How many Cinema screens were there in Jersey during the “Golden Age” of cinema (1930’s to 60’s)?
There was around 7 public cinema screens in Jersey during this era.
How many Cinema screens are there now?
There are 10 public cinema screens currently- all owned by Cineworld.
What independent cinema spaces currently exist in Jersey?
The Art House Jersey, Jersey Arts Centre, The Grand Hotel and Howard Davis park.
Explain why the number of cinema screens have declined over the years and what you think the implications are for the film industry in general?
Cinema screens have been in gradual decline since the 60’s as a result of TV’s being introduced into the home setting; this meant there was less demand for cinemas as people could receive a similar experience from the comfort of their homes. I also believe the decline of cinemas in general is down to the privatisation of the cinema business, as now we have one large corporation (Cineworld) controlling all public cinema screens.
WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE FIRST FILM MADE BY THE LUMIERE BROTHERS AND WHEN?
Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory in 1879.
WHAT IS THE PHANTOM RIDE?
It is a tracking shot that gives the illusion of a ghost or character flying through the air.
“The sick kitten” was the first silent film to include a close up shot and the “Life of an American fireman”, the first continuity editing involved in film.
Florence Laurence
Due to the nice weather and the fact that it was closer to the film industry in New York and New Jersey.
Denmark- due to it being the most innovative.
Carl Theodor Dreyer – The Passion of Joan of Arc and Benjamin Christensen- Häxan
D. W. Griffith, the film is very controversial as it was overtly racist and the negative portrayal of black characters.
WHO WERE BUSTER KEATON,CHARLIE CHAPLIN AND HAROLD LLOYD AND WHY WERE THEY SO INFLUENTIAL?
They were the greatest silent movie comedians; Keaton’s strength was his sense of character development. He wanted the audience to believe in his character;
Chaplin changed the perception of comedy and made it one of the most essential components in cinema.
FILMS THEY HAVE MADE:
Charlie Chaplin: City lights, The Knockout, A busy day
Buster Keaton: Three Ages, The General
Harold Lloyd: an eastern Westerner, Safety last,
FILM MAKERS THEY HAVE INFLUENCED:
Lloyd Inspired: Yasujirō Ozu, with his film Safety last.
Chaplin Inspired: Nicholas Roeg with jittery mannerisms
First film made by the Lumiere brother and when: Employees Leaving the Lumiere Factory (1985)
The “Phantom Ride”- the first tracking shot, camera was on the front of a moving train.
What was ground breaking about the silent films “The Sick Kitten”- (first close up) and “Life of an American Fireman”- (show the flow of action from one place to another, using editing (cutting) from different places occurring at the same time.)
The first “film star” in Hollywood: Florence Lawrence
1903-1918
Why did the USA hub of film production move from the East Coast to Hollywood: in the East Coast film had been copyrighted. California was far away, so you could break that law.
Which nations film industry does Cousins describe as “the best in the world” in the 1910s and why? Denmark-most innovative.
Example of two films and two directors from this place and time cited by Cousin’s as remarkable: Carl Theodor Dreyer – The Passion of Joan of Arc and Benjamin Christensen- Häxan
Who directed Birth of a Nation and why does the film still divide opinions among film critics, practitioners and theorists?
D.W Griffiths. It caused black people to be attacked, as it presented them negatively.
Who were Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd and why were they so influential?
Hollywood comedy directors. Inventive ways of comedy.
Keaton- Visual comedy
Chaplin- Body movements (comedy, serious moments and politics)
Examples of some of the films they made and other notable film makers they influenced
Keaton- One Week, Three Ages, The General. Inspired: Ellie Suleman
Chaplin- Limelight, The Kid, City Lights, The Great Dictator. Inspired: Nicholas Roeg (jittery mannerisms), Toto in Colour (costume), Billy Wilder (Some Like it Hot-similar scenes) Harold Lloyd
What was the name of the first film made by the Lumiere Brother and when was this?
“Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory” on December 28, 1895
Workers Leaving The Lumière Factory in Lyon, also known as Employees Leaving the Lumière Factory and Exiting the Factory, is an 1895 French short black-and-white silent documentary film directed and produced by Louis Lumière
What is the “Phantom Ride”?
Cameramen would literally strap themselves and their cameras to the buffer of a speeding train. From this position, the film would appear to be moving thanks to an invisible force, hence the name ‘phantom ride’ by which they soon came to be known
What was ground-breaking about the silent films “The Sick Kitten” and “Life of an American Fireman”?
