什么是 “乙” 电影?
“乙” films resulted from Hollywood distribution companies implementing a double bill or two movies screening strategy at theaters they owned. 当大萧条导致电影观众开始放弃之间的电影 1930 和 1932, Hollywood studios, 它仍然控制生产和分配, came up with the idea of showing two films back-to-back to give customers more bang for their buck.
A typical trip to the movies involved seeing a cartoon, a short, a continuing weekly serial like Flash Gordon, a cheaper or formula film known as a “乙” 电影, and the feature. Even after the economy recovered, viewers expected a three hour or more experience any time they went to the movies.
还是从先生. 黄先生在唐人街 (1939)
根据 电影叙事的历史 by David A. Cook, the way “乙” films were distributed left little financial risk for either the producer or distributor. It also created a much smaller profit margin.
Profits from a feature film were split between the producer and distributor with anywhere from a 60/40 to a 80/20 split. “乙” films were rented at a flat rate. According to Cook, the average budget for a “乙” film was $20,000, which turned a $3,000 至 $4,000 profit.
Still from Tangled Destinies (1932)
该 “乙” 电影确实制作了几个非常受欢迎的系列，例如查理陈, 三个牧豆树和 Hopalong Cassidy, which are still popular today. Even though they were made on smaller budgets, the films were entertaining and still enjoy a following today.
When the motion picture companies were forced to divest themselves of theater chains and viewers tastes changed after 1949, the double bill faded into history.
With little demand, 该 “乙” studios were forced out of business but they have left a legacy of cheap but entertaining films. Most of the films are available free in the public domain through sites like the Internet Archive.
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