Although war is something no country dreams of going through, it is the thing that ends up saving us. World War II ended the great depression and World War I kick started the film industry. The United States has dominated the industry from the beginning and will do so for a long time. Even through severe economic downfall, the cinema thrives; people look to it for escape and comfort. To live in a world for a few hours where everything works out.
The success of the U.S. film industry is an indicator of the dominance the U.S. holds over the world in other aspects. The U.S. used to fall behind European countries not only in film but in the world market as a whole. During World War I while Europe went to war, the U.S. stayed neutral for the first few years, by doing so, production companies from Europe began working in the U.S. The U.S. also began regulating productions and built the studio hierarchy that still somewhat exists today. While Europe lagged behind, the U.S. expanded and still commands the industry.
The European offices that opened in the U.S. also helped distribute U.S. films across Europe, expanding the industry even more. When the war was over, Europe began to catch up, however, they were never able to bypass the U.S. where European Cinema is shown in art house cinemas and among the cultural elite.
This begs the question, had World War I or II not happened, would the U.S. dominate the screen?
Word of the Week:
Epistemological: -noun a branch of philosophy that investigates the origins, nature, methods, and limits of human knowledge.
(dictionary.reference.com)
Zi, I think you ask an important question at the end of your post about the impact of WWI and WWII on cinema's history. I appreciate your summary of how WWI encouraged US domination of European film markets, but I would like to see a more in-depth analysis and to hear some of your own thoughts on the topic as well.
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