Motion picture, also called film or movie, series of still photographs on film, projected in rapid succession onto a screen by means of light. This new art form became one of the most popular and influential media of the 20th century and beyond. In early twentieth-century France, a new form of entertainment was becoming a hit — motion pictures. People crowded into theatres for short, silent, black-and-white films that showed everyday happenings, such as a train pulling into a station. These images were dimly projected onto white sheets. Usually, there was no sound. Occasionally, men at pianos played music to match the scenes.
Later, with the introduction of colour and sound, the silent film soon disappeared. Colour and sound introduced a new world into the cinema and steadily grew more effective. It can be used to produce a powerful dramatic impression. Moving images at theatres are now no longer novel, but back at the beginning of the art form, surprises lurked (隐藏) around every corner. During the initial showings of basic silent movies, some people in the audience screamed in fear, reacting to what they saw as if it were happening in real life. Moviegoers were known to even leap out of their seats due to the trains on the screen. At that time, few people understood what motion pictures were, so audience members could easily be fooled.
Today, people crowd into theatres for the latest 3D movies. Even older movies, such as the popular Star Wars series, are being re-released in 3D. Moviemakers are excited about the ability to involve the audience more directly in the story or film. In addition, theatres invest tens of thousands of dollars on high-quality audio systems so that everything from the safest whispers to the largest explosions sounds clear and realistic. Sound, dialogue, and music are used in combination not only with one another but also with the visual image. They can overlap and vary in intensity in a flexible and complex pattern with those high-quality audio systems.
What will movies be like 100 years from now? Will audience be able to smell scents in the films, taste the food that characters are eating, or even become part of the stories themselves? Only time will tell.
