1886-1913
Hindered by the pejorative title of "primitive cinema," film from the first projections of moving pictures to the advent of the feature is still underseen, underappreciated and understudied.Most of the popular writings about the history of film rush through the period, nodding brusquely at Thomas Edison & Edwin Porter, oversimplifying the roles of the Lumieres & of Melies.Then there is a great leap to Griffith, skipping entirely the contributions of essential traditions, artists & companies, as if to say that only here does the good stuff start. The present compilation is offered as a remedy to this state of affairs, as well as making available the familiar "textbook" films in first class.
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