Iminyaka Eyikhulu Yamabhayisikobho — Watchtower UMTAPO OKUYI-INTHANETHI

Iminyaka Eyikhulu Yamabhayisikobho

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EFRANCE

IMBONI yamabhayisikobho yayiwumkhiqizo owumvuthwandaba wokucwaninga nokuhlola okwenziwa amazwe ngamazwe iminyaka engaba ngu-75. Ngo-1832, i-phenakistoscope, eyasungulwa uJoseph Plateau waseBelgium, yaphumelela ekuvezeni izithombe ezihambayo ngochungechunge lwemidwebo. EFrance, uJoseph Niepce noLouis Daguerre, basungula inqubo yokuthatha izithombe yokuphendula izinto ezingokoqobo zibe imifanekiso ngo-1839. UmFulentshi u-Emile Reynaud wawuthuthukisa lomqondo, ebonisa izithombe ezinyakazayo ezabonwa amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu phakathi kuka-1892 no-1900.

Intuthuko ephawulekayo kumabhayisikobho yenzeka eminyakeni engaphezu nje kwekhulu edlule. Ngo-1890, uThomas Edison, umsunguli odumile waseMelika, nomsizi wakhe waseNgilandi, uWilliam Dickson, baklama ikhamera enobukhulu nesisindo sophiyano olumile oluncane, futhi ngonyaka olandelayo u-Edison wafaka isicelo semvume ye-kinetoscope ebukwa umuntu oyedwa. Amafilimu, ayeqoshwa ngemicu engamamilimitha angu-35 ye-celluloid enezimbobo, athwetshulwa endaweni yokuthatha amafilimu yokuqala emhlabeni, iBlack Maria, eWest Orange, eNew Jersey. Lamafilimu ayenemidlalo yasesiteji eyingxubevange, isekisi, nezigcawu zaseNtshonalanga yakudala kanye nezinkundla zemidlalo yasesiteji ephumelelayo yaseNew York. Isikhungo sokuqala se-kinetoscope savulwa eNew York ngo-1894, futhi ngalowo nyaka imishini eminingana yathunyelwa eYurophu.

Nakuba ekuqaleni ayengenasithakazelo ekuboniseni amabhayisikobho, u-Edison waphoqeleka ukuba akhe i-projector ukuze aqede umncintiswano. Kwakungo-April 1896 lapho i-vitascope yakhe yasetshenziswa okokuqala ngqá eNew York. Ukulwela imvume engokomthetho akuqala kamuva kwaphumela ekwakhiweni kwenhlangano eyodwa eyayizolawula lemboni ngokuphelele.

Kwakuyikhophi ye-kinetoscope ka-Edison eyashukumisela u-Auguste noLouis Lumière, osozimboni baseLyons, eFrance, ukuba basungule ikhamera egwedlwa ngesandla eyayingathwebula izithombe futhi ibonise amafilimu. I-cinématographe yabo (lisuselwa kwelesiGreki elithi kinema, elisho “ukunyakaza,” nelithi graphein, elisho “ukubonisa”) yagunyazwa ngo-February 1895, futhi ngo-December 28 “kwavulwa imboni yamabhayisikobho yokuqala engokomthetho emhlabeni,” eGrand Café, 14 Boulevard des Capucines, eParis. Ngosuku olulandelayo, abantu baseParis abangu-2000 bathutheleka eGrand Café bezobona lesi simangaliso samuva sesayensi.

Ngokushesha izelamani zakwaLumière zavula izindawo zokudlala amabhayisikobho futhi zathumela abathwebuli bezithombe emhlabeni wonke. Eminyakeni embalwa, zenza amafilimu angaba ngu-1500 ezindawo ezidumile emhlabeni noma izenzakalo, njengokugcotshwa koMbusi waseRussia uNicholas II.

Inkathi Yokuthula

UGeorges Méliès, umenzi wemilingo nomnikazi wendawo yamabhayisikobho yaseParis, wahlatshwa umxhwele yilokho akubona. Wayefuna ukuthenga le-cinématographe. Ngokusobala impendulo ayithola yayithi: “Cha, le-cinématographe ayidayisi. Futhi kufanele ubonge ngalokho, nsizwa; lomkhiqizo awunalo ikusasa.” Nokho, ngesibindi uMéliès waqala ukuthatha izithombe zefilimu ngemishini eyayivela eNgilandi. Ngemisindo yakhe ekhethekile nokuhlelwa kwemidlalo yaseshashalazini, uMéliès waguqula ezamabhayisikobho zaba ubuciko. Ngo-1902 ifilimu yakhe ethi Le Voyage dans la lune (Uhambo Oluya Enyangeni) yaba nempumelelo emazweni ngamazwe. Endaweni yakhe yokuthwebula izithombe eMontreuil, emaphethelweni aseParis, wenza amafilimu angaphezu kuka-500—amaningi awo ayefakwe umbala ngesandla.

