Jazz Age Movies
Directions: Watch each of the film clips and answer the questions the analyze them. It will go faster if you jot down your ideas for the questions while watching the clips.
Charlie Chaplin's "the kid", 1921
- Summarize what is happening in the clip.
- How does the film compensate for the lack of talking (how does it tell the story)? Give at least two examples.
The First Talkie, "The Jazz Singer" starring Al Jolson, 1927
3. Summarize what is happening in the clip.
4. What is similar between this clip and “The Kid”? What story telling elements are the same? (DO NOT say they are both black and white—that was all they had!)
5. What is different between this clip and “The Kid”?
6. How do you think films like “The Jazz Singer” revolutionized the movie business?
4. What is similar between this clip and “The Kid”? What story telling elements are the same? (DO NOT say they are both black and white—that was all they had!)
5. What is different between this clip and “The Kid”?
6. How do you think films like “The Jazz Singer” revolutionized the movie business?
The First Mickey Mouse Cartoon, "Steamboat Willie", 1928
7. Summarize the cartoon.
8. How is this different from modern cartoons? How is it the same?
9. How did the live action movies (like the two above) influence this cartoon (story-telling elements, music, sound, etc.)? How is this completely different from live action films?
8. How is this different from modern cartoons? How is it the same?
9. How did the live action movies (like the two above) influence this cartoon (story-telling elements, music, sound, etc.)? How is this completely different from live action films?
Summary
10. What do you imagine was the influence of film was on 1920s culture? How do you think this impacted the rest of the 20th and 21st centuries?