MovieChat Forums > The Jazz Singer (1928) Discussion > How did it become the first Talkie..

How did it become the first Talkie..

posted 17 years ago by gnrchild5222
7 replies | jump to latest

I don't know a lot about film history, but I am aware this was the first film with sound (or was it just voice acting?) Anyways, I'm wondering how exactly that came about? My understanding was that before this film came out, all sound for a movie came from a piano or other such instrument being played in the back of the theater. In order for this to have prerecorded sound and singing, wouldn't every theater in the country ( or select theaters) have had to be wired with some sort of primitive speaker system just before the movie came out? Or am I missing a step? Had most theaters already moved to having record players play the music instead of live instruments? That would mean they just had to synchronize singing and talking in addition to music. I guess I've got some gaps in my knowledge of history.

[–] ricaniusrhubarb 17 years ago

Actually, a lot of theaters were not equipted with sound systems at the point of this film's release. So, some had to watch this film with no sound. However, when it became obvious how successful the jazz singer was, most theaters got equipted with sound. And for a lot of audiences, THE SINGING FOOL (1928) was their first talking picture experience. I should also note that, like THE JAZZ SINGER, Al Jolson was the star of THE SINGING FOOL, and it was the highest grossing picture of all-time until GONE WITH THE WIND was released in 1939, some 11 years after.

[–] movieman1040 17 years ago

"I should also note that, like THE JAZZ SINGER, Al Jolson was the star of THE SINGING FOOL, and it was the highest grossing picture of all-time until GONE WITH THE WIND was released in 1939, some 11 years after."

Really interesting fact. Can I ask where you got this factoid? Your source?

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] michaellax 17 years ago

"Really interesting fact. Can I ask where you got this factoid? Your source?"

Purchase the 3-Disc 80th Anniversary Edition of "The Jazz Singer" (or rent Disc 2) and it contains a comprehensive documentary about the origins of sound films, and includes this fact.

[–] samuraivaletservice 17 years ago

Guys,

I was out in Hollywood for several events related to the 80th Anniversary and the DVD release and this has been confiormed by several senior members of WB management who have access to the revenue records. THE SINGING FOOL indeed was the biggest moneymaker for 11 years until GONE WITH THE WIND.

And YES, please buy the DVD. It is great, is LOADED with extras and will help encourage more releases of vintange material. Spread the word. Just the shorts are worth it.

Ron Hutchinson
The Vitaphone Project
www.vitaphoneproject.com

[–] Kinematico 16 years ago

Yeah, buy or at least rent the amazing 3-disc set of The Jazz Singer. The extras are quite insightful and informative.

The Jazz Singer was the first FEATURE-LENGTH motion picture with synchronized talking and singing recorded live, but way before The Jazz Singer several films were shot with live-recorded sound (music or dialogues). i.e. The aformentioned "Dickson Experimental Sound Film" from 1895. It lasts just a few seconds, it features a man (Dickson himself playing the violin) while other two fellows dances (Edison's employees).
Later, in the early 20's some films used different devices in order to produce the first feature-length film with a successful "synchronized" dialogue. Amongst them: the films produced using De Forest's Phonophilm system. All of them were a failure technically speaking and a flop at the box office because the quality was really poor.

As a curious fact, the very Al Jolson appears in a short film one year before the Jazz Singer. It was recorded using Vitaphone system. In that short Al Jolson sings and dances. It lasts about 10 min.

thereofore the first feature-length film (over 60 min) with true synchronized audio, recorded live (Music and dialogues) was The Jazz Singer. And then... many more.

I repeat, buy the DVD set. 2 weeks ago I didn't know too much about The Jazz Singer, but now I know a little bit even about the technical differences between Phonofilm, Vitaphone, Fox Movietone systems, etc. And I have yet to hear the audiocommentaries!

[–] bradford-1 12 years ago

There were several attempts in French and Italian films pre-1920 at synchronized sound. The big problem was always projecting sound across a large area.
"May I bone your kipper, Mademoiselle?"