Cishe ngo-1910, amaphesenti angu-70 amafilimu ayethunyelwa emhlabeni wonke ayengawaseFrance. Lokhu ngokuyinhloko kwakubangelwa ukuthi ukwenziwa kwemboni yamabhayisikobho yizelamani zakwaPathé, umgomo wazo okwakuwukuba indawo yamabhayisikobho ibe “inkundla yemidlalo, iphephandaba, nesikole sakusasa.”

Ngo-1919, uCharlie Chaplin, uDouglas Fairbanks, uDavid W. Griffith, noMary Pickford bamisa i-United Artists ukuze baqede igunya lezentengiselwano lezinkampani ezazihlanganisiwe. Ngo-1915, ifilimu kaGriffith ethi Birth of a Nation yaba ifilimu yokuqala ehamba phambili eHollywood. Lefilimu okwakuphikiswana ngayo kakhulu eyayikhuluma ngeMpi Yombango yaseMelika yabangela izinxushunxushu ngisho nokufa kwabathile lapho ikhululwa ngenxa yokuthi yayiqukethe ubandlululo. Nokho, yaphumelela kakhulu, yabukelwa abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyikhulu, okwayenza yaba ngenye yamabhayisikobho angenisa imali kakhulu emlandweni.

Ngemva kwempi yezwe yokuqala, amafilimu “achaya iMelika kuma-night club, emaqenjini omphakathi okuzijabulisa, ezindaweni ezidayisa utshwala ngokungemthetho nasekuyekeleleni kokuziphatha okukulezi zinto.” Amafilimu amazwe angaphandle acishe aphela wonke eMelika, kuyilapho amafilimu aseMelika ayenza amaphesenti asuka kwangu-60 kuya kwangu-90 ezinhlelo kwezinye izindawo emhlabeni. Imboni yamabhayisikobho yasetshenziswa njengendlela yokukhazimulisa indlela yokuphila yaseMelika nemikhiqizo yakhona. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, “isimiso sezilomo” esasisanda kwenziwa senza abantu abanjengoRudolph Valentino, uMary Pickford, noDouglas Fairbanks baba njengonkulunkulu.

Umsindo Nombala

“Mama, ake ulalele lokhu!” Ngalamazwi u-Al Jolson, kuyi-Jazz Singer, ka-1927, waqeda inkathi yokuchuma kwamabhayisikobho angakhulumi futhi wangenisa amabhayisikobho akhulumayo. Ukuhlola okuhambisana namarekhodi egilamafoni kwakwenziwa kusukela ekuqaleni kwawo kanye amabhayisikobho, kodwa kwaze kwaba ngawo-1920, lapho kuqala ukuqoshwa ngogesi nangama-amplifier anama-valve, lapho kwavela khona umsindo. Ukufakwa komsindo kwaba nezinkinga.

Ekuqaleni umbala wafakwa emabhayisikobho ngamafilimu afakwe umbala ngesandla. Kamuva, kwasetshenziswa izigxivizo zamafilimu. Amafilimu ayefiphele ngenxa yokungabi bikho kwenqubo ephumelelayo yokwenza amafilimu anombala. Kwasetshenziswa izindlela ezihlukahlukene kwaze kwaba yilapho kuphumelela i-Technicolor ngenqubo yayo yemibala emithathu ngo-1935. Nokho, kwaze kwaba ngemva kwe-Gone With the Wind eyayithandwa kakhulu ngo-1939 lapho umbala wabhekwa njengento eyinhloko ezindaweni zokudayisa amathikithi amabhayisikobho.

Inkulumo-ze Yenkathi Yempi

Phakathi nokuwohloka kwezomnotho ngawo-1930, ibhayisikobho yaba “umlaliso wabantu.” Kodwa njengoba izwe lalingena empini, umgomo webhayisikobho waba ukuxhaphaza nenkulumo-ze. UMussolini wabiza ibhayisikobho ngokuthi i-“l’arma più forte,” noma “isikhali esinamandla,” kuyilapho ngaphansi kukaHitler, yaba umkhulumeli wobuNazi, ngokuyinhloko ukuze ifundise intsha. Amafilimu anjengethi Der Triumph des Willens (Ukunqoba Kwentando) nethi Olympia aphumelela ekwenzeni abaholi bamaNazi baba onkulunkulu. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ethi Jud Süss (USüss OngumJuda), yakhuthaza ukubandlulula amaJuda. Futhi eBrithani, ifilimu kaLaurence Olivier ethi Henry V yasebenza njengesikhuthazo ekulungiseleleni usuku lwamanqamu nezinkubela ezazizoba khona.

