Final answer:
The Hollywood Studio System was characterized by vertical integration and influenced by independent moguls who promoted block booking and the star system. Their business innovations and adoption of new technologies such as CinemaScope and Cinerama were instrumental in adapting to public interests.
Step-by-step explanation:
Main Features of the Hollywood Studio System
The Hollywood Studio System, as it had developed by the early 1930s, was a method of film production and distribution dominated by a small number of "major" studios in Hollywood. The system involved powerful production companies that owned the film production, distribution chains, and often theaters, thereby controlling the entire movie-making process. Vertical integration was a crucial characteristic of the system, which was shattered by the landmark antitrust case United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. in 1948.
Independent moguls, with their innovative business strategies, contributed significantly to the development of the studio system. They created an environment that encouraged the mass production of films, focusing on genres and narrative formulas that proved successful at the box office. Their business innovations included block booking, where theater owners were required to purchase a block of films from a studio, and the star system, heavily promoting certain actors to draw in audiences.
Business Innovations of Independent Moguls
By bringing creativity and thriftiness to the industry, these moguls were able to reduce expenses while appealing to audiences. Through adapting new technologies, like CinemaScope and Cinerama, they added spectacle to the movie-going experience. Moreover, these moguls were adept at identifying public interests and capitalized upon them with strategic film themes such as horror, romance, and science fiction.