The Talkies
American Cinema's Transition to Sound, 1926-1931
1st Edition
Published on 22. November 1999
Book
Paperback/Softback
651 pages
978-0-520-22128-4 (ISBN)
Description
The Talkies offers readers a rare 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 in-depth looks at sound design in selected films, filmmaking practices, censorship, issues of race, and the furious debate over cinema aesthetics that erupted once the movies began to speak.
More details
Series
Edition
First Edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Berkerley
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
188 b-w photographs, 7 tables, 3 graphs, 1 figure
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 178 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
1134 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-520-22128-4 (9780520221284)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Donald Crafton is Chair of the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre at the University of Notre Dame. He is the author of Before Mickey: The Animated Film, 1898-1928 (1993) and Emile Cohl, Caricature, and Film (1990).
Content
Acknowledgments
1 Introduction: The Uncertainty of Sound
PART 1: A NEW ERA IN ELECTRICAL ENTERTAINMENT
2 Electric Affinities
3 Virtual Broadway, Virtual Orchestra: De Forest and Vitaphone
4 Fox-Case, Movietone, and the Talking Newsreel
5 Enticing the Audience: Warner Bros. and Vitaphone
6 Battle of the Giants: ERPI and RCA Consolidate Sound
7 The Big Hedge: Hollywood's Defensive Strategies
8 Boom to Bust
9 Labor Troubles
10 Inaudible Technology
11 Exhibition: Talkies Change the Bijou
PART 2: THREE SEASONS: THE FILMS OF 1928-1931
12 The New Entertainment Vitamin: 1928-1929
13 Taming the Talkies: 1929-1930
14 The Well-Tempered Sound Track: 1930-1931
15 The Sound of Custard: Shorts, Travelogues, and Animated Cartoons
16 Outside the Mainstream
17 Foreign Affairs
PART 3: HEARING THE AUDIENCE
18 The Voice Squad
19 Constructive Criticism: The Fans' Perspective
20 Buying Broadway: THE JAZZ SINGER's Reception
21 "The Great Ninety Per Cent"
Appendix 1: Selected Box Office Grosses, 1928-1931
Appendix 2: Academy Awards Related to Sound, 1927-1931
List of Abbreviations
Notes
Bibliography
Picture Sources
General Index
Index of Films
1 Introduction: The Uncertainty of Sound
PART 1: A NEW ERA IN ELECTRICAL ENTERTAINMENT
2 Electric Affinities
3 Virtual Broadway, Virtual Orchestra: De Forest and Vitaphone
4 Fox-Case, Movietone, and the Talking Newsreel
5 Enticing the Audience: Warner Bros. and Vitaphone
6 Battle of the Giants: ERPI and RCA Consolidate Sound
7 The Big Hedge: Hollywood's Defensive Strategies
8 Boom to Bust
9 Labor Troubles
10 Inaudible Technology
11 Exhibition: Talkies Change the Bijou
PART 2: THREE SEASONS: THE FILMS OF 1928-1931
12 The New Entertainment Vitamin: 1928-1929
13 Taming the Talkies: 1929-1930
14 The Well-Tempered Sound Track: 1930-1931
15 The Sound of Custard: Shorts, Travelogues, and Animated Cartoons
16 Outside the Mainstream
17 Foreign Affairs
PART 3: HEARING THE AUDIENCE
18 The Voice Squad
19 Constructive Criticism: The Fans' Perspective
20 Buying Broadway: THE JAZZ SINGER's Reception
21 "The Great Ninety Per Cent"
Appendix 1: Selected Box Office Grosses, 1928-1931
Appendix 2: Academy Awards Related to Sound, 1927-1931
List of Abbreviations
Notes
Bibliography
Picture Sources
General Index
Index of Films