Publisher Description

A COMPANION TO EARLY CINEMA "This collection of essays by early cinema scholars from Europe and North America offers manifold perspectives on early cinema fiction which perfectly reflect the state of international research." – Martin Loiperdinger, Universitaet Trier "A fabulous selection of first-rate articles!" – Rick Altman, University of Iowa "One of the most challenging books in recent film studies: in it, early cinema is both a historical object and a contemporary presence. As in a great novel, we can retrace the adventures of the past – the films, styles, discourses, and receptions that made cinema the breakthrough reality it was in its first decades. But we can also come to appreciate how much of this reality is still present in our digital world." – Francesco Casetti, Yale University A Companion to Early Cinema is an authoritative reference on the field of early cinema. Its 30 peer-reviewed chapters offer cutting-edge research and original perspectives on the major concerns in early cinema studies, and take an ambitious look at ideas and themes that will lead discussions about early cinema into the future. Including work by both established and up-and-coming scholars in early cinema, film theory, and film history, this will be the definitive volume on early cinema history for years to come and a must-have reference for all those working in the field.

Back Cover

A Companion to Early Cinema is an authoritative reference on the field of early cinema. Its 30 peer-reviewed chapters offer cutting-edge research and original perspectives on the major concerns in early cinema studies, and take an ambitious look at ideas and themes that will lead discussions about early cinema into the future. Including work by both established and up-and-coming scholars in early cinema, film theory, and film history, this will be the definitive volume on early cinema history for years to come and a must-have reference for all those working in the field.

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"This collection of essays by early cinema scholars from Europe and North America offers manifold perspectives on early cinema fiction which perfectly reflect the state of international research." - Martin Loiperdinger, Universitaet Trier "A fabulous selection of first-rate articles!" - Rick Altman, University of Iowa "One of the most challenging books in recent film studies: in it, early cinema is both a historical object and a contemporary presence. As in a great novel, we can retrace the adventures of the past - the films, styles, discourses, and receptions that made cinema the breakthrough reality it was in its first decades. But we can also come to appreciate how much of this reality is still present in our digital world." - Francesco Casetti, Yale University A Companion to Early Cinema is an authoritative reference on the field of early cinema. Its 30 peer-reviewed chapters offer cutting-edge research and original perspectives on the major concerns in early cinema studies, and take an ambitious look at ideas and themes that will lead discussions about early cinema into the future. Including work by both established and up-and-coming scholars in early cinema, film theory, and film history, this will be the definitive volume on early cinema history for years to come and a must-have reference for all those working in the field.

Author Biography

André Gaudreault is Professor in Film Studies at the Université de Montréal, where he heads the research group GRAFICS (Groupe de recherche sur l'avènement et la formation des institutions cinématographique et scénique). He is also director of the bilingual journal Cinémas, published in Montreal. He has presented numerous scholarly papers and published extensively on film narration and early cinema. Nicolas Dulac is Lecturer in Film Studies at the Université de Montréal. He has published on early cinema and turn-of-the-century popular culture in journals such as 1895 Revue d'Histoire du Cinéma, Cinema & Cie, and Early Popular Visual Culture. Santiago Hidalgo is Lecturer in Film Studies at the Université de Montréal. He has published on early cinema, film criticism, and film historiography in Cinémas and in conference proceedings for events in Udine, Italy and Cerisy, France.

