13.1 The Impact of Television on the Film Industry

The 1950s marked a turning point for the film industry as television exploded in popularity. Movie theaters faced stiff competition from the convenience of at-home entertainment, leading to a sharp decline in attendance and box office revenues.

Hollywood fought back by offering bigger, bolder experiences that TV couldn't match. Widescreen formats, vibrant color, and epic productions became the norm as studios worked to differentiate themselves and keep audiences coming to theaters.

Television vs Film in the 1950s

Television's Impact on Movie Theater Attendance

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• Television offered a convenient and inexpensive form of entertainment that could be enjoyed from the comfort of one's own home, providing direct competition to the movie theater experience
• The rapid adoption of television sets in American households throughout the 1950s led to a significant decline in movie theater attendance and box office revenues
  • The number of television sets in American homes increased from approximately 1 million in 1949 to over 50 million by 1959
  • Weekly movie theater attendance in the United States dropped from a peak of 90 million in 1946 to around 45 million by the end of the 1950s
• Television's ability to deliver programming directly into homes shifted audience viewing habits, leading to a decrease in the frequency of moviegoing as a regular pastime
  • Families began to spend more evenings at home watching television instead of going out to the movies
  • The convenience and affordability of television made it an attractive alternative to the cost and effort of going to the movie theater

Television's Influence on the Film Industry

• The rise of television created a new market for filmed entertainment, with Hollywood studios initially viewing the medium as a threat to their established business model
  • Studios feared that the availability of free entertainment on television would reduce the demand for movies and cut into their profits
• Television's demand for content opened up new opportunities for Hollywood talent, including actors, directors, and writers, to work in the emerging medium
  • Many Hollywood stars, such as Lucille Ball and Milton Berle, found success in television through popular shows like "I Love Lucy" and "The Milton Berle Show"
  • Directors and writers from the film industry began to work in television, bringing their skills and experience to the new medium
• The smaller screen size and lower resolution of early television sets influenced the types of stories and visuals that were effective on the medium, differing from the grandeur of the cinematic experience
  • Television programs often relied on close-ups and dialogue-driven scenes, as opposed to the wide shots and visual spectacle common in films
  • The technical limitations of early television encouraged a focus on character-driven stories and intimate performances

Hollywood's Response to Television

Differentiating the Cinematic Experience

• Hollywood studios began to differentiate the cinematic experience from television by introducing widescreen formats like CinemaScope and VistaVision, emphasizing the grandeur and spectacle of the movie theater
  • CinemaScope, introduced by 20th Century Fox in 1953, used anamorphic lenses to create a wider aspect ratio, immersing audiences in the film's visuals
  • Paramount Pictures developed VistaVision, a high-resolution widescreen format that offered improved image quality and detail compared to standard films
• Studios invested in the development of new technologies, such as improved color processes and stereophonic sound, to enhance the quality and immersiveness of the theatrical experience
  • Technicolor's three-strip color process was refined, and Eastmancolor was introduced, offering more vivid and realistic color reproduction in films
  • Multi-channel stereophonic sound systems, such as Cinerama's seven-track system, created a more immersive audio experience in theaters

Adapting Production and Distribution Strategies

• Hollywood shifted its focus to producing more epic, lavish, and expensive productions that could not be replicated on television, such as historical dramas, musicals, and large-scale adventures
  • Films like "The Ten Commandments" (1956) and "Ben-Hur" (1959) showcased the spectacle and grandeur that could only be achieved on the big screen
  • Musicals such as "Singin' in the Rain" (1952) and "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" (1954) emphasized the scale and energy of song-and-dance numbers that television could not match
• Studios began to produce content specifically for television, establishing television production divisions to create programming and capitalize on the new medium's demand for content
  • Warner Bros. Television was established in 1955, producing popular series like "Cheyenne" and "Maverick"
  • Columbia Pictures formed Screen Gems in 1948, which became a major producer of television series, including "Father Knows Best" and "The Flintstones"
• Hollywood explored new revenue streams, such as selling the broadcast rights of older films to television networks, to offset the losses from declining theatrical attendance
  • In 1955, Warner Bros. sold the television rights to its pre-1950 film library to Associated Artists Productions for $21 million, providing a new source of income for the studio
• Studios experimented with different release strategies, such as road shows and limited engagements, to create a sense of exclusivity and encourage audiences to see films in theaters
  • Road shows, such as those for "Oklahoma!" (1955) and "Around the World in 80 Days" (1956), presented films as special events with reserved seating and higher ticket prices
  • Limited engagements, where films would play in select theaters for extended periods, created a sense of scarcity and encouraged audiences to see the films before they were gone

Film Content in the Television Age

Shifts in Film Genres and Storytelling

• The rise of television led to a shift in the types of stories and genres that were popular in films, with a greater emphasis on spectacle, action, and visual grandeur to differentiate from television programming
  • Epic films, such as "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957) and "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962), offered sweeping visuals and grand storytelling that television could not match
  • Science fiction and fantasy films, like "Forbidden Planet" (1956) and "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" (1958), showcased special effects and imaginative worlds that were beyond the scope of television
• Hollywood studios began to produce more adult-oriented content, such as dramas and sophisticated comedies, to appeal to audiences who were seeking a different experience from the family-friendly fare on television
  • Films like "From Here to Eternity" (1953) and "On the Waterfront" (1954) tackled mature themes and complex characters that were not typically found on television
  • Sophisticated comedies, such as "Some Like It Hot" (1959) and "The Apartment" (1960), offered witty dialogue and risqué humor that pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable on television
• The influence of television's serialized storytelling and character-driven narratives began to be felt in films, with a greater emphasis on character development and continuity across multiple films
  • The "James Bond" series, which began with "Dr. No" (1962), featured a recurring protagonist and ongoing storylines that were reminiscent of television's episodic structure
  • The "Carry On" comedy series in the United Kingdom, which started with "Carry On Sergeant" (1958), relied on a regular cast of characters and familiar humor, similar to television sitcoms

Television's Impact on Film Production and Distribution

• The popularity of television led to the rise of the "movie of the week" format, with studios producing lower-budget films specifically for television broadcast
  • ABC's "Movie of the Week" series, which began in 1969, showcased made-for-television films that were produced on smaller budgets and shorter schedules than theatrical releases
  • These films often featured up-and-coming talent and explored topical themes that were relevant to television audiences
• Television's demand for content created new opportunities for independent producers and filmmakers to create low-budget films that could be sold to television for distribution
  • Roger Corman, a prolific independent producer and director, made numerous low-budget films in the 1950s and 1960s that were sold to television, such as "It Conquered the World" (1956) and "The Little Shop of Horrors" (1960)
  • The rise of television syndication allowed independent producers to sell their films directly to local television stations, bypassing the need for theatrical distribution
• The success of television stars and personalities influenced casting decisions in films, with studios looking to capitalize on their popularity and built-in audience appeal
  • Television stars like Steve McQueen and James Garner transitioned to successful film careers, bringing their small-screen popularity to the big screen
  • Studios cast popular television personalities in films to attract their fans, such as Elvis Presley in "Love Me Tender" (1956) and "Jailhouse Rock" (1957)