Essay Sample on Cabin in the Sky: 1943 Musical Film

Introduction

Cabin in the Sky is an American musical film produced in 1943. The movie was directed by Vincente Minnelli and the film stars, Lena Horne, Eddie Anderson, and Ethel Waters. In the 1940s, when this movie was produced, the US had recorded significant advances in film technology, ranging from cinematography, the use of color, lighting, and special effects to sound recordings. This phenomenon implies that American films of the early 1940s, including Cabin in the Sky, were more watchable and also perceived "modern." Notably, Cabin in the Sky was released at a golden era of movies when the US experienced a rapid increase in admissions to theatres. While World War II adversely impacted advances in the film industry, many Americans spent more on movie-going than other recreation. Five vertically-integrated Holly wood studios, however, dominated the country's film industry at a time Cabin in the Sky was released. These studios were Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney, Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. By their strategic ownership of studious across North America, these studios managed to block the entry of independent producers into the business. These theatres employed established stars, among other influential figures, to stabilize audience demand. The best strategy to promote Cabin in the Sky at a time it was released, therefore, is the use of theatrical gimmicks because of the existence of well-equipped studios that controlled the industry besides their established stars that influenced America's movie-going habits.

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Features that Makes the Movie Unique

The film's cast is full of stars, from Ethel Waters, Lena Horne, to Eddie Anderson. The three figures are notable in North America, owing to their contributions to the twentieth-century movies. Ethel Waters, in particular, was a famous American jazz and blues singer. Also, she was a dramatic actress who played crucial roles in the films Mamba's Daughters, Dubois, and Carson McCullers. Waters is famous in the music industry, mainly because of her singing, which featured her full-bodied voice, slow and full range vibrato.

Cabin in the Sky targets both whites and people of African descent. The movie has an all-black cast, although it was written by a white. Besides, the film's musical scores are essential during the promotion - the movie used orchestra by Duke Ellington and on-screen music by Louis Armstrong. The latter was a famous musician in the US and an influential figure in jazz.

Promotion Strategy

The use of movie gimmicks and posters is an ideal approach to promote this film. The reason is that studios had created a monopoly in the industry and could influence perceptions among the audience. As mentioned earlier, such theatres could shape promotions by blocking the entry of independent producers into the market. Besides, Americans were used to theatres and could not easily change their movie-going habits owing to advances in film technology.

The campaign would target the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) studio in its early stage because it was involved in the production of the film. Since Cabin in the Sky came from a conservative MGN, the movie has several stereotypes. Through Lena Horne, for instance, the film promotes an almost surreal vision of rural life, where the characters have self-worth and dignity. This way, posters and photos of Lena Horne would be strategically placed in public places, especially in rural areas of conservative states like Alabama (see figure 1). Besides, promoters will involve musicians Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington to market the film and also influence Americans to attend live concerts.

Bibliography

Butsch, Richard. "American Movie Audiences of the 1930s." International Labor and Working-Class History 7, no. 1 (2001): 106-120. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27672712

McDonald, Paul. The Star System: Hollywood's Production of Popular Identities. London: Columbia University Press, 2013.