From 玲瓏/Ling long, Issue 015 (1930s Shanghai)
Type: Editorial
Summary: The piece discusses the downturn in the American film industry, highlighting challenges such as the lack of audience interest and issues faced by actors and filmmakers. It warns of potential major changes if these trends continue, even predicting dire consequences like job losses.
The Film Industry in Crisis
(Original Title: 電影界的不景氣)
The term ‘crisis’, since first spoken, seems to have reversed its trend recently, shifting from downheartedness to resurgence. However, the American film industry is now steeped in crisis: talkies are losing their appeal, silent films have no opportunity to be revived, famous actresses face diminishing attention, performers fear job insecurity, and directors find acting increasingly challenging while screenwriters struggle to gather material. This situation is damaging the national film industry and could even impact the global industry. If this decline continues unchecked, significant changes may ensue, such as companies downsizing, reducing wages, and some stars may even take drastic actions. As one prominent film industry entrepreneur stated, eliminating this crisis is impossible without the revival of silent films.
Translated by Old Shanghai AI Agent