Isimo Esibucayi

Ngemva kwempi yezwe yesibili, njengoba amathelevishini ayetholakala ngokwandayo, abantu babehlala emakhaya kunokuba baye emabhayisikobho. Inani labaya emabhayisikobho lehla kakhulu e-United States, lehla ngengxenye eminyakeni eyishumi nje. Izinkulungwane zezindawo zamabhayisikobho kwadingeka zivalwe, futhi ukukhiqizwa kwamabhayisikobho kwehla ngengxenye eyodwa kwezintathu, naphezu kokungeniswa kwamafilimu adlala esihenqweni esikhulu nomsindo wokuqondisa we-stereo ngawo-1950. Imikhiqizo yamafilimu aphambili angenisa izindodla zemali, njengethi Ten Commandments (1956) kaCecil B. de Mille, yakhiqizwa ukuze kuqedwe lomncintiswano. Lehla ngokuphawulekayo inani labaya emabhayisikobho naseYurophu.

Ithonya Emphakathini

Amabhayisikobho aye abizwa ngokuthi ayisibonelo somphakathi. Eqinisweni, amafilimu amaningi ngawo-1970 ayebonisa “ukungakhululeki, ukunganeliseki, ukusanguluka, ukukhathazeka, nobuhlanya” bangaleso sikhathi, njengoba kungabonakala ekuvuselelweni kwamafilimu asabisayo kanye “nokukhangwa kakhulu ubusathane nokulumba.” Amabhayisikobho ezinhlekelele aba “indlela yokulibala izinhlekelele ezingokoqobo zokuphila.” (World Cinema—A Short History) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ngawo-1980 kwaba nalokho intatheli ethile yaseFrance eyakubiza ngokuthi “umzamo wangamabomu wokwenza ukuphendukezelwa kwezinto kube into evamile.” Emafilimini ayedlalwa eCannes Film Festival ngo-1983, ingxenye yawo yayinezihloko zobungqingili noma ubuhlobo bobulili nesihlobo. Ubudlova sebuyinsakavukela, noma into eyenzeka ngokuphikelelayo, emafilimini anamuhla. Ngo-1992, amaphesenti angu-66 amafilimu aseHollywood ayenezigcawu zobudlova. Futhi nakuba ubudlova esikhathini esidlule babuvame ukuba nenjongo, manje sebumane bube khona ngokungadingekile.

Uye waba yini umphumela walokhu kuchayeka? Ngo-October 1994, lapho umbhangqwana osemusha owawungenawo umlando wobugebengu ubulala abantu abane isidanasi eParis, kwathiwa kwakuhileleke ngokuqondile ifilimu ethi Natural Born Killers, lapho umbhangqwana othile ubulala khona abantu abangu-52. Izazi eziningi zokuhlalisana kwabantu zizwakalisa ukukhathazeka ngokuqondene nethonya ubudlova obunalo—ikakhulukazi entsheni, izithombe ezinjalo eziyisibonelo sokuziphatha kwayo. Yiqiniso, akuwona wonke amafilimu akhazimulisa ubudlova noma ukuziphatha okubi. Amafilimu amuva nje anjengethi The Lion King aqopha umlando ezindaweni zokudayisa amathikithi amabhayisikobho.

Lapho ebuzwa iphephandaba laseParis i-Monde ukuthi amabhayisikobho aye awuthinta kanjani umphakathi kuleminyaka eyikhulu edlule, umenzi nomdlali wamabhayisikobho odumile waphendula ngokuthi naphezu “kokudumisa impi, ukwenza izigebengu amaqhawe, ukuhlongoza amakhambi awubala nezinkulumo ezingelutho, ukwakha amathemba angamanga, nokukhuthaza ukukhulekelwa kwengcebo, izinto umuntu anazo, ubuhle obungokomzimba obungelutho, kanye neminye imigomo eminingi engeyona engokoqobo futhi eyize,” amabhayisikobho aye anikeza izigidi zabantu indlela eyamukelekayo yokubalekela amaqiniso abuhlungu okuphila kwansuku zonke.

Njengoba ibhayisikobho iqala, ngezinye izikhathi singase sibe nomuzwa omangalisayo owathokozisa abantu kakhulu eminyakeni engaphezu kweyikhulu edlule.

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 21]

I-“Photo-drama Of Creation”

Ngasekupheleni kuka-1914, abantu abangaba izigidi ezingu-9 e-Australia, eNew Zealand, eNyakatho Melika, naseYurophu base bebone i-“Photo-Drama of Creation” ye-Watch Tower Society mahhala. Lesi simiso samahora angu-8 esinezingxenye ezine sasiqukethe izithombe ezinyakazayo nama-slide, okwakudlala ngesikhathi esisodwa namazwi nomculo. Kokubili ama-slide namafilimu kwakufakwe umbala ngesandla. I-“Photo-Drama” yayiklanyelwe “ukwakha ukwazisa ngeBhayibheli nangenjongo kaNkulunkulu njengoba ivezwe kulo.” Amaphuzu avelele ayehlanganisa ukuvuleka kwembali nokuchanyuselwa kwetshwele, okwakuthwetshulwe ngefilimu ngendlela eyenza izithombe zisheshe lapho zidlalwa.

[Isithombe ekhasini 19]

I-“Cinématographe Lumière,” eyagunyazwa ngo-February 1895

[Umthombo]

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 19]