On this date in 1949, vinyl records were introduced by RCA (45 rpm) and Columbia (33.3 rpm). Can you name the first film that included the release of a soundtrack?
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I remember reading somewhere, long ago, that the first film with a synchronized recorded soundtrack was a short called "Phonofilm" or something like that. The first feature film with a recorded, synchronized musical soundtrack was "Robin Hood" with John Barrymore, which came out about a year before "The Jazz Singer", which was the first feature film with recorded dialogue.
I was referring to the first film that reportedly released a soundtrack for purchase by the public. According to IMDB, that film was "Snow White" (1937). It is listed among the trivia about the film here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029583/trivia. But, the beauty of posing such a question on The Faculty Lounge includes the possibility of learning a thing or two from responses such as yours. I checked into "Phonofilm" and found this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonofilm. So, absent a clearly-stated sale component (which, understanably could be misunderstood by the reference to the soundtrack's "release"), you are correct.
Yes, that was one of the first, but the film that launched the use of popular music in films was "Blackboard Jungle" (1955), whose theme song was "Rock Around the Clock," by Bill Haley and the Comets.
I remember reading somewhere, long ago, that the first film with a synchronized recorded soundtrack was a short called "Phonofilm" or something like that. The first feature film with a recorded, synchronized musical soundtrack was "Robin Hood" with John Barrymore, which came out about a year before "The Jazz Singer", which was the first feature film with recorded dialogue.
Posted by: Larry Ross | January 10, 2012 at 12:19 PM
I was referring to the first film that reportedly released a soundtrack for purchase by the public. According to IMDB, that film was "Snow White" (1937). It is listed among the trivia about the film here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029583/trivia. But, the beauty of posing such a question on The Faculty Lounge includes the possibility of learning a thing or two from responses such as yours. I checked into "Phonofilm" and found this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonofilm. So, absent a clearly-stated sale component (which, understanably could be misunderstood by the reference to the soundtrack's "release"), you are correct.
Posted by: Kelly Anders | January 10, 2012 at 12:34 PM
I meant "understandably." That'll teach me to post before previewing. ;-)
Posted by: Kelly Anders | January 10, 2012 at 12:36 PM
I think that the first film with a soundtrack that was really popular was "The Graduate," but I'm doubting that it was the first one.
Posted by: Jeff Yates | January 10, 2012 at 12:59 PM
Yes, that was one of the first, but the film that launched the use of popular music in films was "Blackboard Jungle" (1955), whose theme song was "Rock Around the Clock," by Bill Haley and the Comets.
Posted by: Kelly Anders | January 10, 2012 at 03:50 PM