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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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