Table of Contents

List of Contributors viii Acknowledgments xiv Introduction 1
Nicolas Dulac, André Gaudreault, and Santiago Hidalgo Part I Early Cinema Cultures 13 1 The Culture Broth and the Froth of Cultures of So-called Early Cinema 15
André Gaudreault 2 Toward a History of Peep Practice 32
Erkki Huhtamo 3 "We are Here and Not Here": Late Nineteenth-Century Stage Magic and the Roots of Cinema in the Appearance (and Disappearance) of the Virtual Image 52
Tom Gunning 4 The Féerie between Stage and Screen 64
Frank Kessler 5 The Théâtrophone, an Anachronistic Hybrid Experiment or One of the First Immobile Traveler Devices? 80
Giusy Pisano 6 The "Silent" Arts: Modern Pantomime and the Making of an Art Cinema in Belle Époque Paris: The Case of Georges Wague and Germaine Dulac 99
Tami Williams Part II Early Cinema Discourses 119 7 First Discourses on Film and the Construction of a "Cinematic Episteme" 121
François Albera 8 The Discourses of Art in Early Film, or, Why Not Rancière? 141
Rob King 9 Sensationalism and Early Cinema 163
Annemone Ligensa 10 From Craft to Industry: Series and Serial Production Discourses and Practices in France 183
Laurent Le Forestier 11 Early American Film Publications: Film Consciousness, Self Consciousness 202
Santiago Hidalgo 12 Early Cinema and Film Theory 224
Roger Odin Part III Early Cinema Forms 243 13 A Bunch of Violets 245
Ben Brewster 14 Modernity Stops at Nothing: The American Chase Film and the Specter of Lynching 257
Jan Olsson 15 "The Knowledge Which Comes in Pictures": Educational Films and Early Cinema Audiences 277
Jennifer Peterson 16 Motion Picture Color and Pathé-Frères: The Aesthetic Consequences of Industrialization 298
Charles O ' Brien Part IV Early Cinema Presentations 315 17 The European Fairground Cinema: (Re)defining and (Re)contextualizing the "Cinema of Attractions" 317
Joseph Garncarz 18 Early Film Programs: An Overture, Five Acts, and an Interlude 334
Richard Abel 19 "Half Real-Half Reel": Alternation Format Stage-and-Screen Hybrids 360
Gwendolyn Waltz 20 Advance Newspaper Publicity for the Vitascope and the Mass Address of Cinema 's Reading Public 381
Paul S. Moore 21 Storefront Theater Advertising and the Evolution of the American Film Poster 398
Kathryn H. Fuller-Seeley 22 Bound by Cinematic Chains: Film and Prisons during the Early Era 420
Alison Griffiths Part V Early Cinema Identities 441 23 Anonymity: Uncredited and Unknown in Early Cinema 443
Jane M. Gaines 24 The Invention of Cinematic Celebrity in the United Kingdom 460
Andrew Shail 25 The Film Lecturer 487
Germain Lacasse 26 Richard Hoffman: A Collector's Archive 498
Richard Koszarski Part VI Early Cinema Recollections 525 27 Early Films in the Age of Content; or, "Cinema of Attractions" Pursued by Digital Means 527
Paolo Cherchi Usai 28 Multiple Originals: The (Digital) Restoration and Exhibition of Early Films 550
Giovanna Fossati 29 Pointing Forward, Looking Back: Reflexivity and Deixis in Early Cinema and Contemporary Installations 568
Nanna Verhoeff 30 Is Nothing New? Turn-of-the-Century Epistemes in Film History 587
Thomas Elsaesser Index 610

Review

"This book is an authoritative reference on the field of early cinema.It includes work by established and up-and-coming scholars that offers the cutting-edge research and original perspectives. Its 30 chapters are a must-have reference for those working in field." (Wonderpedia, 19 September 2013)

"It goes without saying that it deserves to be on the library shelves of institutions where the subject forms part of the academic curriculum."  (Reference Reviews, 1 June 2013) "One of the strengths of this substantial 'companion' is that it raises the issue of definition in a variety of provocative ways."  (Sight & Sound, 1 February 2013)

"The essays are well researched and display a refreshing diversity of approaches. Even as the discipline of cinema and media studies turns to newer media, early cinema continues to posses a certain allure." (Nineteenth Century Theatre and Film, Summer 2013)

Long Description

A Companion to Early Cinema is an authoritative reference on the field of early cinema. Its 30 peer-reviewed chapters offer cutting-edge research and original perspectives on the major concerns in early cinema studies, and take an ambitious look at ideas and themes that will lead discussions about early cinema into the future. Including work by both established and up-and-coming scholars in early cinema, film theory, and film history, this will be the definitive volume on early cinema history for years to come and a must-have reference for all those working in the field.

Review Text

"This book is an authoritative reference on the field of early cinema.It includes work by established and up-and-coming scholars that offers the cutting-edge research and original perspectives. Its 30 chapters are a must-have reference for those working in field." (Wonderpedia, 19 September 2013)

"It goes without saying that it deserves to be on the library shelves of institutions where the subject forms part of the academic curriculum."  (Reference Reviews, 1 June 2013) "One of the strengths of this substantial 'companion' is that it raises the issue of definition in a variety of provocative ways."  (Sight & Sound, 1 February 2013)

"The essays are well researched and display a refreshing diversity of approaches. Even as the discipline of cinema and media studies turns to newer media, early cinema continues to posses a certain allure." (Nineteenth Century Theatre and Film, Summer 2013) ?This collection of essays by early cinema scholars from Europe and North America offers manifold perspectives on early cinema fiction which perfectly reflect the state of international research.? - Dr. Martin Loiperdinger, Universität Trier

?A fabulous selection of first-rate essays!  -Rick Altman, University of Iowa ?One of the most thought-provoking books in recent film studies: in it, early cinema is both a historical object and a contemporary presence. As in a great novel, we can retrace the adventures of the past ? the films, styles, discourses, and receptions, that made cinema the breakthrough reality it was in its first decades. But we can also come to appreciate how much of this reality is still present in our digital world.? -Francesco Casetti, Yale University

Review Quote

"This book is an authoritative reference on the field of early cinema.It includes work by established and up-and-coming scholars that offers the cutting-edge research and original perspectives. Its 30 chapters are a must-have reference for those working in field." ( Wonderpedia , 19 September 2013) "It goes without saying that it deserves to be on the library shelves of institutions where the subject forms part of the academic curriculum." ( Reference Reviews , 1 June 2013) "One of the strengths of this substantial 'companion' is that it raises the issue of definition in a variety of provocative ways." ( Sight & Sound , 1 February 2013) "The essays are well researched and display a refreshing diversity of approaches. Even as the discipline of cinema and media studies turns to newer media, early cinema continues to posses a certain allure." ( Nineteenth Century Theatre and Film , Summer 2013)

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