Eileen Bowser chronicles the history of the American film business from the days of storefront nickelodeons to the premiere of D. W. Griffith'sThe Birth of a Nation. The effect of the surroundingsthe size of the hall; whether the film was shown alone or along with vaudeville entertainment; and the size, quality, and relevance of the musical backgroundare all examined for their impact on the filmgoing experience.
Eileen Bowseris former Curator of Film at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Preface
1 The Nickelodeon
2 A Game of Freeze-out
3 The Recruiting Station of Vice
4 The Films: Alternate Scenes
5 General Filmco and the Pushcart Peddlers
6 Acting: The Camera's Closer View
7 Brand Names and Stars
8 Movie Palaces
9 Trademarks, Titles, Introductions
10 Detours onthe Way to Hollywood
11 The Genre Film
12 The Feature Film
13 The Lid Comes Off
14 Refining the Product
15 Scene Dissection, Spectacle, Film as Art
List of Abbreviations
Notes
Bibliography
Picture Sources
General Index
Index of Films
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