Final answer:
In the 1930s, filmmakers were discouraged from experimentation due to the need for financial success, the rise of socialist realism, economic pressures from the Great Depression, and the growth of authoritarian policies. These factors, along with technological changes, favored mainstream content over avant-garde cinema.
Step-by-step explanation:
After the avant-garde cinema peak in the 1920s, several factors contributed to a decline in experimental film-making in the 1930s. There was a pressing need for films to appeal to a wide audience for financial success. Hollywood and other international film industries sought to produce popular and cost-efficient movies, which discouraged experimental approaches. In the United States, Hollywood focused on genres that attracted large audiences, such as dramas, romantic comedies, and horror films, as well as films that reflected timely issues like espionage and the fears surrounding Communism and nuclear technology.
The German film industry, once a hub for modernist film-making, faced challenges as the cultural climate shifted towards socialist realism, stifling avant-garde expression. Similarly, film industries worldwide were subject to the economic pressures of the Great Depression and subsequent political changes that often demanded more conservative and propagandistic art forms. The harsh economic climate forced many artists to seek supplemental incomes, which could mean a reduction in their ability to produce experimental work. As a result, filmmakers often moved away from avant-garde techniques in favor of more traditional storytelling that was seen as more commercially viable.
Additionally, the growth of authoritarian policies in several countries during the 1930s created an environment that was hostile to the free artistic expression required by avant-garde cinema. This socio-political backdrop, combined with technological innovations that pushed the mainstream forward, like CinemaScope and Cinerama, shaped the film industry into one that favored more widespread and less experimental content.