1930 – 1947 :

1) What were the Big 5 studios & what type of movies was each studio famous for?

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer – Wizard of Oz, Warner Bros – Casablanca, Paramount – A farewell to Arms, Fox – Miracle on 34th Street and RKO – Citizen Kane.

2) Explain what vertical integration and block-booking was?

Vertical integration – production, distribution, exhibition were handled “in house”, meaning the company takes ownership of 2 or more key stages of its supply chain.

Block-booking – An act or instance of reserving a large number of tickets, seats, etc.

3) Why and when did the original studio system collapse?

It ended when Block-Booking was banned in court on may 4th 1948. Causing the five major studios to take devastating blows.

4) What was happening in America(and around the world) at this time?

Due to the events of the Wall street crash in 1929, this led onto the ‘Great Depression’ where money lost most of its value. The film industry was effected as movie attendance and industry revenues had fallen by 40% by 1933.

Aditionally America was at War with Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan, as a result numerous films to raise money for the war effort were made.