List of years in film
This page indexes the individual
year in film pages. Each year is annotated with a significant event as a reference point.
*
19th century in film*20th century in film:
**
1900s -
1910s -
1920s -
1930s -
1940s -
1950s -
1960s -
1970s -
1980s -
1990s*21st century in film:
**
2000sSee also: 19th century in film*
1875*
1888 - The first credited film,
Roundhay Garden Scene, is recorded.
*
1889*
1890*
1891*
1892*
1893*
1894 -
Thomas Edison records
Fred Ott's sneeze
*
1895*
1896*
1897*
1898*
1899 -
CinderellaSee also: 1900s in film*
1900*
1901*
1902 -
A Trip to the Moon by
George Méliès*
1903 -
The Great Train Robbery, by
Edwin S. Porter*
1904 -
The Great Train Robbery, remake by
Siegmund Lubin*
1905 -
*
1906 - The world's first feature film, "
The Story of the Kelly Gang", released in Australia
*
1907 -
Ben-Hur, directed by
Sidney Olcott*
1908 -
Thomas Edison formed the
Motion Picture Patents Company*
1909 -
See also: 1910s in film*
1910 - First filmed "
Frankenstein" by Edison studios.
*
1911 - Nestor Films opens the first motion picture studio in
Hollywood.
*
1912 -
From the Manger To the Cross, directed by
Sidney Olcott. First American feature film made,
Oliver Twist.
*
1913 - The first
Charlie Chaplin movies are made.
*
1914 -
Tillie's Punctured Romance produced by
Mack Sennett, stars
Marie Dressler,
Charlie Chaplin, and
Mabel Normand.
*
1915 -
The Country Girl, starring
Florence LaBadie. The first great epic of American film,
The Birth of a Nation is produced by D. W. Griffith.
*
1916 - D. W. Griffith's second monumental production,
Intolerance is released.
*
1917 -
Technicolor is introduced
*
1918 - "
My Four Years in Germany" is the first Warner Brothers production. First National releases the first
Tarzan film, starring
Elmo Lincoln.
*
1919 - United Artists is founded by
Douglas Fairbanks,
Mary Pickford,
Charlie Chaplin and
D. W. Griffith.
See also: 1920s in film*
1920 -
Buster Keaton begins starring in shorts and his first feature, "
The Saphead" at Metro. Erich Von Stroheim's "
The Devil's Passkey" stars
Mae Busch at Goldwyn.
*
1921 -
Laurel and Hardy's first film together is "
A Lucky Dog".
*
1922 -
Nosferatu, first ever vampire film released. Also, "
Our Gang" series begins at Hal Roach studios.
*
1923 -
Harold Lloyd's greatest movie "
Safety Last" produced by Hal Roach, released by Pathe;
Charles Chaplin releases
A Woman of Paris*
1924 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio established.
Erich von Stroheim's
magnum opus,
Greed released.
*
1925 -
Lon Chaney's greatest film,
The Phantom of the Opera is released by Universal with colour sequences.
*
1926 - First Vitaphone feature, "
Don Juan" starring John Barrymore, released by Warner Brothers. Posthumously released, "
The Son Of the Shiek" is
Rudolph Valentino's biggest grossing film.
*
1927 -
Al Jolson movie
The Jazz Singer popularizes sound motion pictures. First talkie newsreel,"
Fox Movietone News".
*
1928 - First talkie cartoon,"
Dinner Time" is produced by VanBuren Studios, the second talkie cartoon, "
Steamboat Willie" by
Walt Disney is released a month later.
*
1929 - The first
Academy Awards, or Oscars, are distributed. Also,
Laurel & Hardy make their talkie debut in "
Unaccustomed As we are" co-starring
Thelma Todd at Hal Roach Studios.
Rko-Radio studio is established.
See also: 1930s in film*
1930 - The first
Busby Berkely musical film, "
Whoopee" starring
Eddie Cantor, is released by Goldwyn in colour. Also,
Max Fleischer's animated star "
Betty Boop" debuts.
*
1931 - Laurel & Hardy's first feature, "
Pardon Us" is released by MGM.
*
1932 -
Shirley Temple's film career begins
*
1933 -
Walt Disney's
Flowers and Trees premieres, the first film produced in the three-strip
Technicolor process. The film
Ecstacy, which shows simulated sex, shocks audiences. Also, First
Popeye cartoon, "
Popeye the Sailor" debuts.
*
1934 -
Samuel Goldwyn purchases the film rights to
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from
Frank J. Baum. The first Columbia
Three Stooges short is released.
Shirley Temple becomes a star. The so-called 'pre-code' era ends when the
Production Code is amended to require all films to obtain a certificate of approval. The code is effectively enforced for the first time with the removal of nude scenes from the movie
Tarzan and his Mate.
*
1935 -
Laurel & Hardy's last short subject, "
Thicker Than water". The first feature-length motion picture in three-strip
Technicolor,
RKO's
Becky Sharp.*
1936 -
Thelma Todd's final short subject "
An All-American Toothache" co-starring
Patsy Kelly and
Mickey Daniels.
*
1937 -
Snow White, first feature-length animated movie
*
1938 -
Bringing Up Baby released to a cold box-office reception.
*
1939 - Hollywood is in its Golden Age;
Gone with the Wind,
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and
The Wizard of Oz premiere.
