The Magic Lantern Show and How It Grew

A brief history of motion pictures, mostly early Opens with montage of diverse range of film clips, shot of The Great Gatsby, shots of The Beatles in animation (including title card), horses round a racetrack, WWI DOGfight, Great Train Robbery (including title card). After titles, montage of Thomas Alva Edison. Footage of him speaking of the black mariah and footage filmed inside it. Mechanics of hand- cranked peep- show kinetoscope. Few shots of early cinema / theater interiors, sign about spectator behavior. Many extracts of early “silent” films (piano accompanist shown in one brief shot). Newsreel of Hindenburg explosion. Montage of extracts from early synch- sound features. Early, large 35mm camera on location. Brief closing color montage showing split- screen football game, popeye cartoon, Gatsby scene, color shot of flappers dancing.