Film History
by Decade





Film History by Decade: Select one of the decade sections below for movie history, or select an individual year (see Greatest Films - by Year). If you're interested in the history of film by genre type, visit the section on Film Genres, or by non-genre film category, visit the section on Non-Genre Film Categories.

See also the extensive year-by-year Timeline of Influential Film History Milestones and Turning Points, Film Milestones in Visual and Special Effects (illustrated), and The Most Controversial Films of All-Time (illustrated).

Herein is a series of web articles/pages to provide a comprehensive survey of the history of cinema (motion pictures, film, etc.) - the greatest entertainment art form of the 20th century.



The History of
Motion Pictures -
By Decade

Individual Years
and Timelines
The Pre-1920s:
Film History




Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Pre-1920s Film History:
Early Cinematic Origins, and The Infancy of Film

Pre-1900s Film History Milestones:
Up To 1889

Pre-1900s Film History Milestones:
1890-1899

1900s Film History Milestones:
1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909

1910s Film History Milestones:
1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919

The Greatest Films of the Pre-1920s:
1902 | 1903 | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1919

History of Sex in Cinema:
Historical Overview | Pre-1920s

Movie Title Screens:
(1900-1919)

Greatest Last Film Lines: 1910s-1930s

The Most Influential Films in American Cinema:
Silent Era

Greatest Film Flops, Disasters, Bombs:
Silents

The 1920s:
Film History



Part 1
, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

1920s Film History:
The Pre-Talkies and the Silent Era

1920s Film History Milestones:
1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929

The Greatest Films of the 1920s:
1920
| 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929

Top 10 Box Office Hits of the Decade (and by Year) of the 1920s
Greatest Silent Films

Academy Awards Winners (and History):
1927-28, 1928-29, 1929-30
Best Picture Milestones (late 1920s)

History of Sex in Cinema:
1920-1926 | 1927-1929

Movie Title Screens:
(1920-1929)

Greatest Last Film Lines: 1910s-1930s

Great Film Quotes - 1920s-1930s
Greatest Last Film Lines: 1910s-1930s

The Most Influential Films in American Cinema:
Silent Era

Greatest Movie Props in Film History: 1920s-1930s

The 1930s:
Film History





Part 1
, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
1930s Film History:
The Talkies, the Growth of the Studios and 'The Golden Age of Hollywood'

1930s Film History Milestones:
1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939

The Greatest Films of the 1930s:
1930
| 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939

Top 10 Box Office Hits of the Decade (and by Year) of the 1930s


Academy Awards Winners (and History):
1930-31, 1931-32, 1932-33, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939
Best Picture Milestones (1930s)

History of Sex in Cinema:
1930-1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934-1937 | 1938-1939

Movie Title Screens:
(1930-1939)

Great Film Quotes - 1920s-1930s
Greatest Last Film Lines: 1910s-1930s

The Most Influential Films in American Cinema:
The 1930s

Greatest Movie Props in Film History: 1920s-1930s

Greatest Film Flops, Disasters, Bombs:
1930s

The 1940s:
Film History



Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
1940s Film History:
The War and Post-War Years, the Beginnings of Film Noir

1940s Film History Milestones:
1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949

The Greatest Films of the 1940s:
1940
| 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949

Top 10 Box Office Hits of the Decade (and by Year) of the 1940s

Academy Awards Winners (and History):
1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949
Best Picture Milestones (1940s)

History of Sex in Cinema:
1940-1944 | 1945-1949

Movie Title Screens:
(1940-1949)

Great Film Quotes - 1940s
Greatest Last Film Lines: 1940s

The Most Influential Films in American Cinema:
The 1940s

Greatest Movie Props in Film History: 1940s

The 1950s:
Film History




Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
1950s Film History:
The Cold War and Post-Classical Era, the Era of Epic Films and the Threat of Television

1950s Film History Milestones:
1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959

The Greatest Films of the 1950s:
1950
| 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959

Top 10 Box Office Hits of the Decade (and by Year) of the 1950s

Academy Awards Winners (and History):
1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959
Best Picture Milestones (1950s)

History of Sex in Cinema:
1950-1954 | 1955-1956 | 1957-1959

Movie Title Screens:
(1950-1959)

