The Evolution of the Film Industry

The Evolution of the Film Industry The progress of the film industry was remarkably fast in the first quarter of this century. I have chosen two films namely The Birth of a Nation (1915) and Greed (1924) for comparison and contrast to show how much the industry had evolved within the short span of nine years. These two films are chosen for the short time span between them. This short time span will enable us to evaluate …

…and especially Von Stroheim clearly show that filming has transcended from artificial settings to the real environment. The usage of lighting and camera shots in Greed has improved cinematic effects and enhanced visual effects. Lastly the happy ending of The Birth of a Nation compared to the tragic ending of Greed speaks clearly of the changing mood and maturity of the American audience, switching from fairy tales' ending to one that depicts real life experience.