 1956 The SearchersThe Searchers Voted one of the greatest movies of all time. Arguably one of the most influential movies in American history. Slide 46 Groundbreaking Film 1956 The Ten CommandmentsThe Ten Commandments The epic of epics. Slide 47 Disney Rules Disney dominates the 1950s Cinderella 1950Cinderella 1950 Treasure Island 1950Treasure Island 1950 Alice in Wonderland 1951Alice in Wonderland 1951 Peter Pan 1953Peter Pan 1953 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 195420,000 Leagues Under the Sea 1954 The Lady and the Tramp 1955The Lady and the Tramp 1955 Disneyland opens 1955 Mickey Mouse Club debuts 1955 Old Yeller 1957Old Yeller 1957 Sleeping Beauty 1959Sleeping Beauty 1959 Slide 48 The U.S. Grows 1959 Alaska and Hawaii become the 49 th and 50 th states. Slide 49 Up next The 1960s!