See also: 1940s in film*
1940 - Columbia releases
Charley Chase's last film, "
South of the Boudoir"
*
1941 -
Citizen Kane, starring
Orson Welles, premieres
*
1942 -
Bambi released.
Casablanca, starring
Humprey Bogart and
Ingrid Bergman, released.
*
1943 -
Lassie Come Home introduces
Lassie.
*
1944 - Last
Our Gang shorts, produced by MGM.
*
1945 -
National Velvet brings
Elizabeth Taylor to prominence
*
1946 -
Frank Capra's
It's a Wonderful Life premieres
*
1947 -
Miracle on 34th Street*
1948 -
Joan of Arc, starring
Ingrid Bergman,
Edgar Kennedy's final short for RKO.
*
1949 -
Sands of Iwo Jima, directed by
Allan DwanSee also: 1950s in film*
1950 -
Disney's
Cinderella. Also,
Laurel & Hardy's final film, "
Atoll K" is made in Europe.
*
1951 -
An American in Paris*
1952 -
Cinerama-system is introduced
*
1953 - Disney's
Peter Pan*
1954 -
On the Waterfront,
A Star Is Born and
Alfred Hitchcock's
Rear Window*
1955 -
East of Eden, starring
James Dean*
1956 -
The Ten Commandments, starring
Charlton Heston*
1957 -
Jailhouse Rock, starring
Elvis Presley*
1958 -
Alfred Hitchcock's
Vertigo-
Edward Dmytryk's
The Young Lions*
1959 -
Ben-Hur premieres
See also: 1960s in film*
1960 -
Alfred Hitchcock's
Psycho*
1961 -
West Side Story premieres
*
1962 -
Lawrence of Arabia and
To Kill a Mockingbird premiere
*
1963 -
Alfred Hitchcock's
The Birds*
1964 -
The Beatles star in
A Hard Day's Night*
1965 -
The Sound of Music premieres
*
1966 -
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?*
1967 -
The Graduate*
1968 -
Stanley Kubrick's
2001: A Space Odyssey*
1969 -
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance KidSee also: 1970s in film*
1970 -
Patton and
M*A*S*H are released
*
1971 -
The French Connection premieres
*
1972 -
The Godfather premieres
*
1973 -
The Sting and
The Exorcist are released
*
1974 -
Jesus Christ Superstar*
1975 -
Steven Spielberg's
Jaws is released
*
1976 -
Rocky premieres
*
1977 -
George Lucas' science fiction film
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope is released and
The Bee Gees sing in
Saturday Night Fever*
1978 -
National Lampoon's Animal House;
Dawn of the Dead (1978 film);
The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)*
1979 -
Francis Ford Coppola's
Apocalypse NowSee also: 1980s in film*
1980 -
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and
Caddyshack are released.
*
1981 - The
George Lucas/
Steven Spielberg collaboration,
Raiders of the Lost Ark, premieres
*
1982 -
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial premieres
*
1983 -
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi,
The Big Chill, and
The Right Stuff are released
*
1984 -
Ghost Busters and
Amadeus are released,
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom*
1985 -
Steven Spielberg's
The Color Purple premieres
*
1986 -
Fatal Attraction premieres
*
1987 -
Three Men and a Baby is released
*
1988 -
Rain Man starring
Dustin Hoffman and
Tom Cruise*
1989 -
Batman, directed by
Tim Burton,
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade starring
Sean ConnerySee also: 1990s in film*
1990 - The first
Home Alone is released.
Dances with Wolves takes best picture
*
1991 -
The Silence of the Lambs is released
*
1992 - Family films like
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and
Aladdin are released
*
1993 -
Schindler's List and
Jurassic Park are released
*
1994 -
Tom Hanks stars in
Forrest Gump;
The Lion King becomes the highest grossing animated film of all-time (record held until 2003).
*
1995 -
Mel Gibson directs and stars in
Braveheart*
1996 -
Fargo is released,
The English Patient*
1997 -
Titanic,
As Good as It Gets and
Men in Black are released;
Atom Egoyan releases
The Sweet Hereafter*
1998 -
Tom Hanks stars in
Saving Private Ryan*
1999 -
Science fiction films such as
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and
The Matrix are released,
The Sixth Sense (directed by
M. Night Shyamalan)
See also: 2000s in film*
2000 -
Gladiator,
Cast Away and
O Brother, Where Art Thou? are released
*
2001 -
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone ;
Peter Jackson's
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,
Shrek,
Agent Provocateur controversial ad campaign features
Kylie Minogue*
2002 -
Julie Taymor -
Frida,
Peter Jackson's
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,
George Lucas'
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones,
Spider-Man,
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*
2003 -
Peter Jackson's
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,
Pixar's
Finding Nemo overtakes
The Lion King as highest grossing animated film of all time.
*
2004 -
Shrek 2 breaks records for animated movies,
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban;
Mel Gibson's
The Passion of the Christ;
Michael Moore's
Fahrenheit 9/11,
Spider-Man 2 *
2005 -
George Lucas'
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith,
Batman Begins,
Steven Spielberg's
War of the Worlds,
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,
Peter Jackson's
King Kong*
2006 -
The Da Vinci Code,
Superman Returns,
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest*
2007 - films scheduled to be released in
2007*
2008 - films scheduled to be released in
2008*
2009 - films scheduled to be released in
2009*
2010 - films scheduled to be released in
2010*
Box office grosses 1900-2006*
Interactive/editable movie timeline 1900-Present Day
