1952-1971 film industry

In 1952, a new "engulfing" technique was being used that "required three cameras, three projectors, interlocking, semi-curved (at 146 degrees) screens, and four-track stereo sound." The purpose was to submit the audience into the "center of the action." It was called Cinerama. 

The same year, 3-D movies began to show up in theaters, along with the ugly glasses that every 3-D thing seems to come with. The problem with that is that the movies were usually bad quality because it was hard to see through the glasses. It was also expensive to make them without the guarantee of getting them back.

The next year, CinemaScope debuted. It created a widescreen effect on the films. It was incredibly expensive to make at the time. It's interesting considering since nowadays, you generally have the option to choose whether you want widescreen or full screen when you play a DVD.

In the 50s, many more films were over three hours than nowadays.  You also saw a lot of war and anti-communism movies. Along with that, "with television aimed at family audiences, the movies were freer to explore realistic adult themes and stronger or previously taboo subjects."

In 1963, a movie called Cleopatra was filmed. It showed just how much more people were willing to pay for a movie. Just a few decades before, talking pictures were seen as magic tricks. However, it quickly became the most expensive movie ever produced at the time and was the longest movie as well, reaching the 4 hour mark. Film from other countries began making their way into the U.S. The Oscars made an award for the Best Foreign Film. The 1960s is also the decade that Barbra Streisand's film career took off after "a reprise of her Broadway role as comedienne Fanny Brice." 

In 1963,  the first videotape recorded was priced at $30,000. Meanwhile, 6 years later, Sony came out with the VCR. We all know how that turned out. Movies began to be turned into Sequels. Multiple parts of movies would be made. If the first was successful enough, others would follow. 

It's interesting to see how there are different gimmicks every year and how some of them play it when it comes to influencing the future. Movies even began to tackle content that wasn't necessarily considered the norm at the time. More adult themes were showed on the screen. That was something that was relatively unheard of a few decades before. Widescreen is something that at the time didn't work, but is pretty much standard now. Sequels are something that we seem to never be able to get rid of now (Watch out for Crash 2 or 300-2). Even 3-D is making its way back. It just goes to show you that everything happens in a cycle. Maybe  not exactly how it happened the first time, but things tend to go in a circle. Don't be surprised if flat tops, the word "jive" and platform shoes end up coming back into style. The way I see it, if film makers can dedicate enough time to 3-D movies that were a complete failure when they first came out then I believe any of those options can happen…or maybe I should say will happen.



Source:
http://www.filmsite.org/70sintro5.html