Fantasia of Color in Early Cinema

Tom Gunning Giovanna Fossati Joshua Yumibe Jonathon Rosen

9789089646576

288 pages

Amsterdam University Press

Hardback $59.95

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Overview

We normally think of early film as being black and white, but the first color cinematography appeared as early as the first decade of the twentieth century. In this visually stunning book, the editors present a treasure trove of early color film images from the archives of EYE Film Institute Netherlands, bringing to life their rich hues and forgotten splendor.

Carefully selecting and reproducing frames from movies made before World War I, Fossati, Gunning, Rosen, and Yumibe share the images here in a full range of tones and colors. Accompanying essays discuss the history of early film and the technical processes that filmmakers employed to capture these fascinating images, while other contributions explore preservation techniques and describe the visual delights that early film has offered audiences, then and now. Featuring more than 300 color illustrations for readers to examine and enjoy, Fantasia of Color in Early Cinema will engage scholars and other readers of all ages and backgrounds.

Author Bio

Tom Gunning is Distinguished Service Professor in the Art Department at the Cinema and Media Committee at the University of Chicago. Giovanna Fossati is the chief curator of Eye Filmmuseum and professor of Film Heritage and Digital Film Culture at the University of Amsterdam. Joshua Yumibe holds a joint appointment as assistant professor and director of Film Studies at Michigan State University and as a lecturer in Film Studies at the University of St Andrews. Jonathon Rosen is painter, illustrator, animator, and faculty member of the MFA Visual Narrative and Illustration/Cartooning departments at The School of Visual Arts in New York.