by Hartman Ramos
Americans and people around the world find a deep passion in watching their favorite movies. It is a past time that we seem to enjoy as we are entertained by our favorite movie genres.
Our passion for watching movies can be measured in the hundreds of millions spent each year on movie downloads, rentals and DVD buys. No other time has given us access to so many great movies.
A quick look at history will reveal a time when access to a movie was considered almost a luxury, especially during the Great Depression and in times when the nation was at war. There were only a few sources for movie entertainment during those times and people sought to movie watching experience with great interest.
It was in the 1920’s when sound technology was introduced to movies for the first time. These movies were smashing hits during that time and people seemed to enjoy comedies and classics such as “Gone With The Wind” and movies starring Shirley Temple.
There were a many blockbuster hits released during those times. Gangster movies seemed to grow with popularity with the rise of the mob. Women seemed to love watching musicals, plays and intriguing romance stories featuring the best actors of that time.
Even though movie production had made great strides, people did not have extra money to spend at the movie theaters. This gave rise to popular radio talk shows and theatrical stories over the airwaves. It was free and a welcomed source of entertainment.
Instead of watching a movie, people could listen to popular movie stars and invited guests as they told stories of romance, adventure and mystery. Entire families would huddle around one small radio and would listen with great intent to the popular movie stars of that era.
Another big hit during the 1920’s was swing music performances put on by Big Bands. Since most of these performances were aired over the radio, it became a popular source of entertainment during the long evening hours.
This went over extremely well. People across the country loved it. It was a way for them to briefly escape the hardships they had to endure and enter a fantasy world where they could live out their fantasies through the roles of their favorite movie stars. It kept them entertained and took their minds of the difficulties of life.
Today, even though the country is going through an economic recession, at large we are not encountering the plight they had to endure. With a mouse click or a short drive to a DVD rental store, we have access to tens of thousands of movies and high quality DVD’s such as western movies, science fiction, comedy or scary movies. It is amazing how far we have come.
