Q&A Hero

Q: The single figure who dominated French cinema from 1898 to 1904 was a. Lumire. d. Mlis. b. Path. e. Zecca. c. Gaumont. f. none of the above

Q: Charles Paths industrial strategy included all of the following EXCEPT a. assembly-line production. b. vertical integration. c. foreign sales offices around the world. d. building the worlds first luxury theater. e. leaving distribution to an outside company. f. All of the above were part of Paths industrial strategy.

Q: Path a. was financed by some of Frances largest corporations. b. exercised a complete vertical monopoly over every aspect of the film business, including manufacturing cameras and film stock. c. marketed twice as many films in the United States in 1908 than all the American companies combined. d. wound up with the rights to distribute Mliss films. e. had a profit margin of between fifty and one hundred times the negative cost of any film. f. all of the above

Q: Ferdinand Zecca a. built the worlds first luxury cinema. d. manufactured his own film stock. b. acquired the Lumire patents in 1902. e. all of the above c. built a state-of-the-art movie camera. f. none of the above

Q: The primary motion picture director at Path was a. Ferdinand Zecca. d. Louis Feuillade. b. Charles Path. e. Alice Guy. c. Georges Mlis. f. none of the above

Q: The primary genre in which Ferdinand Zecca worked was a. lower-class melodramas. d. religious spectacle. b. reconstructed newsreels. e. literary adaptation. c. the comic chase film. f. all the above

Q: Max Linder a. was a major influence on Chaplin. b. was a star for Gaumont. c. invented the Path newsreel. d. starred in but did not write or direct his own films. e. all of the above f. none of the above

Q: First National battled block booking a. by producing their own films. b. by ignoring distribution and concentrating only on production and exhibition. c. by filing a series of lawsuits against Paramount and the other studios. d. by acquiring the distribution rights to Chaplins films. e. by using the wrecking crew to blow up Paramounts theaters with dynamite. f. None of the above; First National was equally guilty of block booking.

Q: Which of the following was NOT a reason for the film industrys move to Hollywood? a. It had an ideal climate and topography. b. It was already a theater center. c. Land was cheap and plentiful. d. It was far away from the MPPC companies. e. Los Angeles had a low tax rate. f. All of the above were reasons.

Q: The first of the MPPC members to shoot in Los Angeles as early as 1907 was a. Edison. b. Selig. c. Essanay. d. Kalem. e. Biograph. f. All of the above had production facilities in Los Angeles by 1911.

Q: The MPPC became inoperative in a. 1908. b. 1911. c. 1914. d. 1919. e. after 1920. f. The MPPC never officially became inoperative.

Q: By 1915, Hollywood a. had approximately fifteen thousand workers employed by the motion picture industry. b. was home to over 60 percent of American film production. c. had a capital investment exceeding $500 million. d. was home to the former independents who would soon become the major studios. e. all of the above f. none of the above

Q: Paramount Pictures was formed through a merger of a. Loews, First National, and the New York Motion Picture Company. b. Metro Pictures, Famous Players Film Company, and Nicholas Schenk. c. Famous Players Film Company and Laskys Feature Play Company. d. IMP, Powers, Rex, and Bison. e. Goldwyn, Nestor, and Laskys Feature Play Company. f. none of the above

Q: The parent company of MGM was a. First National. b. Loews, Inc. c. Louis B. Mayer Productions. d. Goldwyn Pictures. e. Metro Pictures. f. c, d, and e were equal partners in the studio.

Q: The major American movie studios that began to emerge in the postWorld War I period a. incorporated several of the MPPC companies. b. all began as independent exhibitors and distributors fighting the MPPC. c. were largely formed from merged production companies and distributors. d. were still divided geographically between California and New York. e. both b and c f. none of the above

Q: The men who led the early Hollywood studios a. had backgrounds in arcades and nickelodeons. b. were first-generation Jewish immigrants. c. were referred to as moguls. d. employed chain-storemethods. e. only c and d f. all of the above

Q: Which of the following MPPC companies did NOT fold immediately after the dissolving of the trust? a. Edison d. Star Film b. Biograph e. Kalem c. Vitagraph f. All of the above folded immediately.

