1928 in Film

1928 In Film

Although some movies released in 1928 had sound, most were still silent.

• July 28 - Lights of New York is released by Warner Brothers. It is the first "100% Talkie" feature film, in that dialog is spoken throughout the film. Previous releases Don Juan and The Jazz Singer had used a synchronized soundtrack with sound effects and music, with The Jazz Singer having a few incidental lines spoken by Al Jolson.
• July 31 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's mascot Leo the Lion roars for the very first time, giving voice to one of the most popular American film logos.
• August 17 - The Singing Fool, Warner Brothers' follow-up to The Jazz Singer, is released. While still only a partial-talkie (sequences still featured intertitles), 66 minutes of the film's 105 minute running time featured dialogue or songs, making it the longest talking motion picture yet. (Lights of New York runs a total of 57 minutes.) It was the highest-grossing film of the year, became Warner Brothers' highest-grossing film for the next 13 years, and was the most financially successful film of Al Jolson's career.
• November 18 - Disney's Steamboat Willie premieres. This animated short was the first film to include a soundtrack, completely created in post production, including sound effects, music, and dialogue.
• December 25 - In Old Arizona, released by Fox Films, is the first sound-on-film feature-length talkie, utilizing the Movietone process. Previously, feature-length talkies used the less-reliable Vitaphone sound-on-disc process. It is also the first Western talkie, and the first sound film primarily shot outdoors.