DVD Edison - The Invention of the Movies (1891-1918):
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Editor: Kino International
Category: Documentary
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DVD Edison - The Invention of the Movies (1891-1918)
Edison - The Invention of the Movies is a four-disc treasure trove of 140 of the first moving pictures ever seen, spanning the birth of cinema from 1891-1918. The collaboration between Kino Video and the Museum of Modern Art includes 14-second-long camera tests, early special effects, street scenes, humorous shorts, and "The Great Train Robbery," widely considered the world's first blockbuster. Arranged chronologically, the films gradually improve in technical sophistication and narrative complexity while providing riveting glimpses of American culture 100 years ago. Highlights include the slyly edited "The Gay Shoe Clerk," the phantasmagoric "Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend," and a film of social justice called "The Kleptomaniac." Contemporary sensibilities will be challenged by persistent racial stereotypes in a number of the films, as well as by a horrific short showing the electrocution of an elephant. The educational possibilities represented in this set are vast.
If Kino Video and MoMA had simply released these restored films on DVD, it would still be one of the notable releases of the year, but they have gone further by filling out the set with over two hours of interviews with scholars and archivists. The films can be watched with or without these explanatory interviews, which lend the kind of historical context and thoughtful analysis one finds on the best museum tours. We learn that Edison's first studio was a tar-papered contraption called "Black Maria" that could be rotated to take advantage of available sunlight. Patrick Loughney of The Library of Congress details how many of Edison's films survive on printed paper reels submitted to a copyright office that at the time had no way of cataloging film. Author Michelle Wallace provides insight on how the films represented--and perpetuated-- the stereotypes of the era. If viewers have any energy left after this erudite festival of moving images, there are more than 200 still images from MoMA's Edison Collection to browse. The film history buff's collection is simply not complete without this set. --Ryan Boudinot
Review(s): DVD Edison - The Invention of the Movies (1891-1918)
Stunning
Prior to watching the films on this set, I had only seen a handful of films from the 1890s and Aughts combined, and was barely better-acquainted with the films of the Teens, only having seen thirtysomething films from that decade. This collection really serves to fill a hole for people whose primary experience with early cinema comes from the Twenties and Teens. I actually found myself liking the first two discs best, the films from the 1890s and the early and mid-Aughts. It's really a wonder how back then you could fit so much into only a film that was like five to fifteen minutes long, and rarely ever need intertitles to explain anything. The films from the 1890s are even more wonderous to behold; none of them are over a minute long, yet people back then didn't care, since they had never seen moving images before. This was really a breathtaking thing for them, short as they may be. These very early films also documented many vaudeville acts, providing a small window into a long-bygone form of entertainment. Watching all of these films and interviews and going through all of the bonus material isn't a one-day project, that's for certain. (The program notes on the first disc even have some bonus films that aren't listed on the main film index!) It's not for people who are looking only to be entertained, but for those who are serious about film history and just history in general (so many of these films document things that are long gone, like styles of dress, cars, horse-drawn carriages, sidewalk markets, social codes, and technology), it's a real treasure-trove. Maybe a second volume will be released someday?
Great Set
This set is great for early film buffs. But, since most of them are in the public domain, they are easily found online at government sites to download free. Spending a few hours downloading from the Library of Congress site, and you will have the same collection.
An invaluable piece of film history
This beautifully packaged set of 4 discs is both an education and a real pleasure to watch, thanks to an excellent interface that allows you to enjoy watching the films only, or go in-depth with program notes on each film, as wellas interviews and commentaries on many aspects of the Edison Company's productions. The educational aspect is, of course, the development of movies: from the very first experiments in 1889 which last only a few seconds, to the distinct steps towards telling a story and its evolution into the format we know today. The first disc comprises mainly these early experiments and quick glimpses into the past, lasting from a few seconds to several minutes, and which cover a wide range of subjects. One has to keep in mind that moving pictures were a novelty in those days, and it took some years for the concept of a narrative film for proper entertainment to emerge. Thanks mainly to the innovative pioneering spirit of Edwin S Porter, who directed nearly all of Edison's early short films in the period 1902-1908, we can clearly see how the foundation was laid for what was to follow, such as D W Griffith's Biograph Shorts. In fact, I'm sure that anyone who has enjoyed Griffith's Biograph work will enjoy the bulk of the Edison Company's productions. These shorts (about 10-20 minutes in length) cover a broad range of themes from simple but charming love stories to more involved plots with social and other themes: always interesting but perhaps overall not as intense or dramatic as many of Griffith's Biograph shorts. Apart from 3 or 4 short films that have suffered irreverisible damage, the picture quality is very good overall, and the traditional organ or piano accompaniment is varied and suited to the scenes. My personal favourites are these varied short films from 1905 to 1915, then after a break of 3 years, the final Edison production on disc 4 is a feature film of nearly 90 minutes made during World War I. "The Unbeliever" shows how a young man's experience at the front in Europe changes some of his prejudices and makes him a better person, which makes it more than just a war propaganda film. Although the picture quality is not the best here, I still got a lot out of the story, and it is a good end to the entire set which shows all the steps involved in the invention of the movies.
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This marvellous second set of rare archival material never before released on video truly is a treasure for anyone interested in the development of motion pictures in all its genres. I found the diverse variety on these 3 dics surprising and impressive, as well as very educational. An excellent book contains all the background information you might start to wonder about once you see some of the unusual and unexpected short films, and there are commentaries by critics and historians on the discs as well. As a silent film enthusiast, I was most delighted to see the four feature films (over an hour in length) in this set, as well as the poignant D.W. Griffith short, "The Country Doctor" an action-packed episode from the movie serial "The Hazards of Helen", and the fascinating 1907 Edison... More Info about this DVD DVD Release Date: Released the 07 September 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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The musical accompaniment for most of these seminal avant-garde films is very bad. A previous reviewer mentioned that it was done by "the best in the business." Well, I am of the opinion that, unfortunately, there are not enough interesting minds in that business (silent film scoring), or at least not enough employed by Kino Video, to make for a competent collection.
There is electric guitar (Creed-style riffing!!!). There is arbitrary "Frenchy" sounding music. And yes, there is even some dreaded Casio keyboard "vox" effect.
Who could possibly think that keyboard "vox" was a good idea? Not me.
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The contents below are from unseen-cinema; they include the contents of a 160-page softcover Series Catalog, which is sold separately, but I think you would want. This is clearly a labor of love; though I can't imagine trying to watch all this in a month of Sundays, I could see dipping into it from time to time.
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Disk 1: THE MECHANIZED EYE
Experiments in Technique and Form
The dynamic qualities of motion pictures are explored by cameramen and filmmakers through novel experiments in technique and form. Early cinematographers James White, "Billy" Bitzer, and Frederick Armitage display experimental shooting styles that wowed audiences. Other independent companies further image manipulation through creative... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Orson Welles DVD Release Date: Released the 18 October 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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