Universal Studio City was set up in 1915 to serve as the general headquarters of what was already the biggest film company in the United States. Such film studios as MGM, Columbia, Paramount, 20th Century Fox, and United Artists were not yet in existence. Universal Studio Hollywood was opened to the public on July 4, 1964, at a time when the film market had dipped due to the rise of television in the early 1960s. This attraction now draws more than a million visitors annually and brings in the studio's biggest item of income.
The Universal Studio, is located in Hollywood, capital of the American film industry, occupies an entire hill and covers 525 acres, 485 of which are in actual use. It comprises 48 film studios, of which 32 are devoted to shooting films. Universal Studio City is the biggest film and TV producer in the world. The tours it provides take visitors through thrilling cinematic spectacles, such as bridge-crushing snow avalanches, exploding mountain torrents, giant white sharks, a roaring effigy of King Kong, and so forth. Virtual reality mock-ups from the films "Back to the Future,""Jurassic Park,"and "Aliens"are excruciatingly life-like. And awe-inspiring are the nerve-shattering special effects in "Water World" and "Wild West,"and in the stereoscopic films "Terminator 2 3D"and "4D."The fun is accentuated by song-and-dance performances and animal shows as well as humorous and comic children's programs.