Q: The three directors in the Triangle Film Corporation were a. Griffith, Ince, and DeMille. d. Ince, DeMille, and Blackton. b. Lasky, Ince, and Griffith. e. Griffith, Ince, and Sennett. c. Sennett, Griffith, and Zukor. f. none of the above

Q: By 1915, a major studio like Paramount was producing feature films at a rate of a. one or two per month. b. three or four per week. c. one new film every day. d. ten to fifteen per week. e. three or four per month. f. None of the above; in 1915, most studios were still not making feature films.

Q: By 1915, the average production cost for a feature film was a. $500$1,000. d. $25,000$50,000. b. $5,000$10,000. e. $50,000$100,000. c. $12,000$20,000. f. over $100,000.

Q: The studio that began the practice of block booking was a. Edison. d. Famous Players-Lasky. b. Biograph. e. MGM. c. First National. f. none of the above

Q: Block booking a. was first developed by Edison for the MPPC. b. was accepted willingly by the exhibitors who benefited from the system. c. put producers at a distinct economic disadvantage. d. forced exhibitors to show less desirable films if they wanted to show the more desirable ones. e. was not widely practiced in Hollywood. f. none of the above

Q: The star system a. was embraced by the MPPC companies such as Edison and Biograph. b. was developed for and is unique to motion pictures. c. was a short-lived gimmick that allowed the independents some temporary power. d. used manufactured publicity to fuel audience demand. e. was invented by William Fox. f. none of the above

Q: Florence Lawrence a. was known as the Vitagraph girl. b. was hired away from the MPPC by William Foxs New York Motion Picture Company. c. was first known as a character actress before becoming the first product of the star system. d. was a star known by her real name while still working for an MPPC company. e. never achieved national stardom. f. all of the above

Q: a. allowing filmmakers to continue to freely borrow material from stage plays and comic strips. b. making foreign films more popular in the United States. c. forcing filmmakers to turn to more classic literature like Shakespeare and Dickens. d. encouraging remakes and sequels to successful films. e. assigning ownership of The Great Train Robbery to Edwin S. Porter. f. none of the above

Q: The first MPPC filmmaker to have a film released as a two-reeler was a. J. Stuart Blackton. d. Edwin S. Porter. b. D. W. Griffith. e. Carl Laemmle. c. W. K. L. Dickson. f. none of the above

Q: The reason for the MPPC-led standardization of film length was a. the belief that the public had a short attention span. b. greater efficiency in production. c. greater ease of exhibition. d. filmmakers showed no desire to produce longer films. e. only b and c f. all of the above

Q: The feature film a. was first produced in the United States. b. was a staple of MPPC production. c. was initially not very popular with American audiences. d. was a European innovation imported to America. e. was banned from U.S. screens as a result of General Film Company policy. f. none of the above

Q: The Loves of Queen Elizabeth a. starred Sarah Bernhardt. b. proved so profitable that it allowed Zukor to start a production company. c. convinced the film industry of the commercial viability of the feature film. d. was imported from France. e. was essentially a filmed play. f. all of the above

Q: Quo vadis? a. was a French superspectacle. b. was the longest film ever shown in nickelodeons. c. was a creative breakthrough but a financial failure. d. had a running time of over two hours. e. was directed by Giovanni Pastrone. f. none of the above

Q: Pastrones Cabiria prefigures Griffiths epics in all EXCEPT its a. static camera work that maintains the proscenium relationship between event and viewer. b. historical epic setting that sets individual stories against well-known events. c. elaborate, highly-detailed sets constructed at great expense. d. skillful narrative construction that maintains several simultaneous plots. e. unusual length. f. All of the above are similarities.

Q: At first, feature films were at an economic disadvantage because a. they were primarily from foreign sources and of poor technical quality. b. MPPC resistance kept them out of the American market. c. audiences didnt like feature films as much as shorts. d. feature films couldnt be shown as many times in a given day. e. movies were priced by the foot, and features negative costs were higher than shorter films. f. all of the above

Q: The economic advantages of the feature film included a. higher admission prices. b. longer runs. c. cheaper, more effective advertising. d. greater appeal to the middle-class audience. e. all of the above f. none of the above

Q: The feature film a. generally had the same technical standards as short films. b. tended to feature a greatly simplified narrative so as not to be confusing. c. was considered to be any film over five reels in length. d. was the means by which the independent film companies defeated the MPPC. e. allowed for an economy of scale in which budgets and schedules both decreased. f. all of the above

Q: The dream palace style theater a. dates back to around 1900. b. had the same admission price as the nickelodeons. c. remained independent of the Hollywood studio system. d. were primarily converted vaudeville houses. e. emerged to accommodate the growing audience for feature films. f. both a and d

Q: The first dream palace theater was a. The Fox. d. The Path. b. The Paramount. e. The Palace. c. The Strand. f. none of the above

Q: The MPPC helped stabilize the industry in all of the following ways EXCEPT a. standardizing exhibition practices. b. establishing a level of technical competence for production. c. encouraging fair competition among producers. d. increasing the efficiency of film distribution. e. setting regular pricing in production, distribution, and exhibition. f. All of the above were ways in which the MPPC stabilized the industry.

Q: The MPPC a. completely controlled exhibition in the United States. b. succeeded in crushing all domestic competition. c. did not meet widespread resistance from within the film industry. d. sought to control every aspect of the industry through licensing and royalties. e. encouraged experimentation among its member companies. f. all of the above

Q: Foreign film producers cooperated with the MPPC a. because they ensured a fair and open market for all films regardless of origin. b. because the General Film Company could ensure American distribution for their films. c. because they fell under the same patents and licensing agreements as American producers when they tried to import their films. d. because they received favorable trade exchange agreements from the organization. e. because the MPPC had complete control of all American exhibition. f. all of the above

Q: The Motion Picture Distributing and Sales Company was formed to fight a. the Independent Film Protective Association (IFPA). b. the New York Motion Picture Company (NYMPC). c. the Mutual Film Supply Company (MFSC). d. the Motion Picture Patents Corporation (MPPC). e. the Universal Film Manufacturing Company (UFMC). f. none of the above

Q: The nickelodeon boom a. occurred between 1904 and 1908. b. was fueled by the demand for The Great Train Robbery. c. was made possible by the rental exchange system. d. forced a standardization of film length. e. all of the above f. none of the above

Q: Rescued from an Eagles Nest is an important Porter film because a. it was Porters last masterpiece. b. it contained many breakthrough special effects. c. it utilized parallel action. d. it marked the beginning of D. W. Griffiths career. e. it was Porters first film for his own production company. f. none of the above

Q: D. W. Griffith a. sold a script to Edison before appearing in a film. b. was initially ashamed to work as a film actor. c. was initially paid five dollars a week by Edison as a writer-director-star. d. had a successful acting career prior to working for Edison. e. became a regular collaborator with Porter. f. all of the above

Q: By 1908 a. there was widespread creative experimentation in the film industry. b. demand for films remained relatively low. c. film budgets were nearing the $5,000 range. d. the cinema had emerged as a full-scale industry. e. all films were being shot in the studio. f. all of the above

Q: The typical film of 1908 a. was made on an assembly line model. b. had credits for the actors, writer, and director. c. ran about two reels in length. d. was made by a combination writer-director-cameraman. e. was shot in one week. f. all of the above

Q: From the nickelodeon boom until the advent of the feature film, the main industrial tendency was a. experimentation and innovation in terms of both narrative and visual form. b. wildy variable as there were not yet firm procedures established for film production. c. toward an artisanal mode of production that was based on individual creativity. d. centralization and standardization of production practice. e. the continuing drive for longer and more complex films. f. none of the above

Q: The need for regular and continuous production between 1907 and 1913 led to all of the following EXCEPT a. specialization of labor. b. centralization of creative control. c. a more factorylike studio production system. d. a highly uniform product. e. films longer than one reel. f. all of the above

