Movie Trivia, from Thomas Edison on--with Images from Department 56

Dept. 56, Snow Village,
"Cinema 56," # 54978

On Feb.1, 1893 construction was completed on the first motion picture studio in the world.  We've come a long way, baby....  If I wanted, I could write a 13 volume treatise on the history of the film industry, and license it to Johnson and Johnson for a sedative.  Instead, I have prepared a list of 10 trivia questions to twittle your imagination.  Here goes!  Of course, I will illustrate all of my points using Department 56 Village buildings and accessories!  For example, the Snow Village Cinema 56 to the right was probably the locale of multiple premiere performances in your local village.

Dept. 56, North Pole Village,
"Polar Palace Theater," #56741

QUESTION #1:  Who built the first motion picture studio, and where was it located?
(Note, the answer is not the Polar Palace Theater, which is delightful, and probably ran the premiere in the North Pole.)



Answer:  Thomas Edison completed construction of the first motion picture studio, on the grounds of his laboratories at West Orange, New Jersey in 1893.  The studio was called the Black Maria, and it's main purpose was to make film for the Kinetoscope, a device which could be used by one person to view a film strip.  The new film production studio's roof could be opened, and the building was mounted on a revolving pivot so it could be constantly repositioned to receive light based on the sun's alignment!



The cost for the Black Maria?  $637.67

"Black Maria" Studio,
West Orange, New Jersey
Thanks to Wikipedia for image.

By the way, the studio was called the Black Maria because employees said the dark, stuffy studio reminded them of "paddywagons," or police vans, which were called Black Marias.

Kinetoscope, original design by Edison Studios.
Thanks to Wikipedia for image.

QUESTION #2:  What was the first movie made?

Answer:  The first film ever made showed three people pretending to be blacksmiths. (If you think this blog is a yawn, imagine watching a movie of 3 men pretending to be blacksmiths.)  This first movie was created for an exhibit of the Kinetoscope, an audio/visual device patented by Edison's studio to do "for the Eye what the phonograph does for the Ear."  In deference to your patience, I shall not provide a YouTube link for this movie.

Dept. 56, Christmas in the City,
"Brooklyn Bridge," #59247.

This first movie exhibit was held in May, 1893 at the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, which may or may not have been near the Brooklyn Bridge, pictured to the right.

Dept. 56, Snow Village,
"2001 Space Oddity," #55118

In Jan., 1894, a follow-up blockbuster was released,  "The Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze," also called "Fred Ott's Sneeze," a gripping account of Edison's assistant, Fred Ott, "sneezing comically." This was first of a series of short films made to publicize the Kinetoscope and the studio, and was the earliest motion picture to be copyrighted.  It is reputed to have heavily influenced the movie "2001 Space Odyssey," which heavily influenced the Dept. 56 accessory at left.
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edison's_Black_Maria)

Dept. 56, Snow Village,
"Stardust Drive-In,"  #55064

QUESTION #3:  When, where and by whom was the first public cinema presentation?  In other words, when was the first movie shown in a theater to the public?

Answer:  On Dec. 28, 1895 the brothers  Auguste and Louis Lumiere had a showing of a series of short films, including the Arrival of a Train (L'Arrivee d'un Train,) at the Salon Indien du Grand Cafe in Paris.  The 10 short films were hand cracked through a projector and each ran approximately 50 seconds.  (Source:  http://mubi.com/films/arrival-of-a-train)

The two brothers had invented the Cinematograph, a machine which made and projected moving images. Within a few years, they had catalogued over a thousand films, all under a minute in length, frequently filmed in exotic locations.  Most were documentaries, though there were a few fictional scenes.

Auguste and Louis Lumiere,
making the decisions that
there was no money in movies.

Possessing no Steve Jobs-like vision, the Lumiere brothers decided there was little future in Cinematography and left the business in 1901.  (Source:  http://mubi.com/films/arrival-of-a-train)

Dept. 56, Snow Village,
"Rockability Records," #54880.
Carried the first film soundtrack.

QUESTION #4:  For what movie was the first soundtrack album released?

Answer:  The first commercially issued film soundtrack was for the 1937 Disney film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."  Issued in Jan., 1937, the album was given the memorable label, "Songs from Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (with the Same Characters and Sound Effects in the Film of That Title.)"

What I think is the original poster for
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."

