ArtsEtc.

Reel to real: Film’s growth recalled on birthday

Whether it’s walking from class to class or during the bored stupor that comes with running through yet another syllabus, one thing is certain: We all need to take the time to sing a silent “Happy Birthday” to film which celebrated its 111th birthday on Sunday.

Why you may ask? For starters, just think of everything those rolls of transparent celluloid have done for you. Whether it is “The Shining” helping you cozy up to your date, “The Notebook” hanging by your side as you get over that cheating boyfriend of yours or “Rocky” inspiring the underdog in all of us, film has always been there for us.

But, of course, it was not always that way. More than 110 years ago, the Wizard of Menlo Park, Thomas Edison, would have had to turn to the bottle to get over a lost lover, but that all changed when he received the patent for his newest invention, the kinetograph, on Aug. 31, 1897.

Revolutionary in the true sense of the word, the kinetograph was a motion picture camera with stop-and-go movement that recorded films for Edison’s kinetoscope, an early viewing device that introduced the approach that would become standard for all cinematic projection until the arrival of video. So innovative was the kinetograph, in fact, that the 35 millimeter film Edison used for this invention has remained relatively unchanged and is still the most commonly used film stock in today’s motion pictures.

For more than a century, motion pictures have gradually progressed from “The Roundhay Garden Scene,” a carnival novelty recognized as the first film, to an integral part of the world of communication, entertainment and mass media in the 20th century. Without movies, there would be no Hollywood, no Academy Awards and none of the other numerous American traditions that have come as a result of film.

It is fair to say that film has always been a rather accurate depiction of the arts, technology and politics of the time. Silent films characterized the simpler eras of the 1910s and 1920s, while the switch to color portrayed the country’s shift to a more progressive philosophy. During the Cold War, America’s increasing paranoia toward outsiders was manifested in films such as “War of the Worlds,” “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” and “The Manchurian Candidate,” which dealt with themes such as invading alien armies and communists. Graphic movies like “The Godfather” and “Taxi Driver” arrived concurrently with the Vietnam War, and these films also helped develop horror as a lucrative genre with “The Exorcist,” “Halloween” and “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” all coming out around this time.

Today, America’s power hungry attitude has led to the desire for more and more income and, consequently, the sustained success of the modern blockbuster and continuous distribution of sequels. At the same time, never-ending advancements in technology have given indie flicks and box office failures a second chance thanks to massive plasma screens and Blu-ray players that create a previously unavailable home entertainment experience that is similar to the one you receive in theaters.

Unfortunately, this accessibility at home has also led to a dramatic change in how audiences accept the film industry. Before the dawn of television, not only was it far more common for Americans to attend regular movie screenings, but they would often spend an entire day at a theater on the weekends. With all the options on the tube nowadays and a constant on-the-go persona, the public’s interest in going out and supporting the film industry is dwindling. In response, the “Big Six” major film studios are struggling to produce more movies at a quicker pace, but this often boosts the amount of uncreative garbage opening up in theaters.

Even though hope appears to be waning, there is sure to be no end in the future for film because, when it comes to getting away from home and escaping reality for a couple hours, there is still no better medium to turn to than film. So, happy (belated) birthday film, and here’s hoping for another 111 years of success.