When Movies Began to Speak
On October 6, 1927, audiences gathered at a New York City theater for the premiere of The Jazz Singer. They expected a movie, but they also heard something that seemed startlingly immediate: performer Al Jolson speaking and singing from the screen. The film helped change the movie industry, though it was neither the first movie with sound nor a film in which every scene was spoken aloud.
Before the voices
Movies had never been completely silent experiences for most audiences. In the silent-film era, theaters often hired pianists or other musicians to accompany the action. Some larger theaters had orchestras. The music could build suspense during a chase or make a sad scene feel even more powerful.
The films themselves usually communicated dialogue through printed cards called intertitles. A scene might show two characters arguing, then cut to a card giving their words. Viewers read the card and returned to the action. Actors used facial expressions and movement to help tell the story.
- premiere:
- The first public showing of a performance or film.
- suspense:
- A feeling of uncertainty or excitement about what will happen next.
- amplification:
- The process of making sound louder.
- coordinate:
- To organize things so they work together.
- caricatures:
- Exaggerated portrayals that distort people's features or qualities.
- stereotypes:
- Oversimplified beliefs or images applied to a group of people.
- discrimination:
- Unfair treatment of people because they belong to a particular group.
- inequalities:
- Unfair differences in people's opportunities or treatment.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why does the author describe The Jazz Singer as a turning point rather than the beginning of sound film?
- 2How did music and intertitles help audiences understand silent films?
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About this explanatory article passage for Middle School
“When Movies Began to Speak” is a explanatory article reading passage about The transition to sound films, written for Middle School. It takes about 5 minutes to read (820 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.