From 1895, when the Lumière brothers first
delighted French audiences with their “moving
pictures” to today’s multi-billion-dollar film
industry, movies have become a popular type
of entertainment, an important art form, and a
way to shape people’s opinions. The “magic”of
movies is that they are created from a series of
individual images shown in rapid sequence.Movies
▼ SILENT
Until the late 1920s, the technology
to add recorded sound to movies did
not exist. Instead, bits of dialogue or
key story points appeared as words
on screen, and actors relied on body
language. Live piano music helped
to set the mood.▼ WESTERN
Set in the tough American West, these
movies captivated huge audiences in the
1950s and ‘60s. Westerns tell of cowboys,
outlaws, gunslingers, and good guys as
they faced the challenges of frontier life.▼ HORROR
These movies are created to terrify and shock the
audience. In a typical horror film, characters must
overpower evil – be it a monster, a ghost, or a serial
killer. Horror films are often quite violent and gory.▲ SCI-FI AND FANTASY
Imaginative and visually stunning,
science fiction and fantasy allow
filmmakers to explore future worlds, use
special effects, and speculate about
our relationship with technology.▲ ACTION-ADVENTURE
These movies often follow the exploits of a
hero, with plenty of fast-paced stunt work,
chases, fistfights, and shoot-outs. From
intrepid crime-fighters to special agents,
these daring heroes always save the day.▲ ANIMATION
These movies are created when
a rapid sequence of drawings (or
models) is run together to give the
illusion of movement. Animation also
270 uses computer-generated images (CGI).270_271_Film.indd 270 03/01/19 12:11 PM