Great Film Quotes - 1950s
Greatest Last Film Lines: 1950s

The Most Influential Films in American Cinema:
The 1950s

Greatest Movie Props in Film History: 1950s

Greatest Film Flops, Disasters, Bombs:
1950 -1959

The 1960s:
Film History




Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
1960s Film History:
The End of the Hollywood Studio System, and the Era of Independent, Underground Cinema

1960s Film History Milestones:
1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969

The Greatest Films of the 1960s:
1960
| 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969

Top 10 Box Office Hits of the Decade (and by Year) of the 1960s

Academy Awards Winners (and History):
1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969
Best Picture Milestones (1960s)

History of Sex in Cinema:
1960-1961 | 1962-1963 | 1964 | 1965-1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969

Movie Title Screens:
(1960-1969)

Great Film Quotes - 1960s
Greatest Last Film Lines: 1960s

The Most Influential Films in American Cinema:
The 1960s

Greatest Movie Props in Film History: 1960s

Greatest Film Flops, Disasters, Bombs:
1960 -1966, 1967-1969

The 1970s:
Film History




Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

1970s Film History:
The Last Golden Age of American Cinema (the American "New Wave"), and the Advent of the Block-buster Film

1970s Film History Milestones:
1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979

The Greatest Films of the 1970s:
1970
| 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979

Top 10 Box Office Hits of the Decade (and by Year) of the 1970s

Academy Awards Winners (and History):
1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979
Best Picture Milestones (1970s)

History of Sex in Cinema:
1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979

Movie Title Screens:
(1970-1979)

Great Film Quotes - 1970s
Greatest Last Film Lines: 1970s

The Most Influential Films in American Cinema:
The 1970s

Greatest Movie Props in Film History: 1970s

Greatest Film Flops, Disasters, Bombs:
1970-1974, 1975-1977, 1978-1979

The 1980s:
Film History




Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

1980s Film History:
Teen-Oriented Angst Films, and the Dawn of the Sequel, with More Blockbusters

1980s Film History Milestones:
1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989

The Greatest Films of the 1980s:
1980
| 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989

Top 10 Box Office Hits of the Decade (and by Year) of the 1980s

Academy Awards Winners (and History):
1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
Best Picture Milestones (1980s)

History of Sex in Cinema:
1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989

Movie Title Screens:
(1980-1989)

Great Film Quotes - 1980s
Greatest Last Film Lines: 1980s

The Most Influential Films in American Cinema:
The 1980s

Greatest Movie Props in Film History: 1980s-1 1980s-2 1980s-3

Greatest Film Flops, Disasters, Bombs:
1980, 1981, 1982, 1983-1984, 1985-1986, 1987-1989

The 1990s:
Film History




Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

1990s Film History:
The Era of Mainstream Films and Alternative or Independent ("Indie") Cinema; and the Rise of Computer-Generated Imagery; also the Decade of Remakes, Re-releases, and More Sequels

1990s Film History Milestones:
1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999

The Greatest Films of the 1990s:
1990
| 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999

Top 10 Box Office Hits of the Decade (and by Year) of the 1990s

Academy Awards Winners (and History):
1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
Best Picture Milestones (1990s)

History of Sex in Cinema:
1990 | 1991 | 1992-1 | 1992-2 | 1993 | 1994-1 | 1994-2 | 1995-1 | 1995-2 | 1996-1 | 1996-2 | 1997-1 | 1997-2 | 1998-1 | 1998-2 | 1999-1 | 1999-2

Movie Title Screens:
(1990-1999)

Great Film Quotes - 1990s
Greatest Last Film Lines: 1990s

The Most Influential Films in American Cinema:
The 1990s

Greatest Movie Props in Film History: 1990s-1 1990s-2

Greatest Film Flops, Disasters, Bombs:
1990-1991, 1992-1994, 1995 - 1, 1995 - 2, 1996-1997, 1998, 1999

The 2000s:
Film History




Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

2000s Film History:
The New Millennium, an Age of Advanced Special Effects (3-D and Performance Capture), and the Era of Franchise Films

2000s Film History Milestones:
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

The Greatest Films of the 2000s:
2000
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009

Top 10 Box Office Hits of the Decade (and by Year) of the 2000s

Academy Awards Winners (and History):
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Best Picture Milestones (2000s)

History of Sex in Cinema:
2000-1 | 2000-2 | 2001-1 | 2001-2 | 2002-1 | 2002-2 | 2003-1 | 2003-2 | 2004-1 | 2004-2 | 2005-1 | 2005-2 | 2006-1 | 2006-2 | 2007-1 | 2007-2 | 2008 | 2009

Movie Title Screens:
(2000-2009)

Great Film Quotes - 2000s
Greatest Last Film Lines: 2000s

The Most Influential Films in American Cinema:
The 2000s

Greatest Movie Props in Film History: 2000s-1 2000s-2

Greatest Film Flops, Disasters, Bombs:
2000, 2001 - 1, 2001 - 2, 2002 - 1, 2002 - 2, 2002 - 3, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007-2011

The 2010s:
Film History


2010s Film History


Part 1
, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

2010s Film History:
Major Changes in the Film-Making Industry

2010s Film History Milestones:
2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

The Greatest Films of the 2010s:
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019

Top 10 Box Office Hits of the Decade (and by Year) of the 2010s

Academy Awards Winners (and History):
2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
, 2017, 2018, 2019

Best Picture Milestones (2010s)

History of Sex in Cinema:
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019

Movie Title Screens:
(2010-2019)

The Most Influential Films in American Cinema:
The 2010s

Greatest Movie Props in Film History: 2010s

Greatest Film Flops, Disasters, Bombs:
2007-2011, 2012-2014, 2015-2017, 2018-2019

The 2020s:
Film History

2020s Film History:

2020s Film History Milestones:
2020, 2021

The Greatest Films of the 2020s:
2020

Top 10 Box Office Hits of the Decade (and by Year) of the 2020s

Academy Awards Winners (and History):
2020

Best Picture Milestones (2020s)

History of Sex in Cinema:
2020

Movie Title Screens:
(2020-2029)


Film History By Genre Type
Film History By Scenes

Action Films

Adventure Films

Animated Films

Biographical Films ("Biopics")

'Chick' Flicks

Comedy Films

Courtroom Dramas

Crime & Gangster Films

Cult Films

Detective/Mystery Films

Disaster Films

Documentary Films

Drama Films

Epics/Historical Films

Fantasy Films

Film Noir

'Guy' Films

Horror Films

Melodramas or Women's "Weepers"

Musicals (Dance) Films

Road Films

Romance Films

Science Fiction Films

Sexual or Erotic Films

Sports Films

Superhero Films

Supernatural Films

Thrillers/Suspense Films

War (Anti-War) Films

Westerns

Zombie Films

Greatest Classic Chase Scenes in Films (illustrated)

Funniest Movie Moments and Scenes (illustrated)

Greatest Film Speeches and Monologues (illustrated)

Best Film Editing Sequences (illustrated)

Greatest Plot Twists, Spoilers, and Surprise Endings (illustrated)

Greatest Disaster Film Scenes (illustrated)

Greatest Movie Entrances of All-Time (illustrated)

Greatest Crowd Film Scenes (illustrated)

Scariest Movie Moments and Scenes (illustrated)

Greatest Movie Death Scenes (illustrated)

Greatest Tearjerker Films, Moments and Scenes (illustrated)

Greatest Musical Song/Dance Movie Moments and Scenes (illustrated)

Best and Most Memorable Film Kisses of All Time (illustrated)

History of Sex in Cinema: The Greatest and Most Influential Erotic / Sexual Films and Scenes (illustrated)

Alfred Hitchcock's Memorable Cameo Appearances (illustrated)

Additional Film-History Related Sections

Academy Awards (Oscars) History

Visual and Special Effects Milestones in Film History (illustrated)

Robots in Film (a comprehensive illustrated history)

Greatest James Bond Girls (illustrated)

Ranked (and Reviewed) James Bond Films

The Star Wars Saga: Reviewed and Ranked

Greatest Box-Office Bombs, Disasters, and Flops

Box-Office Top 10 (by Decade)

Filmsite's Top 100 Films (by Genre Category)

Movie Title Screens

The Most Controversial Films of All-Time (illustrated)

Sexiest Films of All-Time (illustrated)

Greatest Femmes Fatales in Classic Film Noir (illustrated)

Great Christmas Movies

Greatest Film Series-Franchises of All-Time (illustrated)

Greatest War Films (illustrated)

Greatest Westerns

Most Influential Films in American Cinema

Star Wars Films - Reviewed and Ranked (illustrated)

50 States: Most Authentic and Famous Films

Greatest Movie Props in Film History (illustrated)