March of the Movies: A Compete and Authentic History of Motion Pictures

Duration: 2000

Year Published: 1930

Creator: J. Stuart Blackton Productions Inc./ American Vitagraph

Complete Record: A two-reel short from Alliance (produced in England and not the USA as some sources indicate) covering the history of "moving pictures" from Egyptian times 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. Marlene Dietrich sings "Falling in Love Again" from the English version of "The Blue Angel". This short's title was changed to "March of the Movies" in the USA, being referred to as “The Film Parade” in the UK. The film contains re-enactments of ancient Egypt, and uses animation of dancing heiroglyphics. Next we see working zeotropes and a camera obscura, with re enactments of life in 15th century Italy. 1640 Germany use of magic lanterns. 1804 England the concept of the persistence of vision demonstrated through use of spinning toy. 1850 France- Photographic wet plate. 1860 USA cross fading photographs. 1875 Eedward Muybridge demonstrates action by instantaneous photos. 1886 New Jersey Edison builds first moving picture talking machine. 1889 RochesterNew York Eastman inventor of film stock. 1890 Edison shows first ‘talkie’. 1894 first kinetoscope shown on Broadway. Program advertising Vitascope is shown. Film of street scene. First ‘war film’ 1898. “The Battle of Manila Bay” is next. 1900 “A Visit to the Magician”. “The Adventures of a Gentleman of France”. “Humorous Phases of Funny Faces”. Mention made of the Mutoscope. Scientific films “Eye of the Fly”. Charlie Chaplin.