A two-reel short from Alliance (produced in England and not the USA as some sources indicate)covering the history of "moving pictures" from 1848 to the (then) present, and even going into detail about how stationary frames of pictures are made to move, and how Sound is put onto the track. Footage from many silent films is used, including Mary Pickford (identified as Gladys Nicholson) in 1910's "Simple Charity", and Camille's death scene from "La Dame aux cemelias" in which Sarah Bernhardt dies standing on her feet (possibly to ensure the other performers didn't upstage her) and takes her own sweet time doing it.
Is it worth your time? If you're into the nitty-gritty of early film history, sure. It’s a total snooze for anyone else. If you get bored watching paint dry or listening to someone explain 1920s sound technology, you’ll probably hate this. It’s definitely for the archivists and the weirdos who hang out on sites like ou...
production_art
Comparing the cinematic DNA and archive impact of two defining moments in cult history.
J. Stuart Blackton
J. Stuart Blackton
Community
Log in to comment.
"Is it worth your time? If you're into the nitty-gritty of early film history, sure. It’s a total snooze for anyone else. If you get bored watching paint dry or listening to someone explain 1920s sound technology, you’ll probably hate this. It’s definitely for the archivists and the weirdos who hang out on sites like ours. The whole thing feels like a dusty textbook that’s come to life. It’s got that specific British educational tone, you know? Very dry. Very informative. Almost like it’s trying..."
Howard Gaye
United Kingdom
