MGM

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science
Cover of the book MGM by Tino Balio, Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Tino Balio ISBN: 9781317429678
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: March 14, 2018
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author: Tino Balio
ISBN: 9781317429678
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: March 14, 2018
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

The winner of the 2019 Peter C. Rollins Book Award

This is the first comprehensive history of MGM from its origins in 1905 to the present. Following a straightforward chronology corresponding to specific periods of film industry history, each chapter describes how successive managements adjusted their production strategies and business practices in response to evolving industrial and market conditions.

As the production subsidiary of the Loew’s Inc. theatre chain, MGM spent lavishly on its pictures and injected them with plenty of star power. The practice helped sustain MGM’s preeminent position during the heyday of Hollywood. But MGM was a conservative company and watched as other studios innovated with sound and widescreen, adjusted to television, and welcomed independent producers. By the 1960s, the company, sans its theatre chain, was in decline and was ripe for a takeover. A defining moment occurred in 1969, when Kirk Kerkorian, a Las Vegas entrepreneur, made a successful bid for the company. There followed a tumultuous thirty-six-year period when Kerkorian bought and sold MGM three times. Meanwhile, MGM never regained its former status and has functioned as a second-tier company to this day.

Focusing on MGM’s top talent – such as Louis B. Mayer, Irving Thalberg, David O. Selznick, and Arthur Freed; directors King Vidor and Vincente Minnelli; and stars of the screen Greta Garbo, Judy Garland, Clark Gable, and Mickey Rooney – and award-winning films, this book highlights the studio’s artistic achievements and status within the industry.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The winner of the 2019 Peter C. Rollins Book Award

This is the first comprehensive history of MGM from its origins in 1905 to the present. Following a straightforward chronology corresponding to specific periods of film industry history, each chapter describes how successive managements adjusted their production strategies and business practices in response to evolving industrial and market conditions.

As the production subsidiary of the Loew’s Inc. theatre chain, MGM spent lavishly on its pictures and injected them with plenty of star power. The practice helped sustain MGM’s preeminent position during the heyday of Hollywood. But MGM was a conservative company and watched as other studios innovated with sound and widescreen, adjusted to television, and welcomed independent producers. By the 1960s, the company, sans its theatre chain, was in decline and was ripe for a takeover. A defining moment occurred in 1969, when Kirk Kerkorian, a Las Vegas entrepreneur, made a successful bid for the company. There followed a tumultuous thirty-six-year period when Kerkorian bought and sold MGM three times. Meanwhile, MGM never regained its former status and has functioned as a second-tier company to this day.

Focusing on MGM’s top talent – such as Louis B. Mayer, Irving Thalberg, David O. Selznick, and Arthur Freed; directors King Vidor and Vincente Minnelli; and stars of the screen Greta Garbo, Judy Garland, Clark Gable, and Mickey Rooney – and award-winning films, this book highlights the studio’s artistic achievements and status within the industry.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book The North American Folk Music Revival: Nation and Identity in the United States and Canada, 1945–1980 by Tino Balio
Cover of the book Democratic Social Education by Tino Balio
Cover of the book Women, Science, and Technology by Tino Balio
Cover of the book Mao's Road to Power by Tino Balio
Cover of the book Making a Difference: Progressive Values in Public Administration by Tino Balio
Cover of the book Health Technology Development and Use by Tino Balio
Cover of the book Women's Rights and Religious Law by Tino Balio
Cover of the book Solution-Focused Substance Abuse Treatment by Tino Balio
Cover of the book Good Faith and Insurance Contracts by Tino Balio
Cover of the book Peace in World History by Tino Balio
Cover of the book Social Media Communication by Tino Balio
Cover of the book Readercentric Writing for Digital Media by Tino Balio
Cover of the book Damaged Life by Tino Balio
Cover of the book Himalaya to the Sea by Tino Balio
Cover of the book Permanently Online, Permanently Connected by Tino Balio
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy