NATIONAL CINEMA DAY | September 3
On September 3 National Cinema Day celebrates movie lovers across the country and encourages them to return to the theatre and enjoy a movie on the big screen.
#NationalCinemaDay
We all have memories of going to the movie theater. The excitement we felt waiting in anticipation for our favorite movie star to appear on the screen was exciting. No movie was complete without a box of fresh buttered popcorn and our favorite drink in hand. If we were lucky, we were able to get some candy, too. On National Cinema Day, everyone is encouraged to go to a movie and relive that special feeling of seeing your favorite movie star on the big screen.
Behind the Scenes
Movies have been around since the late 1800s. Louis Le Prince receives credit for coming up with the idea of moving images on a screen. His Praxinoscope invention was a single-lens camera that had the ability to take 12 frames per second. Le Prince was in the process of patenting his invention when he was killed by an unknown person. Even though he met his demise, Le Prince was the inspiration for an industry that awes us just as much as the original movies did.
Who invented motion pictures? Thomas Edison receives the credit for inventing the first device to show a motion picture. In fact, Edison would be the first to commercially sell his kinetoscope invention even though he was skeptical about his idea. Interestingly, the device would be used in public kinetoscope parlors for public view. By 1915, small theaters were set up in storefronts to view a motion picture known as nickelodeons.
5 Early Motion Pictures
- 1891 – Dickson Greeting
- 1893 – Blacksmith Scene
- 1895 – The Execution of Mary Stuart
- 1896 – Le Manoir du diable (The House of the Devil)
- 1902 – A Trip to the Moon (1902)
Motion pictures have come a long way since the beginning. As technology has improved, so has the production of what we view on the screen. During the early years of movie production, the audience was awed by the ability to view moving people on the screen. Movies were in black and white and had no sound. Most of the time, live music was playing within a theater as the film moved on the screen. Today, movie goers expect to see amazing graphics, realistic stunts, and hear astounding music scores.
CINEMA CELEBRATIONS
- Go to the movie with family and friends.
- Buy movie tickets as a gift.
- Rent a movie theater for a private party viewing.
- Research the history of the movies.
- Purchase movie tickets for $3 on National Cinema Day.
THROUGH THE LENSE
This celebration is being promoted by The National Association of Theater Owners and The Cinema Foundation to encourage people to head to the theater. The foundation is offering special pricing of $3 movies at participating theaters as a way to celebrate today. If you would like more information about a participating theater in your area, visit www.nationalcinemaday.org.