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Movie-Made America: A Cultural History of American Movies
Hailed as the definitive work upon its original publication in 1975 and now extensively revised and updated by the author, this vastly absorbing and richly illustrated book examines film as an art form, technological innovation, big business, and shaper of American values.
Ever since Edison's peep shows first captivated urban audiences, film has had a revolutionary impact on American society, transforming culture from the bottom up, radically revising attitudes toward pleasure and sexuality, and at the same time, cementing the myth of the American dream. No book has measured film's impact more clearly or comprehensively than Movie-Made America.
This vastly readable and richly illustrated volume examines film as art form, technological innovation, big business, and cultural bellwether. It takes in stars from Douglas Fairbanks to Sly Stallone; auteurs from D. W. Griffith to Martin Scorsese and Spike Lee; and genres from the screwball comedy of the 1930s to the "hard body" movies of the 1980s to the independents films of the 1990s.
Combining panoramic sweep with detailed commentaries on hundreds of individual films, Movie-Made America is a must for any motion picture enthusiast.
Ever since Edison's peep shows first captivated urban audiences, film has had a revolutionary impact on American society, transforming culture from the bottom up, radically revising attitudes toward pleasure and sexuality, and at the same time, cementing the myth of the American dream. No book has measured film's impact more clearly or comprehensively than Movie-Made America.
This vastly readable and richly illustrated volume examines film as art form, technological innovation, big business, and cultural bellwether. It takes in stars from Douglas Fairbanks to Sly Stallone; auteurs from D. W. Griffith to Martin Scorsese and Spike Lee; and genres from the screwball comedy of the 1930s to the "hard body" movies of the 1980s to the independents films of the 1990s.
Combining panoramic sweep with detailed commentaries on hundreds of individual films, Movie-Made America is a must for any motion picture enthusiast.
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 18, 2020
The only shortcoming to this book is it's need of an update. It was last written in 1994 and much has evolved in film history since then; and that information would serve this book well.
However, that aside, this is an excellent comprehensive and digestible account of the history of film in the United States. It ties into social and cultural historic events as well. A great source for the film student, or for film enthusiasts, as it puts films into historical perspective, providing a new angle of understanding.
However, that aside, this is an excellent comprehensive and digestible account of the history of film in the United States. It ties into social and cultural historic events as well. A great source for the film student, or for film enthusiasts, as it puts films into historical perspective, providing a new angle of understanding.
August 7, 2020
This book drew me in. To use an extended analogy, I felt as though I had been walking down a hot city street, and suddenly I smelled the popcorn wafting towards me on the cool air current of an AC unit. I couldn’t just keep walking, I had to go in and experience this book! And overall, I was very impressed. Something that made this book enjoyable for me was the mixture between denser material and more easy to digest concepts. For example, bracketed between two denser chapters on the conglomeration of Hollywood’s studios and the financial complications of the 1930’s; there is a chapter about the public’s perception of the movie stars and their glamorous lives. The former chapters are significantly more complex than the latter, so it was beneficial that the author split those up. And he clearly knows what he is talking about when he is discussing early films (I’d say, when he’s discussing films from their conception to about the 1940’s or 50’s). Unfortunately, he wrote a book that spans all of the first century of cinema’s existence, which includes the years after the 1950’s. His points get a little less coherent as he discusses his views on cinema of the 1970’s to the 1990’s (he revised this book in 1994, so there is no discussion of the latter half of the 90’s or the 2000’s).
Another drawback is his tendency to write as if his book is the end all be all for film interpretations. When he’s citing other sources, he writes about what the author he is citing “claims”, but when he writes about himself, he doesn’t always qualify all his theories as possible readings. He is saying them and in doing so, has become like God in a Cecil B. DeMille biblical epic, and written his theories in stone.
I would still recommend this book to someone interested in film history. It certainly is a pretty expansive look at the development of movies as we know them today, and it did cause me to think more critically about the nature of cinema now, in such a vastly different day and age than even Sklar himself could have seen coming.
Another drawback is his tendency to write as if his book is the end all be all for film interpretations. When he’s citing other sources, he writes about what the author he is citing “claims”, but when he writes about himself, he doesn’t always qualify all his theories as possible readings. He is saying them and in doing so, has become like God in a Cecil B. DeMille biblical epic, and written his theories in stone.
I would still recommend this book to someone interested in film history. It certainly is a pretty expansive look at the development of movies as we know them today, and it did cause me to think more critically about the nature of cinema now, in such a vastly different day and age than even Sklar himself could have seen coming.
