The Emergence of Cinema: The American Screen to 1907

History of the American Cinema #1

by Charles Musser

The origins of motion picture technologies are described and analyzed by Charles Musser in this lavishly illustrated volume. He considers social and economic as well as aesthetic aspects of the beginnings of movie making.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, History

645 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1990

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first book in the “History of the American Cinema” series covers the first years of invention, attractions, and the development of industry. It is extremely in depth, using over 400 pages to discuss just over twelve years (1895-1907), with about a hundred at the beginning to cover the history of screen presentations to that point. Musser makes a clear distinction between screen attractions such as the magic lantern and the “cinema,” which for him means moving photographic pictures projected onto a screen for an audience. We get both sides, as well as intermediary technologies like the Kinetoscope. As appropriate to the series, the emphasis is on the development of the film industry in the United States, but because of the importance of French movies to the American market during the period under discussion, he also gives some information regarding Lumière, Méliès, Pathé, and Gaumont. After 1907, American dependence on foreign product rapidly declined, but that story is told in the next volume, by Eileen Bowser, which I had reviewed earlier.
In comparison with that study, I found Musser’s wide-ranging use of sources and tireless research refreshing. While he does use trade journals as sources, especially in the later years when the “trade” was more clearly defined, he also makes extensive use of government documents, especially patent applications, court proceedings, and published interviews and memoirs. Much of the story here is about a relatively small number of men (and it is nearly all men), most of whom were engineers, not artists, and he takes the time to give detailed technical studies of what they accomplished as well as discussing the aesthetics and “grammar” they developed as producer/directors. The story of American film includes more than just the development of narrative, with documentary or actuality films, dance movies, and especially sporting events accounting for much of the draw of early cinema. Because there are comparably few companies competing within this early technology, Musser is able to focus attention on specific studios one at a time, showing where they were in terms of innovation and distribution at different points in their careers.
This works well for a serious enthusiast, but probably would be tedious to a casual student. Nevertheless, the mass of information in this volume makes it a powerful reference for anyone interested in the history of the movies.

[Buckey Grimm · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the Quintessential writings on the History of Early American Cinema. Should be required reading for anyone wishing to gain insight into the developments of the early industry. Musser lays the groundwork for future researchers dealing with all of the influences that had impact on how and when the industry rose from novelty to an integral component of American Society.

[James Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

With its narrow focus on roughly 15 years of the film industry (give or take the few hundred years of information added for historical context), this is probably the most in-depth material I’ve ever read on pre-Griffith American cinema. Most film history talks about Edison, Lumiere, Mieles, and “The Great Train Robbery” before skipping ahead to more “exciting” topics. This book gives full context to the earliest days of cinema, how the business picked up, how it nearly crashed multiple times, and how it very quickly evolved from a middle class entertainment (shown in vaudeville halls and at educational lectures) to something that working and lower class people would enjoy at their local nickelodeon. It’s dense reading, no getting around that, but I also learned so much about an era I knew almost nothing about. Essential reading for anyone interested in the beginnings of film history.

[Danny Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very dry and academic but fascinating all the same. It does an excellent job of forming context for the era, and connecting the pieces of the early cinema puzzle together.

[Zach Amberbud · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're interested in how cinema started especially in the United States then this is a very reliable piece of work. I was mainly interested in first American movies and the main characteristics of them, therefore I have to admit that I was skimming through the work at the parts were I felt were too technical for me. Those parts would be great for those who are interested in cameras, or shooting films themselves. I also additionally watched some of the first movies on youtube just to get the impression of how these things that were mentioned in the book are reflected in real art.

[Suvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully detailed package about the early inventions in the motion picture field. Ended up skimming some of the higly technical stuff that I wasn't interested in but otherwise I learned a lot. There's so much in the early history of cinema you wouldn't believe it!

[Greta · Rating 4 out of 5]

History of early cinema, with lots of technical stuff on patents and pattern of the spread of the medium and early nickolodeons.

[DeAnna · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptional resource.

[David Willard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, pain-stakingly researched book on the founding of cinema in America.