the studio system but you can't see it
Jun 14, 2026 · 2h 50m
Summary
This bonus episode of "Well There Is Your Problem" features guest Noah, a former film industry worker and housing organizer, who delivers a lecture on the history of cinema. The discussion covers early optical devices like the camera obscura and magic lantern, Edward Muybridge’s motion studies, and the invention of the kinetoscope and cinematograph. The hosts also joke about Los Angeles, biking, and the flammability of celluloid film.
Topics discussed
Intro, Los Angeles trip, and bike share mishaps
Hollywood sign history and early film definitions
Camera obscura, magic lanterns, and Muybridge
Edison's Kinetoscope and the move to California
Hollywood's founding, WWI impact, and Universal
The Jazz Singer, talkies, and the Big Five studios
Vertical integration, block booking, and studio power
Star contracts, scandals, and the Hays Code
Depression era, Howard Hughes, and The Conqueror
New Hollywood, Disney consolidation, and streaming
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