If you are still reading this, you must, must, MUST, click on the following link to YouTube for a 1937 newsreel report on the premiere of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" in 1937.  You'll see Marlena Dietrich, "Doug" Fairbanks, Shirley Temple with the Seven Dwarfs, and a very young Walt Disney.  Moreover, you will see how different Minnie and Mickey Mouse looked in 1937!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILBw0sz0Ahc

Dept. 56, Snow Village,
"Looney Toons Film Festival," #54983

QUESTION #5: What were some of the first types of movie memorabilia collected?

Answer:  The public started collecting movie memorabilia almost as soon as movies started: scrap-books, autographs, photographs, and industry magazines.  Nowadays there are complex licensing agreements to make and sell movie paraphenalia like stuffed animals, action toys, watches, key chains, and much more.

"The Wizard of Oz," poster, 1939.

Maybe the one item that most captures collectors'  imaginations, though, is the movie poster.  Originally, movie posters were distributed and delivered for the exclusive use of the theaters showing a film.  The posters were to be returned to the distributor after the film stopped playing.  The National Screen Service was the business which printed and distributed these posters between 1940 and 1984.  Posters were frequently in circulation for years, and were supposed to be returned for storage.  Of course, many ended up in collections.  The first film poster may have been 1895's "L'Arroseur Arrose," which you can see under Question #3 above.  (Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auguste_and_Louis_Lumière)

Dept. 56, Christmas in the City,
"A Night on the Town," #59452

QUESTONS #6:   When and where was the first Hollywood premiere, as we know it.

Answer:  Presented by master showman Sid Grauman, the first gala premiere took place in 1922 at Grauman's Egyptian Theater in Hollywood.  The premiere was to celebrate the opening of "Robin Hood," the silent screen version with Douglas Fairbanks.  This very first premiere featured the bright lights and hoppla which have characterized the events ever since. (http://www.seeing-stars.com/meet/moviepremieres.shtml)

Dept. 56, Christmas in the City,
"The Grand Movie Theater," #58870

QUESTION #7:  Which was the most glamorous of movie premiers?

Well, it's in the eyes of the eyes of the beholder, but the most glamorous movie premiere may have been for "The Wizard of Oz" at Grauman's Chinese Theater in 1939.  Reputedly 10,000 people showed up for the event. The movie was MGM's most expensive production to date, and received two Academy Awards and a nomination for Best Picture of the Year.   The publicity splash did not help the show become a financial success, however.  It's initial release did not recoup the studios's investment, though subsequent releases did cover the costs.  By the way, the movie did receive the Academy Award for Best Original Song, "Over the Rainbow."  If you would like to see a YouTube clip of the film, with Judy Garland singing "Over the Rainbow," click here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es3vpC8gXKI  (Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wizard_of_Oz_%281939_film%29)

Dept. 56, Christmas in the City,
"It's a Wrap," #807256

QUESTION #8:  What is the top-grossing film of all time?

Answer:  Calculating the measuring system for "top grossing' would require a Nobel Prize in Mathematics.  Suffice it to say that Wikipedia lists the following 5 top-grossing movies of all time:  1.  Avatar; 2.  Titanic; 3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows-Part 2; 4.  Transformers:  Dark of the Moon; 5. The Lord of the Rings:  The Return of the King.

Dept. 56, Snow Village,

"Paramount Theater," #51420

QUESTION #9:  Who are the top-grossing movie actor and actress?

Answer:  For actor, did you guess Tom Cruise?  Tom Hanks?  Paul Newman?  WRONG!  Entertainment Weekly, the 300 pound gorilla in Entertainment News, just behind the National Enquirer, claims it is Samuel L. Jackson...? Not always top bill, Jackson has nonetheless been around in blockbuster films and just bust films for 2 decades, and it has all added up.  http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/10/27/samuel-l-jackson-highest-grossing-actor/  As a note to  stir the muddy waters, Comcast lists Tom Hanks as the top grossing actor....

Dept. 56, North Pole Village,
"Two for the Show," #56814

Now, for top actress: Not Julia Roberts, or Sandra Bullock or Jennifer Aniston.....the top grossing actress, according to Comcast, is Cameron Diaz!

Dept. 56, Snow Village,
"Dr. Seuss' how the Grinch Stole Christmas!", #55103
Maybe not the highest grossing animated film, but
a Christmas favorite, nonetheless!

QUESTION #10:  What is the top-grossing animated film of all time?

Answer: Drumroll, please.  With a worldwide gross of $1,063,171,911, Toy Story 3 is the highest-grossing animated film.  Auguste and Louis Lumiere, eat your heart out!