The following is an overview of 1928 in film, including significant events, a list of films released and notable births and deaths. Although some films released in 1928 had
sound, most were still
silent. This year is notable for the introduction of the official mascot of
The Walt Disney Company,
Mickey Mouse, in the animated short Steamboat Willie, the first film to include a soundtrack completely created in post production.
July 6 – Lights of New York (starring
Helene Costello) is released by
Warner Bros. It is the first "100% Talkie" feature film, in that dialog is spoken throughout the film. Previous releases Don Juan and The Jazz Singer had used a synchronized soundtrack with sound effects and music, with The Jazz Singer having a few incidental lines spoken by
Al Jolson.[5]
September 19 – The Singing Fool, Warner Bros' follow-up to The Jazz Singer, is released. While still only a partial-talkie (sequences still feature
intertitles), 66 minutes of the film's 105 minute running time feature dialogue or songs, making it the longest talking motion picture yet. (Lights of New York runs a total of 57 minutes.) It is the highest-grossing film of the year, becomes Warner Bros' highest-grossing film for the next 13 years, is the most financially successful film of Al Jolson's career[6][7] and also remains the highest-grossing sound film until the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937.
November 18 –
Disney's Steamboat Willie premieres, marking the official introduction of
Mickey Mouse. This animated short is the first film to include a soundtrack completely created in post production, including sound effects, music and dialogue.
December 25 – In Old Arizona, released by
Fox Films, is the first sound-on-film feature-length talkie, utilizing the
Movietone process. Previously, feature-length talkies used the less-reliable
Vitaphone sound-on-disc process. It is also the first Western talkie, and the first sound film primarily shot outdoors.
The New Version of the Ghost of Yotsuya (Shinpan Ōoka seidan), directed by
Daisuke Itō, based on the 1825 play Yotsuya Kaidan by Tsuruya Nanboku IV – (
Japan)
^
abcdefGlancy, H Mark (1995). "Warner Bros Film Grosses, 1921–51: the William Schaefer ledger". Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television. 15: 55–73.
doi:
10.1080/01439689500260031.
^Crafton, Donald (1999). The Talkies: American Cinema's Transition to Sound, 1926-1931. University of California Press. pp.
548–549.
ISBN0-520-22128-1.
^Munden, Kenneth White (1971). The American Film Institute Catalog – Feature Films 1921–1930. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. p. WH1.
ISBN9780520209695.
^
abWorkman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 322.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 324.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 342.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 327.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^
abWorkman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 328.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 330.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 332.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 333.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^
abWorkman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 335.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
The following is an overview of 1928 in film, including significant events, a list of films released and notable births and deaths. Although some films released in 1928 had
sound, most were still
silent. This year is notable for the introduction of the official mascot of
The Walt Disney Company,
Mickey Mouse, in the animated short Steamboat Willie, the first film to include a soundtrack completely created in post production.
July 6 – Lights of New York (starring
Helene Costello) is released by
Warner Bros. It is the first "100% Talkie" feature film, in that dialog is spoken throughout the film. Previous releases Don Juan and The Jazz Singer had used a synchronized soundtrack with sound effects and music, with The Jazz Singer having a few incidental lines spoken by
Al Jolson.[5]
September 19 – The Singing Fool, Warner Bros' follow-up to The Jazz Singer, is released. While still only a partial-talkie (sequences still feature
intertitles), 66 minutes of the film's 105 minute running time feature dialogue or songs, making it the longest talking motion picture yet. (Lights of New York runs a total of 57 minutes.) It is the highest-grossing film of the year, becomes Warner Bros' highest-grossing film for the next 13 years, is the most financially successful film of Al Jolson's career[6][7] and also remains the highest-grossing sound film until the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937.
November 18 –
Disney's Steamboat Willie premieres, marking the official introduction of
Mickey Mouse. This animated short is the first film to include a soundtrack completely created in post production, including sound effects, music and dialogue.
December 25 – In Old Arizona, released by
Fox Films, is the first sound-on-film feature-length talkie, utilizing the
Movietone process. Previously, feature-length talkies used the less-reliable
Vitaphone sound-on-disc process. It is also the first Western talkie, and the first sound film primarily shot outdoors.
The New Version of the Ghost of Yotsuya (Shinpan Ōoka seidan), directed by
Daisuke Itō, based on the 1825 play Yotsuya Kaidan by Tsuruya Nanboku IV – (
Japan)
^
abcdefGlancy, H Mark (1995). "Warner Bros Film Grosses, 1921–51: the William Schaefer ledger". Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television. 15: 55–73.
doi:
10.1080/01439689500260031.
^Crafton, Donald (1999). The Talkies: American Cinema's Transition to Sound, 1926-1931. University of California Press. pp.
548–549.
ISBN0-520-22128-1.
^Munden, Kenneth White (1971). The American Film Institute Catalog – Feature Films 1921–1930. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. p. WH1.
ISBN9780520209695.
^
abWorkman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 322.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 324.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 342.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 327.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^
abWorkman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 328.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 330.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 332.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 333.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.
^
abWorkman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 335.
ISBN978-1936168-68-2.