October 10, 2011
Movie-Made America is a cultural history of the movies. As such it asks deep questions about how movies have altered our desires and conception of reality, especially related to consumerism, and about the limits of its ability to make alterations, especially regarding social class and capitalism. Looking at movies and directors, but also at the business of the film industry and its relationship to the larger American culture, this is an excellent overview. It would be great if it carried through to the modern day, but its handling of the beginnings of film (love his dismantling of Edison) and of the golden days of the industry (in the 30s and 40s) are incisive. In the mixture of art and commerce, of stars and their audiences, comes much of our 21st century culture of entertainment and celebrity. It is good to have a tour guide that is so willing to make harsh judgments.
March 11, 2014
Really liked the early history (the first part of the book), but grew bored as it moved into the late 2oth century. This might be because the book was originally written in the 1970s, so what was present then is history now and I think that gives a different perspective and probably leads to different historical conclusions. And that problem is even worse for the updated portion of the second edition (which takes us up through the early 1990s).
The Story of Film: An Odyssey was much more enjoyable! Go watch that and skip this book (or at least the second half of this book).
The Story of Film: An Odyssey was much more enjoyable! Go watch that and skip this book (or at least the second half of this book).
October 21, 2018
Engrossing, but dated and suffering from a feeling of incompleteness. Robert Sklar shows how liberalizing and conservative forces have vied for dominance within the movie industry. Immigrant and working-class Jews pioneered the movie industry, and their films challenged Victorian Protestant ideas of gender and violence in art, but simultaneously this working-class art form was done for profit, not working-class solidarity. By the 1930s, outside finance and moralistic reformers (first Progressives, then political conservatives, especially the Catholic Legion of Decency) had gained substantial control over Hollywood. Most films became innocuous and conservative, with critiques of democracy, racial injustice, and capitalism becoming rare (though not extinct). The rise of TV and European boycotts of American films, plus the new rock and roll youth culture and the disastrous Cold War blacklists, damaged the American movie industry. A brief revival of contrarian values, expressed in films like "Bonnie and Clyde," "The Graduate," "Raging Bull," "The Godfather," etc., clashed with the rise of blockbuster action films, many of which advanced a black-and-white version of morality that fit with Reagan-era conservatism. The book ends in 1994, so Sklar brings us through the advent of home video, amateur film production, and independent movies, but he is writing before DVD/BluRay, the superhero film wave, streaming, and the commercial Internet.
The book is incomplete in the sense that, while it touches on racial injustice in Hollywood films, it does not explore the African American independent film industry of the sound era or Hollywood's minstrel films (e.g., the "Amos & Andy" series). There is no discussion of Mexican or Spanish-language cinema, nor does Sklar touch on the U.S.'s substantial takeover of the Canadian box office. The book is woefully disappointing on the topics of women and gender. The experiences of major actresses, male executives' sexual predation of female and child actors, and early female directors such as Ida Lupino are completely omitted. Such topics would have fit Sklar's aim of writing a cultural history of the movie industry's impact on American society. More material on the blacksploitation era and the careers of Sidney Poitier, Richard Pryor, and Eddie Murphy would also have been useful.
The book is incomplete in the sense that, while it touches on racial injustice in Hollywood films, it does not explore the African American independent film industry of the sound era or Hollywood's minstrel films (e.g., the "Amos & Andy" series). There is no discussion of Mexican or Spanish-language cinema, nor does Sklar touch on the U.S.'s substantial takeover of the Canadian box office. The book is woefully disappointing on the topics of women and gender. The experiences of major actresses, male executives' sexual predation of female and child actors, and early female directors such as Ida Lupino are completely omitted. Such topics would have fit Sklar's aim of writing a cultural history of the movie industry's impact on American society. More material on the blacksploitation era and the careers of Sidney Poitier, Richard Pryor, and Eddie Murphy would also have been useful.
May 31, 2022
I expected this book to be an insightful analysis of the synergistic effect of American movies on American society and vice-versa. I don't know why. I guess I am an optimist since the idea of reading a mediocre book seems such a waste of time given how many good books there are. So, why didn't it live up to my expectations? Who cares! But I'll explain briefly why I didn't think the book was very good. For one thing, much of the analysis seemed superficial, for example, noting how upbeat movies were a Hollywood staple during the Reagan years. Or the brief moment in the 1970s when Hollywood was daring to finance off-beat movies because producers thought they'd make money; and second, the period was marked by the retirement of many old school, traditional Hollywood directors and producers. It could be that I do know a lot about film history so I would say "I already know that," whereas someone else might opine, "Wow, I never knew that!" or "Who cares!"