Q: In the period between 1907 and 1913 b. pirating or stealing prints was becoming increasingly rare. c. few companies used Edison equipment without paying royalties. e. Both a and b are true. f. all of the above ANS: D DIF: 3 REF: Page 26 MSC: Understanding

Q: Edison a. claimed to hold all essential patents for the motion picture camera. b. sued to prevent competitors from operating, since all films were patent infringements. c. helped the Motion Picture Patents Company (MPPC). d. dominated the early American film industry. e. all of the above f. none of the above

Q: Which of the following was NOT an MPPC company? a. Essanay b. Lubin c. Star d. Vitagraph e. IMP f. All of the above were MPPC companies.

Q: The MPPC a. had ten equally powerful members. b. was dominated by Biograph and Vitagraph. c. opposed quotas on foreign films. d. allowed unlicensed producers to lease its patents. e. had an exclusive contract with Eastman Kodak for film stock. f. all of the above

Q: The General Film Company a. competed with MPPC. b. created a single licensed distributor for American films. c. was primarily interested in importing foreign films. d. sold films to both independent and MPPC theaters. e. all of the above f. none of the above

Q: The nickelodeon a. was a coin-operated peep-show device. b. was a movie theater. c. was first located in Los Angeles. d. appealed only to working-class audiences. e. both b and c f. none of the above

Q: The distribution system that eventually became dominant in the early cinema was a. prints purchased from producers by exhibitors. b. production financed by exhibitors to ensure a supply of films. c. the rental exchange. d. itinerant exhibition. e. run-zone-clearance. f. none of the above

Q: Film rental a. was a system begun by Edison and Lumire. b. benefitted exhibitors by lowering costs and risk. c. increased demand for films, creating a production boom. d. came at the expense of distributors, many of whom were put out of business. e. only b and c f. all of the above

Q: By 1908 the number of movie theaters in the United States was a. under 800. d. between 18,000 and 28,000. b. between 800 and 1,000. e. between 80,000 and 100,000. c. between 8,000 and 10,000. f. more than 100,000.

Q: Porters work demonstrated the fundamental concept that cinematic narration depends on a. scene to scene plot construction. b. the arrangement and movement of actors within the scene. c. the arrangement of shots in relation to one another. d. expressive use of angle and shot scale. e. the compositional arrangement of objects within the frame. f. none of the above

Q: Which of the following is NOT true of The Great Train Robbery? a. It standardized film length at one reel. b. It was instrumental in the spread of the nickelodeons. c. It established realistic fictional narrative as the dominant form of cinema. d. It was the most popular film of its time period. e. It established the demand for hand-tinted films. f. all of the above

Q: After The Great Train Robbery, Porters work a. experimented with model animation. b. used dramatic one-source lighting. c. matched camera angles from shot to shot. d. utilized overlapping action. e. featured animated title sequences. f. all of the above

Q: Porter directed all of the following groundbreaking films EXCEPT a. Uncle Toms Cabin. d. Life of an American Fireman. b. The Big Swallow. e. The Kleptomaniac. c. Jack and the Beanstalk. f. All of the above are Porter films.

Q: After leaving Edison, Porter a. retired from film production completely. b. turned his focus to special effects and never directed again. c. formed Rex Films, his own production company. d. made a successful transition to feature film production. e. turned to directing stage plays, which he thought were artistically significant. f. none of the above

Q: Prior to the emergence of the nickelodeon, motion pictures were shown primarily in a. Kinetoscope parlors. d. amusement arcades. b. movie theaters. e. vaudeville theaters. c. opera houses. f. none of the above

Q: During the novelty period of 18951897 a. theaters advertised the name of the stars who appeared in the films. b. exhibitors got their own films through distribution exchanges who bought them from producers. c. producers supplied projector, projectionist, and films to the theater. d. there was little competition for product since demand was so limited. e. all of the above f. none of the above

Q: Itinerant exhibition a. was the norm during the novelty period of 18951897. b. involved traveling producers. c. united production and exhibition into a single entity. d. often added narration, music, and sound effects, becoming a kind of authorship. e. only b and c f. all of the above

