The Genius of the System
Hollywood Filmmaking in the Studio Era
Published on 3. March 2010
Book
Paperback/Softback
528 pages
978-0-8166-7010-9 (ISBN)
Description
In The Genius of the System, Thomas Schatz recalls Hollywood's Golden Age from the 1920s until the dawn of television in the late 1940s, when quality films were produced swiftly and cost efficiently thanks to the intricate design of the system. Schatz takes us through the rise and fall of individual careers and the making-and unmaking-of movies such as Frankenstein, Casablanca, and Hitchcock's Notorious. Through detailed analysis of major Hollywood moviemakers including Universal, Warner Bros., and MGM, he reminds us of a time when studios had distinct personalities and the relationship between contracts and creativity was not mutually exclusive.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Minnesota
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 218 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 33 mm
Weight
637 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8166-7010-9 (9780816670109)
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
Persons
Thomas Schatz is professor of communication at the University of Texas, Austin. He is the author of several books, including Hollywood Genres and Boom and Bust: American Cinema in the 1940s.
Content
Acknowlegements, Preface: The Center of Gravity, Introduction: "The Whole Equation of Pictures," Part I: The 1920's: Beginnings, 1. Universal: The System Takes Shape, 2. MGM: Dawn of the Thalberg Era, 3. Selznick at MGM: Climbing the Executive Ranks, 4. Warner Bros.: Talking Their Way to the Top, Part II: 1928-1932: The Powers That B, 5. Selznick at Paramount: From Boo to Bust, 6. Universal: Renaissance and Retrenchment, 7. MGM and Thalberg: Alone at the Top, 8. Selznick at RKO: At the Helm of a Foundering Studio, 9. Warner Bros.: The Zanuck Era, Part III: The 1930s: Golden Age, 10. MGM in the Mid-Thirties:Charmed Interval, 11. Selznick International Pictures: Going Independent, 12. Warner Bros.: Power Plays and Prestige, 13. Universal: Playing Both Ends Against the Middle, 14. MGM: Life after Thalberg, 15. Selznick and Hitchcock: Balance of PowerPart IV: 1941-1946: War Boom, 16. Warner Bros.: Warfare at Home and Abroad, 17. David O. Selznick Productions: Packaging Prestige, 18. Universal: The Best of Both Worlds, 19. MGM: The High Cost of Quality, 20. Selznick and Hitchcock: Separate Ways, Part V: 1947-1960: Decline, 21. Warner Bros.: Top of the World, End of the Line, 22. MGM: Last Gasp of the Studio Era, 23. Universal: Blueprint for the Television Age, 24. Epilogue: Into the New Hollywood, Notes on Sources, Photograph Credits, Index