The film “The Sick Kitten” is a 1903 British short silent comedy film, directed by George Albert Smith, featuring two young children tending to a sick kitten this film utilised the first close-up in film of a kitten eating
The film “Life of an American Fireman” utilised editing by having multiple shots edited together to tell a story rather than having one long take
What was the name of the first “film star” in Hollywood?
Florence Lawrence was a Canadian-American stage performer and film actress. She is often referred to as the “first movie star”, and was long thought to be the first film actor to be named publicly
According to Cousin’s, why did the hub if film production in the USA move from the East Coast of America to Hollywood?
Hollywood was an ideal place to produce movies since filmmakers couldn’t be sued there for infringing on motion picture film patents held by Thomas Edison and his Motion Picture Patents Company. It was also very cheap land so they could buy big buildings for filming.
The Danish film industry was described as best in the world
Which nation’s film industry does Cousin’s describe as “the best in the world” in the 1910’s and why?
Who directed Birth of a Nation (1915) and why is the film continue to divide opinions among film critics, practitioners and theorists?
D.W. Griffith’s – Racism and a negative portrayal of Black characters (white men in black face, politically unacceptable in modern standards) makes the film controversial, but the opinion is divided by critics due to it’s use of cuts and beautiful types of shots.
The first film created by the Lumiere brothers was titled “Employees Leaving the Lumiere Factory” in 1985 – a documentary piece.
The “Phantom Ride” was one of the first types of tracking shots, where a camera was placed on the front of a train as it drives over the tracks – a shot now often done with all types of vehicles.
The reason that the 1903 short silent comedy film “The Sick Kitten” was so ground-breaking for film, was due to George Albert Smith’s use of a close-up shot to show more detail of the kitten eating. Much like “The Sick Kitten”, Edwin S. Porter’s 1903 short silent film “Life of an American Fireman” innovated film with the first proper uses of editing and film technique – combining multiple shots together with various cuts to show what happens next – one of the first instances of continuous editing.
The first film star in Hollywood was called Florence Lawrence – featuring in a large array of silent films within the late 1900s to the late 1930s.
•How many cinema screens were there on Jersey during the “Golden Age” of cinema ? (1930s to 60s)
14-15
•How many cinema screens are there now?
10
•What independent cinema spaces currently exist on Jersey?
Howard Davis, The grand hotel
•Explain why the number of cinema screens have declined over the years and what you think the implications are for the film industry in general.
The rise of streaming services has contributed to the decline of turnout in theaters. Going to the movies is a beloved experience for many, but has become less popular as of late.
During the Golden Age of cinema (1930-1960s), Jersey had six cinemas, with typically one screen per cinema, excluding the Odeon, which had a few more.
Nowadays, there are only 10 cinema screens located at Cineworld in St Helier, aside from various independent cinema spaces which could be rented, such as Howard Davis Park, where the Jersey Film Festival has taken place at one year.
The number of cinema screens over the years have declined in Jersey due to the release of DVD and other formats that are more easily accessible, and with the releases of modern streaming services, less and less cinemas have popular films to show. This implies that in the future most films will have to release straight to a streaming service, as a cinema release isn’t as strong a source of profit as it used to be.
During the golden age of cinema there was 6 cinemas in Jersey.
Currently in jersey there are 10 cinema screens all of which are located at Cineworld.
Some independent spaces for film in Jersey are Howard Davis. The Art Centre as well as The Art House and The Grand Hotel.
Cinema screens have declined in recent years due to a decline in consumer interest in cinema going as well as the recent pandemic. Some implications of this is that many films wont have an official premiere and will go straight to digital such as Netflix and Amazon prime.
How many screens were there in Jersey during the “Golden Age” of cinema? (1930s to 1960s)
Roughly 15
How many cinema screens are there now?
10
What independent cinema spaces currently exist in Jersey?
The Arts Centre, Howard Davis, The Grand Hotel
Explain why the number of cinema spaces have declined over the years and what you think the implications are for the film industry in general.
As there are more streaming services like Netflix there is no need for people to leave their comfortable homes. Also since the cinema age of creation was quite recent and cinemas were an invention just made it was a lot more of a gift to go. Lastly, because of COVID many cinemas have been forced to shut down.
