Cinema & History: conflict, interaction and resistance in Recife's (Pernambuco, Brazil) movie theaters in the 1920s

Abstract

Since the late nineteenth century, new forms of entertainment have become popular in cities. New entertainments (such as cinema), which were conceived for the population of urban centers, assumed a different form of participation, where the spectator's place was emphasized. Agains this background, order and discipline became a priority for the elites, which were afraid to lose old privileges resulting from different ways of life and cultures. This paper aims to analyze: the influence of cinema in social life in the city of Recife (Pernambuco, Brazil) in the 1920s; the impact and transformations it caused; the practices and behaviors of Recife’s inhabitants in cinemas and the methods used by the authorities to control this new entertainment.