I was also bothered by the lack of analyses of European, Asian, and Latin American films, until I glanced at the book's title in the midst of reading, and the reason became evident.
Other than those observations, I did learn a few things that seemed important, but they weren't worth reading an entire book for. For example, the author presented pretty solid evidence that early movie going contributed to an awareness of class bifurcation. Poorer people attended films up until the early 1930s, and affluent people considered the activity boorish and an indication of the lowering of cultural standards in America. Second, the concept of creating 'Blockbuster' films was primarily a reaction to changes in film distribution practices and laws. If audiences didn't immediately respond to and movie theaters didn't immediately attract viewers, the result could be more financially embarrassing.
I was also bothered by the lack of analyses of European, Asian, and Latin American films, until I glanced at the book's title in the midst of reading, and the reason became evident.
Other than those observations, I did learn a few things that seemed important, but they weren't worth reading an entire book for. For example, the author presented pretty solid evidence that early movie going contributed to an awareness of class bifurcation. Poorer people attended films up until the early 1930s, and affluent people considered the activity boorish and an indication of the lowering of cultural standards in America. Second, the concept of creating 'Blockbuster' films was primarily a reaction to changes in film distribution practices and laws. If audiences didn't immediately respond to and movie theaters didn't immediately attract viewers, the result could be more financially embarrassing.
January 3, 2021
I've heard people say the '90s truly ended on 9/11. It's possible that someday, American history will in retrospect view the pandemic explosion in March 2020 as the beginning of a new era. We understand history by dividing it into sections, and we define each section by its major events.
What stood out to me in this book was the way Robert Sklar intelligently sliced up American film history. Each chapter deals with a new development that influenced American film. Sometimes it's new talent (writers, directors), sometimes a technological innovation (sound, home television), and sometimes a larger civilizational turning point (WWII, the Vietnam War). In all of these cases, Sklar explores how film was influenced by American society and politics of the time, and vice-versa. I thought it was well-organized and easy to digest as someone dipping their toes into film history.
Movie buffs might find the film criticism a bit pedestrian, but I thought that the level of detail was appropriate for the scope of the book. Sklar comments on dozens of directors and hundreds of films, and by the end I had written up a pretty long list of films to watch. The book ends with a vast bibliography for additional reading to further explore what is discussed.
This book was originally published in 1975 and last revised in 1994. Because of this, almost a third of the book is dedicated to the early days of Hollywood, while the 1970s-1990s get comparatively light treatment. I do wish that Sklar was still around to flesh out the 1990s and 2000s, and I would love to hear his thoughts on the streaming age too. Still, I recommend this to anybody who wants a broad overview of the first century of American film.
What stood out to me in this book was the way Robert Sklar intelligently sliced up American film history. Each chapter deals with a new development that influenced American film. Sometimes it's new talent (writers, directors), sometimes a technological innovation (sound, home television), and sometimes a larger civilizational turning point (WWII, the Vietnam War). In all of these cases, Sklar explores how film was influenced by American society and politics of the time, and vice-versa. I thought it was well-organized and easy to digest as someone dipping their toes into film history.
Movie buffs might find the film criticism a bit pedestrian, but I thought that the level of detail was appropriate for the scope of the book. Sklar comments on dozens of directors and hundreds of films, and by the end I had written up a pretty long list of films to watch. The book ends with a vast bibliography for additional reading to further explore what is discussed.
This book was originally published in 1975 and last revised in 1994. Because of this, almost a third of the book is dedicated to the early days of Hollywood, while the 1970s-1990s get comparatively light treatment. I do wish that Sklar was still around to flesh out the 1990s and 2000s, and I would love to hear his thoughts on the streaming age too. Still, I recommend this to anybody who wants a broad overview of the first century of American film.
June 10, 2018
Sklar wrote this in the late 70s, then updated it with a few new chapters in the mid-90s. His focus on the role movies played within American culture over the course of the 20th Century is at times fascinating, at times evasive, at times insightful, at times grasping at straws. But he is always extremely readable, and filled with historical details sometimes dropped maddeningly in asides as he focuses on bigger picture ideas. Because the Hollywood production method that began in the 1910s and held on tightly until the late 1940s made for a virtual symbiotic connection between movies and culture, it's no surprise that Sklar is at his best telling stories from that period. After that, there are many sections where he seems more interested in covering as wide a range of niches as possible than in really connecting to the culture, but that is a problem of describing a post-monoculture society. I get the feeling that this is a foundational book in cultural studies, and that much important work has occurred in the years since it was published.
