End of Studio System to American New Wave (mid-1950s to 1960s)

About the era

After the introduction of television, theater admissions began to slow. Studios sought to bring audiences back to theaters with widescreen films using Cinemascope, as well as gimmicks like 3D film and drive-in theaters. In the mid-1950s, science fiction became the dominant genre, focusing on giant monsters, atom bombs, and beings from other worlds with films like Godzilla (1954) and Forbidden Planet (1956).

Then the decade of fun and fashion, the '60s brought social change, the end of the studio system, and the rise of independent film. The suave and sophisticated character James Bond was introduced along with a handful of imitators. To save money, productions moved to Italy, leading to the coining of the phrase “spaghetti western”. Audiences were also introduced to zombie movies with Night of the Living Dead (1968).

About the model, The Drive-In

In order to compete with television, gimmickry was used to enhance the moviegoer's experience. One such gimmick was the drive-in theater. All you needed was a large, outdoor space and a screen, and patrons would drive in and watch.