Q: a. contains 9 shots rather than 20, as in the previously available version. b. first surfaced in the 1940s, thanks to the Museum of Modern Art. c. shows evidence of crosscutting. d. avoids overlapping action. e. is not considered the definitive version. f. all of the above

Q: Overlapped action a. is not found in any Porter film except Life of an American Fireman. b. was uncommon in early cinema. c. seemed to trouble audiences of the time. d. confuses narrative temporal relationships. e. is one of the defining characteristics of the cinema of attractions. f. all of the above

Q: Modern continuity editing began with the discovery that a. shots could be cut to expand or compress time. b. action could be made to appear continuous from shot to shot. c. shots could be matched through spatial relations. d. two shots could create a single unit of meaning. e. both b and d f. all of the above

Q: The Great Train Robbery a. was the cinemas first western. b. was shot on location in the American Southwest. c. is most significant for its use of special effects. d. features intercutting of shot scales within scenes. e. both a and d f. all of the above

Q: The first narrative shot of The Great Train Robbery depicts the bandits a. lurking behind the water tower waiting for the train. b. riding through the woods on horseback on their way to the robbery. c. tying up the station master in the railroad office. d. climbing on top of the train to grab the engineer. e. none of the above

Q: The Great Train Robbery is historically significant because a. it cuts away from scenes before the action is fully played out. b. it began the development of the basic practices of the cinematic language. c. it posits the shot rather than the scene as the basic unit of cinematic meaning. d. it was the first film to exploit the violence of armed crime. e. all of the above f. none of the above

Q: All of the following cinematic techniques are seen in The Great Train Robbery EXCEPT a. parallel action. d. action staged in depth. b. panning shots. e. matching action. c. matte shots. f. All of the above are in the film.

Q: The Great Train Robbery a. completely rejects proscenium staging. b. was a unique, isolated breakthrough, employing previously unknown techniques. c. uses several camera angles within a single location. d. maintains the long shot as the dominant shot scale. e. Only a and c are true. f. All of the above are true.

Q: The British film movement that made major contributions to films narrative form between 1902 and 1908 was a. the London Group. d. British Expressivism. b. the Sheffield Movement. e. the English Montage Movement. c. the Brighton School. f. none of the above

Q: Edwin S. Porters experience as a projectionist led him to a. the concept of making longer, more complex films. b. an understanding of special effects technologies. c. continuity editing. d. the construction of his own camera while working for Edison. e. only a and b f. all of the above

Q: Life of an American Fireman a. remains a lost film. b. was entirely staged on sets. c. originally contained intercut sequences. d. shows the same action from two different perspectives. e. all of the above f. none of the above

Q: The original version of Porters Life of an American Fireman contains all of the following techniques EXCEPT a. intercutting stock and staged footage. b. intercutting interior and exterior action. c. the matte shot. d. a dream balloon. e. an insert close-up. f. All of the above are techniques used in the film.

Q: Porter first demonstrated the cinemas potential for narrative fluidity within time and space through the technique of a. match cutting. d. crosscutting. b. overlapping action. e. both a and b, which are the same thing c. temporal repetition. f. none of the above

Q: Which of the following is NOT a reason why Porters Life of an American Fireman was thought to contain parallel action? a. the version of the film found by the Museum of Modern Art in 1944 b. the accounts of early historians such as Jacobs and Ramsaye c. catalog description and production stills from Edison d. Porters own description of the film e. the Library of Congress paper print of the film f. all of the above

Q: The Star Film Company with its glass-roofed studio was the creative home of a. Edwin S. Porter. d. Lon Gaumont. b. Charles Path. e. Georges Mlis. c. W. K. L. Dickson. f. none of the above

Q: Mliss films a. eventually grew to the length of one reel, or nearly 15 minutes. b. told more elaborate stories than other films of the time. c. were often based on historical or newsworthy events. d. were written, directed, produced, and designed by Mlis, who also starred and did the special effects himself. e. All of the above are true. f. Only a and d are true.