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1896
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Debut of commercial theatrical movies in America on April 23 in Koster and Bial's Music Hall in New York, where Macy's department store now stands.
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1898
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First movie western—Edison's CRIPPLE CREEK BAR ROOM.
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1899
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Birth of movie stars Fred Astaire, Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney.
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1902
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First theater designed to show movies opens in Los Angeles.
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1903
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THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY is the movie industry's first smash hit.
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1905
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First "nickelodeon" opens in Pittsburgh, charging 5 cents to see a movie.
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1908
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Broncho Billy Anderson creates the movie cowboy.
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1909
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Movie star era begins with publicity stunt launching Florence Lawrence. Movies become big business, expanding into 9,000 theaters.
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1910
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Mary Pickford, the first superstar, begins her career as "Little Mary" with the golden curls. Her 1910 salary is $175 a week; by 1918 it's $250,000 a film.
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1911
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Nestor company opens first movie studio in Hollywood.
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1912
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First year of American feature film production.
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1913
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Keystone Kops make their first comedy. Mabel Normand throws the first screen pie in the face of Fatty Arbuckle.
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1914
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Charlie Chaplin makes his screen debut as the "little tramp."
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1915
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D.W. Griffith's epic THE BIRTH OF A NATION is hugely popular but also hugely controversial because of its portrayal of African-Americans. Theda Bara creates the "vamp" and becomes the first movie sex symbol.
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1916
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African-Americans start to produce their own black-cast movies. Sessue Hayakawa becomes the first Asian-American movie star. Annette Kellerman introduces nudity to the screen.
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1917
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Buster Keaton makes his film debut as 687 feature films are released.
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1918
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Elmo Lincoln stars in the first Tarzan film. African-American filmmaker Oscar Micheaux forms his own company.
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1920
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Douglas Fairbanks marries Mary Pickford. Over 35 million Americans go to the movies every week.
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1921
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Rudolph Valentino stars in THE SHEIK and the Writers Guild is formed.
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1922
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First OUR GANG kids comedy released.
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1923
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Cecil B. DeMille films THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, and Harold Lloyd makes spectacles fashionable in SAFETY LAST. Hollywood sign erected.
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1924
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Animated follow-the-bouncing-ball sing-along shorts become popular.
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1925
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THE GOLD RUSH and BEN-HUR are among the best films of the year.
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1926
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John Barrymore stars in DON JUAN, the first sound film, which has music but no dialogue; it is preceded by shorts featuring opera singers.
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1927
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Al Jolson stars in THE JAZZ SINGER and the talking movie era begins. Motion Picture Academy formed. Clara Bow becomes the "It" girl.
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1928
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Mickey Mouse makes his debut, and Al Jolson's song "Sonny Boy" becomes the first hit record to come from a movie.
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1929
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First Academy Awards: WINGS wins Best Picture, Janet Gaynor is Best Actress and Emil Jannings is Best Actor. Marx Brothers make their first movie.
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1930
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Greta Garbo talks, John Wayne becomes a star in THE BIG TRAIL and Joan Crawford is the box-office favorite.
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1931
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Boris Karloff (FRANKENSTEIN) and Bela Lugosi (DRACULA) make horror movies popular while Edward G. Robinson (LITTLE CAESAR) and James Cagney (PUBLIC ENEMY) do the same for gangster movies.
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1932
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Betty Boop makes her debut. Johnny Weissmuller becomes Tarzan.
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1933
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Fred Astaire teams up with Ginger Rogers. King Kong falls for Fay Wray. "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" becomes theme song of the Depression.
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1934
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Clark Gable creates Walls of Jericho for IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, which wins all top Oscars.
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1935
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BECKY SHARP, the first full three-color Technicolor movie, creates a revolution.
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1936
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Shirley Temple is America's favorite star and the Directors Guild is formed.
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1937
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SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, the first American animated feature, creates a whole new audience for cartoons.
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1938
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THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD makes Technicolor popular.
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1939
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Hollywood's Golden Year produces some of the most beloved films of all time, including; GONE WITH THE WIND, THE WIZARD OF OZ and STAGECOACH.
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1940
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GONE WITH THE WIND actress Hattie McDaniel is first African-American to win an Oscar. Bing, Bob and Dorothy go on the ROAD. Bugs Bunny and Woody Woodpecker make their sassy debuts.
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1941
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CITIZEN KANE creates a furor. THE MALTESE FALCON makes Humphrey Bogart a big star and Abbott and Costello make their movie debut.
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1942
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Sam plays it again in Casablanca, Bing sings "White Christmas" in HOLIDAY INN and Ronald Reagan loses his legs in KINGS ROW.
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1943
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Betty Grable becomes the pin-up queen of World War II and Greer Garson makes the longest ever Oscar speech.
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1944
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Bogart meets Bacall in TO HAVE AND TO HAVE NOT while Elizabeth Taylor becomes a star in NATIONAL VELVET. Bing Crosby is the most popular star.
