Study Questions

  • Why is The Jazz Singer considered the first talkie?

  • What was block booking, and what were its benefits and drawbacks?

  • How is the studio system similar to the emergence of radio networks? How does the system differ from other types of networks?

  • Make a list of the five most recent films you’ve seen, and apply the Bechdel Test. Explain the results. 

  • Do you make distinctions between seeing a film in a theater or at home? What kind of movies would you view in each different setting? Explain.

  • No single movie review on Roger Ebert’s website accounts for more than 1 percent of his site’s page views. How does that