November 22, 2023
The first half's dive into the working-class, Jewish, immigrant kickstart of filmmaking and movie business and culture in America and the history therein is extremely interesting, but the second half of the book suffers from its publication date in 1975.
Sklar's point about studios having to make movies as if the rules of baseball changed so drastically that the only important hit is a home run is a bit too ironic for me, looking back with hindsight on the Moneyball era of baseball we are living in and working through.
Sklar's point about studios having to make movies as if the rules of baseball changed so drastically that the only important hit is a home run is a bit too ironic for me, looking back with hindsight on the Moneyball era of baseball we are living in and working through.
July 12, 2024
The title implies that this is a cultural history of American movies. I view the book as more of a comprehensive history of American movies with a strong cultural component. There is plenty of commentary on how cultural influenced movie-making and how movies influenced American culture. However, the book also describes how technology, demography, finance and politics affected American movies, all in less than 700 pages. Given the breadth of the story that Sklar wants to tell, such of the passages may be more summaries than detailed discussions, but they are sufficient enough to show how important all these factors are to the development of film and the film industry.
February 16, 2020
An exhaustive, decade-by-decade primer on the history of American cinema that is a cultural study of the highest order as well. A must-read for all cinema buffs. Could use another update as this edition ends in the mid-90’s and I’d love the author’s analysis on the twenty-five years of change since then.
May 16, 2020
As dry and academic as you would expect, with (for me, at least) a sad inattention to film craft and Hollywood glamor. But, as a historical summary, it’s incredibly thorough and dense, and it expertly connects film style, authorial intent, audience context, and political expression.
April 25, 2025
Incredibly informative, even if I did strongly disagree with a lot of Skalrs' opinions on many films.
Also, how can you write nearly 400 densely packed pages on the "history" of Hollywood and its evolution and connection to the masses without once mentioning Oscar Micheaux or Noble Johnson...
Also, how can you write nearly 400 densely packed pages on the "history" of Hollywood and its evolution and connection to the masses without once mentioning Oscar Micheaux or Noble Johnson...
November 4, 2020
I read this one for a class I'm in for a book report. As interesting as this book is, it's really dense and it took awhile to get through.
August 13, 2021
(Read for class) Lots of interesting history
October 27, 2023
so outdated it’s crazy. books like this shouldn’t be used to teach you about a subject
December 1, 2017
Read this for my film/history class. This book was a great look into Hollywood culture and history of film. The majority of the book is about old Hollywood and that is the strongest part of the book.
February 10, 2014
Let me say that this was an incredibly important work when it was published. Up to that point, histories of film had mostly been indices of movies or Great Man texts. Sklar took movies off the screen and into the streets, so to speak. With that said, it is overly broad and attempts to tackle too much. As a introductory text, it is great. However, I did not learn much new from it. It is certainly a foundational text and worth reading just to see what conversations were happening back in the mid-70s, but it is very much a product of its time.
February 19, 2008
This is a fairly dreadful "history" of the American film industry that relies heavily on the ideas of the "great man" theory of history and definitely takes the view that nothing good happened after the break-up of the studio system in 1948. FAR too many metaphors and a great many unsubstantiated claims about audience reception.
May 24, 2009
I had to read this for my film class. I didn't read the entire thing, but I read most of it. The content was pretty interesting, and it would be even more so if I could view the films it discusses. It is a new and interesting way to look at films.
Read
March 12, 2010Increased my knowledge on how films are made and was part of my reading when I was in Film Studies at Concordia University. Still on my shelf at home. As well as others on documentaries, and books on film theory.
July 11, 2011
Some bias at the end makes me wonder a little about how objective the beginning is. And of course it's lacking a bit due to when it was published/revised. Overall, though, a very readable and informative overview of American cinema history. Worthwhile.
October 10, 2011
This books provides a sweeping history of the American film industry (as the title may suggest), but the title may not suggest that it gets in depth in some parts more than others. Nevertheless, I recommend it to anyone who believes that America is culture-less.
April 9, 2007
Film 106A, and I actually read this one too. Rarity!
July 3, 2007
Read for HISTAA365: History of American Film
March 24, 2011
One of my favorite textbooks from film school.
July 6, 2008
A great introductory book for anyone who wants to become more knowledgeable on the history of American cinema.
August 21, 2008
great history of the evolution of cinema and the culture it created and was created around
January 27, 2009
I learned a ton from this book about film in American culture!
December 20, 2011
Liked it, but anything I have to read for a class gets downgraded a bit by default.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews