Devices of Curiosity: Early Cinema and Popular Science
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Author Description
Devices Of Curiosity excavates a largely unknown genre of early cinema, the popular-science film. Primarily a work of cinema history, it also draws on the insights of the history of science. Beginning around 1903, a variety of producers made films about scientific topics for general audiences, inspired by a vision of cinema as an educational medium. This book traces the development of popular-science films over the first half of the silent era, from its beginnings in England to its flourishing in France around 1910. Prologue: Where did these scorpions come from? -- Revealing nature's closest secrets: F. Martin Duncan's popular-science films at the Charles Urban Trading Company -- Juggling flies and gravid plants: F. Percy Smith's early popular-science films -- A drama unites them in a fight to the death: the flourishing of popular-science films in France, 1909-1914 -- A modern cabinet of curiosities: George Kleine's collection of popular-science films -- Popular science and crime melodrama: Louis Feuillade and the serial -- Conclusion: Round and round: from the somersaulting monkey to bug workout. Oliver Gaycken. Includes bibliographical references and index.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the emergence and evolution of the popular-science film as a distinct genre within early cinema. Oliver Gaycken, a scholar of film history, utilizes archival research and historical analysis to argue that early filmmakers viewed the motion picture camera as a vital tool for public education and scientific dissemination. By examining the intersection of cinematic innovation and scientific curiosity, the text establishes how these films functioned as a modern cabinet of curiosities for general audiences.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of the development of popular-science films from 1903 through the pre-World War I era.
- Case studies on key figures such as F. Martin Duncan, F. Percy Smith, and Louis Feuillade.
- Examination of the distribution and exhibition practices of the Charles Urban Trading Company and George Kleine.
Scope Limits
- The study focuses primarily on the silent era and does not extend into the sound era of documentary filmmaking.
- The analysis is geographically centered on developments in England and France rather than a global survey of scientific cinema.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars in the field of film history recognize this work as a significant contribution to the understanding of early non-fiction cinema. Readers frequently note the academic rigor and the depth of archival detail provided in the author's analysis of early scientific film production.
Page Count:
0
Publication Date:
1900-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press,
ISBN-10:
0190235985
ISBN-13:
9780190235987
Non-Fiction
Silent Film
Motion pictures
Science films
Film Studies
Science History
Cinema History
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