History106 - Movies in the USA: Part 2
This blog is Part 2 of my two-part series on the history of movies in the USA. Part 1 covered the early years of movies, 1830 to 1910; the silent years, 1910 to 1927; and the sound era through World War II. Part 2 will cover post-World-War-II trends through 1980; the transition to the 21 st century; the status of movies today; and finally, a look at the future of movies. I will list my principal sources for both Part 1 and Part 2 at the end. Post-World-War-II Trends Through 1980 Decline of the Hollywood Studios. When World War II ended, the American film industry seemed to be in an ideal position. Full-scale mobilization had ended the Depression domestically, and victory had opened vast, unchallenged markets in the war-torn economies of western Europe and Japan. Furthermore, from 1942 through 1945, Hollywood had experienced the most stable and lucrative three years in its history, and in 1946, when two-thirds of the American population went to the movies at least o