Movies are both art and commerce, creative expressions of
national/cultural interests and preoccupations and part of a global
entertainment market. The past century has witnessed a transformation of
the movies from popular novelties into highly valued cultural icons and
commodities that have promoted national identity and specific political
agendas, while also affecting international trade.
This comprehensive history of the international movie industry from its
inception in 1895 to the present features nineteen original essays by
international scholars who examine the film industries of nineteen
countries and six continents. Each chapter in The International Movie
Industry focuses on a specific national movie industry's economic and
related social, aesthetic, technological, and political/ideological
development within an international context during the last century. The
result is a global history of the movie industry over the last one
hundred years.