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1945
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Bogart marries Bacall, and the style later to be christened film noir becomes fashionable.
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1946
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Howard Hughes works hard to create a scandal around Jane Russell's plunging neckline in THE OUTLAW.
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1947
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House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) begins its investigation of Hollywood. Hollywood Ten are named in October.
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1948
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Lena Horne's name and musical numbers are deleted from the film WORDS AND MUSIC when it opens in racially-restrictive Memphis theater.
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1949
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Martin and Lewis make their movie debut. Marilyn Monroe poses for that famous calendar.
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1950
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Hollywood Ten go to prison. Bette Davis has a bumpy night in ALL ABOUT EVE. TV begins to compete with movies for audiences.
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1951
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Gene Kelly creates joy as AN AMERICAN IN PARIS. HUAC creates misery as it returns to Hollywood for a six-year witch hunt.
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1952
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Gary Cooper's darling does not forsake him as he meets his destiny in HIGH NOON. Gene Kelly has no use for umbrellas in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN.
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1953
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Hollywood fights TV with technological marvels, using 3-D in HOUSE OF WAX and widescreen CinemaScope in THE ROBE.
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1954
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Marilyn Monroe marries Joe DiMaggio in January and divorces him in October. John Wayne is the top box office star for the third time.
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1955
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James Dean's tragic year. He becomes a star in EAST OF EDEN in March, acts in REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE and GIANT, and dies in a car crash in September.
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1956
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Grace Kelly marries a prince. Elvis Presley makes his movie debut and Mike Todd produces the biggest movie yet, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS.
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1957
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"Get more out of life...Go to a movie" is the slogan of the year.
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1960
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Ben Hur wins eleven Oscars. PSYCHO makes people afraid to take showers. The soap opera saga of filming CLEOPATRA begins.
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1961
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Movie buffs start rearranging travel plans as TWA begins in-flight movies.
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1962
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Drive-ins reach their peak of popularity. Doris Day and Rock Hudson are most popular stars.
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1963
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Sean Connery becomes James Bond and CLEOPATRA is finally finished.
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1964
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Sidney Poitier is first African-American to win Best Actor Oscar. Peter Sellers makes his first PINK PANTHER movie.
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1965
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President Lyndon Johnson signs legislation creating the National Endowment for the Arts. French say Jerry Lewis is a genius.
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1966
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Robert Wise's THE SOUND OF MUSIC becomes top box office film of all time and wins Best Picture Oscar. Julie Andrews is most popular star.
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1967
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American Film Institute (AFI) is established with Gregory Peck as its first chairman.
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1968
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Movie rating system is introduced by the MPAA. Brian De Palma's GREETINGS gets first X rating.
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1969
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AFI's Center of Advanced Film Studies opens with 18 Fellows. EASY RIDER makes Jack Nicholson a star. MIDNIGHT COWBOY gets X rating.
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1970
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MGM auctions off its props and costumes. Disney World opens in Orlando.
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1971
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Steven Spielberg directs his first feature, DUEL, a made-for-television movie. George C. Scott refuses Best Actor Oscar for PATTON.
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1972
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THE GODFATHER wins Oscar and box office honors and gives America a new catch phrase: "I made him an offer he couldn't refuse."
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1973
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AFI Life Achievement Award is established to honor those who have enriched American culture through a career in film—John Ford is first recipient.
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1975
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Robert Redford is top box office star. JAWS is first film to earn over $100 million.
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1976
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ONE FLEW OVER THE CUKOO'S NEST wins all major Oscars. KING KONG returns and falls for Jessica Lange this time.
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1977
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George Lucas initiates STAR WARS saga. John Travolta begins dancing career with SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER. Diane Keaton starts fashion trend with ANNIE HALL.
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1979
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Burt Reynolds becomes top box office star.
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1980
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Ronald Reagan is first Hollywood actor to become U.S. President.
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1981
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Harrison Ford creates Indiana Jones for RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Meryl Streep is named America's best actress by Life magazine.
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1982
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E.T. phones home.
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1984
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Mozart finds a mass audience with AMADEUS, while a bunch of comics clean the town from green goo in GHOSTBUSTERS.
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1985
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Madonna becomes a movie star in DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN.
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1986
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Tom Cruise is top star and TOP GUN is top film.
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1987
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FATAL ATTRACTION is most talked about movie but more people are watching movies on video than in the theatres.
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1989
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BATMAN is the big hit, but SEX, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE sparks an independent film movement.
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1990
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Kevin Costner DANCES WITH WOLVES and rises to new popularity and an Oscar.
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1992
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Clint Eastwood re-creates the western with Oscar-winning UNFORGIVEN. Quentin Tarantino extends boundaries of violence in RESEVOIR DOGS.
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1993
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Steven Spielberg's year; he attracts massive audiences to JURASSIC PARK and wins critical awards and an Oscar for SCHINDLER'S LIST.
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1996
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AFI discovers oldest surviving American feature film, the 1912 RICHARD III.
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